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Side by side

Goldwell StyleSign Curls Defining Cream vs Not Your Mother's NYM Kids Curly Care Curl Defining Cream

85% function match · 11 of the 13 functions we compared match Formula overlap 0%. Goldwell StyleSign Curls Defining Cream and Not Your Mother's NYM Kids Curly Care Curl Defining Cream share no ingredient among each other's most prominent — which does not stop them doing the same job.

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.

  • StyleSign Curls Defining Cream — protein-sensitive hair
  • NYM Kids Curly Care Curl Defining 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
Goldwell StyleSign Curls Defining Cream — 5 oz container Goldwell

StyleSign Curls Defining Cream

  • Styler
  • Salon
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Not Your Mother's NYM Kids Curly Care Curl Defining Cream — 6 oz container Not Your Mother's

NYM Kids Curly Care Curl Defining Cream

  • Styler
  • Drugstore
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Price, size & price per ounce
$23.75 5 oz · $4.75/oz
$6.99 6 oz · $1.17/oz
Value / price positioning
Same job for less elsewhere $$$$$ Salon tier · costs more than 85% of the 105 curl creams we’ve priced
Lower cost than most curl creams $$$$$ Drugstore tier · costs less than 76% of the 105 curl creams we’ve priced
Best for hair types
Wavy–Coily Co-washes, curl creams, and gels are built around wave and curl. 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
High Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here. Your hair
Hold (as stated)
Medium A medium hold, as stated by the brand. Your hair
—
Slip / detangling Same
Some Some slip, mostly from esters or silicones rather than conditioners. Your hair
Some Some slip, mostly from esters or silicones rather than conditioners. Your hair
Weight on hair Same
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Medium Middle of the range — noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair. Your hair
Fragrance
Present Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients. Your hair
Prominent Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — a larger share of the formula. Your hair
Protein Same
None No protein or amino acids in the list. Your hair
None No protein or amino acids in the list. Your hair
Silicone / wax buildup Same
None Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove. Your hair
None Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove. Your hair
Clarifying wash needed
Low Your hair
Low Your hair
Hold system Same
Mixed Gums and synthetic polymers together. Your hair
Moderate Gums and synthetic polymers together. 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
High Absorbent powders or starches high in the list. Your hair
High Absorbent powders or starches high in the list. Your hair
Oils and butters Same
Rich Butters near the top: a heavy, softening formula. Your hair
Rich Butters near the top: a heavy, softening formula. Your hair
Fast-drying alcohol Same
None No fast-drying alcohol in the list. Your hair
None No fast-drying alcohol in the list. Your hair
Formula completeness
out of 10
Complete for its job
out of 10
Complete for its job
Who should choose this
  • Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
  • 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
  • Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
  • Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
  • Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Why you might skip it
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
  • Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
  • Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
  • Scents bother youthis product carries a scent
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
Stylercream
Where to buy
Beauty Care Choices
Brand website · Grocery / mass
Free of
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • protein-free
  • curly-method compatible
  • sulfate-free
  • silicone-free
  • protein-free
  • curly-method compatible
Vegan
—
Vegan · label states
Cruelty-free
Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
Cruelty-free · label states
Scent
Scented, not described
Scented, not described
Hold
mediumThe current Beauty Care Choices listing explicitly describes the cream as having medium holding power.
—
Finish
shine
—
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

IngredientStyleSign Curls Defining CreamNYM Kids Curly Care Curl Defining Cream
Water
Neutral
#1Leading
#1Leading
Fragrance
Fragrance
#16Below the 1% line
#8Below the 1% line

What only one of them carries

StyleSign Curls Defining Cream

NYM Kids Curly Care Curl Defining Cream

Full ingredient list — StyleSign Curls Defining Cream (20)
Full ingredient list — NYM Kids Curly Care Curl Defining Cream (12)

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.

VerdictsStyleSign Curls Defining CreamNYM Kids Curly Care Curl Defining Cream
Supported
4
2
Partly supported
0
0
Stated by brand
0
4
Potential conflict
0
0

StyleSign Curls Defining Cream

  • definition for up to 72 hoursSupportedHolds a clump together.
  • medium holding powerSupportedStructure that lasts the day.
  • high-shine finishSupportedReflects light for visible shine.
  • frizz control for up to 72 hoursSupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.

NYM Kids Curly Care Curl Defining Cream

  • Curl enhancing and definingStated by brandCan’t be confirmed from label.
  • Anti-frizzSupportedSmoother strands, less frizz.
  • Tear-free and dermatologist testedStated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.
  • 98% Naturally DerivedStated by brandOnly the brand’s testing shows this.
  • For All Curl TypesStated by brandSee the fit panel instead.
  • Sulfate surfactant free, silicone free, paraben free, drying alcohol free, allergen free, dye free, gluten free, cruelty free, and veganSupportedNothing that needs a strong wash.

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.

StyleSign Curls Defining Cream

A reviewer with porous, wavy hair says the cream does not flatten their waves as many other curl creams do.

porous wavy-hair user comparing many curl creams

The same reviewer reports all-day hold for their wavy curls.

day-one wear

Refreshing with water and a scrunch works well for the reviewer on the second day, but not as well by the third day.

multi-day curl refresh

NYM Kids Curly Care Curl Defining Cream

A recurring complaint is that the cream dries out hair and leaves a waxy residue that pills or flakes, taking several washes to fully remove despite being marketed as moisturizing.

Some parents of kids with very curly or frizzy hair say the cream did little to define curls or control frizz for that texture.

Several reviewers describe the cream as smooth and lightweight with a pleasant scent, saying it effectively defines and holds their kids' curls all day.

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.

$1.17/oz vs $4.75/oz — Goldwell StyleSign Curls Defining Cream costs about 4.1× more per ounce than Not Your Mother's NYM Kids Curly Care Curl Defining Cream.

$0.26/oz median $2.08/oz $14.55/oz $4.75/oz StyleSign Curls Defining C $1.17/oz NYM Kids Curly Care Curl D

Every mark sits on one distribution because these are compared against the same set: 105 curl creams with a computable unit price.

Value readStyleSign Curls Defining CreamNYM Kids Curly Care Curl Defining Cream
Label
Same job for less elsewhereYou are paying above the range for a formula close to several lower-priced options.
Lower cost than most curl creamsCosts less per ounce than most curl creams we have researched.

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.

StyleSign Curls Defining Cream vs Coily Custard - Curl RefresherMiss Jessie's · 89% function matchNYM Kids Curly Care Curl Defining Cream vs Full Texturizing Foam - 5.0 ozLiving Proof · 81% function matchStyleSign Curls Defining Cream vs Pomegranate & Honey Curl SmoothieMielle Organics · 89% function matchNYM Kids Curly Care Curl Defining Cream vs Curlshow Chic Style Curl PuddingORS · 81% function matchStyleSign Curls Defining Cream vs Pomegranate & Honey Coil Sculpting CustardMielle · 89% function matchNYM Kids Curly Care Curl Defining Cream vs Beyond Gravity Volume & Texture SprayEva Nyc · 81% function matchStyleSign Curls Defining Cream vs Style + Treat Yuzu + Plum Oil Hair Styling Texture FoamBriogeo · 85% function matchNYM Kids Curly Care Curl Defining Cream vs Done Deal Strong Finishing SprayIGK · 81% function match

StyleSign Curls Defining Cream · NYM Kids Curly Care Curl Defining Cream · All curl 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.
  • 5 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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