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Bumble and bumble

Curl Light Defining Styling Cream - 8.5 oz

Styler / Curl cream, light-hold

  • Styler
  • curl cream
  • cream
  • Sulfate-free
  • Moisture-rich
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size8.5 fl oz
Priceabout $37commonly seen · 8.5 oz
Price / oz$4.35/ozat 8.5 oz
Where to buy5 stores · $37.00–37.00

Scent:

Reviewers describe it as tropical.

Strength: Light

Listing used for research: ulta.com

Personal fit

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Same job for less elsewhere

$4.35/oz at 8.5 oz — more than 82% of the 105 curl creams , which mostly run $1.17–4/oz.

View alternatives

Great for

Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it
Soft-hold stylesthat should stay touchable
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
Sun and colour fadea UV filter is in the list

Maybe skip if

this product carries a light scent
Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
Styles that must holdthe brand states a light hold at most
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers

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 None

No absorbent powders or starches.

Oils and butters Rich

Butters near the top: a heavy, softening 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. These chips name what an ingredient does — they are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
Water solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Cetearyl Alcohol fatty alcohol Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol Softens
Propanediol humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Phenyl Trimethicone silicone Smooths the cuticle and adds shine Buildup
Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil oil Softens the film so it does not set hard Softens
Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil oil Softens the film so it does not set hard Softens
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil emollient Softens and smooths the strand Buildup
Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter butter Heavy softening — this is what makes it rich Heavy
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein film former A supporting film former Protein
Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
Limonene fragrance The scent Fragrance
Linalool fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates or drying alcohols. Fragrance is on the label. Heavier butters sit in the working part of the list. Water-insoluble silicones — needs a detergent wash to remove.
Full ingredient list (37)

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
    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 Cetearyl Alcohol
    General function

    A waxy fatty alcohol - nothing like drying alcohol. It gives conditioners their body and leaves a soft, smoothing film on the hair.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    The waxy solid that gives a conditioner its body. It deposits a soft lubricating layer, which is most of what makes hair feel smooth after rinsing.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Deposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.

    DependsFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a conditioner it is doing most of the conditioning, and most of the weighting, at the same time.

    PubChem
    • fatty alcohol
    • emollient
    • thickener
  • 3 Propanediol
    General function

    A corn-derived humectant and solvent, often chosen as a lighter-feeling alternative to propylene glycol.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this 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
  • 4 Phenyl Trimethicone
    General function

    A high-refractive silicone used specifically for visible shine in serums and finishing oils.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Lays a smooth film along the cuticle, which lowers combing friction and flattens the surface irregularities that read as frizz.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Dimethicone does not disperse in water. On a routine that skips detergent it stays on the hair and accumulates wash after wash.

    • silicone
    • emollient
  • 5 Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil
    General function

    A rich oil used in masks and heavier creams for softness on coarse or dry hair.

    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 not suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 6 Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
    General function

    One of the few oils small enough to move into the strand, which is why it is used for pre-wash treatments. It can feel heavy or stiff on protein-sensitive hair.

    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

    Because it penetrates rather than sits on top, it works on hair that loses water through a worn cuticle instead of only slowing evaporation from the surface the way a non-penetrating oil does.

    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

    The exception to the class read: lauric acid is small and linear enough to enter the shaft rather than only coat it, and in comparison testing coconut oil was the one that reduced protein loss from washing on both undamaged and damaged hair.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • oil
    • emollient
  • 7 Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
    General function

    Not chemically an oil: about 97% of it is liquid wax esters, which is why it resists going rancid and sits close to the scalp's own sebum. It smooths without a heavy finish.

    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 suitMaximum-hold styling

    A wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.

    • emollient
    • light ester
    • oil
    • wax
  • 8 Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter
    General function

    A firm plant butter used for sealing and hold in heavier styling creams.

    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

    Coarse, porous hair loses water quickly and can carry the weight; a butter slows that loss more than a thin oil does.

    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

    A solid fat melts onto the strand at body temperature and stays there, which is the heaviest surface moisture-holding a formula can offer.

    • butter
    • emollient
    • sealant
  • 9 Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
    General function

    A rich, solid plant butter used for heavy conditioning on coarse or dry hair. High in the list it makes a product decidedly heavy.

    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

    Coarse, porous hair loses water quickly and can carry the weight; a butter slows that loss more than a thin oil does.

    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

    A solid fat melts onto the strand at body temperature and stays there, which is the heaviest surface moisture-holding a formula can offer.

    • butter
    • emollient
    • sealant
  • 10 Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
    General function

    Aloe gel, used for light moisture and slip. High in the list it also contributes a little natural hold.

    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

    Gums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Hydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Aloe is mostly water carrying sugars that bind more of it, which is why it turns up as the base of moisture-first formulas.

    • humectant
    • botanical extract
    • gum
  • 11 Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil
    General function

    A light plant oil used to soften and carry other oil-based ingredients.

    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
  • ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 12 Tocopherol
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 13 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
  • 14 Sclerotium Gum
    General function

    A fermented gum that thickens and gives a slippery, cushioned feel.

    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 suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    A polysaccharide film stays softer than a synthetic one as it dries, which is what leaves a curl defined but still able to move.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what keeps flyaways lying down without stiffness.

    May not suitMaximum-hold styling

    Gum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.

    • film former
    • gum
    • thickener
  • 15 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
  • 16 Phytantriol
    General function

    A conditioning agent used for moisture retention and shine in leave-ins.

    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

    Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

    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
    • humectant
    • conditioning agent
  • 17 Pantethine
  • 18 Panthenyl Ethyl Ether
    General function

    A panthenol derivative used for the same softness and shine effect, with a lighter feel.

    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

    Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

    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
    • humectant
    • conditioning agent
  • 19 Panthenol
    General function

    Provitamin B5. It draws in water and penetrates the strand a little, which is why it is the standard ingredient for softness and shine claims.

    Estimated lower-concentration 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

    It hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • conditioning agent
    • vitamin
  • 20 Octyldodecyl Citrate Crosspolymer
    General function

    A polymer ester that thickens oils into a gel and leaves a cushioned, glossy film.

    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

    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.

    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.

    • light ester
    • film former
    • thickener
  • 21 Distearyldimonium Chloride
    General function

    A rich conditioning agent used in heavier masks for detangling and a coated, smooth feel.

    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

    A cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    The class that does the detangling in a conditioner. It deposits lubrication where the cuticle is worn.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Substantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.

    PubChem
    • conditioning agent
  • 22 Polyquaternium-11
    General function

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

    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 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
  • 23 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
    General function

    A UVA filter (avobenzone) used in leave-on products to protect hair colour from light.

    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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Sunlight oxidises hair pigment, and on gray, silver or lightened hair that shows up as yellowing. A UV filter on the label absorbs some of the light that drives it.

    PubChem
    • UV filter
  • 24 Ethylhexyl Salicylate
    General function

    A UV filter used in leave-on hair products to slow colour fade.

    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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Sunlight oxidises hair pigment, and on gray, silver or lightened hair that shows up as yellowing. A UV filter on the label absorbs some of the light that drives it.

    PubChem
    • UV filter
  • 25 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
    General function

    A UV filter added to protect the product's colour and, in leave-ins, to slow colour fade.

    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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Sunlight oxidises hair pigment, and on gray, silver or lightened hair that shows up as yellowing. A UV filter on the label absorbs some of the light that drives it.

    PubChem
    • UV filter
  • 26 Maltodextrin
    General function

    A starch fragment that soaks up oil and water, which is what puts it in dry shampoos. It also carries spray-dried plant extracts and leaves a light film.

    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

    Takes up oil at the root, which is where fine hair goes flat first.

    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.

    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.

    • absorbent
    • film former
    • binder
  • 27 Behentrimonium Chloride
    General function

    A positively charged conditioning agent that binds to damaged, negatively charged spots on the hair. It is the main detangling ingredient in most rinse-out conditioners.

    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

    A cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Substantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.

    DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Every detergent removes some sebum along with the product it is there to wash out. Which detergent it is matters more than that there is one.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science
    • conditioning agent
    • cleanser
  • 28 Cetyl Alcohol
    General function

    A fatty alcohol used to thicken creams and add slip. It softens rather than dries.

    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

    The waxy solid that gives a conditioner its body. It deposits a soft lubricating layer, which is most of what makes hair feel smooth after rinsing.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Deposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.

    PubChem
    • fatty alcohol
    • emollient
    • thickener
  • 29 BHT
    • antioxidant
  • 30 Disodium EDTA
    General function

    Grabs metal ions from hard water so they cannot dull the hair or destabilise the formula.

    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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Binds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Copper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.

    PubChem
    • hard-water chelator
  • 31 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
  • 32 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
  • 33 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
  • 34 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
  • 35 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
  • 36 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative
  • 37 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative

What the whole list adds up to

  • 9 emollients
  • 6 humectants
  • 5 film formers
  • 5 fragrances
  • 4 thickeners
  • 4 oils
  • 4 named fragrance allergens
  • 3 preservatives
  • 3 conditioning agents
  • 3 conditioning agents
  • 3 UV filters
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 fatty alcohols
  • 2 light esters

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

Price · 8.5 oz

Commonly seen about $37 Midpoint $37 · 4 stores · checked Aug 29
Good value under $12 Under $1.44/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 6 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $12 line; products that do this job typically go for about $22 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it6 listings · 5 stores
  • Ulta
    $37.00
    8.5 oz · $4.35/oz
    Aug 25Lowest per oz
  • Ulta
    $37.00
    8.5 oz · $4.35/oz
    Aug 27
  • Ulta Beauty
    $37.00
    8.5 oz · $4.35/oz
    Aug 29
  • Sephora
    $37.00
    8.5 oz · $4.35/oz
    Aug 29
  • Bumble and bumble.
    $37.00
    8.5 oz · $4.35/oz
    Aug 29
  • Kohl's
    $37.00
    8.5 oz · $4.35/oz
    Aug 29

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
  1. 8.5 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.
  2. Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 8.5 oz at recognised stores — the cheapest quarter and the dearest quarter are left out, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
  3. Good value under $12 comes from the 6 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.44/oz; at 8.5 oz that is $12. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $22 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 8.5 oz.

Formula

Formula score
10 of 10

This is a complete curl cream formula. It is also above the range for curl creams per ounce, with 4 close matches selling for meaningfully less.

How the score is counted
  • 4 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 82% of the 105 curl creams we’ve priced
  • Covers 6 of the 6 things a curl cream 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.

As I AmClosest function Curling Creme $1.25/oz $3.10/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Rich
  • Alcohol-free
Function
  • Film formers
  • Protein
Also
  • Vegan
  • Drugstore tier
  • 8 oz bottle
Compare
African PrideLowest cost per oz Moisture Miracle Curling Cream $0.65/oz $3.70/oz less
  • Budget
  • Widely sold
· Close function
Function
  • Film formers
  • Slip and detangling
Also
  • Drugstore tier
  • 12 oz bottle
Compare
OdeleLighter feel Blow Dry Styler for Smoothing, Frizz Control + Humidity Resistance $2.00/oz $2.35/oz less
  • Humidity
  • Alcohol-free
  • No aerosol
· Close function
Function
  • Film formers
  • Oils and butters
  • Weight on the hair
Also
  • Vegan
  • Drugstore tier
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

Built for wavy to coily hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Similar results available for less
Best user

Hair that craves moisture who want moisture that stays in and defined, clumped curls

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, curly-method routines, or oily scalps and fine hair

Best alternative if not

As I Am Curling Creme, for similar results at a lower price

We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.

Claims check

What the brand says, against what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when the ingredient list actually speaks to it; everything else stays "stated by the brand", which is not a criticism — most claims simply cannot be read off a label.

4
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
0
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
soft hold

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

  • Cetearyl Alcohol
  • Phenyl Trimethicone
  • Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil
Supported

Natural movement without stiffness.

flexible styling

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

  • Cetearyl Alcohol
  • Phenyl Trimethicone
  • Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil
Supported

Natural movement without stiffness.

frizz control

Silicones or film formers smooth the cuticle, which is the usual mechanism.

  • Phenyl Trimethicone
  • Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil
  • Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
Supported

Smoother strands, less frizz.

shine

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

  • Phenyl Trimethicone
  • Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil
  • Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
Supported

Reflects light for visible shine.

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.

Keeps coming back to repurchase it as a staple after trying other curl creams

repeat purchaser

Doesn't weigh hair down and gives soft body with frizz control

medium-to-fine curl reviewer

Waves come out full and defined while still feeling soft, with noticeable shine

wavy-hair reviewer

Scent is light but has a noticeably upscale character compared to typical tropical-fragrance curl creams

reviewer commenting on fragrance

Turned into a greasy, weighed-down, knotted mess on fine, low-density curls despite the 'light' name

fine/low-density curl type reviewer

More from Bumble and bumble

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.
  • 1 source consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-27.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 17 of 31 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.

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