5/10 hold (Medium Hold)
Gums or waxes give some structure, without the polymers that carry a firm hold.
- Beeswax
- Microcrystalline Wax
Soft structure, not firm hold.
Styler / Paste, medium-hold
Scent:
Reviewers describe it as mint, vanilla.
Strength: Light
Listing used for research: ulta.com
Personal fit
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Your avoid-list
Lower cost than most pastes
$5.46/oz at 3.38 oz — less than 76% of the 90 pastes , which mostly run $5.59–10.34/oz. The cost less.
Great for
Maybe skip if
What the formula actually does
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.
A medium hold, as stated by the brand.
Gums and synthetic polymers together.
Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely.
Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.
Absorbents appear, low in the list.
Oils sit high in the list — a softening, coating formula.
No fast-drying alcohol in the list.
Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.
Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — a larger share of the formula.
Ingredients that matter
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrolatum | sealant | Seals moisture in | Heavy |
| BeeswaxCera Alba (Beeswax) | wax | Holds shape and adds weight | Buildup |
| Paraffinum Liquidum (Mineral Oil) | emollient | Softens and smooths the strand | Heavy |
| Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2 | emollient | Softens and smooths the strand | Heavy |
| Microcrystalline WaxCera Microcristallina (Microcrystalline Wax) | wax | Holds shape and adds weight | Buildup |
| FragranceFragrance (Parfum) | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Silica | powder | A trace of mattifying powder | Stabilizes |
| Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Fragrance |
| Benzyl Benzoate | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Linalool | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
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.
A heavy sealing agent that locks moisture in and takes detergent to remove.
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.
It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.
A firm natural wax that grips and holds hair in place. It resists water and can take repeated washing to remove.
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
A wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.
Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.
It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.
Mineral oil, used to seal the surface and add slip.
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.
A rich, lanolin-like emollient used in balms for a soft, sealing finish.
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.
It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.
A petroleum-derived wax used for firm, pliable hold in pomades and pastes.
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
A wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.
Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.
It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.
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.
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
Declared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
A fine mineral powder that absorbs oil and adds grip. It is what makes texture powders and matte pastes feel dry to the touch.
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
A dry powder takes up oil and adds friction between strands, which is most of what root lift in fine hair actually is.
Tea tree essential oil, used in scalp products for its sharp scent and traditional clarifying reputation.
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
Essential 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.
A fragrance component with a faint balsamic scent, named separately on the label because it is a recognised contact allergen.
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 3.38 oz
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $15 line; products that do this job typically go for about $24 at this size.
Sizes
The 12 oz costs 34% less per ounce than the 3.38 oz.
3.38 ozmost listedBest per ounce
12 oz
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.
Formula
It carries the working systems a paste needs and still sits in the lower part of the price range for pastes per ounce.
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.
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
Hair that stiffens on protein — for a protein-free formula and a curly-method-compatible formula
Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or anyone stretching time between washes
American Crew Matte Clay, 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
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.
5/10 hold (Medium Hold)
Gums or waxes give some structure, without the polymers that carry a firm hold.
Soft structure, not firm hold.
5/10 shine (Medium Shine)
The formula carries a recognised shine system — silicone, oil, or light ester.
Reflects light for visible shine.
oil-based, water-resistant
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Can’t be confirmed from label.
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
Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.
Noted the subtle vanilla-mint fragrance as pleasant
general Ulta reviewerPerformance matches label claims of medium shine and medium hold
general Ulta reviewerOne reviewer disliked the mint scent, calling it 'borderline feminine'
general Ulta reviewerWorks best on medium-to-thick, coarse, straight hair for a uniform (not messy) style
general Ulta reviewer