American Crew Pomade - 3.0 oz — container, alternate view

American Crew

Pomade - 3.0 oz

Styler / Paste, medium-hold

Styler
paste
cream
Sulfate-free
Silicone-free
Protein-free

Size3 fl oz

Price$29.99seen at one store · 3 oz

Price / oz$10.66/ozat 3 oz

Where to buy3 stores · $23.00–33.95

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 Wavy–Coily Not in your profile

Moisture level Moderate Not in your profile

Hold (as stated) Medium Not in your profile

Slip / detangling High 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 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 Moderate 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 pastes

$10.66/oz at 3 oz — more than 76% of the 90 pastes , which mostly run $5.59–10.34/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added

Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet

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

Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent

Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol

Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them

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) Medium

A medium 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 Present

Fast-drying alcohol is present — it speeds drying and can read dry on the hair.

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. 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
Peg-25 Hydrogenated Castor Oil	solubilizer	Keeps oils dissolved in water	Stabilizes
Oleth-10	emulsifier	Keeps oil and water mixed	Stabilizes
Lanolin	sealant	Seals moisture in	Buildup
Oleth-20	emulsifier	Keeps oil and water mixed	Stabilizes
Diisopropyl Dimer Dilinoleate	light ester	Light slip without much weight	Softens
Glycerin	humectant	Pulls water into the hair	Moisturizes
Hydroxypropyl Bisstearyldimonium Chloride	conditioning agent	Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through	Detangles
Alcohol Denat.	drying alcohol	A small amount, for fast setting	Drying
FragranceParfum (Fragrance)	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Linalool	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Limonene	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance

What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates or silicones. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Contains fragrance. Fast-drying alcohol is in 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 Peg-25 Hydrogenated 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.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
3 Oleth-10

General function
An emulsifier used to disperse oils and fragrance.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
4 Lanolin

General function
A sheep-wool wax that seals moisture in strongly. Rich, effective, and not vegan.

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 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.
- sealant
- emollient
- wax
5 Oleth-20

General function
An emulsifier that keeps oils dispersed in water-based formulas.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
6 Diisopropyl Dimer Dilinoleate

General function
A fatty ester. Esters give slip and a smooth after-feel; lighter ones read dry and silky, heavier ones read rich.

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.

PubChem
- light ester
- emollient
7 Glycerin

General function
A small water-loving molecule that draws moisture into the hair and holds it there. It is the most common softening ingredient in conditioners and leave-ins.

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
High-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 hair
Binds 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 hair
Water 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.

Scientific Reports
- humectant
8 Hydroxypropyl Bisstearyldimonium Chloride

General function
A positively charged conditioning agent. Damaged hair carries a negative charge, so it deposits where the damage is and makes wet hair comb through.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChem
- conditioning agent
9 Alcohol Denat.

General function
Fast-drying alcohol used to make sprays set quickly. In leave-on products it can leave hair feeling dry, especially in high position on the list.

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

May suitFine or easily flattened hair
Evaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.

PubChem
- drying alcohol
- solvent
10 PVP

General function
A classic hairspray polymer. It gives firm hold but attracts moisture, so humidity can soften the set.

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

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.

May not suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
The 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.

PubChem
- film former
- polymer
11 Propylene Glycol

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

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

May suitFine or easily flattened hair
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
12 Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil

General function
A light oil that softens without much residue.

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

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
13 Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract
- botanical extract
14 Panax Ginseng Root Extract
- botanical extract
15 Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
- botanical extract
▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
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 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
17 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
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 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
19 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
20 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
21 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
22 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
23 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
24 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
25 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
26 Diazolidinyl Urea
- formaldehyde releaser
- preservative
27 Methylparaben
- paraben
- preservative
28 Benzoic Acid
- preservative
29 Propylparaben
- paraben
- preservative

What the whole list adds up to

10 fragrances
9 named fragrance allergens
4 preservatives
3 solvents
3 solubilizers
3 emulsifiers
3 emollients
3 botanical extracts
2 humectants
2 parabens
1 sealant
1 wax
1 light ester
1 conditioning agent

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

Price · 3 oz

Seen at $29.99 lowest of 2 stores · checked Aug 29

Good value under $5 Under $1.76/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $5 line; products that do this job typically go for about $6 at this size.

Show the price ladder

Price for 3 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 3 stores

Ulta
$23.00

3 oz · $7.67/oz

Aug 25Lowest per oz
Ulta
$23.00

3 oz · $7.67/oz

Aug 27
Gilt.com
$29.99

3 oz · $10.00/oz

Aug 29Sale · was $46.00
LaLa Daisy
$33.95

3 oz · $11.32/oz

Aug 29Sale · was $69.00

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.
Seen at $29.99 is the price we have observed for the 3 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
Good value under $5 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.76/oz; at 3 oz that is $5. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
About $6 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 3 oz.

Formula

Formula score

10 of 10

It costs more per ounce than 76% of the 90 pastes we’ve priced, and the formula carries the systems the format is built around. Nothing in our library comes close enough on formula to be a cheaper substitute.

How the score is counted

1 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
Costs more per ounce than 76% of the 90 pastes we’ve priced
Covers 6 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 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.

WellaLowest cost per oz EIMI Nutricurls Soft Twirl Anti-Frizz Styling Foam $1.90/oz $8.76/oz less

Protein-free
Curly method
Lightweight

· Close function

Function: Film formers
Water-binding (humectants)
Weight on the hair

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

Hair that stiffens on protein who want a protein-free formula and real detangling slip

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, very dry or high-damage hair, or anyone stretching time between washes

Best alternative if not

Wella EIMI Nutricurls Soft Twirl Anti-Frizz Styling Foam, 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

flexible alternative to styling gels

Softening ingredients sit alongside the hold polymers, which is what keeps a film flexible.

Lanolin
Diisopropyl Dimer Dilinoleate
PVP

Supported

Natural movement without stiffness.

tremendous shine

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

Lanolin
Diisopropyl Dimer Dilinoleate
Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil

Supported

Reflects light for visible shine.

pliable hold

Synthetic hold polymers are present.

Lanolin
PVP

Supported

Structure that lasts the day.

works well for curly hair

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

classic, slicked-back looks

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 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.

Switched to this pomade after a prior favorite reformulated and became glue-like; this one did the job

reviewer Karen, Thornton CO

Users with short, spiked styles find the hold and texture works well for that look

reviewer dria, Miami — men's short/thick hair

A longtime user found it too greasy for a short, spiked style

reviewer Ardele, SC

Longtime fan of the line but recent jars arrived visibly disturbed (finger marks in the product), a quality-control complaint separate from performance

reviewer Billy, Midwest City OK — repeat buyer

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 13 of 17 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.

Pomade - 3.0 oz

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