Light hold
Synthetic hold polymers are present.
- VP/VA Copolymer
- PVP
- Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Supported
Structure that lasts the day.
American Crew
Light Hold Styling Gel - 13.1 oz
Styler / Gel, light-hold
- Styler
- gel
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Protein-free
Size8.4 fl ozmost listed · 3 sizes
Price$13.44seen at one store · 8.4 oz · from $1.09/oz in the 33.8 oz
Price / oz$1.99/ozat 8.4 oz
Where to buy5 stores · 3 sizes
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?
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Wavy–Coily
Not in your profile
Moisture level
Moderate
Not in your profile
Hold (as stated)
Light
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Little
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Medium
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Present
Not in your profile
Protein
None
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
Pump or tube
Not in your profile
Needs heat to set
Not determined
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Not heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
High
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
20 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Salon
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Ulta · Brand website
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 with its peers
$1.99/oz at 8.4 oz — less than 53% of the 155 gels , which mostly run $1.19–3.51/oz. The cost less.
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
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Stretching wash daysnothing here needs a detergent to remove
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Styles that must holdthe brand states a light hold at most
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
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)
Light
A light hold, as stated by the brand.
Hold system
Synthetic polymer
Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems.
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
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 |
| VP/VA Copolymer | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Holds |
| PVP | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Holds |
| Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer | thickener | Sets the texture | Holds |
| Polysorbate 20 | solubilizer | Keeps oils dissolved in water | Stabilizes |
| Caprylyl Glycol | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Moisturizes |
| Triethanolamine | pH adjuster | Fine-tunes the pH | pH balancer |
| Panthenol | humectant | Adds a little water-binding | Detangles |
| FragranceParfum (Fragrance) | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Benzyl Salicylate | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Limonene | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Linalool | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Contains fragrance. Chelators for hard water.
Full ingredient list (20)
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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
-
2
VP/VA Copolymer
General function
A hold polymer that dries to a clear film. It sets the style and washes out with water.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingSynthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSome acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.
- film former
- polymer
-
3
PVP
General function
A classic hairspray polymer. It gives firm hold but attracts moisture, so humidity can soften the set.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay suitMaximum-hold stylingSynthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSome 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 hairThe 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.
- film former
- polymer
-
4
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
General function
A gel-forming thickener that also keeps oils suspended. It contributes a little hold.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingSynthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSome acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.
- thickener
- polymer
- film former
-
5
Polysorbate 20
General function
Keeps fragrance and oils dissolved in a watery formula so it stays clear.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
6
Caprylyl Glycol
General function
A gentle preservative helper that also holds a little moisture.
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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hairHumectants bind water into the strand, and water — not oil — is what makes dry hair flexible instead of brittle.
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.
- preservative
- humectant
-
7
Triethanolamine
General function
A base used in trace amounts to neutralise acidic polymers so a gel thickens.
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.
PubChemDependsFrizz-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
-
8
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
-
9
Tetrasodium EDTA
General function
Binds the metal ions in hard water so they cannot dull hair or destabilise the formula.
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 routinesBinds 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 hairCopper 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.
- hard-water chelator
-
10
Allantoin
General function
A soothing ingredient used in scalp formulas.
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 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.
- conditioning agent
-
11
Propylene Glycol
General function
A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.
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.
- humectant
- solvent
-
12
Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil
General function
A light oil that softens without much residue.
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.
- oil
- emollient
-
13
Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract
- botanical extract
-
14
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
- botanical extract
-
15
Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
- botanical extract
-
16
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 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
-
17
Benzyl Salicylate
General function
A soft floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.
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 not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne 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
-
18
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 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 not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne 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
-
19
Linalool
General function
A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.
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 not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne 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
-
20
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
What the whole list adds up to
- 4 fragrances
- 3 film formers
- 3 polymers
- 3 humectants
- 3 botanical extracts
- 3 named fragrance allergens
- 2 solvents
- 2 preservatives
- 2 conditioning agents
- 1 thickener
- 1 solubilizer
- 1 emulsifier
- 1 pH adjuster
- 1 vitamin
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 8.4 oz
Seen at
$13.44
Good value under
$8
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $8 line; products that do this job typically go for about $14 at this size.
Sizes
8.4 ozmost listed
$13.44
$1.99/oz
13.1 oz
$28
$2.14/oz
33.8 oz
$36.99
$1.09/oz
The 33.8 oz costs 45% less per ounce than the 8.4 oz.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it6 listings · 5 stores
8.4 ozmost listed
13.1 oz
33.8 oz
-
Target
$36.9933.8 oz · $1.09/ozAug 29Lowest per ozSale · was $39.00
84 ozBest per ounce
-
JCPenney
$20.0084 oz · $0.24/ozAug 29Lowest per oz
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
- 8.4 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.
- Seen at $13.44 is the price we have observed for the 8.4 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $8 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.99/oz; at 8.4 oz that is $8. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
- About $14 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 8.4 oz.
Formula
10
Formula score
10 of 10
The formula carries the systems a gel is built around, and it sits in the middle of the range for gels per ounce.
How the score is counted
- 4 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs less per ounce than 53% of the 155 gels we’ve priced
- Covers 6 of the 6 things a gel should do
- Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs
- 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.
The DouxStronger hold
Bananas Xtreme Hold Hair Gel
$1.42/oz $0.57/oz less
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Rinses clean
- Function
- Also
TGINLighter feel
Rose Water Curl Defining Styling Gel
$1.08/oz $0.91/oz less
- Curly method
- Lightweight
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
Garnier FructisLowest cost per oz
Style Curl Shape Defining Spray Gel
$0.57/oz $1.42/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Lightweight
- 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?
A solid 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
Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, styles that have to hold all day, or people shopping on a budget
Best alternative if not
Consider The Doux Bananas Xtreme Hold Hair Gel, 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.
4
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
High shine
The formula carries a recognised shine system — silicone, oil, or light ester.
- Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil
Supported
Reflects light for visible shine.
Non-flaking formula
No over-the-counter anti-dandruff active appears in the list.
—
Stated by brand
Soothing, not an active treatment.
Alcohol-free
No fast-drying alcohol appears in the list.
—
Supported
Nothing that flashes off dry.
Non-drying to scalp
No fast-drying alcohol appears in the list.
- Caprylyl Glycol
- Panthenol
- Propylene Glycol
Supported
Nothing in it flashes off dry.
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.
Lightweight application that doesn't weigh hair down or feel heavy
repeat Ulta buyerNon-flaking formula holds up to the claim, no white residue after it dries
Ulta reviewerFragrance is pleasant and not overpowering
Ulta reviewerOne reviewer described the gel as goopy and said it didn't work well for their hair
dissatisfied Ulta reviewerMore from American Crew
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 2026-08-27.
- Ingredient references are linked for 9 of 14 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.