LA Looks Extreme Sport Gel vs Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo

99 facts in comparison

Based on 1,092 Reddit opinions. Sport Gel leads by 41 points.

1.1K opinions
Sport Gel leads by 41pts
Reddit's Pick
LA Looks Extreme Sport Gel
89%
A-
Based on
1,117 Redditors
Winner

LA Looks Extreme Sport Gel

~$4.29
777 opinions

tldr; LA Looks Extreme Sport Gel is highly praised for its very strong hold, excellent frizz control, and ability to create a great cast, all at a very affordable price.

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VS
Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo
48%
D
Based on
675 Redditors

Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo

~$35.98
315 opinions

tldr; Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo is a frequently recommended product, though its accompanying conditioner may be too heavy for fine hair.

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Curl DefinitionHoldMoisture & HydrationProduct WeightIngredients
CUR
HOL
MOI
⚖️PRO
ING
61
Points
36
Points

Score by Category

Curl Definition
97%50%
Hold
89%33%
Moisture & Hydration
8%45%
Product Weight
42%1%
Ingredients
31%10%

Why is & Shine Shampoo better than Extreme Sport Gel?

  • Better moisture (45% vs 8%)
  • ⭐ Highly recommended by users.
  • The accompanying conditioner can be too heavy
  • Used weekly by some users as part of their
Based on 1,792 Reddit opinions
Clear Winner

Reddit prefers the Sport Gel

Winning by 41 points (89% vs 48%)

Better value
Better hold
Better curl definition
High confidence (1,792 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 1,792 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

Sport Gel
8.9/10
1,117 mentions
Shine Shampoo
4.8/10
675 mentions
VALUE
Sport Gel10.0/10
Shine Shampoo7.5/10
HOLD
Sport Gel8.9/10
Shine Shampoo3.3/10
MOISTURE
Sport Gel0.8/10
Shine Shampoo4.5/10
CURL DEFINITION
Sport Gel9.7/10
Shine Shampoo5.0/10
WEIGHT
Sport Gel4.2/10
Shine Shampoo0.1/10
INGREDIENTS
Sport Gel3.1/10
Shine Shampoo1.0/10
⚔️

Head to Head

Head to Head

Sport Gel: 5|Shine Shampoo: 1
ValueSport Gel
Sport Gel100%
Shine Shampoo75%
HoldSport Gel
Sport Gel89%
Shine Shampoo33%
MoistureShine Shampoo
Sport Gel8%
Shine Shampoo45%
Curl DefinitionSport Gel
Sport Gel97%
Shine Shampoo50%
WeightSport Gel
Sport Gel42%
Shine Shampoo1%
IngredientsSport Gel
Sport Gel31%
Shine Shampoo10%
Sport Gel89%
Shine Shampoo48%
Clear winner - Sport Gel leads by 41 points

Key Specs

SpecLA Looks Extreme Sport GelShea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo
Hold Level
10+ (Extreme Hold)
Formula
Alcohol-free, non-sticky
Sulfate-free, no silicones, parabens, phthalates, mineral oils
Key Ingredients
PVP, Sorbitol, Keratin Amino Acids, Rahnella/Soy Protein Ferment
Coconut Oil, Fair-Trade Shea Butter, Hibiscus Flower Extract, Silk Protein, Neem Oil
Technology
TriActive hold
Brand
L.A. Looks
Shea Moisture

Key Highlights

LA Looks Extreme Sport GelWinner
⭐ Provides strong hold & awesome frizz control.
✓ Extremely budget-friendly ($2.99 for 16 oz).
⚙ Creates the "best cast" and is lightweight.
⭐ Many users find it works better than other gels
Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo
⭐ Highly recommended by users.
⚠ The accompanying conditioner can be too heavy
⚙ Used weekly by some users as part of their
Some users report issues (25% negative)

Topic Battles

Sport Gel: 4|Tied: 0|Shine Shampoo: 1
Curl Definition
Sport Gel wins
Sport Gel
97%
Shine Shampoo
50%
Hold
Sport Gel wins
Sport Gel
89%
Shine Shampoo
33%
Moisture & Hydration
Shine Shampoo wins
Sport Gel
8%
Shine Shampoo
45%
⚖️Product Weight
Sport Gel wins
Sport Gel
42%
Shine Shampoo
1%
Ingredients
Sport Gel wins
Sport Gel
31%
Shine Shampoo
10%

Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories

📈Where They Rank

💬What Redditors Actually Say

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for LA Looks Extreme Sport Gel

Best Praise
+247 pts
We have very similar hair though I’m a chick lol. Wash & condition hair as usual. For a wet look that lasts all day, put more conditioner in your hair and leave it in. Brush through then add a ton of heavy gel like LA looks and scrunch it in. Style how you like but make sure it’s soaking wet with conditioner and gel. It should not be wet frizzy at all. Don’t scrunch out the crunch.
r/curlyhair
View
Top Criticism
+14 pts
I agree with the others. You're hair type likely doesn't need super thick heavy "cream" products. La Looks gel might also be too heavy of a styler for your hair. It's a pretty thick product and if you are applying too much with your hair type, especially if it is getting clumped in certain spots and not spread out thoroughly, could cause the unevenness in which areas are keeping definition. What type of styler did your hair dresser use? The results looked perfect for your hair type. Even the extra volume at your roots on pic 8 looks fine and is to be expected with most curly hair as it dries and "poofs" a bit as the day goes on.
r/curlyhair
View
3 more quotes available below

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo

Best Praise
+11 pts
One thing that’s been getting me is people saying shea moister is bad for your hair. It’s the only thing I’ve found that’s works for me in my budget. People said to try mielle but it made my hair texture feel bad but now I can’t get out of my head that shea moisturizer is bad and keep trying other things that make my hair not look so great.
r/curlyhair
View
Top Criticism
+104 pts
I'd maybe not go the Shea moisture route since it's also very heavy in oils and can weigh most hair types down quite a bit/have the same effect as the oil the OP has been using
r/curlyhair
View
3 more quotes available below

📈Historical Price Data

LA Looks Extreme Sport Gel
Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo
$20$40$60$80Jun '25Jul '25Oct '25Dec '25Dec '25Dec '25Jan '26Jan '26Mar '26Apr '26Low: $2.58Low: $35.15Current: $4.29
LA Looks Extreme Sport Gel
All-time low: $1.5(2014-06)
$1 below 90-day avg
Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo
All-time low: $16.99(2022-01)

Which is Better?

LA Looks Extreme Sport Gel Wins
89%
Gel
vs
48%
Shampoo

LA Looks Extreme Sport Gel leads by 41 points based on 1,792 Reddit opinions.

Why Sport GelWinner
  • Better Value for Money (100% vs 75%)
  • More discussed (1,117 vs 675)
Why Shine Shampoo
  • ⭐ Highly recommended by users.
  • ⚠ The accompanying conditioner can be too heavy

❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

62%Positive
Positive
62%
Neutral
31%
Negative
7%
Based on 1,117 Reddit opinions

Sentiment Breakdown

21%Positive
Positive
21%
Neutral
54%
Negative
25%
Based on 675 Reddit opinions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, LA Looks Extreme Sport Gel or Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo?
Based on 1,792 Reddit comments, LA Looks Extreme Sport Gel is the preferred choice with 89% positive sentiment vs Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo's 48%. LA Looks Extreme Sport Gel leads by 41 percentage points.
Should I buy LA Looks Extreme Sport Gel or Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo?
If you want the safer choice based on community sentiment, LA Looks Extreme Sport Gel has stronger approval ratings (89% vs 48%). However, Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo may still be better depending on your specific needs, budget, or use case.
What do Redditors love about LA Looks Extreme Sport Gel?
Reddit users highlight: Provides strong hold & awesome frizz control.. Extremely budget-friendly ($2.99 for 16 oz).. Creates the "best cast" and is lightweight.. With 1,117 mentions and 89% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo?
Reddit users highlight: Highly recommended by users.. The accompanying conditioner can be too heavy. Used weekly by some users as part of their. With 675 mentions and 48% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 1,792 Reddit comments: 1,117 about LA Looks Extreme Sport Gel and 675 about Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo. Data was sourced from Curly hair products community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.

1,092 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 6/14/2026