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Bumble and bumble

Sumotech Flexible Hold Cream Solid

Styler / Paste, polymer-set

  • Styler
  • paste
  • Moisture-rich
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size1.5 fl ozmost listed · 2 sizes
Price$27.99seen at one store · 1.5 oz
Price / oz$18.66/ozat 1.5 oz
Where to buy3 stores · 2 sizes

Scent:

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

“Fresh green top note with a hint of citrus wrapped with the floral scent of jasmine and the warmth of musk and sandalwood.” — Brand page

Listing used for research: ulta.com

Personal fit

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Same job for less elsewhere

$18.66/oz at 1.5 oz — more than 96% of the 90 pastes , which mostly run $5.59–10.34/oz.

View alternatives

Great for

Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together

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
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 system Synthetic polymer

Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems.

Oil absorption None

No absorbent powders or starches.

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

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.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
WaterWater\Aqua\Eau solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Lanolin Wax\Lanolin Cera\Cire De Lanoline — — Neutral
Cetearyl Alcohol fatty alcohol Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol Softens
PVP film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
Tribehenin wax Holds shape and adds weight Buildup
Tridecyl Stearate light ester Light slip without much weight Softens
Glycerin humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Alcohol Denat. drying alcohol Sets the style fast — the same reason it can read dry Drying
FragranceFragrance (Parfum) fragrance The scent Fragrance
Benzyl Benzoate fragrance The scent Fragrance
Hexyl Cinnamal fragrance The scent Fragrance
Eugenol fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesFragrance is on the label. Hard-water chelators are present. Contains fast-drying alcohol.
Full ingredient list (24)

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 · Water\Aqua\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 Lanolin Wax\Lanolin Cera\Cire De Lanoline
  • 3 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
  • 4 PVP
    General function

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

    Supporting ingredient

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

    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
  • 5 Tribehenin
    General function

    A plant-derived wax used to thicken balms and give a firm, smooth feel.

    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 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.

    PubChem
    • wax
    • emollient
  • 6 Tridecyl Stearate
    General function

    A waxy ester that thickens and leaves a smooth, non-greasy finish.

    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 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.

    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

    Evaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.

    May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Porous hair gives water up easily as it is; a fast-evaporating solvent high on the list accelerates that.

    May not suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    It evaporates quickly and takes some water with it. On hair already short of moisture, a formula built on a lot of it can finish drier than it started.

    PubChem
    • drying alcohol
    • solvent
  • 9 Tridecyl Trimellitate
    General function

    A cushiony ester used for a rich, long-lasting glide.

    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

    A light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.

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

    Spreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.

    • light ester
    • emollient
  • 10 Peg-8 Beeswax
    • emulsifier
  • 11 Ceteareth-25
    • emulsifier
  • 12 Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate
    General function

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

    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

    A light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.

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

    Spreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.

    • light ester
    • emollient
  • 13 Peg-40 Castor Oil
    • solubilizer
    • emulsifier
  • 14 Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
    General function

    A gel-forming thickener that also keeps oils suspended. It contributes a little hold.

    Secondary ingredient

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

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.

    • thickener
    • polymer
    • film former
  • ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 15 Tromethamine
    • pH adjuster
  • 16 Fragrance · Fragrance (Parfum)
    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 Benzyl Benzoate
    General function

    A fragrance component with a faint balsamic scent, named separately on the label because it is 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 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
  • 19 Eugenol
    General function

    A clove-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
  • 20 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
  • 21 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
  • 22 Tetrasodium EDTA
    General function

    Binds the metal ions in hard water so they cannot dull 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
  • 23 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative
  • 24 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative

What the whole list adds up to

  • 6 fragrances
  • 5 emollients
  • 5 named fragrance allergens
  • 3 light esters
  • 3 emulsifiers
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 thickeners
  • 2 film formers
  • 2 polymers
  • 2 preservatives
  • 1 fatty alcohol
  • 1 wax
  • 1 humectant
  • 1 drying alcohol

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-13. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 1.5 oz

Seen at $27.99 1 store · checked Sep 14
Good value under $4 Under $2.50/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 $4 line; products that do this job typically go for about $6 at this size.

Sizes

1.5 ozmost listed
$27.99
$18.66/oz
1.7 oz
$34
$20.00/oz

The sizes cost about the same per ounce.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores

1.5 ozmost listedBest per ounce

  • Gilt.com
    $27.99
    1.5 oz · $18.66/oz
    Sep 14Lowest per ozSale · was $36.00
  • Ulta Beauty
    $37.00
    1.5 oz · $24.67/oz
    Sep 13

1.7 oz

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. 1.5 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. Seen at $27.99 is the price we have observed for the 1.5 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $4 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $2.50/oz; at 1.5 oz that is $4. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
  5. About $6 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 1.5 oz.

Formula

Formula score
10 of 10

This is a complete paste formula. It is also above the range for pastes per ounce, with 8 close matches selling for meaningfully less.

How the score is counted
  • 8 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 96% of the 90 pastes we’ve priced
  • Covers 6 of the 6 things a paste should do
  • Salon tier
  • 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.

18.21 Man MadeClosest function Sweet Tobacco Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling Paste $13.00/oz $5.66/oz less
  • Curly method
  • Rich
  • Silicone-free
Differs
  • Amber scent
  • 2 oz bottle
Compare
SebastianLowest cost per oz Shaper Fierce Hairspray $2.55/oz $16.11/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Lightweight
  • Humidity
· Close function
Function
  • Fast-drying alcohol
Also
  • 10.5 oz bottle
Compare
Sexy HairClose function Style Sexy Hair Hard Up Hard Holding Gel - 5.1 oz $4.70/oz $13.96/oz less
  • Lightweight
  • Humidity
  • No aerosol
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
Also
  • Masstige tier
  • 5.1 oz bottle
Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These are functional neighbours, not personal recommendations — they are close on formula, not chosen for anyone. Get the one that fits your hair, routine, and budget

Suits every hair pattern

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Hard to justify at this price
Best user

Hair that craves moisture — for moisture that stays in and defined, clumped curls

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, very dry or high-damage hair, or anyone stretching time between washes

Best alternative if not

18.21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco Soft Hold, Medium Shine Hair Styling Paste, 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.

0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
3
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Flexible hold with a low-shine finish

We cannot read film flexibility from what is recorded.

  • Cetearyl Alcohol
  • PVP
  • Tribehenin
Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Hybrid texture combining wax, paste, and cream properties

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

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Adds body and texture to hair

We cannot read weight on the strand from what is recorded.

  • PVP
  • Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
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.

Some reviewers find the product too thick, waxy or sticky and say it does not distribute evenly through the hair.

Many reviewers say a small amount melts easily between the fingers and gives light hold with definition and volume without leaving hair greasy or sticky.

A cluster of reviewers say a recent formula change made the product softer, goopier and much less effective than the version they had used for years.

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.
  • 5 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-09-14.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 12 of 16 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 2026-09-14.

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