High hold and medium shine for polished, structured look
Gums or waxes give some structure, without the polymers that carry a firm hold.
- Beeswax
Partly supported
Soft structure, not firm hold.
American Crew
Molding Clay
Styler / Paste, strong-hold
- Styler
- paste
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Protein-free
- Not vegan · ingredient list
Size3 fl oz
Price$18–21commonly seen · 3 oz
Price / oz$6.50/ozat 3 oz
Where to buy5 stores · $15.97–23.00
Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.
Scent:
Reviewers describe it as fresh, lime, orange, peppermint, spearmint.
“Natural, subtle fragrance with orange, peppermint, spearmint and lime oils” (Brand page)
Manufacturer page: americancrew.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
Complete the consultation to see how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 6,000+ products in our library, we can match you to the right ones.
- About 20 minutes, and your answers save as you go.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 23 factors we check.
- A personalized routine built around your schedule, styling habits, and local weather.
- Find products that do the same job at a lower cost.
- Your goals, scalp, damage history, water, budget, and scent preferences all shape your plan.
$49 with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates
$99 with 12 months. Pay once; the year renews only if you choose.
Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Curly–Coily
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Hold (as stated)
Strong
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Some
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Rich
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Present
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
High
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate
Not in your profile
Scent
Citrus · Mint & herbalStrength not recorded
Not in your profile
Show all 23 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Parabens / preservatives
Present
Not in your profile
Essential oils
Present
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Not vegan · ingredient list
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not vegan · ingredient list
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
Heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
None
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
23 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Masstige
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Brand websiteOne channel
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.
Your avoid-list
Priced with its peers
$6.50/oz at 3 oz, less than 57% of the 197 pastes , which mostly run $4.92–11.75/oz. The cost less.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
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
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
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Soft, touchable finishesthe brand states a firm hold
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
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
Some
Absorbents appear, low in the list.
Oils and butters
None
No oils or butters in the list.
Fast-drying alcohol
None
No fast-drying alcohol in the list.
Needs detergent to remove
Yes
Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.
Fragrance
Present
Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.
from the formula
stated by the brand
reported by reviewers
Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.
Ingredients that matter
The ingredients that change a decision
The workhorse ingredients, plus anything lower down that changes a decision. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrolatum | sealant | Seals moisture in | Heavy |
| BeeswaxCera Alba (Beeswax) | wax | Holds shape and adds weight | Buildup |
| Diethylhexyl Maleate | emollient | Softens and smooths the strand | Softens |
| PEG-13 Sunflower Glycerides | emollient | Softens and smooths the strand | Softens |
| Propylene Glycol | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Isoceteth-20 | emulsifier | Keeps oil and water mixed | Stabilizes |
| Mica | colourant | Colours the product, not the hair | Neutral |
| Limonene | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Fragrance |
| FragranceParfum (Fragrance) | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Linalool | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. No protein: a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Heavier butters sit in the working part of the list.
Full ingredient list (23)
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
Petrolatum
General function
A heavy sealing agent that locks moisture in and takes detergent to remove.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairEmollients 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 hairForms 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 routinesIt does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.
- sealant
- emollient
-
2
Beeswax
· Cera Alba (Beeswax)
General function
A firm natural wax that grips and holds hair in place. It resists water and can take repeated washing to remove.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingA 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 hairForms 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 routinesIt 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
-
3
Diethylhexyl Maleate
General function
A lightweight synthetic ester used as an emollient in styling creams and finishing products to soften texture and add slip without heaviness.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- emollient
- light ester
-
4
PEG-13 Sunflower Glycerides
- emollient
- emulsifier
-
5
Propylene Glycol
General function
A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.
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
-
6
Isoceteth-20
General function
An emulsifier that keeps oils dispersed in water-based formulas.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
7
Mica
General function
A mineral that adds shimmer or opacity to the product. It affects how the bottle looks, not how hair behaves.
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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairA violet or blue colorant sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so a trace of it deposited on the surface makes a warm cast read cooler. It washes out over the following few washes.
- colourant
- mineral
- opacifier
-
8
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
-
9
Kaolin
General function
A soft white clay that absorbs oil and adds body without much grit.
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 suitFine or easily flattened hairAbsorbs oil and adds texture, which is what gives fine hair grip at the root instead of slip.
- clay
- powder
-
10
Water
· Aqua (Water)
- solvent
-
11
Maleic Acid
General function
An acid used to adjust pH and, in bond-repair systems, as part of the reactive chemistry.
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.
DependsFrizz-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
-
12
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil
General function
Peppermint essential oil, used for scent and the cooling feeling on the scalp.
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 routinesEssential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.
- botanical extract
- essential oil
- fragrance
-
13
Glycerin
General function
Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.
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.
Scientific ReportsMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairHigh-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairBinds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairWater moves both ways. Measured across concentrations, glycerin solutions give water up in some conditions and take it from the air in others. What it does for you depends on how much of it is there and on the air around it.
- humectant
-
14
Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Extract
- botanical extract
-
15
Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
- botanical extract
-
16
Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract
- botanical extract
-
17
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract
- botanical extract
-
18
Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract
- botanical extract
- antioxidant
-
19
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
-
20
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
-
21
Methylparaben
- paraben
- preservative
-
22
Bentonite
General function
A clay that absorbs oil and gives a matte, gritty texture.
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 suitFine or easily flattened hairAbsorbs oil and adds texture, which is what gives fine hair grip at the root instead of slip.
- clay
- powder
- 23 Titanium Dioxide (CI77891)
What the whole list adds up to
- 6 botanical extracts
- 4 fragrances
- 3 emollients
- 2 sealants
- 2 emulsifiers
- 2 humectants
- 2 solvents
- 2 named fragrance allergens
- 2 clays
- 2 powders
- 1 wax
- 1 film former
- 1 light ester
- 1 solubilizer
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-05. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 3 oz
Commonly seen
$18–21
Good value under
$11
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $11 line; products that do this job typically go for about $22 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it5 listings · 5 stores
-
Nordstrom Rack
$15.973 oz · $5.32/ozSep 5Lowest per oz
-
Hy-Vee
$18.993 oz · $6.33/ozSep 5
-
Target
$19.993 oz · $6.66/ozSep 5
-
Empire Barber Supply
$23.003 oz · $7.67/ozSep 5
-
American Crew (americancrew.com)
$23.003 oz · $7.67/ozSep 5
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
- 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.
- Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 3 oz at recognised stores. We leave out the cheapest and most expensive quarters, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
- Good value under $11 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $3.52/oz; at 3 oz that is $11. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $22 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 3 oz.
Formula
9
Formula score
9 of 10
A complete formula at an ordinary price: mid-range per ounce among pastes, with the working systems in place.
How the score is counted
- 3 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs less per ounce than 57% of the 197 pastes we’ve priced
- Covers 5 of the 6 things a paste should do
- Reviewers mention 2 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 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.
d:fiLighter feel
Light Wax Medium Hold Hair Wax
$4.34/oz $2.16/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
DavinesLowest cost per oz
Styling Clay
$0.01/oz $6.49/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Rich
- Function
- Also
got2bClose function
Glued On-The-Go Wax Stick
$4.72/oz $1.78/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Rich
- Function
- Also
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?
Good for the right personBest user
Hair that stiffens on protein, looking for a protein-free formula and moisture that stays in
Biggest tradeoff
Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or anyone stretching time between washes
Best alternative if not
d:fi Light Wax Medium Hold Hair Wax 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.
1
SupportedBacked by ingredients
1
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Touchable shape and texture
Softening ingredients sit alongside the hold polymers, which is what keeps a film flexible.
- Petrolatum
- Beeswax
- Diethylhexyl Maleate
Supported
Natural movement without stiffness.
Maintains style throughout the day
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Natural extracts and beeswax
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
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 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.
Delivers strong styling hold while keeping hair looking natural and not stiff.
Multiple reviewers across styling preferences reported this as a key benefitFeatures a pleasant, masculine fragrance that most reviewers find appealing and fresh.
Scent quality was mentioned positively in numerous reviews as a product strengthMay have inconsistent texture ranging from smooth to stringy or thick putty-like consistency.
Multiple reviewers reported experiencing product consistency variations between purchasesProduces an overly greasy or sticky feel on hands and hair for some users.
Several reviewers reported greasiness concerns, though not universal across all hair typesMore from American Crew
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.
- 4 sources consulted for this product (2 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-09-05.
- Ingredient references are linked for 5 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 2026-09-05.
