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Side by side

Marc Anthony Instantly Thick +Biotin Plump & Lift Styling Cream vs Marc Anthony Strictly Curls Curl Envy Cream

26% function match · 3 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 32%. Marc Anthony Instantly Thick +Biotin Plump & Lift Styling Cream and Marc Anthony Strictly Curls Curl Envy Cream share 2 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
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When each one is the right call

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

  • Instantly Thick +Biotin Plump & Lift Styling Cream — protein-hungry hair
  • Strictly Curls Curl Envy Cream — protein-sensitive 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
Marc Anthony Instantly Thick +Biotin Plump & Lift Styling Cream — brand photograph Marc Anthony

Instantly Thick +Biotin Plump & Lift Styling Cream

  • Styler
  • Drugstore
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Marc Anthony Strictly Curls Curl Envy Cream — 6 oz container Marc Anthony

Strictly Curls Curl Envy Cream

  • Styler
  • Drugstore
  • Sulfate-free
  • Protein-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$8.09 4.9 oz · $1.65/oz
$13.07 6 oz · $2.18/oz
Value / price positioning
Lower cost than most smoothing creams $$$$$ Drugstore tier · costs less than 96% of the 56 smoothing creams we’ve priced
Upper-mid price for a curl cream $$$$$ Drugstore tier · costs more than 52% of the 105 curl creams we’ve priced
Best for hair types
Straight–Curly Smoothing and thermal products span straight through curly hair. Your hair
Wavy–Coily Co-washes, curl creams, and gels are built around wave and curl. Your hair
Moisture level Differs
High Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here. Your hair
Moderate Humectants in the working part of the formula. Your hair
Hold system Differs
High Synthetic hold polymers — the firmest of the hold systems. Your hair
Natural gum Natural gums do the holding — softer, and it re-wets more easily. Your hair
Slip / detangling Differs
Moderate Conditioning agents are present, lower in the list. Your hair
High Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula. Your hair
Weight on hair Differs
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Rich Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients. 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 Differs
Prominent Protein high in the list — a strengthening formula, not a moisture one. Your hair
None No protein or amino acids in the list. Your hair
Silicone / wax buildup Differs
None Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove. Your hair
High Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them. Your hair
Clarifying wash needed
Low Your hair
Moderate Your hair
Hold (as stated)
—
Light A light hold, as stated by the brand. Your hair
Cast risk Same
Unlikely Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely. Your hair
Unlikely Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely. 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
None No oils or butters in the list. Your hair
Present, high in the list Oils sit high in the list — a softening, coating formula. Your hair
Fast-drying alcohol Differs
None No fast-drying alcohol in the list. Your hair
Present Fast-drying alcohol is present — it speeds drying and can read dry on the hair. 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
  • Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
  • Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
  • Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
  • Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
  • Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • 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
  • Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
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
Styler
Stylercream
Where to buy
—
Brand website · Grocery / mass
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • curly-method compatible
  • sulfate-free
  • protein-free
Cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Scent
Scented, not described
Scented, not described
Hold
—
light

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

IngredientInstantly Thick +Biotin Plump & Lift Styling CreamStrictly Curls Curl Envy Cream
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
Cetyl Alcohol
Softens
#2Leading
#2Leading
Panthenol
Detangles
#5Supporting
#14Secondary
Fragrance
Fragrance
#19Below the 1% line
#24Below the 1% line
Benzyl Benzoate
Fragrance
#20Below the 1% line
#28Below the 1% line
Linalool
Fragrance
#26Below the 1% line
#26Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

Instantly Thick +Biotin Plump & Lift Styling Cream

Strictly Curls Curl Envy Cream

Full ingredient list — Instantly Thick +Biotin Plump & Lift Styling Cream (26)
Full ingredient list — Strictly Curls Curl Envy Cream (30)

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.

VerdictsInstantly Thick +Biotin Plump & Lift Styling CreamStrictly Curls Curl Envy Cream
Supported
1
3
Partly supported
2
0
Stated by brand
3
2
Potential conflict
0
0

Instantly Thick +Biotin Plump & Lift Styling Cream

  • Thicker, fuller feeling hairStated by brandNot something a label can show.
  • Lightweight formulaPartly supportedDepends how fine your hair is.
  • Gentle hold with natural movementStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • StrengthStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • MoistureSupportedHelps hair feel hydrated.
  • ShinePartly supportedA hint of gloss.

Strictly Curls Curl Envy Cream

  • Defines and softens curlsStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • Soft, natural holdStated by brandSubjective feel varies by hair.
  • Smooths hair and controls frizzSupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • Provides all-day moistureSupportedHelps hair feel hydrated.
  • Repels humiditySupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.

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.

Instantly Thick +Biotin Plump & Lift Styling Cream

Several long-time customers say a reformulation made the product perform worse than the original version, leaving hair gummy, weighted down, or waterier in consistency.

Reviewers commonly pair the cream with heat styling tools like a curling iron or blow dryer and say it makes styling easier or holds through the day.

Several reviewers with fine, thin, or limp hair report that the cream noticeably increases how thick and full their hair feels, in some cases from the very first use.

Strictly Curls Curl Envy Cream

Reviewers consistently praise this cream for defining curls and reducing frizz.

Customers with curly hair

Long-term customers express strong loyalty to this product and repeatedly choose it over alternatives.

Repeat customers who have used the product for years

Multiple reviewers note that this cream hydrates curls and improves overall hair texture.

Customers with curly hair seeking moisture

Customers highlight the product's excellent affordability and value compared to premium alternatives.

Budget-conscious shoppers and long-term customers

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.

$1.65/oz vs $2.18/oz — Marc Anthony Strictly Curls Curl Envy Cream costs about 1.3× more per ounce than Marc Anthony Instantly Thick +Biotin Plump & Lift Styling Cream.

Instantly Thick +Biotin Plump & Lift Styling Cream

Against 56 smoothing creams with a computable unit price.

Strictly Curls Curl Envy Cream

Against 105 curl creams with a computable unit price.

Value readInstantly Thick +Biotin Plump & Lift Styling CreamStrictly Curls Curl Envy Cream
Label
Lower cost than most smoothing creamsCosts less per ounce than most smoothing creams we have researched.
Upper-mid price for a curl creamSits in the middle of the range for curl creams per ounce.

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.

Instantly Thick +Biotin Plump & Lift Styling Cream vs Advanced Climate Control Heat and Humidity Stronger Hold Gel - 8.5 ozOuidad · 93% function matchStrictly Curls Curl Envy Cream vs LOVE Smoothing Perfector Thermal Smoothing Hair SerumDavines · 93% function matchInstantly Thick +Biotin Plump & Lift Styling Cream vs Multivitamin So Smooth Anti-Frizz Styling MousseKreyòl Essence · 89% function matchStrictly Curls Curl Envy Cream vs No.6 Bond Smoother Frizz Control Styling Hair CreamOLAPLEX · 89% function matchInstantly Thick +Biotin Plump & Lift Styling Cream vs Soft Hair, Don't Care Haitian Moringa Oil So Smooth Hair MousseKreyòl Essence · 89% function matchStrictly Curls Curl Envy Cream vs Coconut & Shea Nourishing Curl CreamMarc Anthony · 80% function matchInstantly Thick +Biotin Plump & Lift Styling Cream vs Advanced Climate Control Featherlight Volumizing FoamOuidad · 89% function matchStrictly Curls Curl Envy Cream vs Multicultural Curls - Hair LotionMiss Jessie's · 80% function match

Instantly Thick +Biotin Plump & Lift Styling Cream · Strictly Curls Curl Envy Cream · 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.
  • 10 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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