Adds separation and definition
Film formers or natural gums are present, which is what holds a clump together.
- VP/VA Copolymer
Supported
Holds a clump together.
Sexy Hair
Style Sexy Hair Matte Clay (Matte Texturizing Clay)
Styler / Paste, mixed-hold
- Styler
- paste
- wax
- Moisture-rich
- Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size2.5 fl oz
Price$21.95seen at one store · 2.5 oz
Price / oz$8.78/ozat 2.5 oz
Where to buy2 stores · $21.95–21.95
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Manufacturer page: sexyhair.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
Moderate
Not in your profile
Hold system
Moderate
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Some
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Present
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Low
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
Not determined
Not in your profile
Essential oils
Present
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Not in your profile
Show all 18 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Aerosol can
Not determined
Not in your profile
Needs heat to set
Not determined
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Heavy
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
25 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Masstige
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Brand website · Specialty beauty
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.
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Your avoid-list
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.
Great for
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Matte, textured stylesabsorbent powders do the mattifying
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
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.
Oil absorption
High
Absorbent powders or starches high in the list.
Oils and butters
None
No oils or butters 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bentonite | clay | Absorbs oil and adds texture | Neutral |
| Petrolatum | sealant | Seals moisture in | Heavy |
| Cera Alba (Beeswax, Cire d'abeille) | — | — | Neutral |
| Methylheptyl Isostearate | light ester | Light slip without much weight | Softens |
| Triethyl Citrate | pH adjuster | Fine-tunes the pH | pH balancer |
| Propylene Glycol | humectant | Adds a little water-binding | Moisturizes |
| Dicaprylyl Maleate | light ester | A light, silky feel | Softens |
| Glycerin | humectant | Adds a little water-binding | Moisturizes |
| FragranceParfum (Fragrance) | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Linalyl Acetate | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| acetyl cedrene | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesFragrance is on the label.
Full ingredient list (25)
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
Bentonite
General function
A clay that absorbs oil and gives a matte, gritty texture.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairAbsorbs oil and adds texture, which is what gives fine hair grip at the root instead of slip.
May not suitVery dry or highly damaged hairAn absorbent solid takes up oil, and hair already short of it has less to give.
- clay
- powder
-
2
Petrolatum
General function
A heavy sealing agent that locks moisture in and takes detergent to remove.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged 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.
- sealant
- emollient
- 3 Cera Alba (Beeswax, Cire d'abeille)
-
4
Methylheptyl Isostearate
General function
A fatty ester. Esters give slip and a smooth after-feel; lighter ones read dry and silky, heavier ones read rich.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- light ester
- emollient
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
5
Triethyl Citrate
General function
A citrate ester used to stabilise fragrance and support the preservative system.
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.
PubChemDependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairpH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.
- pH adjuster
- preservative
-
6
Propylene Glycol
General function
A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.
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 suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.
- humectant
- solvent
-
7
Dicaprylyl Maleate
General function
A light ester used for spreading and a soft finish.
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.
- light ester
- emollient
-
8
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.
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.
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
-
9
Butylene Glycol
General function
A light humectant and carrier that helps extracts dissolve.
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 suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.
- humectant
- solvent
-
10
Oleth-20
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
11
Water
· Aqua (Water, Eau)
- 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.
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
-
13
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
-
14
Isostearic Acid
- emollient
- emulsifier
-
15
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
-
16
Linalyl Acetate
General function
A lavender-like fragrance component, related to linalool and listed for the same allergen reason.
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 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
-
17
acetyl cedrene
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
-
18
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
-
19
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
-
20
Lavandula Oil/Extract
- botanical extract
- essential oil
-
21
anethole
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
-
22
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
-
23
Amyl Salicylate
General function
A soft floral 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.
May 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
-
24
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 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
-
25
Eugenol
General function
A clove-scented 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
What the whole list adds up to
- 11 fragrances
- 7 named fragrance allergens
- 4 emollients
- 3 humectants
- 3 solvents
- 2 light esters
- 2 emulsifiers
- 1 clay
- 1 powder
- 1 sealant
- 1 pH adjuster
- 1 preservative
- 1 solubilizer
- 1 film former
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-05. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 2.5 oz
Seen at
$21.95
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores
-
Ulta Beauty
$21.952.5 oz · $8.78/ozSep 5Lowest per oz
-
SexyHair
$21.952.5 oz · $8.78/ozSep 5
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. and 1 listing we don’t count — grey-market or unverified sellers.
How we work this out
- 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.
- Seen at $21.95 is the price we have observed for the 2.5 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- About $20 is what pastes typically cost at this size. Too few of the products that do the same job carry a price for us to draw a good-value line.
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
- 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 recurring complaints
- Masstige tier, sold at Brand website and Specialty beauty
- 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.
Similar products
- No close alternatives are recorded for this product yet.
- Browse this product category
Final decision
Should you buy it?
Good for the right personBest user
Hair that craves moisture, looking for moisture that stays in and defined, clumped curls
Biggest tradeoff
Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance or very dry or very humid climates
Best alternative if not
Nothing in our library matches it closely at a lower price.
We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.
Claims check
What the brand says, against what the formula shows
Claims are quoted from the brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when the ingredient list actually speaks to it; everything else stays "stated by the brand", which is not a criticism — most claims simply cannot be read off a label.
3
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Provides matte finish
Absorbent powders are present, which is how a matte finish is normally produced.
- Bentonite
Supported
Texture without gloss.
Tames frizz and flyaways
Possible from silicones or film formers, but not something the list targets.
- VP/VA Copolymer
Stated by brand
May help, but not a primary focus.
Long-lasting hold
Synthetic hold polymers are present.
- VP/VA Copolymer
Supported
Structure that lasts the day.
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 consistently describe a strong, all-day hold with a true matte finish and no visible shine
buyers styling with a matte texture goalSeveral reviewers say the clay is very thick and hard to work between the palms or spread evenly through hair
buyers describing application difficultyA few reviewers with curly hair say it makes curls fluffy rather than defined
curly-haired reviewersA subset of reviewers say the hold looks and feels great initially but the hair turns oily or greasy after an hour or two
buyers commenting on longevity of the finishMore from Sexy Hair
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.
- 5 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 3 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-09-05.
- Ingredient references are linked for 9 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 2026-09-05.