Excellent hold
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Paul Mitchell
MITCH High Hold Pomade
Styler / Paste, strong-hold
- Styler
- paste
- gel cream
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Protein-free
- Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size3 fl oz
Price$21–24commonly seen · 3 oz
Price / oz$8.00/ozat 3 oz
Where to buy4 stores · $17.28–24.00
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Manufacturer page: paulmitchell.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
All types
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Hold (as stated)
Strong
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Little
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Light
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Present
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Low
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Show all 22 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Essential oils
Present
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Aerosol can
Pump or tube
Not in your profile
Needs heat to set
Not determined
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
High
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
24 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Masstige
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
Upper-mid price for a paste
$8.00/oz at 3 oz — more than 51% of the 90 pastes , which mostly run $5.59–10.34/oz. The cost less.
Great for
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Soft, touchable finishesthe brand states a firm hold
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)
Strong
A strong hold, as stated by the brand.
Hold system
Synthetic polymer
Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems.
Cast risk
Likely
Film formers without much softening them — expect a cast to scrunch out.
Weight on the hair
Light
Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.
Oil absorption
None
No absorbent powders or starches.
Oils and butters
None
No oils or butters in the list.
Fast-drying alcohol
None
No fast-drying alcohol in the list.
Needs detergent to remove
No
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
Fragrance
Present
Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.
from the formula
stated by the brand
reported by reviewers
Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.
Ingredients that matter
The ingredients that change a decision
The workhorse ingredients plus anything lower down that changes a decision. These chips name what an ingredient does — they are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Ceteareth-25 | emulsifier | Keeps oil and water mixed | Stabilizes |
| Glycerin | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| PVP | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Holds |
| Peg-75 Shea Butter Glycerides | emulsifier | Keeps oil and water mixed | Softens |
| Gluconolactone | humectant | Adds a little water-binding | Moisturizes |
| Calcium Gluconate | hard-water chelator | Binds trace metals | Stabilizes |
| Sodium Benzoate | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Potassium Sorbate | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Sorbic Acid | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Fragrance | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. No protein — a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Hard-water chelators are present.
Full ingredient list (24)
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
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
Ceteareth-25
General function
An emulsifier used to keep rich creams from separating.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- emulsifier
-
3
Glycerin
General function
A small water-loving molecule that draws moisture into the hair and holds it there. It is the most common softening ingredient in conditioners and leave-ins.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Scientific ReportsMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairHigh-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairBinds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairWater moves both ways. Measured across concentrations, glycerin solutions give water up in some conditions and take it from the air in others. What it does for you depends on how much of it is there and on the air around it.
- humectant
-
4
PVP
General function
A classic hairspray polymer. It gives firm hold but attracts moisture, so humidity can soften the set.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitMaximum-hold stylingSynthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSome 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 hairThe 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.
- film former
- polymer
-
5
Peg-75 Shea Butter Glycerides
General function
A plant fat made water-dispersible by ethoxylation. It softens the formula and helps the oil and water phases stay together.
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.
- emulsifier
- emollient
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
6
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 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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesBinds 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 hairHigh-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 hairCopper 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.
- humectant
- exfoliant
- hard-water chelator
-
7
Calcium Gluconate
General function
A mineral salt used in trace amounts to stabilise the formula.
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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesBinds 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 hairCopper 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.
- hard-water chelator
- salt
-
8
Sodium Benzoate
General function
A food-grade preservative that works only in acidic formulas, which is why it usually appears alongside citric acid.
Estimated lower-concentration zonePubChemIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- preservative
-
9
Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
-
10
Sorbic Acid
- preservative
-
11
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 zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
12
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
General function
A violet-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
13
Citronellol
General function
A rose-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
14
Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil
· Citrus Limon Peel Oil
General function
A cold-pressed citrus oil used for a fresh scent; naturally high in limonene.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesEssential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.
- botanical extract
- essential oil
- fragrance
-
15
Coumarin
General function
A sweet, hay-like fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
16
Juniperus Virginiana Oil
General function
Cedarwood essential oil, used as a woody fragrance note.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesEssential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.
- botanical extract
- essential oil
- fragrance
-
17
Lavandula Oil/Extract
- botanical extract
- essential oil
-
18
Limonene
General function
A citrus-smelling fragrance component that EU rules require to be named separately because some people react to it.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
19
Linalool
General function
A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
20
Menthol
General function
Produces the cooling, tingling feeling on the scalp. The sensation is real; it is not evidence that anything else is happening.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- active
-
21
Pinene
General function
A pine-scented component of essential oils, declared as part of the fragrance.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
-
22
Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
General function
A synthetic musk or woody-amber note used as a fragrance base.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
-
23
trimethylcyclopentenyl methylisopentenol
General function
An individual aroma chemical. It is part of the product's fragrance; brands that print these are disclosing more of the blend than the rules require.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
-
24
Vanillin
General function
The main scent compound in vanilla, used as a fragrance note.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
What the whole list adds up to
- 13 fragrances
- 5 named fragrance allergens
- 3 preservatives
- 3 botanical extracts
- 3 essential oils
- 2 emulsifiers
- 2 humectants
- 2 hard-water chelators
- 1 solvent
- 1 film former
- 1 polymer
- 1 emollient
- 1 exfoliant
- 1 salt
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 3 oz
Commonly seen
$21–24
Good value under
$10
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $10 line; products that do this job typically go for about $11 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it5 listings · 4 stores
3 ozmost listedBest per ounce
-
BeautyPlusSalon.com
$17.283 oz · $5.76/ozAug 30Lowest per oz
-
Ulta
$24.003 oz · $8.00/ozAug 27
-
John Paul Mitchell Systems
$24.003 oz · $8.00/ozAug 30
-
Planet Beauty
$24.003 oz · $8.00/ozAug 30
-
Ulta
$24.00Aug 25
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
- 3 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 3 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 $10 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $3.44/oz; at 3 oz that is $10. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $11 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 3 oz.
Formula
10
Formula score
10 of 10
A complete read of the format at an ordinary price: mid-range per ounce among pastes, with the working systems present.
How the score is counted
- 7 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs more per ounce than 51% of the 90 pastes we’ve priced
- Covers 6 of the 6 things a paste should do
- Reviewers mention 4 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.
OuidadLowest cost per oz
Curl Shaper Take Shape Plumping Defining Cream
$3.25/oz $4.75/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Lightweight
- Differs
CurlsmithSame function
Hydro Style Flexi Defining Curl Gel - 8.0 oz
$3.50/oz $4.50/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Lightweight
- Differs
CurlsmithSame function
Hydro Style Flexi Jelly
$3.50/oz $4.50/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Lightweight
- Differs
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
Hair that stiffens on protein — for a protein-free formula and moisture that stays in
Biggest tradeoff
Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, anyone who will not scrunch out a cast, or very dry or very humid climates
Best alternative if not
Ouidad Curl Shaper Take Shape Plumping Defining 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.
2
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
5
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
optimal control that will lock in styles that last all day
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
high-shine wet look finish that won't flake
Nothing in the list reads as a shine system.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
easily washes out with shampoo
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Color safe
It avoids sulfate detergents, which are the usual cause of fast fade.
—
Supported
Less fade per wash.
Vegan
We have not researched the vegan status of this product.
—
Stated by brand
Worth checking on the label.
Paraben free
No parabens appear in the ingredient list.
—
Supported
Preserved without parabens.
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.
High hold held up throughout the day without leaving hair feeling sticky
general reviewerA little goes a long way, so the jar lasts a long time between reorders
value-focused reviewerThick texture gives strong hold and shine, good for a wet-look style
general reviewerUsed on a child's spiky hairstyle with great results
parent buying for a child's hairHold was strong in the morning but some strands had fallen out of place by end of day
all-day wear reviewerMore from Paul Mitchell
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 11 of 18 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.