Skip to main content

Side by side

OCOA Curl Defining Styling Gel vs Sun Bum Curls Styling Cream

89% function match · 10 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 44%. OCOA Curl Defining Styling Gel and Sun Bum Curls Styling Cream share 2 ingredients among each other's most prominent.

Based on your consultation

Which of these fits your hair?

We check your pattern, moisture need, scalp, fragrance tolerance, weight sensitivity and more against each formula — and say which one lines up.

Your profile at a glance

  • Your answers appear here
  • Your answers appear here
  • Your answers appear here
  • Your answers appear here

When each one is the right call

What each formula is built for, from its own ingredient list.

  • Curl Defining Styling Gel — protein-hungry hair
  • Curls Styling Cream — protein-hungry hair

Side by side

Every trait, aligned

One row per trait, read from each product’s own ingredient list and record. A dash means we have not researched that field for that product — it is not a “no”.

Trait
OCOA Curl Defining Styling Gel — 8 oz container OCOA

Curl Defining Styling Gel

  • Styler
  • Masstige
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Sun Bum Curls Styling Cream — 5 oz container Sun Bum

Curls Styling Cream

  • Styler
  • Masstige
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$22 8 oz · $2.75/oz
$16.99 5 oz · $3.40/oz
Value / price positioning
Upper-mid price for a gel $$$$$ Masstige tier · costs more than 57% of the 157 gels we’ve priced
Upper-mid price for a curl cream $$$$$ Masstige tier · costs more than 65% of the 105 curl creams we’ve priced
Best for hair types
Wavy–Coily Co-washes, curl creams, and gels are built around wave and curl. Your hair
Wavy–Coily Co-washes, curl creams, and gels are built around wave and curl. Your hair
Moisture level Same
High Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here. Your hair
High Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here. Your hair
Hold (as stated)
Medium A medium hold, as stated by the brand. Your hair
—
Slip / detangling Differs
Moderate Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list. Your hair
High Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula. Your hair
Weight on hair Differs
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Light Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair. Your hair
Fragrance
Present Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients. Your hair
Prominent Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — a larger share of the formula. Your hair
Protein Same
Prominent Protein high in the list — a strengthening formula, not a moisture one. Your hair
Prominent Protein high in the list — a strengthening formula, not a moisture one. Your hair
Silicone / wax buildup Same
None Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove. Your hair
None Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove. Your hair
Clarifying wash needed
Low Your hair
Low Your hair
Hold system Same
Mixed Gums and synthetic polymers together. Your hair
Moderate Gums and synthetic polymers together. Your hair
Cast risk Same
Unlikely Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely. Your hair
Unlikely Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely. Your hair
Humidity resistance
Claimed The brand claims humidity resistance; the ingredient list cannot confirm it. Your hair
—
Oil absorption Same
None No absorbent powders or starches. Your hair
None No absorbent powders or starches. Your hair
Oils and butters Same
Present, lower down Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch. Your hair
Present, lower down Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch. Your hair
Fast-drying alcohol Same
None No fast-drying alcohol in the list. Your hair
None No fast-drying alcohol in the list. Your hair
Formula completeness
out of 10
Complete for its job
out of 10
Complete for its job
Who should choose this
  • Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet
  • Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
  • Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
  • Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
  • Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet
  • Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
  • Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
  • Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a light scent
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein
  • Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein
  • Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.
More facts about each one
Type
Stylergel
Stylercream
Where to buy
Ulta · Brand website
Brand website · Grocery / mass
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • curly-method compatible
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • curly-method compatible
Vegan
Vegan · brand states
Vegan · label states
Cruelty-free
—
Cruelty-free · label states
Scent
Fresh & airyLight
Scented, not described
Hold
mediumHolds for soft to medium touchable curls
—
Finish
natural
—
Humidity claim
Yes
—
How often
every wash
—

Facts as we recorded them. A dash means we have not researched that field for that product — it is not a "no".

The bottom line

The bottom line depends on your hair

Which of these two suits you is a question about your hair, not about them. The consultation answers it — and tells you what your routine needs around it.

Take the consultation

$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.

The detail behind the table

Where the readings above come from: the ingredient lists themselves, each brand’s claims checked against them, what owners report, and cost per ounce in context.

Shared and distinct ingredients

Shared and distinct ingredients

Computed from the ingredient lists as printed. "Shared" means both lists carry it; where it sits on each label is stated, because position is what tells you how much.

What both formulas carry

IngredientCurl Defining Styling GelCurls Styling Cream
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
Glycerin
Moisturizes
#2Leading
#2Leading
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Holds
#4Supporting
#6Supporting
Fragrance
Fragrance
#19Below the 1% line
#8Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Curl Defining Styling Gel

Curls Styling Cream

Full ingredient list — Curl Defining Styling Gel (22)
Full ingredient list — Curls Styling Cream (18)

Claims check

What each brand says, against what each formula shows

Claims are quoted from each brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when that product’s ingredient list actually speaks to it.

VerdictsCurl Defining Styling GelCurls Styling Cream
Supported
4
4
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
2
0
Potential conflict
0
0
Cruelty-free
Stated by brandWorth checking on the label.
SupportedMatches our researched record.
Vegan
SupportedMatches our researched record.
SupportedMatches our researched record.

Curl Defining Styling Gel

  • Hydrates curlsSupportedHelps hair feel hydrated.
  • Controls frizzSupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • No flakes or crunchy curlsSupportedNatural movement without stiffness.
  • Clean ingredientsStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.

Curls Styling Cream

  • Lightweight styling cream with Kukui Nut Oil and Monoi Coconut Oil that helps nourish hair for soft curls without the crunchSupportedHelps hair feel hydrated.
  • Made Without Parabens and SulfatesSupportedGentler on colour and coils.

What owners say

What people report

Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings, and we never balance one product’s themes against another’s by inventing them.

Both praised for the scent and curl definition. OCOA Curl Defining Styling Gel draws complaints about frizz; Sun Bum Curls Styling Cream draws complaints about hold and curl definition.

Curl Defining Styling Gel

Favorite gel; hydrating with strong curl definition, called a game changer

reviewer with wavy hair, Philadelphia

Made hair manageable after switching from harsher, drying products

reviewer with very curly hair, California

Likes the light natural scent and clean ingredient list

reviewer with wavy hair (2B-2C/3A)

Keeps curls frizz-free even in high humidity

reviewer with very curly hair, Florida

Smells good but left hair unexpectedly frizzy for this user

3-star reviewer, hair type not specified

Curls Styling Cream

Reviewers repeatedly say it defines curls without the stiffness or crunch of gels, describing the result as soft, natural-looking curls with a light hand.

curly-haired reviewers, including several using it on their children

Several reviewers say the whole family, from young children to adults with different curl patterns, use the same bottle successfully.

households with multiple curly-haired family members

The scent is called out often and positively, described as a pleasant, not-too-strong 'summer' or coconut smell that lasts.

general reviewers

A recurring complaint is that the cream gives little to no real hold or curl definition, with a couple of reviewers calling it more like a fragranced leave-in than a true styling product, and one saying it weighed hair down.

reviewers expecting a defined, held curl result

Multiple reviewers say a small, dime-sized amount is enough and that using more than that leaves hair feeling sticky or crunchy, especially on long hair.

reviewers with longer or thicker hair

Price check

Cost per ounce, in context

Cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in. Value labels are computed from that percentile and from how many products that do the same job cost less; they are comparisons, not judgements about a brand.

$2.75/oz vs $3.40/oz — Sun Bum Curls Styling Cream costs about 1.2× more per ounce than OCOA Curl Defining Styling Gel.

Curl Defining Styling Gel

Against 157 gels with a computable unit price.

Curls Styling Cream

Against 105 curl creams with a computable unit price.

Value readCurl Defining Styling GelCurls Styling Cream
Label
Upper-mid price for a gelSits in the middle of the range for gels per ounce.
Upper-mid price for a curl creamSits in the middle of the range for curl creams per ounce.

Computed from cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced, and from how many products that do the same job cost less. It is a comparison, not a judgement about the brand.

Compare with something else

Close formulas to each of these, as their own comparison pages.

Curl Defining Styling Gel vs Sleek Styling Cream + Taming WandRizos Curls · 89% function matchCurls Styling Cream vs Complete Air Dry Cream - 5.0 ozJVN · 89% function matchCurl Defining Styling Gel vs Guava Cream Hair GelCantu · 89% function matchCurls Styling Cream vs Advanced Climate Control Heat and Humidity Gel - 8.5 ozOuidad · 89% function matchCurl Defining Styling Gel vs Thickening High Drama Styling Hair Foam for Thinning Hair - 1.5 ozBumble and bumble · 89% function matchCurls Styling Cream vs Coco Crème Curl Shaping Cream Gel with Coconut OilCarol's Daughter · 89% function matchCurl Defining Styling Gel vs Thickening High Drama Styling Hair Foam for Thinning Hair - 5.0 ozBumble and bumble · 89% function matchCurls Styling Cream vs Sleek Styling Cream + Taming WandRizos Curls · 85% function match

Curl Defining Styling Gel · Curls Styling Cream · All gels in the library

How this page was made

  • This page is assembled from the same researched records the individual product pages render: identity, each ingredient list as printed, each brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. Nothing on it is written per comparison.
  • We do not rank these against each other. Which of them suits you depends on your hair, and that is what the consultation works out.
  • The formula similarity percentage is a stored, precomputed number: position-weighted overlap of the two ingredient lists blended with agreement on the attributes we derive. It measures how alike two formulas are, not how well either works.
  • The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
  • The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
  • 7 sources were consulted across the products on this page.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice. We do not sell these products and take no placement fees.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.

Still unsure? Take your consultation or browse more products.

Your personalized hair plan

Tell us what’s going on with your hair, see what we understand, and get a plan built around it — with the reason behind every recommendation.

Free to start · $49.00 for your consultation and hair profile · No subscription · Nothing you must buy

Start your consultation