Curlsmith Double Cream Deep Quencher Versus Curlsmith Hold Me Softly Style Balm
Updated on October 26, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe . They have a total of 22 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, silicones or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain common allergens, fragrances and oils
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Curlsmith Double Cream Deep Quencher 30 ingredients
Curlsmith Hold Me Softly Style Balm 28 ingredients
About this product
About this product
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Curlsmith Double Cream Deep Quencher 30 ingredients
Curlsmith Hold Me Softly Style Balm 28 ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterCetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.
Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.
Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate is a modified starch used to help thicken a product.
It is also used in foods.
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient 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.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or '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 by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
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 ParfumWe don't have a description for Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract yet.
Carapa Guaianensis Seed Oil is an oil and isn't fungal acne safe.
Basil leaf is rich in vitamin C.
We don't have a description for Piper Nigrum Seed Extract yet.
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract comes from rosemary. Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean.
While Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil can be volatile due to its fragrant properties, the fragrance components are usually removed in the leaf extract.
Rosemary Leaf Extract can help protect your skin against damage from free-radical molecules. It contains many antioxidants such as rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid.
Rosemarinic acid has been found to help soothe skin conditions such as eczema and acne.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf ExtractSage leaf extract is a culinary and medicinal herb with antibacterial, antioxidant, and soothing properties.
This ingredient is made up of 75-90% ursolic acid, a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound.
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is the oil derived from the seeds of a Sunflower. Sunflower seed oil is non-fragrant. It is an emollient, meaning it helps to soften the skin.
Sunflower seed oil contains many fatty acids. The fatty acids found in sunflower seeds include (from highest amount to least): linoleic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, oleic acid, and linolenic acid.
These fatty acids help the skin create ceramides. Ceramides play a role in repairing the skin barrier.
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil helps moisturize the skin. This in turn helps the skin look more rejuvenated and smoother.
Sunflowers are rich in vitamin E.
Historians believe Indigenous cultures of North America domesticated sunflowers before corn. Thus they relied on sunflower oil for a variety of uses. One such use is moisturizing skin and hair.
Sunflower seed oil may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilThis ingredient is the oil from the apricot.
Apricot Kernel Oil is an emollient and helps soften skin. This is due to its fatty acid components. Some of these fatty acids include linoleic and oleic acid.
This ngredient also has antioxidant properties from Vitamins A, C, and E. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. Besides being antioxidants, these vitamins provide plenty of skin benefits as well.
Learn more about Prunus Armeniaca Kernel OilPersea Gratissima Oil is also known as avocado oil.
Avocado Oil has antioxidant properties. It is mostly made up of the glycerides of fatty acids. About 67% of these fatty acids is made up of oleic acid. Palmitic acid and linoleic acid are also present.
These fatty acids help hydrate and soften the skin. It may increase collagen content in the skin. Collagen helps keep your skin plump and firm. This ingredient helps reduce inflammation and has not shown to clog pores.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe due to its high fatty acid content.
Avocados also have B vitamins, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin E, and potassium.
Learn more about Persea Gratissima OilPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolEthylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateGlycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent 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.
Linalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
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.
Learn more about LimoneneIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
When to use
Curlsmith Double Cream Deep Quencher 30 ingredients
Curlsmith Hold Me Softly Style Balm 28 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Curlsmith Double Cream Deep Quencher 30 ingredients
⋆.ೃ࿔*:・ 🤎
🍄 𝐌𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞: 𝐖𝐚𝐯𝐲 (𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞 𝟐𝐚), 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲. 𝐀𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐝𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐢-𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐝𝐲𝐞. 𝐌𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐲.
🪴 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐬:
·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢-𝐮𝐬𝐞. 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 Show more
I really liked this deep conditioner. I have fine wavy hair and it gave all the moisture and hydration my hair needs without weighting it down. My hair felt shiny, soft and balanced.
Curlsmith Hold Me Softly Style Balm 28 ingredients
I have fine wavy hair and this leave-in is way too heavy and tick for me. I needed to mix a bit of water to dilute it and be able to spread it and detangle my hair. Most of the times it weighted down and left my hair dirty after one day of use. However, I found an use case for it when I used heat tools to straighten my hair - in these cases my hair looked protected, soft and with volume.