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Side by side

L'anza Healing Style Smoother Balm vs L'anza Healing Volume Thickening Treatment

59% function match · 6 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 45%. L'anza Healing Style Smoother Balm and L'anza Healing Volume Thickening Treatment share 4 ingredients among each other's most prominent.

Based on your consultation

Which of these fits your hair?

We check your pattern, moisture need, scalp, fragrance tolerance, weight sensitivity and more against each formula — and say which one lines up.

Your profile at a glance

  • Your answers appear here
  • Your answers appear here
  • Your answers appear here
  • Your answers appear here

When each one is the right call

What each formula is built for, from its own ingredient list.

  • Healing Style Smoother Balm — protein-hungry hair
  • Healing Volume Thickening Treatment — protein-hungry hair

Side by side

Every trait, aligned

One row per trait, read from each product’s own ingredient list and record. A dash means we have not researched that field for that product — it is not a “no”.

Trait
L'anza Healing Style Smoother Balm — 6.8 oz container L'anza

Healing Style Smoother Balm

  • Styler
  • Salon
  • Sulfate-free
L'anza Healing Volume Thickening Treatment — 3.4 oz container L'anza

Healing Volume Thickening Treatment

  • Styler
  • Salon
  • Sulfate-free
  • Lightweight
Price, size & price per ounce
$31–32 6.8 oz · $4.71/oz
$34–38 3.4 oz · $10.13/oz
Value / price positioning
Priced with its peers $$$$$ Salon tier · costs less than 64% of the 56 smoothing creams we’ve priced
Same job for less elsewhere $$$$$ Salon tier · costs more than 87% of the 64 volumizers we’ve priced
Best for hair types
Straight–Curly Smoothing and thermal products span straight through curly hair. Your hair
Straight–Wavy A light volumising formula — the lift it adds matters most on straighter hair. Your hair
Moisture level Differs
Moderate Humectants in the working part of the formula. Your hair
High Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here. Your hair
Hold system Differs
Moderate Gums and synthetic polymers together. Your hair
High Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems. Your hair
Slip / detangling Same
Moderate Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list. Your hair
Moderate Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list. Your hair
Weight on hair Differs
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Light Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair. Your hair
Fragrance
Present Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients. Your hair
Present Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients. Your hair
Protein Same
Prominent Protein high in the list — a strengthening formula, not a moisture one. Your hair
Prominent Protein high in the list — a strengthening formula, not a moisture one. Your hair
Silicone / wax buildup Same
High Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them. Your hair
High Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them. Your hair
Clarifying wash needed
Moderate Your hair
Moderate Your hair
Cast risk Differs
Unlikely Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely. Your hair
Likely Film formers without much softening them — expect a cast to scrunch out. Your hair
Humidity resistance
Claimed The brand claims humidity resistance; the ingredient list cannot confirm it. Your hair
—
Oil absorption Same
None No absorbent powders or starches. Your hair
None No absorbent powders or starches. Your hair
Oils and butters Differs
Present, high in the list Oils sit high in the list — a softening, coating formula. Your hair
None No oils or butters in the list. Your hair
Fast-drying alcohol Differs
Present Fast-drying alcohol is present — it speeds drying and can read dry on the hair. Your hair
High in the list Fast-drying alcohol in the first three ingredients. Your hair
Formula completeness
out of 10
Complete for its job
out of 10
Complete for its job
Who should choose this
  • Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet
  • Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
  • Humid climatesthe brand claims humidity resistance
  • Vegan and cruelty-freeour researched record has it as both
  • Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet
  • Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
  • Fine hairthat flattens under most products
  • Sun and colour fadea UV filter is in the list
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a light scent
  • Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Curly-method routinesthese silicones need a detergent to remove
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein
from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.
More facts about each one
Type
Stylercream
Stylerspray
Where to buy
Ulta · Brand website
Ulta · Brand website
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • sulfate-free
Vegan
Vegan · label states
Vegan · label states
Cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Scent
Scented, not described
Scented, not described
Finish
shine
—
Humidity claim
Yes
—
How often
as needed
as needed

Facts as we recorded them. A dash means we have not researched that field for that product — it is not a "no".

The bottom line

The bottom line depends on your hair

Which of these two suits you is a question about your hair, not about them. The consultation answers it — and tells you what your routine needs around it.

Take the consultation

$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.

The detail behind the table

Where the readings above come from: the ingredient lists themselves, each brand’s claims checked against them, what owners report, and cost per ounce in context.

Shared and distinct ingredients

Shared and distinct ingredients

Computed from the ingredient lists as printed. "Shared" means both lists carry it; where it sits on each label is stated, because position is what tells you how much.

What both formulas carry

IngredientHealing Style Smoother BalmHealing Volume Thickening Treatment
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Protein
#3Leading
#6Supporting
Hydrolyzed Pea Protein
Protein
#4Supporting
#7Supporting
Dimethiconol Meadowfoamate
Buildup
#10Secondary
#12Secondary
Zinc PCA
Active
#13Secondary
#15Secondary
Alcohol Denat.
Drying
#36Below the 1% line
#3Leading
Fragrance
Fragrance
#45Below the 1% line
#33Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Healing Style Smoother Balm

Healing Volume Thickening Treatment

Full ingredient list — Healing Style Smoother Balm (53)
Full ingredient list — Healing Volume Thickening Treatment (38)

Claims check

What each brand says, against what each formula shows

Claims are quoted from each brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when that product’s ingredient list actually speaks to it.

VerdictsHealing Style Smoother BalmHealing Volume Thickening Treatment
Supported
2
3
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
2
1
Potential conflict
0
0

Healing Style Smoother Balm

  • Tames frizz and flyawaysStated by brandMay help, but not a primary focus.
  • Blocks humidity all daySupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • UV and heat protectionStated by brandOnly lab testing can show this.
  • Glossy finishSupportedReflects light for visible shine.

Healing Volume Thickening Treatment

  • 200% boost in volume (independent instrument testing)Stated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.
  • Amplifies volume at the rootSupportedLeaves room for lift.
  • Boosts volume without weighing hair downSupportedLeaves room for lift.
  • Lightweight, long-lasting fullnessSupportedLess likely to weigh hair down.

What owners say

What people report

Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings, and we never balance one product’s themes against another’s by inventing them.

L'anza Healing Style Smoother Balm draws complaints about frizz.

Healing Style Smoother Balm

Lightweight product that makes hair manageable and shiny, and lets her go several days between washes

verified Ulta reviewer 'Val', Birmingham AL

Subtle, pleasant scent and salon-quality shine, calls it amazing

verified Ulta reviewer 'HT716', Buffalo NY

Found it to be the worst product tried, said it caused the frizziest hair she's ever had

verified Ulta reviewer 'Corrine', Florida

Healing Volume Thickening Treatment

Great for building lift at the crown/top of the head, wants to keep repurchasing

verified Ulta reviewer 'BN C.'

Hair felt thicker and softer, and it held her curl nicely on fine shoulder-length hair

verified Ulta reviewer 'Julie S.'

Product itself gives volume without a crispy feel, but had complaints about packaging/delivery condition on arrival

verified Ulta reviewer 'Joan'

Price check

Cost per ounce, in context

Cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in. Value labels are computed from that percentile and from how many products that do the same job cost less; they are comparisons, not judgements about a brand.

$4.71/oz vs $10.13/oz — L'anza Healing Volume Thickening Treatment costs about 2.2× more per ounce than L'anza Healing Style Smoother Balm.

Healing Style Smoother Balm

Against 56 smoothing creams with a computable unit price.

Healing Volume Thickening Treatment

Against 64 volumizers with a computable unit price.

Value readHealing Style Smoother BalmHealing Volume Thickening Treatment
Label
Priced with its peersSits in the middle of the range for smoothing creams per ounce.
Same job for less elsewhereYou are paying above the range for a formula close to several lower-priced options.

Computed from cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced, and from how many products that do the same job cost less. It is a comparison, not a judgement about the brand.

Compare with something else

Close formulas to each of these, as their own comparison pages.

Healing Style Smoother Balm vs Caviar Anti-Aging Smoothing Anti-Frizz Multi-Styling Air Dry BalmAlterna · 85% function matchHealing Volume Thickening Treatment vs Un-Frizz Hair Styling & Smoothing CreamVirtue · 89% function matchHealing Style Smoother Balm vs Healing Style Molding PasteL'anza · 83% function matchHealing Volume Thickening Treatment vs Big Sexy Hair Spray & Stay Intense Hold HairspraySexy Hair · 89% function matchHealing Style Smoother Balm vs Advanced Climate Control Featherlight Styling Cream - 5.7 ozOuidad · 83% function matchHealing Volume Thickening Treatment vs Enviro 54 Firm Hold Hair SprayCHI · 89% function matchHealing Style Smoother Balm vs Chitosan Pre-Style Cream Straight to Wavy Light ConditioningDyson · 83% function matchHealing Volume Thickening Treatment vs Elvive Collagen Peptide + Lifter Big Lift Volumizing Mousse for Thin, Flat HairL'Oreal Paris Elvive · 86% function match

Healing Style Smoother Balm · Healing Volume Thickening Treatment · All smoothing creams in the library

How this page was made

  • This page is assembled from the same researched records the individual product pages render: identity, each ingredient list as printed, each brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. Nothing on it is written per comparison.
  • We do not rank these against each other. Which of them suits you depends on your hair, and that is what the consultation works out.
  • The formula similarity percentage is a stored, precomputed number: position-weighted overlap of the two ingredient lists blended with agreement on the attributes we derive. It measures how alike two formulas are, not how well either works.
  • The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
  • The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
  • 4 sources were consulted across the products on this page.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice. We do not sell these products and take no placement fees.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.

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