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18.21 Man Made

Hair Styling Gel - Sweet Tobacco

Styler / Gel, medium-hold

  • Styler
  • gel
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Curly-method
  • Cruelty-free · brand states
Size3.4 oz
Priceabout $22commonly seen · 3.4 oz
Price / oz$6.47/ozat 3.4 oz
Where to buy4 stores · $22.00–22.00

Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.

Scent:

Notes: dark-toned vanilla, honey, saffron, tobacco.

“Sweet Tobacco is a charismatic scent with saffron, dark-toned vanilla, honey and tobacco” (Brand page)

Manufacturer page: 1821manmade.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Complete the consultation to see how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 6,000+ products in our library, we can match you to the right ones.

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Priced above most gels

$6.47/oz at 3.4 oz, more than 93% of the 267 gels , which mostly run $1.13–3.78/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Aerosol avoidancea pump or tube, not a pressurised can
A wide range of haira middle-of-the-range weight

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent
Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you

Whether this hold suits you depends on your density, porosity and how long your style needs to last. The consultation works that out.

What the formula actually does

Read from the label, not the marketing

Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.

Hold (as stated) Medium

A medium hold, as stated by the brand.

Hold system Mixed

Gums and synthetic polymers together.

Cast risk Unlikely

Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely.

Weight on the hair Medium

Middle of the range: noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.

Oil absorption None

No absorbent powders or starches.

Oils and butters Present, lower down

Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch.

Fast-drying alcohol None

No fast-drying alcohol in the list.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.

Fragrance Prominent

Fragrance is in the first eight ingredients, so it makes up a larger share of the formula.

from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.

Ingredients that matter

The ingredients that change a decision

The workhorse ingredients, plus anything lower down that changes a decision. The chips name what an ingredient does. They are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
WaterWater (Aqua) solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
PVP film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
Glycerin humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Isoceteth-20 emulsifier Keeps oil and water mixed Stabilizes
Polyacrylate-2 Crosspolymer film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
FragranceFragrance (Parfum) fragrance The scent Fragrance
Phenoxyethanol preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
Sodium Polyacrylate thickener Adjusts the texture Holds
Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer wax Adds a little grip Buildup
Jojoba Esters wax Adds a little grip Buildup
Coumarin fragrance The scent Fragrance
Limonene fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Contains fragrance. Chelators for hard water.
Full ingredient list (25)

In the US, ingredients above 1% are listed from most to least. Below 1% they can appear in any order. Each note keeps three things apart: what the ingredient generally does, its role in this type of product, and what its position can tell you.

  • 1 Water · Water (Aqua)
    General function

    The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    • solvent
  • 2 PVP
    General function

    A classic hairspray polymer. It gives firm hold but attracts moisture, so humidity can soften the set.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.

    May not suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    The film takes up water from the air. The patent work that produced the VP/VA copolymers describes a PVP film turning sticky after time in a humid atmosphere, and being dependable only where humidity is low — so hold and feel both move with the weather.

    PubChem
    • film former
    • polymer
  • 3 Glycerin
    General function

    Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.

    Role in this product type

    In styling gel, glycerin helps retain moisture as the product dries, supporting a softer, more flexible finish. The hold itself comes from the formula's film-forming polymers.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    May suit hair that benefits from added water retention and a softer, more flexible gel finish.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Binds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    Consider the climate and the complete formula: prominent humectants can behave differently in very dry air and on frizz-prone hair in high humidity.

    Cosmetic Ingredient Review
    • humectant
  • 4 Isoceteth-20
    General function

    An emulsifier that keeps oils dispersed in water-based formulas.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    • emulsifier
    • solubilizer
  • 5 Polyacrylate-2 Crosspolymer
    General function

    A synthetic film-forming polymer. Polymers of this kind dry to a continuous film on the hair, which is how a styling product holds a shape.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    • film former
    • polymer
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 6 Fragrance · Fragrance (Parfum)
    General function

    An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    Declared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.

    • fragrance
    • declared fragrance
  • 7 Phenoxyethanol
    General function

    The most common modern preservative; it keeps the product free of bacteria and mould. It sits well below 1% of the formula.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    PubChem
    • preservative
  • 8 Sodium Polyacrylate
    General function

    A high-molecular-weight acrylic acid polymer that absorbs large amounts of water; used to thicken gels and creams and, as a film former, to help styling products hold their set.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    • thickener
    • film former
    • polymer
  • 9 Ethylhexylglycerin
    General function

    A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    PubChem
    • preservative
    • emollient
  • 10 Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer
    General function

    A plant-oil wax used as a vegan alternative to beeswax for hold and sheen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    A wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.

    DependsCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    How rigid the finish is depends on which polymer it is and what the formula pairs with it, not on there being one.

    • wax
    • film former
    • emollient
  • 11 Panthenol
    General function

    Provitamin B5. It draws in water and penetrates the strand a little, which is why it is the standard ingredient for softness and shine claims.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    It hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • conditioning agent
    • vitamin
  • 12 Sodium Gluconate
    General function

    A gentle, biodegradable chelator that binds hard-water minerals in place of EDTA.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Binds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Copper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.

    PubChem
    • hard-water chelator
  • 13 Jojoba Esters
    General function

    A jojoba-derived wax that gives a soft, cushioned finish and light hold in balms.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    A light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Spreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    A wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.

    • wax
    • light ester
    • emollient
  • 14 Caramel
    General function

    A colour added to tint the product itself. It does not colour hair.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    A violet or blue colorant sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so a trace of it deposited on the surface makes a warm cast read cooler. It washes out over the following few washes.

    • colourant
  • 15 Coumarin
    General function

    A sweet, hay-like fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 16 Limonene
    General function

    A citrus-smelling fragrance component that EU rules require to be named separately because some people react to it.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 17 Hydrolyzed Quinoa
    General function

    A quinoa-derived protein used for light strengthening and colour retention claims.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Filling surface gaps evens out the cuticle, which is part of what makes damaged hair comb and reflect light more like undamaged hair.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Hydrolysed fragments are small enough to sit in the gaps of a worn cuticle for a wash or two, temporarily restoring stiffness and cutting breakage in combing.

    • film former
    • protein
    • hydrolysed protein
  • 18 Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
    General function

    A cushiony oil that absorbs reasonably well, common in smoothing treatments.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 19 Eugenol
    General function

    A clove-scented fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 20 Benzyl Benzoate
    General function

    A fragrance component with a faint balsamic scent, named separately on the label because it is a recognised contact allergen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 21 Linalool
    General function

    A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 22 Benzyl Alcohol
    • preservative
    • solvent
  • 23 Tocopherol
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 24 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative
  • 25 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative

What the whole list adds up to

  • 6 fragrances
  • 5 film formers
  • 5 preservatives
  • 5 named fragrance allergens
  • 4 emollients
  • 3 polymers
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 humectants
  • 2 waxs
  • 2 vitamins
  • 1 emulsifier
  • 1 solubilizer
  • 1 declared fragrance
  • 1 thickener

Ingredient list captured 2026-10-17. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 3.4 oz

Commonly seen about $22 Midpoint $22 · 3 stores · checked Oct 17
Good value under $19 Under $5.73/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $19 line; products that do this job typically go for about $50 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 4 stores

Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.

How we work this out
  1. 3.4 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
  2. Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 3.4 oz at recognised stores. We leave out the cheapest and most expensive quarters, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
  3. Good value under $19 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $5.73/oz; at 3.4 oz that is $19. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $50 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 3.4 oz.

Formula

Formula score
9 of 10

It costs more per ounce than 93% of the 267 gels we’ve priced, and the formula carries the systems the format is built around. Nothing in our library comes close enough on formula to be a cheaper substitute.

How the score is counted
  • Nothing in our library does the same job at a lower price
  • Costs more per ounce than 93% of the 267 gels we’ve priced
  • Covers 5 of the 6 things a gel should do
  • Masstige tier, sold at Brand website and Grocery / mass
  • A hold systemThe polymer, gum, or wax that holds the shape.3 pts
  • Softeners alongside the holdWhat keeps a film flexible instead of brittle.2 pts
  • No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A humidity claim with a mechanismThe claim has a film former or silicone behind it.1 pt
  • Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score measures completeness for the job: a weighted share of the systems this product type is usually built around that we find in this list. It does not rate how well the product works or its quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job

Formulas that do the same things (cleanse, condition, coat or hold) for less per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy them can still differ.

DavinesClosest function Medium Hold Fiber Cream $17.16/oz $10.69/oz more
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Silicone-free
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • Protein
Also
  • Salon tier
  • 1.7 oz bottle
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amikaClose function On Lock High Hold Hair Wax $17.65/oz $11.18/oz more
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Rich
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • Weight on the hair
  • Protein
Also
  • Salon tier
  • 1.7 oz bottle
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KenraLowest cost per oz Platinum Whipped Taffy 20 Matte Defining Paste $12.50/oz $6.03/oz more
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Rich
· Close function
Function
  • Oils and butters
  • Weight on the hair
  • Protein
Also
  • Floral scent, not amber
  • 2 oz bottle
  • Sold online
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See more alternatives in the product library

These products do a similar job. We haven’t matched them to you. Find the one that fits your hair, routine and budget

Built for wavy to coily hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

An above-range pick for the hair it suits
Best user

Curly-method routines, for a curly-method-compatible formula and defined, clumped curls

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, anyone stretching time between washes, or very dry or very humid climates

Best alternative if not

Nothing in our library matches it closely at a lower price.

We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.

Claims check

What the brand says, and what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We mark a claim supported, partly supported or conflicting only when the ingredient list speaks to it. Everything else stays "stated by the brand". That isn’t a criticism: most claims can’t be checked from a label.

2
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Flexible hold and medium shine

Softening ingredients sit alongside the hold polymers, which is what keeps a film flexible.

  • PVP
  • Polyacrylate-2 Crosspolymer
  • Sodium Polyacrylate
Supported

Natural movement without stiffness.

Natural looking hold that won't flake or leave hair stiff

No flake-prone resins sit high in the list, but flaking depends on how much you use.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Weightless, flexible, long-lasting grip

Softening ingredients sit alongside the hold polymers, which is what keeps a film flexible.

  • PVP
  • Polyacrylate-2 Crosspolymer
  • Sodium Polyacrylate
Supported

Natural movement without stiffness.

How to read this

We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula, not at the marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.

More from 18.21 Man Made

How this page was made

  • Everything above comes from our researched product record: identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated prices and review themes our researchers wrote in their own words. No part of this page is written by hand for one product.
  • 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.
  • Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
  • 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 consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-10-17.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 10 of 16 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are general formulation guidance. They aren’t a verdict on the finished product or on you.
  • We haven’t tested this product in a lab, and we don’t physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list. Claims about how it behaves are labelled as the brand's.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are what we saw on the dates shown and can change.
  • Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
  • Formula readings: derivation v23. Record last updated 2026-10-17.

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