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Side by side

Paul Mitchell Clean Beauty Styling Cream vs Paul Mitchell MITCH Dry Paste

30% function match · 4 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 0%. Paul Mitchell Clean Beauty Styling Cream and Paul Mitchell MITCH Dry Paste share no ingredient among each other's most prominent — which does not stop them doing the same job.

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.

  • Clean Beauty Styling Cream — maximum slip
  • MITCH Dry Paste — protein-sensitive 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
Paul Mitchell Clean Beauty Styling Cream — container, alternate view Paul Mitchell

Clean Beauty Styling Cream

  • Styler
  • Masstige
  • Sulfate-free
  • Moisture-rich
Paul Mitchell MITCH Dry Paste — 3 oz container Paul Mitchell

MITCH Dry Paste

  • Styler
  • Masstige
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$17.99 3.4 oz · $6.32/oz
$22–24 3 oz · $8.00/oz
Value / price positioning
Upper-mid price for a smoothing cream $$$$$ Masstige tier · costs more than 64% of the 56 smoothing creams we’ve priced
Upper-mid price for a paste $$$$$ Masstige tier · costs more than 51% of the 90 pastes we’ve priced
Best for hair types
Straight–Curly Smoothing and thermal products span straight through curly hair. Your hair
Curly–Coily A heavy formula: coarse, curlier strands carry it without flattening. Your hair
Moisture level Same
Moderate Humectants in the working part of the formula. Your hair
Moderate Humectants in the working part of the formula. Your hair
Hold system Differs
Moderate Gums and synthetic polymers together. Your hair
Moderate Gums and synthetic polymers together. Your hair
Slip / detangling Differs
High Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula. Your hair
Some Some slip, mostly from esters or silicones rather than conditioners. Your hair
Weight on hair Differs
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Rich Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients. Your hair
Fragrance
Present Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients. Your hair
Present Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients. Your hair
Protein Differs
Minor Protein appears, low enough to be a supporting ingredient. Your hair
None No protein or amino acids in the list. Your hair
Silicone / wax buildup Same
High Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them. Your hair
High Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them. Your hair
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate Your hair
Moderate 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
Oil absorption Differs
None No absorbent powders or starches. Your hair
High Absorbent powders or starches high in the list. Your hair
Oils and butters Differs
None No oils or butters in the list. Your hair
Present, high in the list Oils sit high in the list — a softening, coating formula. Your hair
Fast-drying alcohol Differs
Present Fast-drying alcohol is present — it speeds drying and can read dry on the hair. 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
  • Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
  • Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
  • Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
  • Vegan and cruelty-freeour researched record has it as both
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
  • Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
  • Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
  • Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
  • Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them
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
Stylercream
Stylerpaste
Where to buy
Brand website · Grocery / mass
Brand website
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • protein-free
  • curly-method compatible
Vegan
Vegan · label states
Vegan · label states
Cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Scent
Scented, not described
Scented, not described
How often
as needed
—

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

IngredientClean Beauty Styling CreamMITCH Dry Paste
Propylene Glycol
Moisturizes
#7Supporting
#6Supporting
Fragrance
Fragrance
#26Below the 1% line
#13Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Clean Beauty Styling Cream

MITCH Dry Paste

Full ingredient list — Clean Beauty Styling Cream (27)
Full ingredient list — MITCH Dry Paste (28)

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.

VerdictsClean Beauty Styling CreamMITCH Dry Paste
Supported
3
0
Partly supported
0
1
Stated by brand
3
0
Potential conflict
0
1

Clean Beauty Styling Cream

  • 88% natural origin ingredientsStated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.
  • softens, smoothes, and seals hairStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • color safeSupportedLess fade per wash.
  • gluten freeStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • paraben freeSupportedPreserved without parabens.
  • veganSupportedMatches our researched record.

MITCH Dry Paste

  • Add volume, enhance texture and create sculpted hairstylesPotential conflictLikely to weigh hair down.
  • Matte finish with high holdPartly supportedSoft structure, not firm hold.

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 a light feel and hold.

Clean Beauty Styling Cream

Several reviewers say the hold lasts all day while the finish stays soft rather than greasy or crunchy

reviewers commenting on hold and finish over a full day

Reviewers describe applying the cream to either damp or dry hair and getting a smooth, non-residue finish either way

reviewers describing their own application routine

Reviewers say it adds body and controls frizz on curly or thick hair without leaving it feeling weighed down or stiff

reviewers with curly or thick hair styling with the cream

MITCH Dry Paste

Delivers strong, all-day hold that keeps hair styled and in place without losing the hold throughout the day.

customers needing reliable styling hold for all-day wear

Matte finish provides styling without any shine or greasiness, creating a clean, natural-looking hold.

customers seeking matte styling and matte-finish aesthetics

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.

$6.32/oz vs $8.00/oz — Paul Mitchell MITCH Dry Paste costs about 1.3× more per ounce than Paul Mitchell Clean Beauty Styling Cream.

Clean Beauty Styling Cream

Against 56 smoothing creams with a computable unit price.

MITCH Dry Paste

Against 90 pastes with a computable unit price.

Value readClean Beauty Styling CreamMITCH Dry Paste
Label
Upper-mid price for a smoothing creamSits in the middle of the range for smoothing creams per ounce.
Upper-mid price for a pasteSits in the middle of the range for pastes 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.

Clean Beauty Styling Cream vs Fast Form Styling Cream GelPaul Mitchell · 90% function matchMITCH Dry Paste vs Brews Clay PomadeRedken · 89% function matchClean Beauty Styling Cream vs Argan Oil Curl ActivatorCreme of Nature · 89% function matchMITCH Dry Paste vs Matte ClayAmerican Crew · 89% function matchClean Beauty Styling Cream vs Chia Seed Clumping GelBounce Curl · 88% function matchMITCH Dry Paste vs Craft Clay Texturizing & Flexible Styling ClaySebastian · 89% function matchClean Beauty Styling Cream vs Texture Maker SpraySebastian · 87% function matchMITCH Dry Paste vs Style + Treat Yuzu + Plum Oil Hair Styling Sleek StickBriogeo · 89% function match

Clean Beauty Styling Cream · MITCH Dry Paste · All smoothing creams 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.
  • 9 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.

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