A texturizing paste with a matte finish that sculpts and boosts the hair’s density for a natural result.
Nothing absorbent sits high enough to read as a matte system.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Phyto
PRO STYLE Texturizing Paste
Styler / Paste, mixed-hold
- Styler
- paste
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Curly-method
- Not cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size5.07 fl oz
Priceabout $28commonly seen · 5.07 oz
Price / oz$5.52/ozat 5.07 oz
Where to buy4 stores · $27.85–28.00
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: us.phyto.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.
Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Curly–Coily
Not in your profile
Moisture level
Low
Not in your profile
Hold system
Moderate
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
High
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Rich
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Present
Not in your profile
Protein
Minor
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
High
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate
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
Not 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
Not heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
None
Not in your profile
UV filter
Present
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
20 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Salon
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Brand website · Specialty beauty
Not in your profile
The consultation builds your hair profile, checks every factor in this table against it, and tells you where this product fits or what to use instead.
Start your consultation$49 once, with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates. Nothing renews, and you never have to buy a product.
Your avoid-list
Priced with its peers
$5.52/oz at 5.07 oz, less than 69% of the 197 pastes , which mostly run $4.92–11.75/oz. The cost less.
Great for
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
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
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list
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
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
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 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
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.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterAQUA/WATER | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| BeeswaxCERA ALBA/BEESWAX | wax | Holds shape and adds weight | Buildup |
| VP/VA Copolymer | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Holds |
| Glyceryl Stearate | emulsifier | Keeps oil and water mixed | Softens |
| PEG-100 Stearate | emulsifier | Keeps oil and water mixed | Stabilizes |
| Cetearyl Alcohol | fatty alcohol | Thickens and conditions (not a drying alcohol) | Softens |
| Polyquaternium-37POLYQUATERNIUM- 37 | conditioning agent | Conditions and softens so hair combs through | Detangles |
| Hydrolyzed Silk PG-Propyl Methylsilanediol Crosspolymer | protein | Firms up soft, over-stretchy hair | Protein |
| FragrancePARFUM / FRAGRANCE | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Contains fragrance. Contains heavier butters.
Full ingredient list (20)
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
· AQUA/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
Beeswax
· CERA ALBA/BEESWAX
General function
A firm natural wax that grips and holds hair in place. It resists water and can take repeated washing to remove.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingA wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairForms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.
May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesIt 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
-
3
VP/VA Copolymer
General function
A hold polymer that dries to a clear film. It sets the style and washes out with water.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.
May 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.
- film former
- polymer
-
4
Glyceryl Stearate
General function
A workhorse emulsifier that holds oil and water together in a cream.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- emulsifier
- emollient
-
5
PEG-100 Stearate
General function
The water-side half of the most common emulsifier pair in creams, used with glyceryl stearate.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- emulsifier
-
6
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.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
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
-
7
Polyquaternium-37
· POLYQUATERNIUM- 37
General function
A thickening polymer that gives creams and curl products their bounce and helps them cling to the strand.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdCationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- conditioning agent
- film former
- polymer
- thickener
-
8
Hydrolyzed Silk PG-Propyl Methylsilanediol Crosspolymer
General function
A silk protein joined to a small silicone-like group. It lays down a smoothing film that resists rinsing better than plain hydrolysed silk.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- protein
- film former
-
9
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
General function
A light, dry-feeling ester that spreads other ingredients and softens without a greasy finish.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
-
10
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
General function
A UV filter added to protect the product's colour and, in leave-ins, to slow colour fade.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
PubChemMay suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairSunlight oxidises hair pigment, and on gray, silver or lightened hair that shows up as yellowing. A UV filter on the label absorbs some of the light that drives it.
- UV filter
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
11
Fragrance
· PARFUM / 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
Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
-
13
PPG-1 Trideceth-6
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
14
Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer
General function
A synthetic film-forming polymer. Polymers of this kind dry to a continuous film on the hair, which is how a styling product holds a shape.
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 suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.
May 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.
- film former
- polymer
-
15
Caramel
General function
A colour added to tint the product itself. It does not colour 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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairA violet or blue colorant sits opposite yellow on the colour wheel, so a trace of it deposited on the surface makes a warm cast read cooler. It washes out over the following few washes.
- colourant
-
16
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
17
Sorbitan Oleate
- emulsifier
-
18
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 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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesHolds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe 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 hairWhere a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
-
19
BHT
- antioxidant
-
20
Lactic Acid
General function
An acid used to set pH and, in scalp products, to loosen flakes.
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 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 hairA humectant moves water in whichever direction the air allows: it holds moisture in humid conditions and can pull it back out of hair in very dry ones.
- pH adjuster
- humectant
- exfoliant
What the whole list adds up to
- 5 film formers
- 4 emulsifiers
- 3 polymers
- 3 emollients
- 2 thickeners
- 2 preservatives
- 2 pH adjusters
- 1 solvent
- 1 wax
- 1 sealant
- 1 fatty alcohol
- 1 conditioning agent
- 1 protein
- 1 light ester
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-17. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 5.07 oz
Commonly seen
about $28
Good value under
$25
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $25 line; products that do this job typically go for about $42 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it4 listings · 4 stores
-
Editors Pick
$27.855.07 oz · $5.49/ozSep 18Lowest per oz
-
PHYTO
$28.005.07 oz · $5.52/ozSep 18
-
LovelySkin.com
$28.005.07 oz · $5.52/ozSep 18
-
PHYTO USA (us.phyto.com)
$28.005.07 oz · $5.52/ozSep 17
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
- 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.
- Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 5.07 oz at recognised stores. We leave out the cheapest and most expensive quarters, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
- Good value under $25 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $4.98/oz; at 5.07 oz that is $25. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $42 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 5.07 oz.
Formula
10
Formula score
10 of 10
The formula carries the systems a paste is built around, and it sits in the middle of the range for pastes per ounce.
How the score is counted
- 2 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs less per ounce than 69% of the 197 pastes we’ve priced
- Covers 6 of the 6 things a paste 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.
Garnier FructisLowest cost per oz
Surfer Hair Styling Power Paste
$1.91/oz $3.61/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Rich
- Function
- Also
AxeClose function
Texturizing Cream
$2.91/oz $2.61/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Rich
- Function
- Also
See more alternatives in the product library
These products do a similar job. We haven’t matched them to you. Find the one that fits your hair, routine and budget
Final decision
Should you buy it?
A solid pick for the hair it suitsBest user
People who want maximum slip, for real detangling slip and a curly-method-compatible formula
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for 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.
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.
2
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
1
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
For long lasting hold and texture.
Synthetic hold polymers are present.
- Beeswax
- VP/VA Copolymer
- Polyquaternium-37
Supported
Structure that lasts the day.
• With beeswax which has texturizing and protective properties.
Nothing absorbent sits high enough to read as a matte system.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
• Ensures flexible, workable hold.
Softening ingredients sit alongside the hold polymers, which is what keeps a film flexible.
- Beeswax
- VP/VA Copolymer
- Glyceryl Stearate
Supported
Natural movement without stiffness.
• No residue or weighing down effect.
Heavy emollients sit high in the list.
- Beeswax
Potential conflict
Expect it to sit on the strand.
How to read this
We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula, not at the marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.
Reviewers
What people report
Themes that come up again and again in sourced reviews, written by our researchers in their own words. We don’t store or scrape star ratings.
Two reviewers say the paste works for shaping bangs, building texture, or smoothing hair depending on how it is used.
Reviewers with fine hair, styling bangs and cutsSeveral reviewers say this paste gives volume and lasting hold on fine hair.
Reviewers with fine hair, plus others wanting root liftReviewers disagree on stiffness, with one finding the current version crunchy while another says it holds without stiffness.
Reviewers across hair typesMore from Phyto
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, 1 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-10-31.
- Ingredient references are linked for 5 of 12 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 2026-10-19.
