flexible hold
Softening ingredients sit alongside the hold polymers, which is what keeps a film flexible.
- Pullulan
- Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
- Xylityl Sesquicaprylate
Supported
Natural movement without stiffness.
18.21 Man Made
Sweet Tobacco Hair Styling Powder
Styler / Volumizer, mixed-hold
- Styler
- volumizer
- powder
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Protein-free
- Cruelty-free · brand states
Size0.28 fl oz
Price$24–28commonly seen · 0.28 oz
Price / oz$85.71/ozat 0.28 oz
Where to buy5 stores · $24.00–31.78
Scent:
Notes: powdery, sweet, tobacco.
Strength: Strong
Listing used for research: ulta.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Straight–Wavy
Not in your profile
Moisture level
Moderate
Not in your profile
Hold system
Moderate
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Some
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Light
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Prominent
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
High
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate
Not in your profile
Scent
Amber & spice · Sweet & vanillaStrong strength
Not in your profile
Show all 23 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · brand states
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Aerosol can
Pump or tube
Not in your profile
Needs heat to set
Air-sets
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Not heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
None
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
14 ingredientsA short list
Not in your profile
Price tier
Masstige
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
18.21 Man Made · Ulta
Not in your profile
The consultation builds your hair profile, then reads every factor in this table against it — and tells you where this product fits, or what to use instead.
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Your avoid-list
Priced above most volumizers
$85.71/oz at 0.28 oz — more than 98% of the 64 volumizers , which mostly run $3–6.80/oz.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Soft-hold stylesthat should stay touchable
Maybe skip if
this product carries a strong scent
Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them
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 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
Light
Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.
Oil absorption
High
Absorbent powders or starches high in the list.
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 sits in the first eight ingredients — 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. These chips name what an ingredient does — they are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate | starch | Soaks up oil and adds grip | Neutral |
| Silica | powder | Mattifies and absorbs oil | Stabilizes |
| Silica Silylate | powder | Mattifies and absorbs oil | Stabilizes |
| Sodium Bicarbonate | pH adjuster | Fine-tunes the pH | pH balancer |
| Pullulan | film former | A supporting film former | Holds |
| FragranceFragrance (Parfum) | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice | humectant | Adds a little water-binding | Moisturizes |
| Capryloyl Glycine | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Cleanses |
| Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil | emollient | A softening touch, low in the list | Buildup |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. No protein — a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label.
Full ingredient list (14)
US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order. Annotations keep three readings separate: the ingredient's general function, its role in this product type, and what its position can support.
-
1
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
General function
A modified starch that absorbs oil and leaves a dry, matte feel.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairAdds grip and body with no oil attached, which is what lifts fine hair at the root instead of weighing it down.
DependsMaximum-hold stylingStarch gives texture and grip rather than a set film; firm hold usually needs a polymer alongside it.
- starch
- powder
-
2
Silica
General function
A fine mineral powder that absorbs oil and adds grip. It is what makes texture powders and matte pastes feel dry to the touch.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairA dry powder takes up oil and adds friction between strands, which is most of what root lift in fine hair actually is.
- powder
- thickener
- mineral
-
3
Silica Silylate
General function
A treated silica used to absorb oil and add grip in texture products.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairA dry powder takes up oil and adds friction between strands, which is most of what root lift in fine hair actually is.
- powder
- thickener
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
4
Sodium Bicarbonate
General function
Baking soda. Used in trace amounts to raise pH; at higher levels it is alkaline enough to swell the cuticle.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt 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 hairTakes up oil at the root, which is where fine hair goes flat first.
DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairpH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.
- pH adjuster
- absorbent
-
5
Pullulan
General function
A fermented sugar polymer that dries to a thin, flexible film — used for light hold and a temporary tightening feel.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdA polysaccharide film stays softer than a synthetic one as it dries, which is what leaves a curl defined but still able to move.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what keeps flyaways lying down without stiffness.
May not suitMaximum-hold stylingGum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.
- film former
- gum
-
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 zoneIt 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 routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
7
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
General function
Aloe gel, used for light moisture and slip. High in the list it also contributes a little natural hold.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdGums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairHydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairAloe is mostly water carrying sugars that bind more of it, which is why it turns up as the base of moisture-first formulas.
- humectant
- botanical extract
- gum
-
8
Capryloyl Glycine
General function
An amino-acid derivative used to support the preservative system and, in scalp products, for a clarifying claim.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesCleansing is what lifts deposited films off the strand. How completely depends on which detergent it is and how high on the list it sits.
DependsVery dry or highly damaged hairEvery detergent removes some sebum along with the product it is there to wash out. Which detergent it is matters more than that there is one.
- preservative
- cleanser
-
9
Hexylene Glycol
General function
A solvent that keeps other ingredients dissolved and helps preservatives work.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.
- solvent
- humectant
-
10
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 zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairIt hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairDeposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.
- humectant
- conditioning agent
- vitamin
-
11
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
General function
Not chemically an oil: about 97% of it is liquid wax esters, which is why it resists going rancid and sits close to the scalp's own sebum. It smooths without a heavy finish.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt 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 hairCoats 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 hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingA wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.
- emollient
- light ester
- oil
- wax
-
12
Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
-
13
Xylityl Sesquicaprylate
General function
A fatty ester. Esters give slip and a smooth after-feel; lighter ones read dry and silky, heavier ones read rich.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt 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 hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
-
14
Xylitylglucoside
General function
A sugar-derived humectant used for lasting moisture without stickiness.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairHigh-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairBinds 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 hairA humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.
- humectant
What the whole list adds up to
- 4 humectants
- 3 powders
- 2 thickeners
- 2 gums
- 2 preservatives
- 2 emollients
- 2 light esters
- 1 starch
- 1 mineral
- 1 pH adjuster
- 1 absorbent
- 1 film former
- 1 fragrance
- 1 declared fragrance
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-26. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 0.28 oz
Commonly seen
$24–28
Good value under
$0
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $0 line; products that do this job typically go for about $1 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 4 stores
0.28 ozmost listedBest per ounce
-
Ulta Beauty
$24.000.28 oz · $85.71/ozAug 29Lowest per oz
-
Target
$24.000.28 oz · $85.71/ozAug 29
-
PerfumesClub US
$31.780.28 oz · $113.50/ozAug 29
-
Ulta
$24.00Aug 25
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
- 0.28 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.
- Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 0.28 oz at recognised stores — the cheapest quarter and the dearest quarter are left out, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
- Good value under $0 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.35/oz; at 0.28 oz that is $0. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $1 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 0.28 oz.
Formula
9
Formula score
9 of 10
Above the range for volumizers per ounce for a complete formula, with no close, lower-priced match in our library.
How the score is counted
- Nothing in our library does the same job for less
- Costs more per ounce than 98% of the 64 volumizers we’ve priced
- Covers 5 of the 6 things a volumizer should do
- Masstige tier, sold at 18.21 Man Made and Ulta
- 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 is completeness for the job: the share of the systems this product type is normally built around that we can find in this list, weighted. It is not efficacy, not quality, and it never compares across product types.
Does the same job
Same derived functions — what it cleans, conditions, coats or holds — at a lower cost per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy it can still differ.
MoroccanoilClosest function
Texture Clay
$11.54/oz $74.17/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
Mielle OrganicsClose function
Pomegranate & Honey Curl Smoothie
$1.24/oz $84.47/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
MielleLowest cost per oz
Pomegranate & Honey Coil Sculpting Custard
$1.13/oz $84.58/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
See more alternatives in the product library
These are functional neighbours, not personal recommendations — they are close on formula, not chosen for anyone. Get the one that fits your hair, routine, and budget
Final decision
Should you buy it?
An above-range pick for the hair it suitsBest user
Hair that stiffens on protein — for a protein-free formula and a curly-method-compatible formula
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance or anyone stretching time between washes
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, against what the formula shows
Claims are quoted from the brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when the ingredient list actually speaks to it; everything else stays "stated by the brand", which is not a criticism — most claims simply cannot be read off a label.
3
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
volume boosting
It reads light on the strand, which is what volume claims depend on.
- Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
- Pullulan
Supported
Leaves room for lift.
activates texture
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
oil absorbing
Absorbent starch or powder is present near the top of the list.
- Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
- Silica
- Silica Silylate
Supported
Buys a day between washes.
reworkable
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
How to read this
We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula — not marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.
Reviewers
What people report
Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.
A reviewer praises the scent and says the powder maintained its performance during strenuous activity.
Ulta customer review from Charlotte, North Carolina, January 2026Another customer says it covers greasy hair but found the fragrance overpowering enough to aggravate their asthma and adds unwanted stiffness.
Ulta customer review from Chattanooga, Tennessee, September 2025One user likes the oil absorption and pronounced texture but says the cap can become so misthreaded that the product is nearly impossible to reopen.
Ulta customer review from Omaha, Nebraska, March 2026More from 18.21 Man Made
How this page was made
- Everything above is generated from our researched product record — identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. No part of this page is written per 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.
- 2 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-26.
- Ingredient references are linked for 5 of 13 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are conditional formulation guidance, not a conclusion about the finished product or about you.
- We have not tested this product in a lab and we do not physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list; behaviour claims are labelled as the brand's.
- Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice.
- 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 v22. Record last updated 2026-08-27.