Maximizes curl definition
Film formers or natural gums are present, which is what holds a clump together.
- Polyacrylamide
- Polyquaternium-10
- Pg-Hydroxyethylcellulose Cocodimonium Chloride
Supported
Holds a clump together.
Sizes & containers
9.7 fl oz · Value size · $10.99 at one store · UPC 688047130937
Not Your Mother's
Curl Talk Defining Cream
Styler / Curl cream, polymer-set
- Styler
- curl cream
- cream
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Curly-method
- Not vegan · label states
Size9.7 fl ozusual store size · 3 sizes
Price$10.99 Good valueseen at one store · 9.7 oz
Price / oz$1.13/ozat 9.7 oz
Where to buy7 stores · 3 sizes
Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Manufacturer page: notyourmothers.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
Complete the consultation to see how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 6,000+ products in our library, we can match you to the right ones.
- About 20 minutes, and your answers save as you go.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 23 factors we check.
- A personalized routine built around your schedule, styling habits, and local weather.
- Find products that do the same job at a lower cost.
- Your goals, scalp, damage history, water, budget, and scent preferences all shape your plan.
$49 with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates
$99 with 12 months. Pay once; the year renews only if you choose.
Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Wavy–Coily
Not in your profile
Moisture level
None found
Not in your profile
Hold system
High
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
High
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Medium
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Present
Not in your profile
Protein
Minor
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Low
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Show all 23 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Not vegan · label states
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not vegan · label states
Not in your profile
Aerosol can
Pump or tube
Not in your profile
Needs heat to set
Not determined
Not in your profile
Humidity resistance
High
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Not heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
High
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
21 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Drugstore
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Brand websiteOne channel
Not in your profile
The consultation builds your hair profile, checks every factor in this table against it, and tells you where this product fits or what to use instead.
Start your consultation$49 once, with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates. Nothing renews, and you never have to buy a product.
Your avoid-list
Lower cost than most curl creams
$1.13/oz at 9.7 oz, less than 84% of the 228 curl creams , which mostly run $1.35–5.22/oz.
Great for
Maximum slipfor hair that tangles the moment it is wet
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Stretching wash daysnothing here needs a detergent to remove
Humid climatesthe brand claims humidity resistance
Maybe skip if
this product has a scent
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
Picking it up locallywe’ve only seen it sold in one channel
What the formula actually does
Read from the label, not the marketing
Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.
Hold system
Synthetic polymer
Synthetic hold polymers, the firmest kind of hold.
Cast risk
Unlikely
Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely.
Weight on the hair
Medium
Middle of the range: noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.
Humidity resistance
Claimed
The brand claims humidity resistance; the ingredient list cannot confirm it.
Oil absorption
None
No absorbent powders or starches.
Oils and butters
None
No oils or butters in the list.
Fast-drying alcohol
None
No fast-drying alcohol in the list.
Needs detergent to remove
No
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
Fragrance
Present
Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.
from the formula
stated by the brand
reported by reviewers
Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.
Ingredients that matter
The ingredients that change a decision
The workhorse ingredients, plus anything lower down that changes a decision. The chips name what an ingredient does. They are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Polyacrylamide | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Holds |
| C13-14 Isoalkane | emollient | Softens and smooths the strand | Softens |
| Shea Butter Ethyl Esters | light ester | Light slip without much weight | Softens |
| Polyquaternium-10 | conditioning agent | Conditions and softens so hair combs through | Detangles |
| Keratin Amino Acids | protein | Firms up soft, over-stretchy hair | Protein |
| Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract | botanical extract | A plant extract, there as much for marketing as for function | Neutral |
| Acyl Coenzyme A Desaturase | active | The over-the-counter active | Active |
| Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Ethylhexylglycerin | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Softens |
| Phenoxyethanol | preservative | Keeps the product from spoiling | Stabilizes |
| Fragrance | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Contains fragrance. Chelators for hard water.
Full ingredient list (21)
In the US, ingredients above 1% are listed from most to least. Below 1% they can appear in any order. Each note keeps three things apart: what the ingredient generally does, its role in this type of product, and what its position can tell you.
-
1
Water
General function
The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
-
2
Polyacrylamide
General function
A thickening polymer that also leaves a light film, used in gels and styling creams.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingSynthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSome acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.
- film former
- polymer
- thickener
-
3
C13-14 Isoalkane
General function
A light carrier that spreads other ingredients and leaves a dry finish.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- emollient
- solvent
-
4
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
General function
The liquid ester fraction of shea butter. It carries shea's softening effect with much less weight than the butter.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
-
5
Polyquaternium-10
General function
A cellulose-based conditioning polymer that leaves a thin, static-reducing film. Very common in shampoos as the ingredient that keeps them from stripping.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdCationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- conditioning agent
- film former
- polymer
-
6
Keratin Amino Acids
General function
Keratin broken all the way down to individual amino acids. Small enough to sit inside the cuticle, used for softness rather than firmness.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairAmino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.
DependsProtein-sensitive hairThe lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.
- protein
- amino acid
-
7
Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract
General function
A rice extract used at low levels, usually alongside rice protein or rice bran oil.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- botanical extract
-
8
Acyl Coenzyme A Desaturase
General function
An enzyme included at trace levels in scalp-positioned products. Evidence for an effect applied topically to hair is limited.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- active
-
9
Lactobacillus/Tomato Fruit Ferment Extract
- botanical extract
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
10
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
- preservative
-
11
Pg-Hydroxyethylcellulose Cocodimonium Chloride
General function
A positively charged conditioning agent. Damaged hair carries a negative charge, so it deposits where the damage is and makes wet hair comb through.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdCationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- conditioning agent
- film former
- polymer
-
12
Laureth-7
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
13
Disodium EDTA
General function
Grabs metal ions from hard water so they cannot dull the hair or destabilise the formula.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesBinds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.
May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairCopper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.
- hard-water chelator
-
14
Citric Acid
General function
Used to bring the product to a slightly acidic pH, which helps the cuticle lie flat. It is almost always near the end of the list.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesHolds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe acid side of pH adjustment, and the reason it matters is measured: alkaline formulas raise the fibre's surface negative charge, increase friction between strands and lift the scales, while lower-pH ones do the reverse.
May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hairWhere a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
-
15
Ethylhexylglycerin
General function
A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- preservative
- emollient
-
16
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
17
Fragrance
General function
An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
18
Linalool
General function
A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
19
Limonene
General function
A citrus-smelling fragrance component that EU rules require to be named separately because some people react to it.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
20
Hydroxycitronellal
General function
A soft floral fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
21
Citronellol
General function
A rose-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
What the whole list adds up to
- 5 fragrances
- 4 named fragrance allergens
- 3 film formers
- 3 polymers
- 3 emollients
- 3 preservatives
- 2 solvents
- 2 conditioning agents
- 2 botanical extracts
- 2 hard-water chelators
- 1 thickener
- 1 light ester
- 1 protein
- 1 amino acid
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 9.7 oz
Seen at
$10.99
Good value under
$14
Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $14 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $16 at this size.
Sizes
2 oz
$4–5
$2.00/oz
6 oz
$9–11
$1.69/oz
9.7 ozusual store size
$10.99
$1.13/oz
The 9.7 oz costs 44% less per ounce than the 2 oz.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it8 listings · 6 stores
9.7 ozusual store sizeBest per ounce
-
Not Your Mother's
$10.999.7 oz · $1.13/ozAug 25Lowest per oz
2 oz
-
Target
$3.992 oz · $2.00/ozAug 30Lowest per oz
-
Five Below
$4.002 oz · $2.00/ozAug 30
-
CVS
$5.492 oz · $2.75/ozAug 30
6 oz
-
Target
$8.796 oz · $1.47/ozAug 30Lowest per oz
-
Walmart
$9.336 oz · $1.55/ozAug 30
-
Ulta Beauty
$10.996 oz · $1.83/ozAug 30
-
Not Your Mother's
$10.996 oz · $1.83/ozAug 30
Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.
How we work this out
- 9.7 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
- Seen at $10.99 is the price we have observed for the 9.7 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $14 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.46/oz; at 9.7 oz that is $14. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
- About $16 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 9.7 oz.
Formula
9
Formula score
9 of 10
This formula covers the systems a curl cream is built around, and it costs less per ounce than most of the curl creams we have researched.
How the score is counted
- Costs less per ounce than 84% of the 228 curl creams we’ve priced
- Covers 5 of the 6 things a curl cream should do
- Reviewers mention 3 things they like about how it performs
- Drugstore tier, sold at Brand website
- A hold systemThe polymer, gum, or wax that holds the shape.3 pts
- Softeners alongside the holdWhat keeps a film flexible instead of brittle.2 pts
- No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.2 pts
- A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
- A humidity claim with a mechanismThe claim has a film former or silicone behind it.1 pt
- Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt
The formula score measures completeness for the job: a weighted share of the systems this product type is usually built around that we find in this list. It does not rate how well the product works or its quality, and it never compares across product types.
Does the same job
Formulas that do the same things (cleanse, condition, coat or hold) for less per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy them can still differ.
Not Your Mother'sSame function
Curl Talk To Go Mini Styling Kit
$2.08/oz $0.95/oz more
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Rinses clean
- Differs
Not Your Mother'sLowest cost per oz
Curl Talk Fragrance Free Defining Cream
$1.69/oz $0.56/oz more
- Fragrance-free
- Unscented
- Protein-free
- Function
- Also
Not Your Mother'sFragrance-free
Curl Talk Fragrance & Protein Free Defining Cream
$1.69/oz $0.56/oz more
- Fragrance-free
- Unscented
- Protein-free
- Function
- Also
See more alternatives in the product library
These products do a similar job. We haven’t matched them to you. Find the one that fits your hair, routine and budget
Final decision
Should you buy it?
A solid pick for the hair it suitsBest user
People who want maximum slip, looking for real detangling slip and a curly-method-compatible formula
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, vegan and cruelty-free shopping, or anyone who wants to pick it up locally
Best alternative if not
Nothing in our library matches it closely at a lower price.
We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.
Claims check
What the brand says, and what the formula shows
Claims are quoted from the brand. We mark a claim supported, partly supported or conflicting only when the ingredient list speaks to it. Everything else stays "stated by the brand". That isn’t a criticism: most claims can’t be checked from a label.
6
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Seals in moisture
Nothing in the list reads as a moisture system.
- C13-14 Isoalkane
- Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
- Ethylhexylglycerin
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Controls frizz
Silicones or film formers smooth the cuticle, which is the usual mechanism.
- Polyacrylamide
- Polyquaternium-10
- Pg-Hydroxyethylcellulose Cocodimonium Chloride
Supported
Smoother strands, less frizz.
Sulfate-free
No sulfate detergents appear in the ingredient list.
—
Supported
Gentler on colour and coils.
Silicone-free
No silicones appear in the ingredient list.
—
Supported
Nothing that needs a strong wash.
Paraben-free
No parabens appear in the ingredient list.
—
Supported
Preserved without parabens.
Drying-alcohol-free
No fast-drying alcohol appears in the list.
—
Supported
Nothing that flashes off dry.
How to read this
We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula, not at the marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.
Reviewers
What people report
Themes that come up again and again in sourced reviews, written by our researchers in their own words. We don’t store or scrape star ratings.
Does exactly what it says and smells great
brand-site reviewer, 5-starLightweight feel while still controlling frizz
brand-site reviewer, 5-starDefines curls without leaving hair greasy or weighed down
brand-site reviewer, 5-starMore from Not Your Mother's
How this page was made
- Everything above comes from our researched product record: identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated prices and review themes our researchers wrote in their own words. No part of this page is written by hand for one product.
- 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.
- Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
- 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.
- 1 source consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-27.
- Ingredient references are linked for 7 of 14 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are general formulation guidance. They aren’t a verdict on the finished product or on you.
- We haven’t tested this product in a lab, and we don’t physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list. Claims about how it behaves are labelled as the brand's.
- Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are what we saw on the dates shown and can change.
- Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
- This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
- Formula readings: derivation v23. Record last updated 2026-08-27.
