STMNT vs Slick Gorilla Curl Cream

We carry both. They are not the same product, and the difference comes down to one ingredient.

Why one holds more than the other

Slick Gorilla’s cream works with oils. It conditions, it softens, it encourages the wave that is already there, and it leaves almost no product feel. That last part is exactly why people like it, and it is also why it will not give you much hold.

STMNT’s formula includes a film-forming polymer and a wax. That is the ingredient family that actually grips hair and keeps a curl clumped through the day. It is the reason STMNT gives you more definition and the reason it feels like there is something in your hair, because there is.

Neither is better. They are aimed at different heads.

Getting the most out of Slick Gorilla

• Apply to damp hair, not soaking and not dry.
• Small amount for short hair. Double it if your hair is long.
• Work it root to ends, then use your fingertips to pull individual curls into shape.
• Blow dry it partly and leave it slightly damp. Drying it all the way is what makes it feel stiff.
• If your hair is wavy rather than curly, hit it with a diffuser before you apply. It makes a bigger difference than the cream does.

Getting the most out of STMNT

• Apply to damp hair and define with your fingers.
• Air dry for the strongest definition. That is the brand’s own instruction and it is the right one.
• Blow dry with your fingers for texture, or with a brush for a softer, looser result — use less product if you are going that way.
• It also works as a pre-styler under something else, and it works on a beard.

Still not sure?

Rough rule: run your hand through your hair when it is dry. If it feels fine and slips through easily, start with Slick Gorilla. If it feels coarse, dense, or your curls clump on their own when wet, start with STMNT.

Or just ask whoever is cutting you. We have both open behind the chair and we would rather put the right one in your hair than sell you the wrong one.

A note on where this comes from: nobody has published a side-by-side comparison of these two creams, so this is not a summary of other people’s reviews. It is our read on the formulas, the manufacturers’ own instructions, and what we see in the chair. If your experience is different, tell your barber — we would rather update this page than be wrong on it.