The original, what makes it special, the shelf parts we use and how to get closer. Add or swap parts and the score updates.
The original · Moroccanoil
$36 · 8.5 oz
A leave-in cream with silicones, film-forming polymers and argan oil that groups curls, adds soft hold and cuts frizz.
Prices and listings checked Oct 28, 2026. Amazon prices change; the link shows today's price.
Step 2 · The build
e.l.f. SKIN
Not Your Mother's
Adds: Styling film-formers; Conditioning polymers; Oils and butters
Partial credit means the part only partly matches that standout.
The 100 points
We split Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream into 6 standout parts. Each bar shows what the build earns.
Film-formers and polymers (Hydroxyethylcellulose, Pg-Hydroxyethylcellulose Cocodimonium Chloride, Acrylates Copolymer) give hold, set and heat or humidity resistance.
Humectants (Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate) pull in water and keep the hair feeling soft.
Cationic conditioning polymers cling to wet hair and cut tangles. Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Polyquaternium-11, Polyquaternium-10 play that role here.
Oils and butters (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate) soften the hair and seal in moisture.
Silicones add slip and shine and help cut combing damage. Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol do that here.
Hydrolyzed proteins and amino acids (Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol) are added to coat and temporarily fill rough spots on the hair surface.
Optional
84 / 100. We have not found a shelf product that closes more of the gap yet.
Step 3 · Buy
One link per part. Each opens the retailer in a new tab.
Your build
Running total $9
View product (opens in new tab)Not an affiliate link.
Running total ~$17.79
View product (opens in new tab)Not an affiliate link.
Snapshot prices. Each link shows today's price.
One bottle instead of a build. Sorted by match score; scores use the same standouts as above.
e.l.f. SKIN
No close match yet — we show the nearest formulas.
Why it is close. Multi-use styling cream, not curl-specific.
Not an affiliate link.
Not Your Mother's
Why it is close. Same function.
Not an affiliate link.
e.l.f. SKIN
Running total
View product (opens in new tab)Not an affiliate link.
e.l.f. SKIN
Not Your Mother's
Adds: Styling film-formers; Conditioning polymers; Oils and butters
Running total
View product (opens in new tab)Not an affiliate link.
Not Your Mother's
A dermatology review of hair cosmetics explains what shampoos, conditioners and styling products do to the hair shaft and what they cannot do.
Gavazzoni 2015 · Int J TrichologyAQUA/WATER/EAU, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, GLYCOL STEARATE, CETYL ALCOHOL, BEHENTRIMONIUM METHOSULFATE, PARFUM/FRAGRANCE, DIMETHICONE, PHENYL TRIMETHICONE, POLYQUATERNIUM-11, STEARETH-2, ARGANIA SPINOSA (ARGAN) KERNEL OIL, HYDROLYZED VEGETABLE PROTEIN PG-PROPYL SILANETRIOL, CELLULOSE, HYDROXYETHYLCELLULOSE, PG-HYDROXYETHYLCELLULOSE COCODIMONIUM CHLORIDE, GLUCOSE, CETEARYL GLUCOSIDE, SORBITAN OLEATE, DIPHENYL DIMETHICONE, ACRYLATES COPOLYMER, POLYQUATERNIUM-10, POLYQUATERNIUM-37, POLYQUATERNIUM-55, PPG-1 TRIDECETH-6, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, PROPYLENE GLYCOL DICAPRYLATE/DICAPRATE, CITRIC ACID, DISODIUM EDTA, C10-40 ISOALKYLAMIDOPROPYLETHYLDIMONIUM ETHOSULFATE, SODIUM ACETATE, POTASSIUM SORBATE, CHLORPHENESIN, PHENOXYETHANOL, ALPHA-ISOMETHYL IONONE, BENZYL BENZOATE, HYDROXYCITRONELLAL, LINALOOL
We split Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream into 6 standout parts worth 100 points in total. The build earns 84 of a possible 100. A full 100 needs every standout fully covered.
e.l.f. 3-in-Wonder Magic Styling Cream by e.l.f. SKIN is our closest single-product match at 62 out of 100 for $9 (5 fl oz). It shares Styling cream, VP/VA hold.
Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream costs $36 for 8.5 oz. The closest dupe costs $9, a saving of about $27. Prices change, so check the seller page.
No. Dupes share the key actives but can differ in concentration, vehicle and supporting ingredients. We found no key active missing. See our methodology for how we score.
Olaplex · bond-repair
$10.99our build, 1 partOriginal $34, build $10.99.
Not Your Mother's
Olaplex · conditioner
~$18.78our build, 2 partsOriginal $34, build ~$18.78.
Neutrogena + Not Your Mother's
Olaplex · dry-shampoo
~$17.98our build, 2 partsOriginal $30, build ~$17.98.
Not Your Mother's