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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Curlsmith Hold Me Softly Style Balm versus As I Am Leave in Conditioner .

Last updated on December 25, 2023. Published on March 03, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe . They have a total of 7 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 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
Leave-in Conditioner American Brand United States

Styling Creams & Spray

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

Leave-in Conditioner

A type of no-rinse conditioner that hydrates the hair.

Price

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

May Worsen Oily Skin (3)
Acne Trigger (2)
Rosacea
Eczema

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation (2)
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Acne Fighting
Brightening

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
Acne Trigger
Rosacea
Eczema
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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.

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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

Curlsmith Hold Me Softly Style Balm contains this as ingredient number 1.

As I Am Leave in Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Cetearyl 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 Alcohol

Curlsmith Hold Me Softly Style Balm contains this as ingredient number 2.

As I Am Leave in Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
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

Curlsmith Hold Me Softly Style Balm contains this as ingredient number 4.

As I Am Leave in Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 10.

4
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 Hold Me Softly Style Balm contains this as ingredient number 18.

As I Am Leave in Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 18.

5
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Disliked

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

Potassium sorbate is potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

Potassium sorbate is often used with stronger preservatives.

Learn more about Potassium Sorbate

Curlsmith Hold Me Softly Style Balm contains this as ingredient number 24.

As I Am Leave in Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 20.

6
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 Hold Me Softly Style Balm contains this as ingredient number 26.

As I Am Leave in Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 25.

7
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 Hold Me Softly Style Balm contains this as ingredient number 28.

As I Am Leave in Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 22.

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

18% are loved or liked
11% have mixed ratings
46% are disliked or very disliked
25% have no rating yet
36% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
56% are disliked or very disliked
8% have no rating yet

Usage

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

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Curlsmith Hold Me Softly Style Balm 28 ingredients

2.0 /5
from 2 ratings
Soft (1)
Butter's avatar

Butter

4 months ago · Sensitive Skin
Review

I'm honestly convinced this did absolutely nothing for my hair. My hair wasn't easier to manage, my frizz was just as bad. I didn't see any...

I'm honestly convinced this did absolutely nothing for my hair. My hair wasn't easier to manage, my frizz was just as bad. I didn't see any negative effects like, more frizz, sticky, etc. but nothing positive to say either. I think my hair needs more conditioning ingredients and silicones to make it feel smooth and be frizz-free.

AnaRitaSantos's avatar

AnaRitaSantos

2 months ago · Oily Skin
Review

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...

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.

As I Am Leave in Conditioner 25 ingredients

Leave in Conditioner hasn't been rated yet.
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