100% vegan & plant-based wax stick enriched with nourishing castor oil
A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.
—
Stated by brand
Only the brand’s testing shows this.
Kitsch
Hair Wax Stick
Styler / Paste, mixed-hold
- Styler
- paste
- wax
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Vegan · label states
- Cruelty-free · label states
SizeNet Wt. 2.7 oz. / 75g
Priceabout $14 Good valuecommonly seen · 2.7 oz
Price / oz$5.19/ozat 2.7 oz
Where to buy7 stores · $14.00–16.00
Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.
Scent:
No added fragrance, no scenting essential oils, and no declared fragrance allergens on the list.
Manufacturer page: mykitsch.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
Complete the consultation to see how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 6,000+ products in our library, we can match you to the right ones.
- About 20 minutes, and your answers save as you go.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 23 factors we check.
- A personalized routine built around your schedule, styling habits, and local weather.
- Find products that do the same job at a lower cost.
- Your goals, scalp, damage history, water, budget, and scent preferences all shape your plan.
$49 with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates
$99 with 12 months. Pay once; the year renews only if you choose.
Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Curly–Coily
Not in your profile
Moisture level
Moderate
Not in your profile
Hold system
Moderate
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Moderate
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Rich
Not in your profile
Fragrance
None listed
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
High
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate
Not in your profile
Scent
Unscented
Not in your profile
Show all 23 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
Moderate
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Vegan · label statesCruelty-free · label states
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Vegan · label states
Not in your profile
Aerosol can
Pump or tube
Not in your profile
Needs heat to set
Not determined
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Not heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
None
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
16 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Masstige
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Brand websiteOne channel
Not in your profile
The consultation builds your hair profile, checks every factor in this table against it, and tells you where this product fits or what to use instead.
Start your consultation$49 once, with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates. Nothing renews, and you never have to buy a product.
Your avoid-list
Priced with its peers
$5.19/oz at 2.7 oz, less than 73% of the 197 pastes , which mostly run $4.92–11.75/oz.
Great for
no fragrance (parfum) on the label
free of strong smells
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
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
Maybe skip if
Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them
If scent matters to younothing is added here
Picking it up locallywe’ve only seen it sold in one channel
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
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
High
Absorbent powders or starches high in the list.
Oils and butters
Present, high in the list
Oils sit high in the list: a softening, coating formula.
Fast-drying alcohol
Present
Contains fast-drying alcohol, which speeds drying but can leave hair feeling dry.
Needs detergent to remove
Yes
Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.
Fragrance
None listed
No fragrance is listed.
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. The 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lauryl Laurate | light ester | Light slip without much weight | Softens |
| Maranta Arundinacea Root Extract | botanical extract | A plant extract, there as much for marketing as for function | Neutral |
| Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil | oil | Softens the film so it does not set hard | Softens |
| Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax | wax | Holds shape and adds weight | Buildup |
| Kaolin | clay | Absorbs oil and adds texture | Neutral |
| Hydrogenated Castor Oil | wax | Holds shape and adds weight | Buildup |
| Glyceryl Stearate | emulsifier | Keeps oil and water mixed | Softens |
| Polyhydroxystearic Acid | emulsifier | Keeps oil and water mixed | Softens |
| Alcohol Denat.Alcohol Denat | drying alcohol | A small amount, for fast setting | Drying |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or fragrance. No protein: a moisture formula, not a repair one. Heavier butters sit in the working part of the list. Contains fast-drying alcohol.
Full ingredient list (16)
In the US, ingredients above 1% are listed from most to least. Below 1% they can appear in any order. Each note keeps three things apart: what the ingredient generally does, its role in this type of product, and what its position can tell you.
-
1
Lauryl Laurate
General function
A fatty ester. Esters give slip and a smooth after-feel; lighter ones read dry and silky, heavier ones read rich.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
PubChemMay 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
-
2
Maranta Arundinacea Root Extract
General function
An extract from the root of Maranta Arundinacea. Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- botanical extract
-
3
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
General function
A thick, tacky oil used for sealing ends and for slick, held-down styles.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
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
-
4
Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax
General function
A plant wax used as a vegan alternative to beeswax for hold and body.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingA 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 routinesWaxes do not dissolve in water. They need a detergent wash to come off, and they are the classic cause of a coated feel.
DependsCurls or waves needing flexible holdHow rigid the finish is depends on which polymer it is and what the formula pairs with it, not on there being one.
- wax
- film former
-
5
Kaolin
General function
A soft white clay that absorbs oil and adds body without much grit.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairAbsorbs oil and adds texture, which is what gives fine hair grip at the root instead of slip.
May not suitVery dry or highly damaged hairAn absorbent solid takes up oil, and hair already short of it has less to give.
- clay
- powder
-
6
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
General function
Castor oil hardened into a wax. It thickens balms and gives a firm, sealing feel.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
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 suitMaximum-hold stylingA wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairForms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.
- wax
- emollient
- sealant
-
7
Glyceryl Stearate
General function
A workhorse emulsifier that holds oil and water together in a cream.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay 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.
- emulsifier
- emollient
-
8
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
General function
An oil-side dispersant that keeps powders and pigments evenly suspended.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- emulsifier
- emollient
-
9
Water
- solvent
-
10
Polyquaternium-69
General function
A humidity-resistant styling polymer used in anti-frizz sprays and creams.
Secondary ingredientLower 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 holdCationic 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 hairA cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- conditioning agent
- film former
- polymer
-
11
Silica
General function
A fine mineral powder that absorbs oil and adds grip. It is what makes texture powders and matte pastes feel dry to the touch.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairA dry powder takes up oil and adds friction between strands, which is most of what root lift in fine hair actually is.
- powder
- thickener
- mineral
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
12
Tocopheryl Acetate
- antioxidant
- vitamin
-
13
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
14
Alcohol Denat.
· 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.
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 suitFine or easily flattened hairEvaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.
- drying alcohol
- solvent
-
15
Butylene Glycol
General function
A light humectant and carrier that helps extracts dissolve.
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 suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA 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.
- humectant
- solvent
-
16
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
- preservative
What the whole list adds up to
- 5 emollients
- 3 solvents
- 2 waxs
- 2 film formers
- 2 powders
- 2 emulsifiers
- 2 preservatives
- 1 light ester
- 1 botanical extract
- 1 oil
- 1 clay
- 1 sealant
- 1 conditioning agent
- 1 polymer
Ingredient list captured 2026-10-08. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 2.7 oz
Commonly seen
about $14
Good value under
$19
Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $19 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $23 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it7 listings · 7 stores
-
Cakewish
$14.002.7 oz · $5.18/ozOct 22Lowest per oz
-
We Fill Good
$14.002.7 oz · $5.18/ozOct 22
-
Kohl's
$14.002.7 oz · $5.18/ozOct 22
-
Shopbop
$14.002.7 oz · $5.18/ozOct 22
-
Ulta Beauty
$14.002.7 oz · $5.18/ozOct 22
-
Nordstrom
$14.002.7 oz · $5.18/ozOct 22
-
Kitsch (mykitsch.com)
$16.002.7 oz · $5.93/ozOct 21
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. and 1 listing we don’t count, from grey-market or unverified sellers.
How we work this out
- 2.7 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.
- Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 2.7 oz at recognised stores. We leave out the cheapest and most expensive quarters, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
- Good value under $19 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $6.94/oz; at 2.7 oz that is $19. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $23 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 2.7 oz.
Formula
10
Formula score
10 of 10
A complete formula at an ordinary price: mid-range per ounce among pastes, with the working systems in place.
How the score is counted
- 1 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs less per ounce than 73% of the 197 pastes we’ve priced
- Covers 6 of the 6 things a paste should do
- Reviewers mention 2 recurring complaints
- 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 measures completeness for the job: a weighted share of the systems this product type is usually built around that we find in this list. It does not rate how well the product works or its quality, and it never compares across product types.
Does the same job, for less
Formulas that do the same things (cleanse, condition, coat or hold) for less per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy them can still differ.
VerbLowest cost per oz
Curl Foaming Gel for Definition + Frizz-Fighting - 6.7 oz
$2.23/oz $2.96/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Rich
- Function
- Also
See more alternatives in the product library
These products do a similar job. We haven’t matched them to you. Find the one that fits your hair, routine and budget
Final decision
Should you buy it?
A solid pick for the hair it suitsBest user
People sensitive to fragrance, for a formula with no added fragrance and a product with no scent
Biggest tradeoff
Not ideal for oily scalps and fine hair, very dry or high-damage 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, and what the formula shows
Claims are quoted from the brand. We mark a claim supported, partly supported or conflicting only when the ingredient list speaks to it. Everything else stays "stated by the brand". That isn’t a criticism: most claims can’t be checked from a label.
1
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
No-residue formula that combs through easily and washes out without buildup
Conditioning agents that reduce combing force sit high in the list.
- Polyquaternium-69
Supported
Easier detangling, less breakage.
How to read this
We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula, not at the marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.
Reviewers
What people report
Themes that come up again and again in sourced reviews, written by our researchers in their own words. We don’t store or scrape star ratings.
Many reviewers say it flattens fly-aways and keeps slicked-back or pulled-back styles neat through the day.
Reviewers across hair typesSeveral reviewers find the stick stiff and hard to glide, saying it pulls at hair when they apply it.
Reviewers with curly, thick or fine hairSome reviewers see white streaks, visible wax bits, or a waxy look after application, especially on highlighted hair.
Reviewers across hair typesReviewers disagree on how long hold lasts, with some saying it stays all day and others saying flyaways return within hours.
Reviewers across hair types, including curly and fine hairReviewers split on greasiness: some find it light and not greasy, while others say it feels heavy and oily.
Reviewers across hair typesMore from Kitsch
How this page was made
- Everything above comes from our researched product record: identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated prices and review themes our researchers wrote in their own words. No part of this page is written by hand for one 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 (3 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-10-31.
- Ingredient references are linked for 5 of 10 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are general formulation guidance. They aren’t a verdict on the finished product or on you.
- We haven’t tested this product in a lab, and we don’t physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list. Claims about how it behaves are labelled as the brand's.
- Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are what we saw on the dates shown and can change.
- 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 v23. Record last updated 2026-10-22.
