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Design Essentials

Almond & Avocado Defining Crème Gel

Styler / Gel, medium-hold

  • Styler
  • gel
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Moisture-rich
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size16 fl ozmost listed · 2 sizes
Price$18.99seen at one store · 16 oz
Price / oz$1.22/ozat 16 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.

Manufacturer page: kiyobeauty.com

Personal fit

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Priced with its peers

$1.22/oz at 16 oz — less than 74% of the 155 gels , which mostly run $1.19–3.51/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

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
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list

Maybe skip if

this product carries 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
Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only

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 Rich

Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.

Oil absorption None

No absorbent powders or starches.

Oils and butters Present, high in the list

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

Fast-drying alcohol None

No fast-drying alcohol in the list.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.

Fragrance Prominent

Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — a larger share of the formula.

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
WaterAqua/Water/Eau solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil oil Softens the film so it does not set hard Softens
Glycerin humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
VP/VA CopolymerPVP/VA Copolymer film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil emollient Softens and smooths the strand Buildup
Carbomer thickener Sets the texture Holds
Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
Aminomethyl PropanolAminomethylpropanol pH adjuster Fine-tunes the pH pH balancer
Caprylyl Glycol preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Moisturizes
Potassium Sorbate preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein film former A supporting film former Protein
Silk Amino AcidsSilk Amino Acid protein A small amount of protein Protein
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Fragrance is on the label. Heavier butters sit in the working part of the list. Hard-water chelators are present.
Full ingredient list (26)

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 Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil
    General function

    A heavy, coating oil traditionally used for deep conditioning.

    Leading ingredient

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

    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
  • 3 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.

    Role in this product type

    In styling gel, glycerin helps retain moisture as the product dries, supporting a softer, more flexible finish. The hold itself comes from the formula's film-forming polymers.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    May suit hair that benefits from added water retention and a softer, more flexible gel finish.

    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

    Consider the climate and the complete formula: prominent humectants can behave differently in very dry air and on frizz-prone hair in high humidity.

    Cosmetic Ingredient Review
    • humectant
  • 4 VP/VA Copolymer · PVP/VA Copolymer
    General function

    A hold polymer that dries to a clear film. It sets the style and washes out with water.

    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 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.

    • film former
    • polymer
  • 5 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
  • 6 Carbomer
    General function

    A thickener that turns a liquid into a clear gel. It also contributes a light hold.

    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 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.
  • 7 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
  • 8 Aminomethyl Propanol · Aminomethylpropanol
    General function

    A base used in trace amounts to neutralise acidic hold polymers so they thicken and set properly.

    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.

    DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    pH 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.

    PubChem
    • pH adjuster
  • 9 Prunus Amygladus (Sweet Almond) Oil
  • 10 Octyl Methoxycinnamate
  • 11 Persea Gratissma (Avocado) Oil
  • 12 Phenoxylethanol
  • 13 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
  • 14 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative
  • 15 Hexylene Glycol
    General function

    A solvent that keeps other ingredients dissolved and helps preservatives work.

    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

    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
    • solvent
    • humectant
  • 16 Rosmarius Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract
  • 17 Oleth-5
    • emulsifier
  • 18 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
  • 19 Wheat Amino Acid
  • 20 Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Extract
  • 21 Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter · 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.

    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

    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
  • 22 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.

    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 thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • oil
    • emollient
  • 23 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
  • 24 Silk Amino Acids · Silk Amino Acid
    General function

    Silk protein broken into amino acids, used for slip and shine rather than strength.

    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

    Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

    DependsProtein-sensitive hair

    The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.

    • protein
    • amino acid
  • 25 Sodium Hyaluronate
    General function

    A large water-binding molecule that sits on the surface holding 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 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

    A humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.

    • humectant
  • 26 Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter · Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
    General function

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

    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

    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

What the whole list adds up to

  • 5 emollients
  • 4 humectants
  • 3 oils
  • 3 film formers
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 polymers
  • 2 preservatives
  • 2 butters
  • 2 sealants
  • 2 proteins
  • 1 light ester
  • 1 wax
  • 1 thickener
  • 1 fragrance

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-07. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 16 oz

Seen at $18.99 lowest of 2 stores · checked Sep 8
Good value under $5 Under $0.33/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 $15 at this size.

Sizes

12 oz
$15.99
$1.33/oz
16 ozmost listed
$18.99
$1.22/oz

The sizes cost about the same per ounce.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it6 listings · 3 stores

16 ozmost listedBest per ounce

12 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. 16 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 $18.99 is the price we have observed for the 16 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. 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 $0.33/oz; at 16 oz that is $5. 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 $15 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 16 oz.

Formula

Formula score
9 of 10

A complete read of the format at an ordinary price: mid-range per ounce among gels, with the working systems present.

How the score is counted
  • 4 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs less per ounce than 74% of the 155 gels we’ve priced
  • Covers 5 of the 6 things a gel should do
  • Masstige tier, sold at Specialty beauty
  • 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.

CantuClosest function Weightless Smooth + Curl Enhancer Cream $0.70/oz $0.52/oz less
  • Curly method
  • Rich
  • Silicone-free
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
  • Oils and butters
Also
  • Drugstore tier
  • 10 oz bottle
Compare
Eco StyleLighter feel Rosemary Mint Gel $0.33/oz $0.89/oz less
  • Curly method
  • Silicone-free
  • Rinses clean
· Close function
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • Weight on the hair
  • Needs detergent to remove
Also
  • Mint scent
  • Drugstore tier
Compare
Eco StyleLowest cost per oz Olive Oil Gel - 32.0 oz $0.31/oz $0.91/oz less
  • Curly method
  • Silicone-free
  • Rinses clean
· Close function
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • Weight on the hair
  • Needs detergent to remove
Also
  • Drugstore tier
  • 32 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

Built for wavy to coily hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits
Best user

Hair that craves moisture who want moisture that stays in and a curly-method-compatible formula

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or anyone stretching time between washes

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
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Enhances curl and coil definition

Film formers or natural gums are present, which is what holds a clump together.

  • VP/VA Copolymer
  • Carbomer
Supported

Holds a clump together.

Provides a medium to firm hold

Synthetic hold polymers are present.

  • VP/VA Copolymer
  • Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
  • Carbomer
Supported

Structure that lasts the day.

Botanicals provide excellent moisture and frizz control

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

  • Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil
  • Glycerin
  • Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

Free from parabens, paraffin, petrolatum, mineral oil and silicones

No parabens appear in the ingredient list.

Supported

Preserved without parabens.

Formulated for 3B to 4C curl types

No formula reads the same on every texture; our fit panel is the better guide.

Stated by brand

See the fit panel instead.

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.

More from Design Essentials

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.
  • 6 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 4 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-09-08.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 6 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 2026-09-08.