American Crew Light Hold Texture Lotion — 8.4 oz container

American Crew

Light Hold Texture Lotion

Styler / Styling product, light-hold

Styler
lotion
Sulfate-free
Silicone-free
Curly-method

Size8.45 fl oz

Price$20.95 Good valueseen at one store · 8.45 oz

Price / oz$2.48/ozat 8.45 oz

Where to buy2 stores · $20.95–23.00

Scent:

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

Strength: Light

Manufacturer page: americancrew.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Factor Your profile Fit

Best for hair types Curly–Coily Not in your profile

Moisture level Moderate Not in your profile

Hold (as stated) Light Not in your profile

Slip / detangling High 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 None Not in your profile

Clarifying wash needed Low Not in your profile

Scent ScentedLight 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 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 None Not in your profile

UV filter None listed Not in your profile

Ingredient list 29 ingredientsAbout average Not in your profile

Price tier Masstige 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.

Start your consultation

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

Priced above most lotions

$2.48/oz at 8.45 oz — more than 82% of the 12 lotions , which mostly run $0.94–2.08/oz. It sells under what the cost.

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

Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it

Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Stretching wash daysnothing here needs a detergent to remove

Maybe skip if

this product carries a light scent

Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down

Styles that must holdthe brand states a light hold at most

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) Light

A light hold, as stated by the brand.

Hold system Mixed

Gums and synthetic polymers together.

Cast risk Unlikely

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

Weight on the hair Rich

Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.

Oil absorption Some

Absorbents appear, low 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 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
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate	light ester	Light slip without much weight	Softens
VP/VA Copolymer	film former	Lays down the film that holds a shape	Holds
Polyquaternium-37	conditioning agent	Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through	Detangles
Cetyl Acetate	light ester	Light slip without much weight	Softens
Ppg-10 Methyl Glucose Ether	emulsifier	Keeps oil and water mixed	Stabilizes
Lanolin Oil	sealant	Seals moisture in	Heavy
Peg-40 Castor Oil	solubilizer	Keeps oils dissolved in water	Stabilizes
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein	film former	A supporting film former	Protein
FragranceParfum (Fragrance)	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Benzyl Salicylate	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Limonene	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance

What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Fragrance is on the label. Heavier butters sit in the working part of the list.

Full ingredient list (29)

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 Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

General function
A light, dry-feeling ester that spreads other ingredients and softens without a greasy finish.

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
3 VP/VA Copolymer

General function
A hold polymer that dries to a clear film. It sets the style and washes out with water.

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

May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.

May suitMaximum-hold styling
Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines
Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.
- film former
- polymer
4 Polyquaternium-37

General function
A thickening polymer that gives creams and curl products their bounce and helps them cling to the strand.

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
- thickener
5 Cetyl Acetate

General function
A light waxy ester used for a smooth, dry after-feel.

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
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
6 Ppg-10 Methyl Glucose Ether

General function
An ethoxylated or propoxylated formulation aid. Ingredients of this family keep oils, silicones and fragrance evenly dispersed in a water-based product.

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

General function
The liquid fraction of lanolin, used for heavy sealing and softness.

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
8 Peg-40 Castor Oil

General function
An ethoxylated castor-oil derivative. It dissolves fragrance and oils into a water-based formula, which is what keeps a clear liquid from separating.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
9 Polyquaternium-11

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

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

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
10 Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol
- emollient
- sealant
▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
11 Caprylyl Glycol

General function
A gentle preservative helper that also holds a little moisture.

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
Humectants bind water into the strand, and water — not oil — is what makes dry hair flexible instead of brittle.

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
- preservative
- humectant
12 PPG-1 Trideceth-6
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
13 Propylene Glycol

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

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
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
14 Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil

General function
A light oil that softens without much residue.

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

May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair
Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
- oil
- emollient
15 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
16 Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract
- botanical extract
17 Panax Ginseng Root Extract
- botanical extract
18 Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

General function
Wheat protein broken into fragments small enough to cling to the hair. It adds temporary strength and body; too much can feel stiff.

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

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Filling surface gaps evens out the cuticle, which is part of what makes damaged hair comb and reflect light more like undamaged hair.

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

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Hydrolysed fragments are small enough to sit in the gaps of a worn cuticle for a wash or two, temporarily restoring stiffness and cutting breakage in combing.
- film former
- protein
- hydrolysed protein
19 Rice Starch · Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Starch

General function
A fine starch that soaks up oil at the roots and adds grip.

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
Adds grip and body with no oil attached, which is what lifts fine hair at the root instead of weighing it down.

DependsMaximum-hold styling
Starch gives texture and grip rather than a set film; firm hold usually needs a polymer alongside it.
- starch
- powder
20 Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
- botanical extract
21 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
22 Benzyl Salicylate

General function
A soft floral 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
23 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
24 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
25 Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone

General function
A violet-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 Hexyl Cinnamal

General function
A jasmine-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
27 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
28 Hydroxycitronellal

General function
A soft floral 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
29 Phenoxyethanol
- preservative

What the whole list adds up to

8 fragrances
7 named fragrance allergens
5 emollients
4 film formers
3 polymers
3 emulsifiers
3 botanical extracts
2 solvents
2 light esters
2 conditioning agents
2 sealants
2 solubilizers
2 preservatives
2 humectants

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 8.45 oz

Seen at $20.95 1 store · checked Aug 29

Good value under $36 Under $4.26/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 7 products we score as doing the same job

Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $36 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $41 at this size.

Show the price ladder

Price for 8.45 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 2 stores

8.45 ozmost listedBest per ounce

FORE Supply Company
$20.95

8.45 oz · $2.48/oz

Aug 29Lowest per oz
Ulta
$23.00

8.4 oz · $2.74/oz

Aug 27

Ulta
$23.00

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

8.45 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 $20.95 is the price we have observed for the 8.45 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
Good value under $36 comes from the 7 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $4.26/oz; at 8.45 oz that is $36. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
About $41 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 8.45 oz.

Formula

Formula score

10 of 10

Above the range for lotions per ounce for a complete formula, with no close, lower-priced match in our library.

How the score is counted

1 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
Costs more per ounce than 82% of the 12 lotions we’ve priced
Covers 6 of the 6 things a lotion should do
Reviewers mention 4 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.

OGXLowest cost per oz Locking + Coconut Curls Air Dry Cream $1.58/oz $0.90/oz less

Protein-free
Curly method
Rich

· Close function

Function: Oils and butters
Protein
Also: Sweet scent
Drugstore tier
6 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?

An above-range pick for the hair it suits

Best user

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

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or styles that have to hold all day

Best alternative if not

OGX Locking + Coconut Curls Air Dry Cream, 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

Light hold

Synthetic hold polymers are present.

VP/VA Copolymer
Polyquaternium-37
Polyquaternium-11

Supported

Structure that lasts the day.

Low shine

The formula carries a recognised shine system — silicone, oil, or light ester.

Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
Cetyl Acetate
Lanolin Oil

Supported

Reflects light for visible shine.

Natural look with slight definition

Film formers or natural gums are present, which is what holds a clump together.

VP/VA Copolymer
Polyquaternium-37
Polyquaternium-11

Supported

Holds a clump together.

Matte finish

Nothing absorbent sits high enough to read as a matte system.

Rice Starch

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.

Doesn't leave hands feeling greasy or gooey after application

Ulta reviewer

Controls hair without leaving a visible product look

Ulta reviewer

Long-time users report reaching for this product for 2 to 20+ years

repeat Ulta buyers

A dime-sized amount is enough and it's easy to apply

Ulta reviewer

Scent opinions are split — some like the mild unisex fragrance, others don't

multiple Ulta reviewers

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 10 of 20 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.

Light Hold Texture Lotion

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