American Crew Fiber Grooming Foam — container, alternate view

American Crew

Fiber Grooming Foam

Styler / Mousse, polymer-set

Styler
mousse
foam
Sulfate-free
Silicone-free
Curly-method

Size6.7 fl oz

Priceabout $13commonly seen · 6.7 oz

Price / oz$1.90/ozat 6.7 oz

Where to buy4 stores · $12.59–21.00

Scent:

The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.

Manufacturer page: americancrew.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Factor Your profile Fit

Best for hair types All types Not in your profile

Moisture level High Not in your profile

Hold system High Not in your profile

Slip / detangling High Not in your profile

Weight on hair Light Not in your profile

Fragrance Present Not in your profile

Protein Minor Not in your profile

Silicone / wax buildup None Not in your profile

Clarifying wash needed Low Not in your profile

Parabens / preservatives None of these listed Not in your profile

Show all 22 factors we check

The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.

Essential oils None listed Not in your profile

Fast-drying alcohol None Not in your profile

Vegan / cruelty-free Not yet verified Not in your profile

Animal-derived ingredients Not yet verified Not in your profile

Aerosol can Pressurised can Not in your profile

Needs heat to set Not determined Not in your profile

Heavy humectants Heavy Not in your profile

Hard-water defence None Not in your profile

UV filter Present Not in your profile

Ingredient list 28 ingredientsAbout average Not in your profile

Price tier Masstige Not in your profile

Where to buy it Brand websiteOne channel 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.

Priced with its peers

$1.90/oz at 6.7 oz — less than 62% of the 138 mousses , which mostly run $1.54–4.12/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

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

Fine hairthat flattens under most products

Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Stretching wash daysnothing here needs a detergent to remove

Maybe skip if

this 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

Aerosol avoidancethis is a pressurised can

Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only

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 system Synthetic polymer

Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems.

Cast risk Likely

Film formers without much softening them — expect a cast to scrunch out.

Weight on the hair Light

Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.

Oil absorption None

No absorbent powders or starches.

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 No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

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
WaterAqua/Water/Eau	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Neutral
Butane	propellant	Pushes the product out of the can	Neutral
Propane	propellant	Pushes the product out of the can	Neutral
Polyquaternium-68	conditioning agent	Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through	Detangles
Propylene Glycol	humectant	Pulls water into the hair	Moisturizes
Polyquaternium-11	film former	Lays down the film that holds a shape	Detangles
Isobutane	propellant	Pushes the product out of the can	Neutral
Ceteareth-20	emulsifier	Keeps oil and water mixed	Stabilizes
Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein	conditioning agent	Adds slip, lower in the list	Protein
Wheat Amino Acids	protein	A small amount of protein	Protein
FragranceParfum (Fragrance)	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Citral	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance

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

Full ingredient list (28)

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 Water · Aqua/Water/Eau

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 Butane

General function
A pressurised gas that pushes an aerosol out of the can and evaporates immediately.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChem
- propellant
3 Propane

General function
An aerosol propellant, usually blended with butane to set the spray pressure.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChem
- propellant
4 Polyquaternium-68

General function
A positively charged conditioning polymer. It leaves a thin film that cuts static and eases combing, and it survives rinsing better than a simple conditioner.

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

May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold
Cationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
A cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.

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.
- conditioning agent
- film former
- polymer
5 Propylene Glycol

General function
A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.

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

May suitFine or easily flattened hair
Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A 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.

PubChem
- humectant
- solvent
6 Polyquaternium-11

General function
A styling and conditioning polymer that adds light hold and shine, common in mousses and setting sprays.

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

May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold
Cationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
A cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.

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.
- film former
- polymer
- conditioning agent
7 Isobutane

General function
A pressurised gas that pushes an aerosol out of the can and evaporates on contact.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChem
- propellant
8 Ceteareth-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 Cetrimonium Chloride

General function
A quick-acting conditioning agent that reduces static and combing force. It also helps keep the formula stable.

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

May suitFine or easily flattened hair
The C16 quat binds mostly by charge rather than by chain, so it deposits measurably less than the C22 ones. Less deposit is less conditioning and also less weight, which is usually the trade fine hair wants.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
A cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.

DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines
Substantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science
- conditioning agent
- cleanser
10 Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

General function
A protein given a positive charge so it deposits where hair is damaged. It conditions and adds temporary firmness in one ingredient.

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
A cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.

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.
- conditioning agent
- film former
- protein
- hydrolysed protein
11 Ethane
▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
12 Hydroxyacetophenone
- preservative
- antioxidant
13 Laureth-4
- emulsifier
14 Peg-7 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
15 Peg-90m
- emulsifier
16 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
17 Sodium Chloride
- salt
- thickener
18 Tocopheryl Acetate
- antioxidant
- vitamin
19 Triethanolamine

General function
A base used in trace amounts to neutralise acidic polymers so a gel thickens.

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.

DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
pH 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.

PubChem
- pH adjuster
20 Wheat Amino Acids

General function
Wheat protein broken into amino acids, used for lightweight moisture binding.

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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

DependsProtein-sensitive hair
The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.
- protein
- amino acid
21 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

General function
A UV filter added to protect the product's colour and, in leave-ins, to slow colour fade.

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
Sunlight oxidises hair pigment, and on gray, silver or lightened hair that shows up as yellowing. A UV filter on the label absorbs some of the light that drives it.

PubChem
- UV filter
22 Fragrance · Parfum (Fragrance)

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
23 Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent
24 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
25 Citronellol

General function
A rose-like fragrance component named 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
26 Geraniol

General function
A rose-scented fragrance component, listed on its own 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.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
27 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
28 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

What the whole list adds up to

6 fragrances
5 named fragrance allergens
4 conditioning agents
4 emulsifiers
3 solvents
3 propellants
3 film formers
2 polymers
2 humectants
2 proteins
2 preservatives
2 antioxidants
2 vitamins
1 cleanser

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-12. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 6.7 oz

Commonly seen about $13 Midpoint $12.72 · 3 stores · checked Sep 12

Good value under $6 Under $0.94/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 $6 line; products that do this job typically go for about $8 at this size.

Show the price ladder

Price for 6.7 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 4 stores

FragranceNet.com
$12.59

6.7 oz · $1.88/oz

Sep 12Lowest per ozSale · was $19.99
Makeup
$12.72

6.7 oz · $1.90/oz

Sep 12
eCosmetics
$13.42

6.7 oz · $2.00/oz

Sep 12
Brand website
$21.00

6.7 oz · $3.13/oz

Sep 12

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

6.7 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 6.7 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 $6 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.94/oz; at 6.7 oz that is $6. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
About $8 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 6.7 oz.

Formula

Formula score

8 of 10

The formula carries the systems a mouss is built around, and it sits in the middle of the range for mousses per ounce.

How the score is counted

6 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
Costs less per ounce than 62% of the 138 mousses we’ve priced
Covers 5 of the 6 things a mouss should do
Masstige tier, sold at Brand website

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.

Not Your Mother'sClosest function Curl Talk Activating Mousse $1.40/oz $0.50/oz less

Protein-free
Curly method
Lightweight

Function: Protein
Also: Drugstore tier
7 oz bottle

Compare

WellaLowest cost per oz EIMI Extra Volume Mousse Strong Hold Volumizing Mousse $1.11/oz $0.79/oz less

Protein-free
Curly method
Lightweight

· Close function

Function: Water-binding (humectants)
Protein

Compare

Wella ProfessionalsClose function EIMI Extra Volume Mousse $1.31/oz $0.59/oz less

Protein-free
Curly method
Lightweight

Function: Water-binding (humectants)
Protein
Also: 10.1 oz bottle
Sold through salons

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?

A solid pick for the hair it suits

Best user

People who want maximum slip — for real detangling slip and a curly-method-compatible formula

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, anyone who will not scrunch out a cast, or very dry or very humid climates

Best alternative if not

Consider Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Activating Mousse, 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

Medium long-lasting hold with a natural shine finish

Synthetic hold polymers are present.

Polyquaternium-68
Polyquaternium-11
Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Supported

Structure that lasts the day.

Provides manageable volume, heat protection, and adds structure and body

It reads light on the strand, which is what volume claims depend on.

Polyquaternium-68
Polyquaternium-11
Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Supported

Leaves room for lift.

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.

Several reviewers say only a small amount is needed for effective all-day hold.

Reviewers say the foam adds noticeable volume and texture without leaving a sticky or greasy residue.

Reviewers with thinning or fine hair report it adds body without weighing hair down.

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.
5 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 4 editorial), last checked 2026-09-12.
Ingredient references are linked for 9 of 15 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 2026-09-12.

Fiber Grooming Foam

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 American Crew

How this page was made

Your personalized hair plan