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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
Size6 fl ozmost listed · 3 sizes
Price$9–11commonly seen · 6 oz · from $1.13/oz in the 9.7 oz
Price / oz$1.69/ozat 6 oz
Where to buy7 stores · 3 sizes

Scent:

The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.

Manufacturer page: notyourmothers.com

Personal fit

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Priced with its peers

$1.69/oz at 6 oz — less than 58% of the 105 curl creams , which mostly run $1.17–4/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

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 carries a scent
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here
Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only

Whether this hold level is right for you depends on your density, porosity, and how long your style has to last — that is what the consultation works out.

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 of the hold systems.

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. These chips name what an ingredient does — they are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
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 — this is what makes it comb through Detangles
Keratin Amino Acids protein Firms up soft, over-stretchy hair Protein
Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract botanical extract A plant extract, marketed as much as functional 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)

US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order. Annotations keep three readings separate: the ingredient's general function, its role in this product type, and what its position can support.

  • 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 ingredient

    Listed 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 ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Some 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 ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Emollients 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 ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    A light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Spreads 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 ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    Cationic 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 hair

    A cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Film 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 ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

    DependsProtein-sensitive hair

    The 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 ingredient

    Listed 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 ingredient

    Listed 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 this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically 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 zone

    It 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 hold

    Cationic 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 hair

    A cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Film 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 zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Binds 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 hair

    Copper 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.

    PubChem
    • 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 zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Holds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    The 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 hair

    Where a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • 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 zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    PubChem
    • 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 zone

    It 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 routines

    Declared 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 zone

    It 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 routines

    One 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.

    PubChem
    • 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 zone

    It 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 routines

    One 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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 20 Hydroxycitronellal
    General function

    A soft floral fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It 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 routines

    One 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.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 21 Citronellol
    General function

    A rose-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It 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 routines

    One 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.

    PubChem
    • 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 — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 6 oz

Commonly seen $9–11 Midpoint $10.16 · 4 stores · checked Aug 30
Good value under $9 Under $1.44/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $9 line; products that do this job typically go for about $10 at this size.

Sizes

2 oz
$4–5
$2.00/oz
6 ozmost listed
$9–11
$1.69/oz
9.7 oz
$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

6 ozmost listed

2 oz

  • Target
    $3.99
    2 oz · $2.00/oz
    Aug 30Lowest per oz
  • Five Below
    $4.00
    2 oz · $2.00/oz
    Aug 30
  • CVS
    $5.49
    2 oz · $2.75/oz
    Aug 30

9.7 ozBest per ounce

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
  1. 6 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.
  2. Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 6 oz at recognised stores — the cheapest quarter and the dearest quarter are left out, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
  3. Good value under $9 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.44/oz; at 6 oz that is $9. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
  5. About $10 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 6 oz.

Formula

Formula score
9 of 10

The formula carries the systems a curl cream is built around, and it sits in the middle of the range for curl creams per ounce.

How the score is counted
  • Costs less per ounce than 58% of the 105 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 is completeness for the job: the share of the systems this product type is normally built around that we can find in this list, weighted. It is not efficacy, not quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job

Same derived functions — what it cleans, conditions, coats or holds — at a lower cost per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy it can still differ.

Not Your Mother'sSame function Curl Talk To Go Mini Styling Kit $2.08/oz $0.39/oz more
  • Curly method
  • Silicone-free
  • Rinses clean
Differs
  • Masstige tier
Compare
Not Your Mother'sLowest cost per oz Curl Talk Fragrance Free Defining Cream $1.69/oz
  • Fragrance-free
  • Unscented
  • Protein-free
· Close function
Function
  • Weight on the hair
  • Protein
Also
  • Unscented
  • Sold in drugstores and mass retail
Compare
Not Your Mother'sFragrance-free Curl Talk Fragrance & Protein Free Defining Cream $1.69/oz
  • Fragrance-free
  • Unscented
  • Protein-free
· Close function
Function
  • Weight on the hair
  • Protein
Also
  • Unscented
Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These are functional neighbours, not personal recommendations — they are close on formula, not chosen for anyone. Get the one that fits your hair, routine, and budget

Built for wavy to coily hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits
Best 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, against what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when the ingredient list actually speaks to it; everything else stays "stated by the brand", which is not a criticism — most claims simply cannot be read off a label.

6
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
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.

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 marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.

Reviewers

What people report

Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.

Does exactly what it says and smells great

brand-site reviewer, 5-star

Lightweight feel while still controlling frizz

brand-site reviewer, 5-star

Defines curls without leaving hair greasy or weighed down

brand-site reviewer, 5-star

More from Not Your Mother's

How this page was made

  • Everything above is generated from our researched product record — identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. No part of this page is written per 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 conditional formulation guidance, not a conclusion about the finished product or about you.
  • We have not tested this product in a lab and we do not physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list; behaviour claims are labelled as the brand's.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice.
  • 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 v22. Record last updated 2026-08-27.

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