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Sexy Hair

Style Sexy Hair Frenzy Matte Texturizing Paste

Styler / Paste, medium-hold

  • Styler
  • paste
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
  • Moisture-rich
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size2.5 fl oz
Priceabout $22commonly seen · 2.5 oz
Price / oz$8.78/ozat 2.5 oz

Scent:

The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.

Listing used for research: ulta.com

Personal fit

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Upper-mid price for a paste

$8.78/oz at 2.5 oz — more than 60% of the 90 pastes , which mostly run $5.59–10.34/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

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
Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it
Soft-hold stylesthat should stay touchable

Maybe skip if

this product carries 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
Silicone-free routinesit does contain silicones — the water-soluble kind

Whether this hold level is right for you depends on your density, porosity, and how long your style has to last — that is what the consultation works 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) Medium

A medium 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 Present, lower down

Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch.

Fast-drying alcohol Present

Fast-drying alcohol is present — it speeds drying and can read dry on the hair.

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. These 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
Petrolatum sealant Seals moisture in Heavy
Cetearyl Alcohol fatty alcohol Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol Softens
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2 emollient Softens and smooths the strand Heavy
Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax wax Holds shape and adds weight Buildup
Lanolin Wax film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Buildup
Glycerin humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
PVP film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
Ceresin wax Adds a little grip Buildup
Alcohol Denat. drying alcohol A small amount, for fast setting Drying
Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
Peg/Ppg-18/18 Dimethicone emulsifier Stabilises the mix Shine
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Contains fragrance. Contains heavier butters.
Full ingredient list (37)

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 ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    • solvent
  • 2 Petrolatum
    General function

    A heavy sealing agent that locks moisture in and takes detergent to remove.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    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.

    • sealant
    • emollient
  • 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 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
  • 4 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
  • 5 Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax
    General function

    A hard palm wax that gives firm hold and shine.

    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 not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Waxes do not dissolve in water. They need a detergent wash to come off, and they are the classic cause of a coated feel.

    DependsCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    How rigid the finish is depends on which polymer it is and what the formula pairs with it, not on there being one.

    • wax
    • film former
  • 6 Lanolin Wax
    General function

    The solid fraction of lanolin, used to give balms body and hold.

    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.

    • film former
    • sealant
    • wax
  • 7 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 ingredient

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

    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
  • 8 PVP
    General function

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

    Supporting ingredient

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

    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
  • 9 Ceteareth-25
    • emulsifier
  • 10 Ceresin
    General function

    A refined mineral wax used to thicken balms and pomades.

    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

    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
    • sealant
  • 11 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
  • 12 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
  • 13 Mineral Oil
    General function

    A sealing oil that sits on the surface, adds slip and shine, and needs a detergent to remove.

    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

    Coats 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 hair

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    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.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • emollient
    • sealant
    • oil
  • 14 Propylene Glycol
    General function

    A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.

    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 hydrates without contributing weight.

    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
  • 15 Peg-40 Castor Oil
    • solubilizer
    • emulsifier
  • 16 Diethylhexyl Malate
    General function

    A cushiony ester used for a rich but non-greasy 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
  • Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 17 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 18 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
  • 19 Mica
    General function

    A mineral that adds shimmer or opacity to the product. It affects how the bottle looks, not how hair behaves.

    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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    A 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.

    PubChem
    • colourant
    • mineral
    • opacifier
  • 20 Peg/Ppg-18/18 Dimethicone
    General function

    An ethoxylated or propoxylated formulation aid. Ingredients of this family keep oils, silicones and fragrance evenly dispersed in a water-based product.

    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

    The PEG- and PPG-modified silicones disperse in water, so ordinary washing carries them off instead of leaving a film to accumulate.

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A surface film slows how quickly humidity reaches the cortex, which is what limits swelling-driven frizz in damp air.

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

    Delivers the slip and surface smoothing of a silicone without needing a detergent wash to remove it afterwards.

    • emulsifier
    • silicone
    • water-soluble silicone
  • 21 Ethylhexylglycerin
    General function

    A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.

    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

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

    PubChem
    • preservative
    • emollient
  • 22 Titanium Dioxide
    General function

    A white mineral pigment that makes a product opaque or pearly.

    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 suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    A 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
    • opacifier
    • mineral
  • 23 Sucrose
    General function

    Table sugar, used as a humectant and, in scrubs, as a physical exfoliant.

    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 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

    A 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.

    PubChem
    • humectant
  • 24 Cereus Grandiflorus (Cactus) Flower Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 25 Methylparaben
    • paraben
    • preservative
  • 26 Ethylparaben
    • paraben
    • preservative
  • 27 Disodium EDTA
    General function

    Grabs metal ions from hard water so they cannot dull the 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
  • 28 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 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

    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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 29 Benzyl Benzoate
    General function

    A fragrance component with a faint balsamic scent, named separately on the label because it is a recognised contact allergen.

    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

    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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 30 Hexyl Cinnamal
    General function

    A jasmine-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

    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

    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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 31 Linalool
    General function

    A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.

    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

    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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 32 Citronellol
    General function

    A rose-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

    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

    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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 33 Hydroxycitronellal
    General function

    A soft floral fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

    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

    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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 34 Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
    General function

    A violet-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

    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

    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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 35 Amyl Cinnamal
    General function

    A jasmine-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

    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

    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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 36 Ext. D&C Violet No. 2
  • 37 D&C Red No. 33

What the whole list adds up to

  • 9 fragrances
  • 8 named fragrance allergens
  • 6 emollients
  • 5 sealants
  • 4 film formers
  • 4 preservatives
  • 3 solvents
  • 3 waxs
  • 3 humectants
  • 3 emulsifiers
  • 2 polymers
  • 2 colourants
  • 2 minerals
  • 2 opacifiers

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 2.5 oz

Commonly seen about $22 Midpoint $21.95 · 6 stores · checked Aug 30
Good value under $16 Under $6.55/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $16 line; products that do this job typically go for about $18 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it8 listings · 7 stores

2.5 ozmost listedBest per ounce

  • Target
    $20.99
    2.5 oz · $8.40/oz
    Aug 30Lowest per ozSale · was $23.00
  • Ulta
    $21.95
    2.5 oz · $8.78/oz
    Aug 27
  • Ulta Beauty
    $21.95
    2.5 oz · $8.78/oz
    Aug 30
  • Nordstrom Rack
    $21.95
    2.5 oz · $8.78/oz
    Aug 30
  • SexyHair
    $21.95
    2.5 oz · $8.78/oz
    Aug 30
  • Belk
    $21.95
    2.5 oz · $8.78/oz
    Aug 30
  • Pure Spa Direct
    $21.95
    2.5 oz · $8.78/oz
    Aug 30
  • Ulta
    $21.95
    Aug 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
  1. 2.5 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. Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 2.5 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.
  3. Good value under $16 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $6.55/oz; at 2.5 oz that is $16. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $18 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 2.5 oz.

Formula

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 more per ounce than 60% of the 90 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 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.

American CrewLowest cost per oz Forming Cream $3.21/oz $5.57/oz less
  • Rich
· Close function
Function
  • Oils and butters
Also
  • 3 oz bottle
  • Sold in drugstores and mass retail
Compare
American CrewSilicone-free American Crew Fiber $6.23/oz $2.55/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Rich
· Close function
Function
  • Silicone type
  • Oils and butters
Also
  • 3 oz bottle
Compare

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

Built for curly to coily hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits
Best user

Hair that stiffens on protein — for a protein-free formula and moisture that stays in

Biggest tradeoff

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

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.

1
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
3
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Up to 48 hours of medium hold

Synthetic hold polymers are present.

  • Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax
  • Lanolin Wax
  • PVP
Supported

Structure that lasts the day.

Matte finish

Nothing absorbent sits high enough to read as a matte system.

  • Mica
Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Adds fullness and texture

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Bulks up finer hair

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.

Reviewers repeatedly praise the scent as one of the best parts of the product.

Ulta reviewers

Hold is described as lasting well beyond a typical workday (11+ hours) without needing touch-ups.

Ulta reviewers

Several reviewers find the paste thick and a bit sticky going in, needing to be worked between palms first.

Ulta reviewers

Some say the finish reads shinier than the 'matte' name implies and can feel greasy in the hair.

Ulta reviewers

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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 18 of 28 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.