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Living Proof

Curl Definer

Styler / Curl cream, mixed-hold

  • Styler
  • curl cream
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
SizeFull 6.4 ozusual store size · 2 sizes
Price$18seen at one store · 2 oz
Price / oz$9.00/ozat 2 oz
Where to buy1 store

Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.

Scent:

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

Manufacturer page: livingproof.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 22 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.

Start your consultation

Same job for less elsewhere

$9.00/oz at 2 oz, more than 93% of the 228 curl creams , which mostly run $1.35–5.22/oz.

View alternatives

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
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

Maybe skip if

this product has 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’ve only seen it sold in one channel

Whether this hold suits you depends on your density, porosity and how long your style needs to last. The consultation works that 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 Mixed

Gums and synthetic polymers together.

Cast risk Unlikely

Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely.

Weight on the hair Rich

Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.

Oil absorption None

No absorbent powders or starches.

Oils and butters Present, lower down

Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch.

Fast-drying alcohol None

No fast-drying alcohol in the list.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

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

Fragrance Present

Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.

from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.

Ingredients that matter

The ingredients that change a decision

The workhorse ingredients, plus anything lower down that changes a decision. The 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/Eau/Aqua solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Myristyl Alcohol fatty alcohol Thickens and conditions (not a drying alcohol) Softens
Cetyl Alcohol fatty alcohol Thickens and conditions (not a drying alcohol) Softens
C13-15 Alkane emollient Softens and smooths the strand Softens
Propanediol humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate light ester Light slip without much weight Softens
Brassica Alcohol fatty alcohol Thickens and conditions (not a drying alcohol) Softens
Brassicyl Valinate Esylate conditioning agent Conditions and softens so hair combs through Detangles
Jojoba Esters wax Adds a little grip Buildup
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax wax Adds a little grip Buildup
FragranceFragrance/Parfum fragrance The scent Fragrance
Glyceryl Behenate light ester A light, silky feel Buildup
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 (38)

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 Water · Water/Eau/Aqua
    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 Myristyl Alcohol
    General function

    A fatty alcohol used to build texture in creams and add a light smoothing layer.

    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
  • 3 Cetyl Alcohol
    General function

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

    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 C13-15 Alkane
    General function

    A plant-derived light alkane used as a clean-feeling replacement for silicone or mineral oil.

    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.

    • emollient
    • solvent
  • 5 Propanediol
    General function

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

    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

    Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • solvent
  • 6 Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate
    General function

    A light ester used for shine and slip in finishing products.

    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 Brassica Alcohol
    General function

    A fatty alcohol from rapeseed used in place of petroleum-derived thickeners. It builds body in conditioners.

    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

    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.

    • fatty alcohol
    • emollient
    • thickener
  • 8 Brassicyl Valinate Esylate
    General function

    A plant-derived amino-acid-ester conditioning agent used as a silicone-free alternative to smooth hair, reduce frizz and add slip in leave-in conditioners and masks.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • conditioning agent
    • conditioning agent
  • 9 Cetrimonium Chloride
    General function

    A quick-acting conditioning agent that reduces static and combing force. It also helps keep the formula stable.

    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

    The C16 quat binds mostly by charge rather than by chain, so it deposits measurably less than the C22 ones. Less deposit is less conditioning and also less weight, which is usually the trade fine hair wants.

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

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

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

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

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science
    • conditioning agent
    • cleanser
  • 10 Ricinoleamidopropyl Ethyldimonium Ethosulfate
    • conditioning agent
    • conditioning agent
  • 11 Linoleamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
    General function

    A conditioning agent that carries fatty acids onto the strand for slip without heaviness.

    Secondary ingredient

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

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

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

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

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

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

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

    PubChem
    • conditioning agent
  • 12 Jojoba Esters
    General function

    A jojoba-derived wax that gives a soft, cushioned finish and light hold in balms.

    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.

    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.

    • wax
    • light ester
    • emollient
  • 13 Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
    General function

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

    Secondary ingredient

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

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

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

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

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

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

    • butter
    • emollient
    • sealant
  • 14 Squalane
    General function

    The fully hydrogenated form of squalene, now made from olive or sugarcane rather than shark liver. Hydrogenation is what makes it so slow to oxidise; it spreads very lightly and absorbs without a greasy film.

    Secondary ingredient

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

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

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

    PubChem
    • emollient
    • conditioning agent
  • 15 Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax
    General function

    A wax from Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus). Waxes give balms and pomades their firmness and grip, and take a real cleanser to remove.

    Secondary ingredient

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

    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.

    DependsCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    How rigid the finish is depends on which polymer it is and what the formula pairs with it, not on there being one.

    • wax
    • film former
  • 16 PCA Ethyl Cocoyl Arginate
  • 17 Behenyl/Stearyl Aminopropanediol Esters
    • humectant
  • 18 Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
    General function

    A cellulose thickener used for slip and light hold in gels and creams.

    Secondary ingredient

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

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

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

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

    A soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what helps flyaways lie down.

    May not suitMaximum-hold styling

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

    • gum
    • thickener
    • film former
  • 19 Chitosan
    General function

    A shellfish- or fungus-derived polymer that forms a light, positively charged film for body and hold.

    Secondary ingredient

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

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    Cationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.

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

    A cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.

    • film former
    • polymer
    • conditioning agent
  • 20 Hydroxyethylcellulose
    General function

    A cellulose thickener that gives gels and conditioners their body and adds a soft, flexible film.

    Secondary ingredient

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

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

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

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

    A soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what helps flyaways lie down.

    May not suitMaximum-hold styling

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

    PubChem
    • gum
    • thickener
    • film former
  • 21 Polyacrylamidopropyltrimonium Chloride
    General function

    A positively charged conditioning agent. Damaged hair carries a negative charge, so it deposits where the damage is and makes wet hair comb through.

    Secondary ingredient

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

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

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

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

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

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

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

    • conditioning agent
  • 22 Polyamide-8
    • emollient
    • polymer
    • thickener
  • 23 VP/Dmapa Acrylates Copolymer
    General function

    A hold polymer that sets with some flexibility and washes out with water.

    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.

    • film former
    • polymer
  • 24 Ethylhexyl Stearate
    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.

    PubChem
    • light ester
    • emollient
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 25 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
  • 26 Glyceryl Behenate
    General function

    A wax ester used to thicken and to give a smooth, powdery finish.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

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

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

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

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

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

    • light ester
    • wax
    • emollient
  • 27 Steareth-21
    • emulsifier
  • 28 Polyglycerin-3
    • humectant
  • 29 Methylthiopropylamido Acetyl Methionine
    • amino acid
  • 30 Glycerin
    General function

    Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.

    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

    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
  • 31 Methylpropanediol
    • humectant
  • 32 Citric Acid
    General function

    Used to bring the product to a slightly acidic pH, which helps the cuticle lie flat. It is almost always near the end of the list.

    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

    Holds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.

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

    The acid side of pH adjustment, and the reason it matters is measured: alkaline formulas raise the fibre's surface negative charge, increase friction between strands and lift the scales, while lower-pH ones do the reverse.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Where a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • pH adjuster
    • hard-water chelator
  • 33 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
  • 34 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
  • 35 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
  • 36 Citronellol
    General function

    A rose-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
  • 37 Citral
    General function

    A lemon-scented fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 38 Benzyl Salicylate
    General function

    A soft floral 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

What the whole list adds up to

  • 11 emollients
  • 7 fragrances
  • 6 conditioning agents
  • 6 named fragrance allergens
  • 5 thickeners
  • 5 humectants
  • 5 film formers
  • 4 light esters
  • 3 solvents
  • 3 fatty alcohols
  • 3 conditioning agents
  • 3 waxs
  • 3 polymers
  • 2 gums

Ingredient list captured 2026-10-07. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 2 oz

Seen at $18 1 store · checked Oct 7
Good value under $6 Under $2.92/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 $6 line; products that do this job typically go for about $10 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store

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. 2 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 is the price we have observed for the 2 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $6 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $2.92/oz; at 2 oz that is $6. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $10 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 2 oz.

Formula

Formula score
10 of 10

This is a complete curl cream formula. It is also above the range for curl creams per ounce, with 6 close matches selling for meaningfully less.

How the score is counted
  • 6 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 93% of the 228 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 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.

BriogeoClosest function Style + Treat Yuzu + Plum Oil Air Dry Hair Styling Cream $6.50/oz $2.50/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Rich
Function
  • Film formers
  • Oils and butters
Also
  • Vegan
  • Salon tier
  • 4 oz bottle
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It's a 10Lighter feel Coily Miracle Curl Cream For Bouncy Curls - 2.0 oz $5.67/oz $3.33/oz less
  • Curly method
  • Silicone-free
  • Rinses clean
· Close function
Function
  • Film formers
  • Weight on the hair
  • Protein
Compare
VerbLowest cost per oz Lightweight Curl Defining Cream $4.15/oz $4.85/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Rich
· Close function
Function
  • Film formers
  • Oils and butters
Also
  • 5.3 oz bottle
Compare

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

Built for wavy to coily hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person, not the lowest cost
Best user

Hair that stiffens on protein, looking for a protein-free formula and real detangling slip

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to 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.

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 their curls feel soft and touchable without crunch, stickiness, or greasiness.

Reviewers across hair types

Many reviewers say this defines curls and keeps them controlled, with hold that lasts through the day.

Reviewers with wavy, curly or fine hair

Some reviewers say curls go flat or wear off too soon, so the hold feels weak.

Reviewers with wavy hair

Reviewers are split on scent, with some praising it and others finding it too strong or sweet.

Reviewers across hair types

Reviewers split on moisture, with some finding it dries hair out while others find it moisturizing.

Reviewers with coarse, dry or colored hair

More from Living Proof

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.
  • 3 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-10-31.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 17 of 28 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 2026-10-08.

Hair Care Consultation

A care plan made for your hair and goals, then follow-up questions and plan updates.

  • Answers to your hair concerns
  • Formula-based product picks
  • Routines for your lifestyle and preferences
  • Updates for weather, needs and goals

$49with 60 days of follow-ups

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