Explore Routine Login

Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Curlsmith Frizz Rescue Curl Retainer versus Kérastase Nutritive Heat Protecting Styling Cream for Dry Hair .

Last updated on October 25, 2023. Published on March 02, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe styling creams & sprays. They have a total of 10 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain niacinamide

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any parabens or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain common allergens and fragrances

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

Styling Creams & Spray American Brand United States
Styling Creams & Spray French Brand France

Styling Creams & Spray

Cream and spray products that help style hair. Some spray products include blowout sprays and sea-salt sprays.

Styling Creams & Spray

Cream and spray products that help style hair. Some spray products include blowout sprays and sea-salt sprays.

Price

Shop

Buy Frizz Rescue Curl Retainer

Starts at $28.00
Shop

Buy Nutritive Heat Protecting Styling Cream for Dry Hair

Starts at $46.00

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

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E
Niacinamide

Benefits

Hydrating (5)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting
Brightening (3)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin C
Niacinamide

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (3)
Eczema (4)
Join our community

Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.

Join SkinSort

Ingredients Compared

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

Ingredients Side-by-side

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

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

Loading ingredients...

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

Curlsmith Frizz Rescue Curl Retainer contains this as ingredient number 1.

Kérastase Nutritive Heat Protecting Styling Cream for Dry Hair contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Liked

This ingredient is a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.

It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.

Curlsmith Frizz Rescue Curl Retainer contains this as ingredient number 15.

Kérastase Nutritive Heat Protecting Styling Cream for Dry Hair contains this as ingredient number 10.

3
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

Curlsmith Frizz Rescue Curl Retainer contains this as ingredient number 17.

Kérastase Nutritive Heat Protecting Styling Cream for Dry Hair contains this as ingredient number 15.

4
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

Curlsmith Frizz Rescue Curl Retainer contains this as ingredient number 18.

Kérastase Nutritive Heat Protecting Styling Cream for Dry Hair contains this as ingredient number 16.

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

Curlsmith Frizz Rescue Curl Retainer contains this as ingredient number 22.

Kérastase Nutritive Heat Protecting Styling Cream for Dry Hair contains this as ingredient number 36.

6
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Disliked

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

Curlsmith Frizz Rescue Curl Retainer contains this as ingredient number 23.

Kérastase Nutritive Heat Protecting Styling Cream for Dry Hair contains this as ingredient number 35.

7
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.

Curlsmith Frizz Rescue Curl Retainer contains this as ingredient number 25.

Kérastase Nutritive Heat Protecting Styling Cream for Dry Hair contains this as ingredient number 6.

8
What it does: Perfuming, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Limonene 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 Limonene

Curlsmith Frizz Rescue Curl Retainer contains this as ingredient number 28.

Kérastase Nutritive Heat Protecting Styling Cream for Dry Hair contains this as ingredient number 32.

9
What it does: Perfuming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Linalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.

Linalool has the same effect as Limonene when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.

Linalool has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.

Learn more about Linalool

Curlsmith Frizz Rescue Curl Retainer contains this as ingredient number 29.

Kérastase Nutritive Heat Protecting Styling Cream for Dry Hair contains this as ingredient number 20.

10
What it does: Perfuming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Citronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".

Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.

Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.

Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,

Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.

Learn more about Citronellol

Curlsmith Frizz Rescue Curl Retainer contains this as ingredient number 30.

Kérastase Nutritive Heat Protecting Styling Cream for Dry Hair contains this as ingredient number 25.

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

27% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
40% are disliked or very disliked
20% have no rating yet
19% are loved or liked
3% have mixed ratings
53% are disliked or very disliked
25% have no rating yet

Usage

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

When to use

Loading routine usage...

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 1 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Curlsmith Frizz Rescue Curl Retainer.

See 1 alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 4 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Kérastase Nutritive Heat Protecting Styling Cream for Dry Hair.

See 4 alternatives
Loading similar comparisons...