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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Cantu Shea Butter Extra Hold Edge Stay Gel versus Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector .

Last updated on October 25, 2023. Published on November 13, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan and reef safe . They have a total of 6 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin and sensitive skin

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, parabens or silicones

What's Inside

They both contain fragrances and oils

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Gel, Pomade & Wax American Brand United States
Hair Mask American Brand United States

Gel, Pomade & Wax

Gel, pomade, and wax products that help style hair.

Hair Mask

Hair masks provide intense nourishment to your hair and usually need to be washed out. They can be used to treat specific hair conditions.

Price

Shop

Buy Shea Butter Extra Hold Edge Stay Gel

Starts at $4.28
Shop

Buy No.3 Hair Perfector

Starts at $30.00

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Benefits

Hydrating (3)
Reduces Irritation
Brightening

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger
Rosacea
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin C
Vitamin E

Benefits

Hydrating
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation (2)
Skin Texture
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Brightening (3)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
Acne Trigger
Rosacea
Eczema (2)
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Cantu Shea Butter Extra Hold Edge Stay Gel contains this as ingredient number 1.

Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

Cantu Shea Butter Extra Hold Edge Stay Gel contains this as ingredient number 5.

Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector contains this as ingredient number 8.

3
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

This ingredient is the fixed oil extracted from seeds of the desert shrub Jojoba. It is more commonly known as jojoba oil. The seed oil is liquid wax ester from the plant. It is non-comedogenic.

Jojoba oil does not contain fragrance and has many fatty-acids, making it a great soothing ingredient. Jojoba contains Vitamin E, a great moisturizing ingredient. Vitamin E is also an antioxidant. Antioxidants help protect your skin against free-radical damage. This may help in anti-aging.

Jojoba seed oil is a humectant, meaning it helps draw moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin hydrated.

While jojoba has antibacterial properties, it is only able to kill some bacteria. It has also been shown to help in wound healing. Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns.

It is found to be similar to natural human skin sebum, so it has a great effect on dry skin. Jojoba oil may even help with regulating sebum production.

Although jojoba oil is non-comedogenic, we recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have any concerns.

Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.

Jojoba is native to the southwestern US.

Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Cantu Shea Butter Extra Hold Edge Stay Gel contains this as ingredient number 7.

Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector contains this as ingredient number 25.

4
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Panthenol (also referred to as pro-vitamin B5) is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin.

lt is a humectant, meaning that it helps the skin attract and retain moisture.

Another benefit is the anti-inflammatory abilities. This means that it's great for sensitive, irritation-prone skin.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

Learn more about Panthenol

Cantu Shea Butter Extra Hold Edge Stay Gel contains this as ingredient number 10.

Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector contains this as ingredient number 24.

5
What it does: Masking, Perfuming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "Parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Learn more about Parfum

Cantu Shea Butter Extra Hold Edge Stay Gel contains this as ingredient number 11.

Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector contains this as ingredient number 15.

6
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

Cantu Shea Butter Extra Hold Edge Stay Gel contains this as ingredient number 12.

Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector contains this as ingredient number 6.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

31% are loved or liked
15% have mixed ratings
54% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet
30% are loved or liked
4% have mixed ratings
48% are disliked or very disliked
19% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Cantu Shea Butter Extra Hold Edge Stay Gel 13 ingredients

Shea Butter Extra Hold Edge Stay Gel hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector 27 ingredients

4.0 /5
from 5 reviews

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