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Verb

Lightweight Curl Defining Cream

Styler / Curl cream, light-hold

  • Styler
  • curl cream
  • cream
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
  • Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Size5.3 fl oz
Price$22seen at one store · 5.3 oz
Price / oz$4.15/ozat 5.3 oz
Where to buy1 store

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

Is this right for you?

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Same job for less elsewhere

$4.15/oz at 5.3 oz — more than 78% of the 105 curl creams , which mostly run $1.17–4/oz.

View alternatives

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
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

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent
Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them
Styles that must holdthe brand states a light hold at most
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you

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) Light

A light 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.

Humidity resistance Claimed

The brand claims humidity resistance; the ingredient list cannot confirm it.

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 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
WaterAqua/Water/Eau solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Cetyl Alcohol fatty alcohol Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol Softens
Sorbitol humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter butter Heavy softening — this is what makes it rich Heavy
Behentrimonium Methosulfate conditioning agent Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through Detangles
Cetearyl Alcohol fatty alcohol Thickens and conditions — not a drying alcohol Softens
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil oil Softens the film so it does not set hard Softens
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil emollient Softens and smooths the strand Buildup
FragranceParfum/Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
Alpha-Isomethyl IononeAlpha Isomethyl Ionone fragrance The scent Fragrance
Benzyl Cinnamate fragrance The scent Fragrance
Benzyl Salicylate fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. No protein — a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label. Heavier butters sit in the working part of the list.
Full ingredient list (42)

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 · Aqua/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 ingredient

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

    • solvent
  • 2 Cetyl Alcohol
    General function

    A fatty alcohol used to thicken creams and add slip. It softens rather than dries.

    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
  • 3 Sorbitol
    General function

    A sugar-based humectant that adds moisture and a slight cushiony feel.

    Leading ingredient

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

    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
  • 4 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 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

    Coarse, 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 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

    A 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
  • 5 Behentrimonium Methosulfate
    General function

    A mild cationic conditioner known for heavy detangling with a light rinse-out feel. Common in curly-hair conditioners.

    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

    A C22 conditioning quat, the chain length that deposits most heavily in electrokinetic testing. It is the slip coarse or porous hair usually needs, delivered by chain length rather than by charge alone.

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

    A cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    The class that does the detangling in a conditioner. It deposits lubrication where the cuticle is worn.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science
    • conditioning agent
    • emulsifier
  • 6 Cetearyl Alcohol
    General function

    A waxy fatty alcohol - nothing like drying alcohol. It gives conditioners their body and leaves a soft, smoothing film on the hair.

    Supporting 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

    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
  • 7 Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
    General function

    A thick, tacky oil used for sealing ends and for slick, held-down styles.

    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

    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 suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Near 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
  • 8 Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
    General function

    Not chemically an oil: about 97% of it is liquid wax esters, which is why it resists going rancid and sits close to the scalp's own sebum. It smooths without a heavy finish.

    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

    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 suitMaximum-hold styling

    A wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.

    • emollient
    • light ester
    • oil
    • wax
  • Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 9 Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Fruit Oil · Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
    General function

    A deep orange fruit oil used in small amounts for antioxidants and shine.

    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

    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.

    • oil
    • emollient
    • antioxidant
  • 10 Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil
    General function

    The oil pressed from Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus). It is one of the lighter plant oils, absorbing faster and leaving less residue.

    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

    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.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 11 Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract
    • botanical extract
    • antioxidant
  • 12 Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Sprout Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 13 Helianthus Annuus Flower Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 14 Sunflower Seed Oil Glycerides
    General function

    Sunflower oil broken into partial glycerides, which spread more readily and feel lighter than the whole oil.

    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 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
  • 15 Tocopherol
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 16 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
  • 17 Mannitol
  • 18 Xanthan Gum
    General function

    A fermented sugar gum that thickens water-based formulas and adds soft, natural hold.

    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 suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    A polysaccharide film stays softer than a synthetic one as it dries, which is what leaves a curl defined but still able to move.

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

    A soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what keeps flyaways lying down without stiffness.

    May not suitMaximum-hold styling

    Gum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.

    • gum
    • thickener
    • film former
  • 19 Maltodextrin/VP Copolymer
    General function

    A starch-based hold polymer that sets softly and washes out with water.

    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 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
  • 20 PVP
    General function

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

    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 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.

    DependsCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    It sets firm on its own. Whether the curl stays flexible depends on the plasticisers and oils the rest of the formula carries.

    PubChem
    • film former
    • polymer
  • 21 Glucose
    General function

    A simple sugar used as a light humectant.

    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
  • 22 Aminomethyl Propanol
    General function

    A base used in trace amounts to neutralise acidic hold polymers so they thicken and set properly.

    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.

    DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    pH 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.

    PubChem
    • pH adjuster
  • 23 Dioleoylamidoethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate
  • 24 Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
    • film former
    • polymer
  • 25 Cetearyl Glucoside
    • emulsifier
  • 26 Butylene Glycol
    General function

    A light humectant and carrier that helps extracts dissolve.

    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 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
  • 27 Propylene Glycol
    General function

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

    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 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
  • 28 Myristyl Alcohol
    General function

    A fatty alcohol used to build texture in creams and add a light smoothing layer.

    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

    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.

    PubChem
    • fatty alcohol
    • emollient
  • 29 Stearyl Alcohol
    General function

    A fatty alcohol that thickens conditioners and helps them coat the hair evenly.

    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

    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.

    PubChem
    • fatty alcohol
    • emollient
    • thickener
  • 30 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 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
  • 31 Sodium Citrate
    General function

    Used with citric acid to hold the formula at a steady, slightly acidic pH. It also binds a little hard-water mineral.

    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.

    DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    pH 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.

    PubChem
    • pH adjuster
    • hard-water chelator
  • 32 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative
  • 33 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 34 Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone · 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 Benzyl Cinnamate
    General function

    A balsamic fragrance component listed 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.

    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 36 Benzyl Salicylate
    General function

    A soft floral fragrance component listed 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
  • 37 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
  • 38 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
  • 39 Geraniol
    General function

    A rose-scented fragrance component, listed on its own 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.

    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 40 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
  • 41 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
  • 42 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

What the whole list adds up to

  • 11 emollients
  • 10 fragrances
  • 9 named fragrance allergens
  • 4 fatty alcohols
  • 4 thickeners
  • 4 humectants
  • 4 oils
  • 4 film formers
  • 3 solvents
  • 3 antioxidants
  • 3 botanical extracts
  • 3 preservatives
  • 3 polymers
  • 2 emulsifiers

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

Price · 5.3 oz

Seen at $22 1 store · checked Aug 27
Good value under $4 Under $0.78/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 $4 line; products that do this job typically go for about $13 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store
  • Ulta Beauty
    $22.00
    5.3 oz · $4.15/oz
    Aug 27Lowest per 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.

How we work this out
  1. 5.3 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. Seen at $22 is the price we have observed for the 5.3 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. 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 $0.78/oz; at 5.3 oz that is $4. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $13 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 5.3 oz.

Formula

Formula score
10 of 10

This is a complete curl cream formula. It is also above the range for curl creams per ounce, with 5 close matches selling for meaningfully less.

How the score is counted
  • 5 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 78% 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.

CantuLowest cost per oz Weightless Smooth + Hold Gel $0.70/oz $3.45/oz less
  • Curly method
  • Rich
  • Silicone-free
· Close function
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • Protein
Also
  • Drugstore tier
  • 10 oz bottle
Compare
KitschClose function Air Dry Cream - Sugared Amber $2.66/oz $1.49/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Rich
Function
  • Film formers
  • Slip and detangling
  • Oils and butters
Also
  • Amber scent
  • 5.6 oz bottle
Compare
Creme of NatureLighter feel Butter Blend & Flaxseed Double Duty Curl Definer & Booster $0.80/oz $3.35/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Silicone-free
· Close function
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • Weight on the hair
  • Needs detergent to remove
Also
  • Drugstore tier
  • 12 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 wavy to coily hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person, not the lowest cost
Best user

Hair that stiffens on protein who want a protein-free formula and real detangling slip

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or anyone stretching time between washes

We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.

Claims check

What the brand says, 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.

2
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Reduces frizz by 78% after just one use (third-party tested)

A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.

Stated by brand

Only the brand’s testing shows this.

Softly defines waves, curls, and coils

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

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Frizz control and shine

Silicones or film formers smooth the cuticle, which is the usual mechanism.

  • Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
  • Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
  • Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Fruit Oil
Supported

Smoother strands, less frizz.

Adds hydration for touchably soft hair

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

  • Cetyl Alcohol
  • Sorbitol
  • Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

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.

For some reviewers curls came out more defined with better hold, less frizz, and hydrated-feeling hair

positive Ulta reviewer

Some reviewers said the cream weighs hair down after a day and leaves a gummy residue with little shine

critical Ulta reviewer

Multiple longtime users say a recent reformulation made the product worse, preferring the old formula

repeat Ulta reviewers referencing reformulation

A wavy-haired reviewer in Houston found the texture runny, comparing it to 'low quality lotion'

Sersam, Houston, wavy hair

A Pennsylvania reviewer with wavy hair liked it on first use but was lukewarm on repeat use, citing ongoing curl issues

Amy, PA, wavy hair

More from Verb

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.
  • 1 source consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-27.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 20 of 31 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.