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L'Oreal Professionnel

[Homme] Sculpte

Styler / Paste, light-hold

  • Styler
  • paste
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
Size150ml / 5fl.oz.
Price$19.99 Good valueseen at one store · 5.07 oz
Price / oz$3.94/ozat 5.07 oz

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: valley-beauty.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.

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  • Every product matched against your hair across the 22 factors we check.
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  • 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

Lower cost than most pastes

$3.94/oz at 5.07 oz, less than 84% of the 197 pastes , which mostly run $4.92–11.75/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

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
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Aerosol avoidancea pump or tube, not a pressurised can

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent
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
Styles that must holdthe brand states a light hold at most
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 (as stated) Light

A light 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 Rich

Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.

Oil absorption None

No absorbent powders or starches.

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

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 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
Water solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Stearyl Alcohol fatty alcohol Thickens and conditions (not a drying alcohol) Softens
Isopropyl Palmitate light ester Light slip without much weight Softens
C18-36 Acid Triglyceride emollient Softens and smooths the strand Softens
Ceteareth-25 emulsifier Keeps oil and water mixed Stabilizes
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2 emollient Softens and smooths the strand Heavy
Beeswax wax Holds shape and adds weight Buildup
Tridecyl Stearate light ester Light slip without much weight Softens
Alcohol Denat. drying alcohol A small amount, for fast setting Drying
Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates or silicones. 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 (28)

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
    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 Stearyl Alcohol
    General function

    A fatty alcohol that thickens conditioners and helps them coat the hair evenly.

    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
  • 3 Isopropyl Palmitate
    General function

    A light ester that spreads quickly and leaves a smooth, non-greasy feel.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this 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
  • 4 C18-36 Acid Triglyceride
    • emollient
    • light ester
  • 5 Ceteareth-25
    General function

    An emulsifier used to keep rich creams from separating.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • emulsifier
  • 6 Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
    General function

    A rich, lanolin-like emollient used in balms for a soft, sealing finish.

    Supporting ingredient

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

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

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

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.

    • emollient
    • sealant
  • 7 Beeswax
    General function

    A firm natural wax that grips and holds hair in place. It resists water and can take repeated washing to remove.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.

    • wax
    • film former
    • sealant
  • 8 Tridecyl Stearate
    General function

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

    Supporting ingredient

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

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

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

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

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

    PubChem
    • light ester
    • emollient
  • 9 PVP
    General function

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

    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

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

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

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

    May not suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    The film takes up water from the air. The patent work that produced the VP/VA copolymers describes a PVP film turning sticky after time in a humid atmosphere, and being dependable only where humidity is low — so hold and feel both move with the weather.

    PubChem
    • film former
    • polymer
  • 10 Peg-8 Beeswax
    • emulsifier
  • 11 Glycerin
    General function

    Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely 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 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
  • 12 Tridecyl Trimellitate
    General function

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

    Secondary ingredient

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

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

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

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

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

    • light ester
    • emollient
  • 13 Synthetic Candelilla Wax
  • 14 VP/VA Copolymer
    General function

    A hold polymer that dries to a clear film. It sets the style 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
  • 15 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.

    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

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

    PubChem
    • drying alcohol
    • solvent
  • 16 Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate
    General function

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

    Secondary ingredient

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

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

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

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

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

    • light ester
    • emollient
  • 17 Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
    General function

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

    Secondary ingredient

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

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

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

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

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

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

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

    • thickener
    • polymer
    • film former
  • 18 Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate
  • 19 Neopentyl Glycol Diisostearate
  • 20 Quaternium-95
    General function

    A conditioning agent used for slip and smoothing in rinse-out and leave-in formulas.

    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
  • 21 Propanediol
    General function

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

    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

    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
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 22 Ascorbic Acid
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 23 Creatine
    General function

    An amino-acid derivative used in strengthening-positioned products; it is small enough to enter the strand.

    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

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

    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.

    • amino acid
    • conditioning agent
  • 24 Triethanolamine
    General function

    A base used in trace amounts to neutralise acidic polymers so a gel thickens.

    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
  • 25 Tetrasodium EDTA
    General function

    Binds the metal ions in hard water so they cannot dull hair or destabilise the formula.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

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

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Binds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Copper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.

    PubChem
    • hard-water chelator
  • 26 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative
  • 27 Gluconolactone
    General function

    A gentle acid that holds water and helps loosen surface build-up. It also binds a little hard-water mineral.

    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 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 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
    • humectant
    • exfoliant
    • hard-water chelator
  • 28 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

What the whole list adds up to

  • 7 emollients
  • 5 light esters
  • 4 film formers
  • 3 solvents
  • 3 polymers
  • 3 humectants
  • 2 thickeners
  • 2 emulsifiers
  • 2 sealants
  • 2 hard-water chelators
  • 1 fatty alcohol
  • 1 wax
  • 1 drying alcohol
  • 1 conditioning agent

Ingredient list captured 2026-10-17. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 5.07 oz

Seen at $19.99 1 store · checked Oct 17
Good value under $21 Under $4.06/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $21 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $36 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores

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. 5.07 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 $19.99 is the price we have observed for the 5.07 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $21 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $4.06/oz; at 5.07 oz that is $21. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $36 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 5.07 oz.

Formula

Formula score
10 of 10

It carries the working systems a paste needs and still sits in the lower part of the price range for pastes per ounce.

How the score is counted
  • Costs less per ounce than 84% of the 197 pastes we’ve priced
  • Covers 6 of the 6 things a paste should do
  • Masstige tier, sold at Brand website
  • Masstige tier
  • A hold systemThe polymer, gum, or wax that holds the shape.3 pts
  • Softeners alongside the holdWhat keeps a film flexible instead of brittle.2 pts
  • No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A humidity claim with a mechanismThe claim has a film former or silicone behind it.1 pt
  • Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score 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

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.

Bed HeadLowest cost per oz Matte Separation $6.39/oz $2.45/oz more
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Rich
· Same function
Differs
  • 2.6 oz bottle
  • Sold through salons
Compare
Bumble and bumbleClose function Sumotech Flexible Hold Cream Solid $18.66/oz $14.72/oz more
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Rich
Function
  • Slip and detangling
Also
  • Citrus scent
  • Cruelty-free
  • Salon tier
Compare
American CrewStronger hold Fiber - 3.0 oz $7.67/oz $3.73/oz more
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Rich
· Close function
Function
  • Slip and detangling
Also
  • 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 curly to coily hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person
Best user

Hair that stiffens on protein, for a protein-free formula and a curly-method-compatible formula

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or very dry or high-damage hair

Best alternative if not

Nothing in our library matches it closely 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, 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
1
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
0
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Provides light hold

Synthetic hold polymers are present.

  • Beeswax
  • PVP
  • VP/VA Copolymer
Supported

Structure that lasts the day.

Has a reworkable texture and delivers a shiny finish

Light esters can add a little gloss without a full shine system.

  • Isopropyl Palmitate
  • C18-36 Acid Triglyceride
  • Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Partly supported

A hint of gloss.

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.

More from L'Oreal Professionnel

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.
  • 4 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-10-17.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 10 of 19 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 2026-10-17.

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