definition for up to 72 hours
Film formers or natural gums are present, which is what holds a clump together.
- Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyltaurate
- Sclerotium Gum
- Xanthan Gum
Supported
Holds a clump together.
Goldwell
StyleSign Curls Defining Cream
Styler / Curl cream, medium-hold
- Styler
- curl cream
- cream
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Protein-free
- Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size5 fl oz
Price$23.75seen at one store · 5 oz
Price / oz$4.75/ozat 5 oz
Where to buy3 stores · $22.50–25.90
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Listing used for research: beautycarechoices.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
Complete the consultation to see exactly how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 2,400+ products in our library we can match exactly the right products to you.
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- Every product matched against your hair across the 22 factors we check.
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Wavy–Coily
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Hold (as stated)
Medium
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Some
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
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Low
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
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
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
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
Heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
None
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
20 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Salon
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Beauty Care ChoicesOne channel
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.
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Your avoid-list
Same job for less elsewhere
$4.75/oz at 5 oz — more than 85% of the 105 curl creams , which mostly run $1.17–4/oz.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Stretching wash daysnothing here needs a detergent to remove
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only
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
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
Medium
Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.
Oil absorption
High
Absorbent powders or starches high in the list.
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
No
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterWATER/AQUA/EAU | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Glycerin | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Rice StarchHYDROXYPROPYL STARCH | starch | Soaks up oil and adds grip | Neutral |
| Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil | oil | Softens the film so it does not set hard | Softens |
| Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter | butter | Heavy softening — this is what makes it rich | Heavy |
| Cetearyl Alcohol | fatty alcohol | Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol | Softens |
| Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyltaurate | thickener | Sets the texture | Holds |
| Hydroxyacetophenone | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| FragranceFRAGRANCE/PARFUM | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Hexyl Cinnamal | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Limonene | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. No protein — a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Heavier butters sit in the working part of the list.
Full ingredient list (20)
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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
-
2
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.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Scientific ReportsMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairHigh-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairBinds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairWater moves both ways. Measured across concentrations, glycerin solutions give water up in some conditions and take it from the air in others. What it does for you depends on how much of it is there and on the air around it.
- humectant
-
3
Rice Starch
· HYDROXYPROPYL STARCH
General function
A fine starch that soaks up oil at the roots and adds grip.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairAdds grip and body with no oil attached, which is what lifts fine hair at the root instead of weighing it down.
DependsMaximum-hold stylingStarch gives texture and grip rather than a set film; firm hold usually needs a polymer alongside it.
- starch
- powder
-
4
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
General function
A thick, tacky oil used for sealing ends and for slick, held-down styles.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats 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 hairA 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 hairNear 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
-
5
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.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoarse, 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 hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA 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
-
6
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.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairThe 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 hairDeposits with the cationic conditioners and helps them lie flat along the strand, which is where the detangling actually comes from.
DependsFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a conditioner it is doing most of the conditioning, and most of the weighting, at the same time.
- fatty alcohol
- emollient
- thickener
-
7
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyltaurate
General function
A synthetic thickener that turns a watery mix into a stable gel and keeps oils evenly suspended.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- thickener
- polymer
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
8
Hydroxyacetophenone
General function
A preservative booster that also protects the formula from oxidising.
Estimated lower-concentration zonePubChemIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- preservative
- antioxidant
-
9
Hydrogenated Polydecene
General function
A synthetic light emollient used for slip that does not go rancid.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- emollient
-
10
Sclerotium Gum
General function
A fermented gum that thickens and gives a slippery, cushioned feel.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdA 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 hairA soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what keeps flyaways lying down without stiffness.
May not suitMaximum-hold stylingGum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.
- film former
- gum
- thickener
-
11
Xanthan Gum
General function
A fermented sugar gum that thickens water-based formulas and adds soft, natural hold.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdA 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 hairA soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what keeps flyaways lying down without stiffness.
May not suitMaximum-hold stylingGum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.
- gum
- thickener
- film former
-
12
Trideceth-10
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
13
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
General function
A light, refined coconut-derived oil that spreads easily and does not go rancid. It gives slip without a heavy feel.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
-
14
Himanthalia Elongata Extract
- botanical extract
- 15 ETHYL LAUROYL ARGINATE HCL
-
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 zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
17
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
General function
A violet-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
18
Hexyl Cinnamal
General function
A jasmine-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
19
Limonene
General function
A citrus-smelling fragrance component that EU rules require to be named separately because some people react to it.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
20
Linalool
General function
A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
What the whole list adds up to
- 5 emollients
- 5 fragrances
- 4 thickeners
- 4 named fragrance allergens
- 2 film formers
- 2 gums
- 1 solvent
- 1 humectant
- 1 starch
- 1 powder
- 1 oil
- 1 butter
- 1 sealant
- 1 fatty alcohol
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-26. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 5 oz
Seen at
$23.75
Good value under
$5
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
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
-
Walmart US
$22.505 oz · $4.50/ozAug 25Lowest per oz
-
Brighton Beauty Supply
$23.755 oz · $4.75/ozAug 30Sale · was $25.00
-
Beauty Care Choices
$25.905 oz · $5.18/ozAug 26
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
- 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.
- Seen at $23.75 is the price we have observed for the 5 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 $1.06/oz; at 5 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 5 oz.
Formula
10
Formula score
10 of 10
This is a complete curl cream formula. It is also above the range for curl creams per ounce, with 5 close matches selling for meaningfully less.
How the score is counted
- 5 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs more per ounce than 85% of the 105 curl creams we’ve priced
- Covers 6 of the 6 things a curl cream 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.
Miss Jessie'sClosest function
Coily Custard - Curl Refresher
$2.67/oz $2.08/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
Mielle OrganicsClose function
Pomegranate & Honey Curl Smoothie
$1.24/oz $3.51/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
MielleLowest cost per oz
Pomegranate & Honey Coil Sculpting Custard
$1.13/oz $3.62/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
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?
Good for the right person, not the lowest costBest user
Hair that stiffens on protein — for a protein-free formula and moisture that stays in
Biggest tradeoff
Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, very dry or very humid climates, or people shopping on a budget
Best alternative if not
Miss Jessie's Coily Custard - Curl Refresher — 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
medium holding power
Synthetic hold polymers are present.
- Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyltaurate
- Sclerotium Gum
- Xanthan Gum
Supported
Structure that lasts the day.
high-shine finish
The formula carries a recognised shine system — silicone, oil, or light ester.
- Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
- Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Supported
Reflects light for visible shine.
frizz control for up to 72 hours
Silicones or film formers smooth the cuticle, which is the usual mechanism.
- Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
- Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyltaurate
- Sclerotium Gum
Supported
Smoother strands, less frizz.
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.
A reviewer with porous, wavy hair says the cream does not flatten their waves as many other curl creams do.
porous wavy-hair user comparing many curl creamsThe same reviewer reports all-day hold for their wavy curls.
day-one wearRefreshing with water and a scrunch works well for the reviewer on the second day, but not as well by the third day.
multi-day curl refreshMore from Goldwell
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 2026-08-26.
- Ingredient references are linked for 6 of 14 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 2026-08-26.