Paraben-Free
No parabens appear in the ingredient list.
—
Supported
Preserved without parabens.
SheaMoisture
Manuka Honey & Yogurt Hydrate + Repair Whipped Curl Cream
Styler / Curl cream, polymer-set
- Styler
- curl cream
- cream
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Moisture-rich
- Not vegan · ingredient list
Size11.5 fl oz
Price$12.99seen at one store · 11.5 oz
Price / oz$1.17/ozat 11.5 oz
Where to buy3 stores · $12.99–13.99
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Listing used for research: target.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
Complete the consultation to see exactly how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 2,400+ products in our library we can match exactly the right products to you.
- In 10 minutes we can identify your exact hair condition and traits.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 22 factors we check.
- A personalized routine for your daily life — 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.
$49.00 one-time consultation, no subscription
Add the optional $49/year membership for unlimited adjustments for changes in weather and lifestyle.
Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Wavy–Coily
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Hold system
High
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Some
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
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
None listed
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Not vegan · ingredient list
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not vegan · ingredient list
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
Grocery / massOne channel
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
Priced with its peers
$1.17/oz at 11.5 oz — less than 74% of the 105 curl creams , which mostly run $1.17–4/oz. The cost less.
Great for
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
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Stretching wash daysnothing here needs a detergent to remove
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only
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
Synthetic polymer
Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems.
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
Rich
Butters near the top: a heavy, softening formula.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterWater (Eau) | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Cetearyl Alcohol | fatty alcohol | Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol | Softens |
| Glycerin | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| VP/VA Copolymer | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Holds |
| Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil | oil | Softens the film so it does not set hard | Softens |
| Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil | oil | Softens the film so it does not set hard | Softens |
| Cetearyl Olivate | emollient | Softens and smooths the strand | Softens |
| Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter | butter | Heavy softening — this is what makes it rich | Heavy |
| Yogurt Extract | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Protein |
| Yogurt Powder | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Protein |
| Triethyl Citrate | pH adjuster | Fine-tunes the pH | pH balancer |
| Caprylyl Glycol | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Moisturizes |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Contains fragrance. Contains heavier butters. Chelators for hard water.
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
· Water (Eau)
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
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 ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
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
-
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
VP/VA Copolymer
General function
A hold polymer that dries to a clear film. It sets the style and washes out with water.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
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
-
5
Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil
General function
A heavy, coating oil traditionally used for deep conditioning.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats 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 hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
May not suitFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.
- oil
- emollient
-
6
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
General function
A thick, tacky oil used for sealing ends and for slick, held-down styles.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats 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 hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
May not suitFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.
- oil
- emollient
-
7
Cetearyl Olivate
- emollient
- light ester
-
8
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
General function
A rich, solid plant butter used for heavy conditioning on coarse or dry hair. High in the list it makes a product decidedly heavy.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoarse, porous hair loses water quickly and can carry the weight; a butter slows that loss more than a thin oil does.
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 hairA solid fat melts onto the strand at body temperature and stays there, which is the heaviest surface moisture-holding a formula can offer.
- butter
- emollient
- sealant
-
9
Carbomer
General function
A thickener that turns a liquid into a clear gel. It also contributes a light hold.
Secondary ingredientLower 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 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.
- thickener
- polymer
- film former
-
10
Honey
· Honey (Miel)
General function
A natural sugar-based humectant that holds water against the strand.
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 hairHydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairAloe is mostly water carrying sugars that bind more of it, which is why it turns up as the base of moisture-first formulas.
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
- botanical extract
-
11
Yogurt Extract
General function
A dairy extract carrying protein and lactic acid, used for conditioning claims. It is animal-derived.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
DependsVery dry or highly damaged hairUnhydrolysed protein is too large to enter the strand. It sits on the surface, which is a coating effect rather than internal reinforcement.
- botanical extract
- protein
-
12
Yogurt Powder
General function
Dried yogurt, carrying protein and lactic acid. Used for conditioning claims; animal-derived.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
DependsVery dry or highly damaged hairUnhydrolysed protein is too large to enter the strand. It sits on the surface, which is a coating effect rather than internal reinforcement.
- botanical extract
- protein
-
13
Adansonia Digitata (Baobab) Seed Oil
General function
Baobab oil, a medium-weight oil used in textured-hair conditioners.
Secondary ingredientLower 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 hairCoats 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 hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
- oil
- emollient
-
14
Trichilia Emetica (Mafura) Seed Butter
General function
The solid fat from Mafura (Trichilia Emetica)'s seed. Plant butters seal the surface and soften coarse or dry hair; high on a list they make a product decidedly rich.
Secondary ingredientLower 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 hairCoarse, porous hair loses water quickly and can carry the weight; a butter slows that loss more than a thin oil does.
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 hairA solid fat melts onto the strand at body temperature and stays there, which is the heaviest surface moisture-holding a formula can offer.
- butter
- emollient
- sealant
-
15
Inulin
· Inulin (Chicory Root)
General function
A plant sugar used for light moisture and as a prebiotic scalp claim.
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 hairHydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairAloe is mostly water carrying sugars that bind more of it, which is why it turns up as the base of moisture-first formulas.
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
- botanical extract
-
16
Sorbitan Olivate
- emollient
- emulsifier
- light ester
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
17
Sodium Hydroxide
General function
A strong base used in trace amounts to raise pH; fully neutralised in the finished product.
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 TrichologyDependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe alkali half of a pH-adjusting pair, used in small amounts to bring a formula up to its target rather than to make it alkaline. Alkaline conditions raise the fibre's surface charge and lift the scales — but the finished pH is not on the label.
- pH adjuster
-
18
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
- antioxidant
-
19
Sodium Phytate
General function
A rice-derived chelator that binds hard-water minerals without EDTA.
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
-
20
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
-
21
Caprylyl Glycol
General function
A gentle preservative helper that also holds a little moisture.
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 suitVery dry or highly damaged hairHumectants bind water into the strand, and water — not oil — is what makes dry hair flexible instead of brittle.
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.
- preservative
- humectant
-
22
Benzoic Acid
- preservative
-
23
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
24
Fragrance
· Fragrance (Parfum)
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
What the whole list adds up to
- 8 emollients
- 4 humectants
- 4 botanical extracts
- 4 preservatives
- 3 oils
- 2 thickeners
- 2 film formers
- 2 polymers
- 2 light esters
- 2 butters
- 2 sealants
- 2 proteins
- 2 pH adjusters
- 1 solvent
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-13. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 11.5 oz
Seen at
$12.99
Good value under
$4
Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $4 line; products that do this job typically go for about $8 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores
How we work this out
- 11.5 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 $12.99 is the price we have observed for the 11.5 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $4 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.33/oz; at 11.5 oz that is $4. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $8 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 11.5 oz.
Formula
10
Formula score
10 of 10
The formula carries the systems a curl cream is built around, and it sits in the middle of the range for curl creams per ounce.
How the score is counted
- 5 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs less per ounce than 74% of the 105 curl creams we’ve priced
- Covers 6 of the 6 things a curl cream should do
- Reviewers mention 3 recurring complaints
- 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.
SheaMoistureLighter feel
Coconut & Hibiscus + Flaxseed Defining Styling Gel
$0.73/oz $0.44/oz less
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Rinses clean
- Function
- Also
CantuClose function
Weightless Smooth + Curl Enhancer Cream
$0.70/oz $0.47/oz less
- Curly method
- Rich
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
Eco StyleLowest cost per oz
Rosemary Mint Gel
$0.33/oz $0.84/oz less
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Rinses clean
- Function
- Also
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 craves moisture, looking for moisture that stays in and a curly-method-compatible formula
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or very dry or very humid climates
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
Sulfate-Free
No sulfate detergents appear in the ingredient list.
—
Supported
Gentler on colour and coils.
Silicone-Free
No silicones appear in the ingredient list.
—
Supported
Nothing that needs a strong wash.
Phthalate-Free
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 who liked the product praised its pleasant scent and moderate hold, describing curls that stayed defined and a little shiny through the day
mid-to-high rated curly-hair reviewersMany reviewers say the cream dries hard, stiff or crunchy rather than soft and hydrated, sometimes with a gritty or chalky residue
curly-haired reviewers on the Ulta PDP, mostly from the lowest-rated sortA few reviewers say the cream feels heavy or oily and has to be rinsed out or washed again the next day if too much is used
reviewers who felt the product weighed hair downSeveral long-time buyers report a reformulation that made the cream heavier or drier than the version they remembered, and say it no longer performs the same
repeat purchasers comparing to an earlier versionMore from SheaMoisture
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.
- 3 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-09-13.
- Ingredient references are linked for 6 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 2026-09-14.