Superior moisture penetration
Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.
- Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Glycerin
Supported
Helps hair feel hydrated.
PATTERN
Styling Cream - 15.0 oz
Styler / Smoothing cream, light-hold
- Styler
- smoothing cream
- cream
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Vegan · label states
- Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size15 fl oz
Priceabout $49commonly seen · 15 oz
Price / oz$3.27/ozat 15 oz
Where to buy4 stores · $29.00–49.00
Manufacturer page: patternbeauty.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.
- In 10 minutes we can identify your exact hair condition and traits.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 22 factors we check.
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Curly–Coily
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Hold (as stated)
Light
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Little
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Rich
Not in your profile
Fragrance
None listed
Not in your profile
Protein
Minor
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
Vegan · label statesCruelty-free · PETA-listed
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
Air-sets
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
16 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Salon
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Ulta · Brand website
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.
Start your consultation$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.
Your avoid-list
Lower cost than most smoothing creams
$3.27/oz at 15 oz — less than 80% of the 56 smoothing creams , which mostly run $3.70–7.10/oz. The cost less.
Great for
no fragrance (parfum) on the label
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Maybe skip if
Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
Styles that must holdno hold polymer, gum, or wax was found
Styles that must holdthe brand states a light hold at most
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
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
None found
No hold polymer, gum, or wax found in the list.
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
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
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. 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 |
| 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 |
| Glycerin | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Ceteareth-20 | emulsifier | Keeps oil and water mixed | Stabilizes |
| PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil | solubilizer | Keeps oils dissolved in water | Stabilizes |
| Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil | oil | Softens the film so it does not set hard | Softens |
| PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate | thickener | Sets the texture | Stabilizes |
| Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein | film former | A supporting film former | Protein |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Contains heavier butters. Recorded as vegan and cruelty-free.
Full ingredient list (16)
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
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.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
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
-
3
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.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
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
-
4
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.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
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
-
5
Ceteareth-20
General function
An emulsifier that holds oil and water together in a conditioner or cream.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- emulsifier
-
6
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
General function
A castor-oil derivative that dissolves fragrance and oils into water so the product stays clear and does not separate.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
-
7
Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
General function
One of the few oils small enough to move into the strand, which is why it is used for pre-wash treatments. It can feel heavy or stiff on protein-sensitive hair.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairBecause it penetrates rather than sits on top, it works on hair that loses water through a worn cuticle instead of only slowing evaporation from the surface the way a non-penetrating oil does.
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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hairThe exception to the class read: lauric acid is small and linear enough to enter the shaft rather than only coat it, and in comparison testing coconut oil was the one that reduced protein loss from washing on both undamaged and damaged hair.
- oil
- emollient
-
8
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
General function
A sugar-derived thickener used to build body in sulfate-free cleansers.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- thickener
- emulsifier
-
9
Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter
General function
A firm plant butter used for sealing and hold in heavier styling creams.
Secondary ingredientLower 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 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
- 10 Potassium Carbonate
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
11
Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract
- botanical extract
- antioxidant
-
12
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil
General function
A light, widely used oil that softens without much weight.
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.
International Journal of TrichologyMay 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.
- oil
- emollient
-
13
Caryodendron Orinocense Seed Oil
General function
The oil pressed from Caryodendron Orinocense. How much weight a plant oil leaves depends on the hair it lands on; coarse hair tends to take more of it than fine hair.
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 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.
- oil
- emollient
-
14
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil
General function
A medium-weight oil used for softness and slip.
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 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.
- oil
- emollient
-
15
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
General function
A concentrated aloe extract used for light moisture and a soothing claim.
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 hairHydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairAloe is mostly water carrying sugars that bind more of it, which is why it turns up as the base of moisture-first formulas.
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.
- botanical extract
- humectant
-
16
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
General function
Wheat protein broken into fragments small enough to cling to the hair. It adds temporary strength and body; too much can feel stiff.
Estimated lower-concentration 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 hairFilling surface gaps evens out the cuticle, which is part of what makes damaged hair comb and reflect light more like undamaged hair.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairHydrolysed fragments are small enough to sit in the gaps of a worn cuticle for a wash or two, temporarily restoring stiffness and cutting breakage in combing.
- film former
- protein
- hydrolysed protein
What the whole list adds up to
- 7 emollients
- 4 oils
- 3 emulsifiers
- 2 butters
- 2 sealants
- 2 thickeners
- 2 humectants
- 2 botanical extracts
- 1 solvent
- 1 fatty alcohol
- 1 solubilizer
- 1 antioxidant
- 1 film former
- 1 protein
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 15 oz
Commonly seen
about $49
Good value under
$19
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $19 line; products that do this job typically go for about $24 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it5 listings · 4 stores
-
Ulta
$29.0015 oz · $1.93/ozAug 25Lowest per oz
-
Ulta
$29.0015 oz · $1.93/ozAug 27
-
Ulta Beauty
$49.0015 oz · $3.27/ozAug 30
-
Sephora
$49.0015 oz · $3.27/ozAug 30
-
Pattern Beauty
$49.0015 oz · $3.27/ozAug 30
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
- 15 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 15 oz at recognised stores — the cheapest quarter and the dearest quarter are left out, 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 $1.27/oz; at 15 oz that is $19. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $24 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 15 oz.
Formula
7
Formula score
7 of 10
The formula covers the core of what a smoothing cream does, and it costs less per ounce than most smoothing creams in our library.
How the score is counted
- 6 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs less per ounce than 80% of the 56 smoothing creams we’ve priced
- No hold system in the formula
- Reviewers mention 3 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.
PATTERNClosest function
Styling Cream
$1.67/oz $1.60/oz less
- Fragrance-free
- Unscented
- Protein-free
- Function
- Also
SheaMoistureClose function
Coconut & Hibiscus with Silk Protein & Neem Oil Curl & Style Milk
$1.57/oz $1.70/oz less
- Curly method
- Rich
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
Creme of NatureLowest cost per oz
Pure Honey Hair Food Smoothing & Frizz Control Curl Defining Cream
$0.49/oz $2.78/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Rich
- 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?
A solid pick for the hair it suitsBest user
People sensitive to fragrance — for a formula with no added fragrance and moisture that stays in
Biggest tradeoff
Not ideal for oily scalps and fine hair, styles that need real hold, or styles that have to hold all day
Best alternative if not
Consider PATTERN Styling Cream, 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.
3
SupportedBacked by ingredients
1
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Ideal oil-rich, touchable hold
Softening ingredients sit alongside the hold polymers, which is what keeps a film flexible.
- Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
Supported
Natural movement without stiffness.
Thick enough to provide hold but never crunchy
Softening ingredients sit alongside the hold polymers, which is what keeps a film flexible.
- Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
Supported
Natural movement without stiffness.
Clinically proven to curl & style hair for long-lasting definition
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.
Flexible to prevent breakage
Protein or ceramides are present, but low enough that this reads as support, not treatment.
- Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Partly supported
Supports the surface, not a treatment.
Formulated for hair types 3B-4C
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
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.
Makes 4C fine hair curls 'pop' and keeps moisture for several days
4C-hair reviewer on brand siteHair felt silky and frizz was controlled
curly-hair reviewer on UltaCurls look hydrated and defined after use
curly-hair reviewer on UltaProduct is expensive for the size
value-focused reviewer on UltaLeft a noticeable white cast on hair after application
reviewer on UltaMore from PATTERN
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.
- 2 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-27.
- Ingredient references are linked for 4 of 10 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 2026-08-27.