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Side by side

Paul Mitchell MITCH Steady Grip Styling Gel vs Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5 oz

93% function match · 12 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 30%. Paul Mitchell MITCH Steady Grip Styling Gel and Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5 oz 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
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When each one is the right call

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

  • MITCH Steady Grip Styling Gel — protein-sensitive hair
  • Tea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5 oz — 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 MITCH Steady Grip Styling Gel — 5.1 oz container Paul Mitchell

MITCH Steady Grip Styling Gel

  • Styler
  • Masstige
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5 oz — 2.5 oz container Paul Mitchell

Tea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5 oz

  • Styler
  • Drugstore
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$16–19 5.1 oz · $3.44/oz
$10–12 2.5 oz · $4.29/oz

Compared at different sizes — 5.1 oz against 2.5 oz. Per-ounce prices favour the larger bottle.

Value / price positioning
Upper-mid price for a gel $$$$$ Masstige tier · costs more than 71% of the 157 gels we’ve priced
Same job for less elsewhere $$$$$ Drugstore tier · costs more than 87% of the 157 gels 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
Medium A medium hold, as stated by the brand. Your hair
Slip / detangling Differs
Little Nothing here is built to reduce combing force. Your hair
High Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula. Your hair
Weight on hair Same
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. 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 Same
None No protein or amino acids in the list. Your hair
None No protein or amino acids in the list. 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
Synthetic polymer Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems. Your hair
Synthetic polymer Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems. Your hair
Cast risk Same
Likely Film formers without much softening them — expect a cast to scrunch out. Your hair
Likely Film formers without much softening them — expect a cast to scrunch out. 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
None No oils or butters in the list. Your hair
None No oils or butters in the list. 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-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • 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-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
  • 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
  • Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
  • Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
  • 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
Stylergel
Where to buy
Brand website · Salons
Ulta · Salons · Brand website
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • protein-free
  • curly-method compatible
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • protein-free
  • curly-method compatible
Cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Scent
Scented, not described
Scented, not described
Hold
medium
mediumProduces medium hold with flexible properties
Finish
shine
shine
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

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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

IngredientMITCH Steady Grip Styling GelTea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5 oz
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
VP/VA Copolymer
Holds
#2Leading
#5Supporting
Propylene Glycol
Moisturizes
#4Supporting
#4Supporting
Polysorbate 20
Stabilizes
#6Supporting
#9Below the 1% line
Phenoxyethanol
Stabilizes
#8Below the 1% line
#11Below the 1% line
Fragrance
Fragrance
#15Below the 1% line
#14Below the 1% line
Aminomethyl Propanol
pH balancer
#10Below the 1% line
#6Below the 1% line
Triethyl Citrate
pH balancer
#13Below the 1% line
#10Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

MITCH Steady Grip Styling Gel

Tea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5 oz

Full ingredient list — MITCH Steady Grip Styling Gel (18)
Full ingredient list — Tea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5 oz (17)

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.

VerdictsMITCH Steady Grip Styling GelTea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5 oz
Supported
0
3
Partly supported
0
1
Stated by brand
2
3
Potential conflict
0
0

MITCH Steady Grip Styling Gel

  • medium shineStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • clean finishStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.

Tea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5 oz

  • Creates body + intense shinePartly supportedNeutral on lift.
  • Provides medium holdSupportedStructure that lasts the day.
  • Versatile formula can be applied to wet or dry hairSupportedHelps hair feel hydrated.
  • Ideal for all hair typesStated by brandSee the fit panel instead.
  • VeganStated by brandWorth checking on the label.
  • Paraben-freeSupportedPreserved without parabens.
  • Gluten-freeStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.

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, the scent, and hold. Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5 oz draws complaints about dryness and residue or cast.

MITCH Steady Grip Styling Gel

Provides flexible hold that keeps the hairstyle intact throughout the day

customers praising how the product maintains style without becoming rigid

Does not flake, turn white, or feel heavy on the hair

reviewers noting superior performance compared to standard gel products

Delivers strong hold with a pleasant scent and clean, non-sticky application

customers valuing overall product quality, formula performance, and value

Tea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5 oz

Delivers strong hold without leaving a greasy feel

Ulta reviewer

Lightweight and easy to work through hair with a pleasant scent

Ulta reviewer

Checked all the boxes for curly hair styling with no flaking or buildup

Ulta reviewer with curly hair

Some found it left hair feeling sticky or drying

Ulta reviewer

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.

$3.44/oz vs $4.29/oz — Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5 oz costs about 1.2× more per ounce than Paul Mitchell MITCH Steady Grip Styling Gel.

$0.31/oz median $2.12/oz $10.59/oz $3.44/oz MITCH Steady Grip Styling $4.29/oz Tea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5

Every mark sits on one distribution because these are compared against the same set: 157 gels with a computable unit price.

Value readMITCH Steady Grip Styling GelTea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5 oz
Label
Upper-mid price for a gelSits in the middle of the range for gels per ounce.
Same job for less elsewhereYou are paying above the range for a formula close to several lower-priced options.

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.

MITCH Steady Grip Styling Gel vs 151 Proof Deluxe PomadeBlind Barber · 100% function matchTea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5 oz vs Extra-Body Sculpting GelPaul Mitchell · 96% function matchMITCH Steady Grip Styling Gel vs Sea Salt SprayMurdock London · 99% function matchTea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5 oz vs Curl Talk Fragrance & Protein Free Sculpting GelNot Your Mother's · 96% function matchMITCH Steady Grip Styling Gel vs Guava Beach Waves Texturizing SprayCeremonia · 99% function matchTea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5 oz vs Pomegranate & Honey Air Dry Styler GelMielle Organics · 96% function matchMITCH Steady Grip Styling Gel vs Texturing Hair Styling Spray Gel for Wavy HairHerbal Essences · 99% function matchTea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5 oz vs Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Spray - 6.8 ozPaul Mitchell · 96% function match

MITCH Steady Grip Styling Gel · Tea Tree Styling Gel - 2.5 oz · 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.
  • 4 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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