American Crew Matte Clay — 3 oz container

American Crew

Matte Clay

Styler / Paste, strong-hold

Styler
paste
Sulfate-free
Silicone-free
Protein-free

Size3 fl oz

Price$10.50 Good valueseen at one store · 3 oz

Price / oz$3.50/ozat 3 oz

Where to buy3 stores · 2 sizes

Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.

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 Curly–Coily Not in your profile

Moisture level Moderate Not in your profile

Hold (as stated) Strong Not in your profile

Slip / detangling Little Not in your profile

Weight on hair Rich Not in your profile

Fragrance Present Not in your profile

Protein None Not in your profile

Silicone / wax buildup High Not in your profile

Clarifying wash needed Moderate Not in your profile

Parabens / preservatives Present 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 None Not in your profile

UV filter None listed Not in your profile

Ingredient list 19 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, checks every factor in this table against it, and tells you where this product fits or what to use instead.

Start your consultation

$49 once, with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates. Nothing renews, and you never have to buy a product.

Lower cost than most pastes

$3.50/oz at 3 oz, less than 87% of the 197 pastes , which mostly run $4.92–11.75/oz.

Price and stores

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

Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it

Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Matte, textured stylesabsorbent powders do the mattifying

Maybe skip if

this product has a 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

Whether this hold suits you depends on your density, porosity and how long your style needs to last. The consultation works that 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 Present, high in the list

Oils sit high in the list: a softening, coating formula.

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. The 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
Kaolin	clay	Absorbs oil and adds texture	Neutral
Petrolatum	sealant	Seals moisture in	Heavy
BeeswaxCera Alba/Beeswax/Cire D'abeille	wax	Holds shape and adds weight	Buildup
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate	emulsifier	Keeps oil and water mixed	Softens
Oleth-10	emulsifier	Keeps oil and water mixed	Stabilizes
Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) WaxCera Carnauba/Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax/Cire De Carnauba	wax	Holds shape and adds weight	Buildup
Paraffinum Liquidum/Mineral Oil/Huile Minerale	emollient	Softens and smooths the strand	Heavy
FragranceParfum (Fragrance)	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Citral	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Citronellol	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Geraniol	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. Contains heavier butters.

Full ingredient list (19)

In the US, ingredients above 1% are listed from most to least. Below 1% they can appear in any order. Each note keeps three things apart: what the ingredient generally does, its role in this type of product, and what its position can tell you.

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 Kaolin

General function
A soft white clay that absorbs oil and adds body without much grit.

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
3 Petrolatum

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

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

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
4 Beeswax · Cera Alba/Beeswax/Cire D'abeille

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 PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate

General function
A coconut-derived emulsifier that softens a cleanser and reduces the stripped feeling.

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.
- emulsifier
- emollient
6 Oleth-10

General function
An emulsifier used to disperse oils and fragrance.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
7 Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax · Cera Carnauba/Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax/Cire De Carnauba

General function
A hard palm wax that gives firm hold and shine.

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 not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
Waxes do not dissolve in water. They need a detergent wash to come off, and they are the classic cause of a coated feel.

DependsCurls or waves needing flexible hold
How rigid the finish is depends on which polymer it is and what the formula pairs with it, not on there being one.
- wax
- film former
8 Paraffinum Liquidum/Mineral Oil/Huile Minerale

General function
Mineral oil. It seals the surface and adds slip, 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 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.

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.
- emollient
- sealant
- oil
▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
9 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
10 Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent
11 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
12 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
13 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
14 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
15 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
16 Ethylparaben
- paraben
- preservative
17 Methylparaben
- paraben
- preservative
18 Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
19 Sodium Benzoate
- preservative

What the whole list adds up to

6 fragrances
5 preservatives
5 named fragrance allergens
3 sealants
3 emollients
2 solvents
2 waxs
2 film formers
2 emulsifiers
2 parabens
1 clay
1 powder
1 solubilizer
1 oil

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

Price · 3 oz

Seen at $10.50 1 store · checked Aug 29

Good value under $12 Under $4.05/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $12 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $19 at this size.

Sizes

3 ozusual store size

$10.50

$3.50/oz

5 oz

$21.50

$4.30/oz

The 3 oz costs the least per ounce, 19% less than the 5 oz.

Show the price ladder

Price for 3 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 3 stores

3 ozusual store sizeBest per ounce

Glamot.com
$10.50

3 oz · $3.50/oz

Aug 29Lowest per ozSale · was $13.17
Ulta
$23.00

3 oz · $7.67/oz

Aug 27

5 oz

JCPenney
$21.50

5 oz · $4.30/oz

Aug 29Lowest per oz

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. and 4 listings we don’t count, from grey-market or unverified sellers.

How we work this out

3 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 $10.50 is the price we have observed for the 3 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
Good value under $12 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $4.05/oz; at 3 oz that is $12. 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 $19 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 3 oz.

Formula

Formula score

9 of 10

This formula covers the systems a paste is built around, and it costs less per ounce than most of the pastes we have researched.

How the score is counted

1 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
Costs less per ounce than 87% of the 197 pastes we’ve priced
Covers 5 of the 6 things a paste should do
Masstige tier, sold at Ulta and 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 measures completeness for the job: a weighted share of the systems this product type is usually built around that we find in this list. It does not rate how well the product works or its quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job, for less

Formulas that do the same things (cleanse, condition, coat or hold) for less per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy them can still differ.

DavinesLowest cost per oz Styling Clay $0.01/oz $3.49/oz less

Protein-free
Curly method
Rich

· Close function

Function: Slip and detangling
Water-binding (humectants)
Also: Cruelty-free
Salon tier
1.7 oz bottle

Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These products do a similar job. We haven’t matched them to you. Find 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

Hair that stiffens on protein, for a protein-free formula and a curly-method-compatible formula

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or anyone stretching time between washes

Best alternative if not

Davines Styling 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, and what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We mark a claim supported, partly supported or conflicting only when the ingredient list speaks to it. Everything else stays "stated by the brand". That isn’t a criticism: most claims can’t be checked from 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.

Beeswax
Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax

Partly supported

Soft structure, not firm hold.

Medium shine

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

Petrolatum
Beeswax
Paraffinum Liquidum/Mineral Oil/Huile Minerale

Supported

Reflects light for visible shine.

Long-lasting workable hold

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Builds texture

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Washes out easily

Waxes or occlusives sit high in the list, and those do not rinse out in water alone.

Petrolatum
Beeswax
Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax

Potential conflict

Expect to need a real cleanse.

How to read this

We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula, not at the marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.

Reviewers

What people report

Themes that come up again and again in sourced reviews, written by our researchers in their own words. We don’t store or scrape star ratings.

Some reviewers say the product is hard to find in stores and may be discontinued.

Reviewers across hair types

Several reviewers say it feels clean rather than tacky, though a few find it leaves fine hair greasy.

Reviewers across hair types, with fine hair reporting more weight

Many reviewers say it holds styles through the day, though some find it fades fast on flat or fine hair.

Reviewers with coarse or thick hair, and some with fine or flat hair

How this page was made

Everything above comes from our researched product record: identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated prices and review themes our researchers wrote in their own words. No part of this page is written by hand for one 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 (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-10-31.
Ingredient references are linked for 4 of 12 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are general formulation guidance. They aren’t a verdict on the finished product or on you.
We haven’t tested this product in a lab, and we don’t physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list. Claims about how it behaves are labelled as the brand's.
Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are what we saw on the dates shown and can change.
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 v23. Record last updated 2026-08-27.