18.21 Man Made

Sweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling Wax

Styler / Paste, strong-hold

Styler
paste
wax
Sulfate-free
Silicone-free
Strong hold
Cruelty-free · brand states

Size2 fl oz

Price$26seen at one store · 2 oz

Price / oz$13.00/ozat 2 oz

Where to buy2 stores · $26.00–26.00

Scent:

Notes: sweet, tobacco.

Strength: Strong

Listing used for research: ulta.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Factor Your profile Fit

Best for hair types Curly–Coily Not in your profile

Moisture level None found Not in your profile

Hold (as stated) Strong Not in your profile

Slip / detangling Some Not in your profile

Weight on hair Rich Not in your profile

Fragrance Present Not in your profile

Protein Minor 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 23 ingredientsAbout average Not in your profile

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

Same job for less elsewhere

$13.00/oz at 2 oz — more than 86% of the 92 pastes , which mostly run $5.57–10.11/oz.

View alternatives

Great for

Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones

Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together

Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it

Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Soft-hold stylesthat should stay touchable

Matte, textured stylesabsorbent powders do the mattifying

Maybe skip if

this product carries a strong scent

Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down

Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them

Soft, touchable finishesthe brand states a firm hold

Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

Whether this hold level is right for you depends on your density, porosity, and how long your style has to last — that is what the consultation works 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) Strong

A strong hold, as stated by the brand.

Hold system Wax

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 Rich

Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.

Oil absorption High

Absorbent powders or starches high in the list.

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

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 Present

Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.

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
Diethylhexyl Malate	light ester	Light slip without much weight	Softens
Lanolin Wax	film former	Lays down the film that holds a shape	Buildup
Bentonite	clay	Absorbs oil and adds texture	Neutral
Beeswax	wax	Holds shape and adds weight	Buildup
Petrolatum	sealant	Seals moisture in	Heavy
Diatomaceous Earth	absorbent	—	Neutral
Microcrystalline Wax	wax	Holds shape and adds weight	Buildup
Ceteareth-20Cetearteth-20	emulsifier	Keeps oil and water mixed	Stabilizes
Hydrolyzed Quinoa	film former	A supporting film former	Protein
Paraffin	film former	A supporting film former	Buildup
FragranceFragrance (Parfum)	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Coumarin	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance

What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Contains fragrance. Contains heavier butters.

Full ingredient list (23)

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 Diethylhexyl Malate

General function
A cushiony ester used for a rich but non-greasy glide.

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

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.
- light ester
- emollient
2 Lanolin Wax

General function
The solid fraction of lanolin, used to give balms body and hold.

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

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.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.
- film former
- sealant
- wax
3 Bentonite

General function
A clay that absorbs oil and gives a matte, gritty texture.

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

May suitFine or easily flattened hair
Absorbs oil and adds texture, which is what gives fine hair grip at the root instead of slip.

May not suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
An absorbent solid takes up oil, and hair already short of it has less to give.
- clay
- powder
4 Beeswax

General function
A firm natural wax that grips and holds hair in place. It resists water and can take repeated washing to remove.

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

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.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.
- wax
- film former
- sealant
5 Petrolatum

General function
A heavy sealing agent that locks moisture in and takes detergent to remove.

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

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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.
- sealant
- emollient
6 Diatomaceous Earth

General function
A fine silica powder from fossilised algae, used to absorb oil and add grip.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- absorbent
- powder
- mineral
7 Microcrystalline Wax

General function
A petroleum-derived wax used for firm, pliable hold in pomades and pastes.

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

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.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.
- wax
- film former
- sealant
8 Ceteareth-20 · Cetearteth-20

General function
An emulsifier that holds oil and water together in a conditioner or cream.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- emulsifier
9 Hydrolyzed Quinoa

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

Secondary ingredient
Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

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
10 Peg-16 Macadamia Glycerides

General function
A plant fat made water-dispersible by ethoxylation. It softens the formula and helps the oil and water phases stay together.

Secondary ingredient
Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

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.
- emulsifier
- emollient
11 Paraffin

General function
A mineral wax used for firm structure and sealing in pomades.

Secondary ingredient
Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

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.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.
- film former
- sealant
- wax
▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
12 Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
13 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
14 Water · Water (Aqua)
- solvent
15 Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
16 Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
17 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
18 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
19 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
20 Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent
21 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
22 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
23 Citral

General function
A lemon-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

What the whole list adds up to

6 fragrances
5 film formers
5 sealants
5 preservatives
5 named fragrance allergens
4 emollients
4 waxs
2 powders
2 emulsifiers
2 solvents
1 light ester
1 clay
1 absorbent
1 mineral

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-26. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 2 oz

Seen at $26 1 store · checked Aug 26

Good value under $11 Under $5.28/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 $11 line; products that do this job typically go for about $14 at this size.

Show the price ladder

Price for 2 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores

2 ozmost listedBest per ounce

Ulta Beauty
$26.00

2 oz · $13.00/oz

Aug 26Lowest per oz

Ulta
$26.00

Aug 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

2 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.
Seen at $26 is the price we have observed for the 2 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
Good value under $11 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $5.28/oz; at 2 oz that is $11. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
About $14 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 2 oz.

Formula

Formula score

9 of 10

The formula carries what a paste is built around, and 2 products we score as close matches cost at least a quarter less per ounce. The difference is buying the label, not a different formula.

How the score is counted

2 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
Costs more per ounce than 86% of the 92 pastes we’ve priced
Covers 5 of the 6 things a paste should do
Salon 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, for less

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.

American CrewLowest cost per oz Matte Clay $3.50/oz $9.50/oz less

Protein-free
Curly method
Rich

· Close function

Function: Slip and detangling
Oils and butters
Protein
Also: Masstige tier
3 oz bottle

Compare

RedkenStronger hold Brews Clay Pomade $7.06/oz $5.94/oz less

Protein-free
Curly method
Rich

· Close function

Function: Slip and detangling
Oils and butters
Protein
Also: Woody scent, not amber
Masstige tier
3.4 oz bottle

Compare

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?

Good for the right person, not the lowest cost

Best user

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

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or anyone stretching time between washes

Best alternative if not

American Crew Matte Clay — for similar results 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.

SupportedBacked by ingredients

Partly supportedSome supporting logic

Stated by brandNo clear evidence

Potential conflictFormula works against claim

high hold

Gums or waxes give some structure, without the polymers that carry a firm hold.

Lanolin Wax
Beeswax
Microcrystalline Wax

Partly supported

Soft structure, not firm hold.

low shine

Light esters can add a little gloss without a full shine system.

Diethylhexyl Malate
Lanolin Wax
Beeswax

Partly supported

A hint of gloss.

frizz-free finish

Silicones or film formers smooth the cuticle, which is the usual mechanism.

Lanolin Wax
Beeswax
Microcrystalline Wax

Supported

Smoother strands, less frizz.

all-day hold

Gums or waxes give some structure, without the polymers that carry a firm hold.

Lanolin Wax
Beeswax
Microcrystalline Wax

Partly supported

Soft structure, not firm hold.

reworkable second-day styling

Absorbent starch or powder is present near the top of the list.

Bentonite
Diatomaceous Earth

Supported

Buys a day between washes.

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 user says the wax applies easily without pulling, remains combable and touchable after drying, and can be reshaped during the day without losing hold.

Ulta most-helpful positive review of the exact wax

Fragrance is sharply divisive: one dissatisfied customer found it overwhelming and nausea-inducing, even though they considered the hold acceptable before flaking developed.

Ulta customer review from Florida, August 2024

A reviewer with thick, fine hair values the natural finish and strong hold, but warns that applying too much makes it difficult to work through hair.

Ulta customer review from Nevada, May 2021

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 6 of 16 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.

Sweet Tobacco High Hold, Low Shine, Hair Styling Wax

Is this right for you?

Read from the label, not the marketing

The ingredients that change a decision

What the whole list adds up to

Should you buy it?

What the brand says, against what the formula shows

What people report

More from 18.21 Man Made

How this page was made

Your personalized hair plan