Flake-free, flexible firm hold
Synthetic hold polymers are present.
- Polyacrylamide
- Polyquaternium-10
- Pg-Hydroxyethylcellulose Cocodimonium Chloride
Supported
Structure that lasts the day.
Not Your Mother's
Curl Talk Fragrance & Protein Free Defining Cream
Styler / Curl cream, strong-hold
- Styler
- curl cream
- cream
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
Size6 fl ozusual store size · 2 sizes
Price$9–11commonly seen · 6 oz
Price / oz$1.69/ozat 6 oz
Where to buy7 stores · 2 sizes
Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.
Scent:
No added fragrance, no scenting essential oils, and no declared fragrance allergens on the list.
“Fragrance and protein free” (Brand page)
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 (as stated)
Strong
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
High
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Rich
Not in your profile
Fragrance
None listed
Not in your profile
Protein
None
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Low
Not in your profile
Scent
Unscented
Not in your profile
Show all 23 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Essential oils
None listed
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Aerosol can
Pump or tube
Not in your profile
Needs heat to set
Not determined
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
12 ingredientsA short list
Not in your profile
Price tier
Drugstore
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Ulta · Brand website
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
Priced with its peers
$1.69/oz at 6 oz, less than 67% of the 228 curl creams , which mostly run $1.35–5.22/oz. The cost less.
Great for
no fragrance (parfum) on the label
free of strong smells
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
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
Maybe skip if
Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
Soft, touchable finishesthe brand states a firm hold
If scent matters to younothing is added here
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 (as stated)
Strong
A strong hold, as stated by the brand.
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
Rich
Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.
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
None listed
No fragrance is listed.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterWater/Aqua/Eau | 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 |
| Polyquaternium-10 | conditioning agent | Conditions and softens so hair combs through | Detangles |
| Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables | emollient | Softens and smooths the strand | Heavy |
| Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate | light ester | Light slip without much weight | Softens |
| Pg-Hydroxyethylcellulose Cocodimonium Chloride | conditioning agent | Conditions and softens so hair combs through | Detangles |
| Laureth-7 | emulsifier | Keeps oil and water mixed | Stabilizes |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. No protein: a moisture formula, not a repair one. Heavier butters sit in the working part of the list. Hard-water chelators are present.
Full ingredient list (12)
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
· Water/Aqua/Eau
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
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
-
5
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
General function
The waxy fraction of olive oil, used to seal and soften without a liquid-oil feel.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
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.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairForms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.
May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesIt does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.
- emollient
- sealant
-
6
Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
General function
An olive-derived emollient that softens and thickens without a heavy oily feel.
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
-
7
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.
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
-
8
Laureth-7
General function
An emulsifier that keeps silicones and oils dispersed in water.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
9
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
General function
A biodegradable hard-water chelator used in place of EDTA.
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
-
10
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
-
11
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
12
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
What the whole list adds up to
- 4 emollients
- 3 film formers
- 3 polymers
- 2 solvents
- 2 conditioning agents
- 2 hard-water chelators
- 2 preservatives
- 1 thickener
- 1 sealant
- 1 light ester
- 1 emulsifier
- 1 solubilizer
- 1 pH adjuster
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 6 oz
Commonly seen
$9–11
Good value under
$9
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 $11 at this size.
Sizes
2 oz
$4–5
$2.00/oz
6 ozusual store size
$9–11
$1.69/oz
The 6 oz costs 16% less per ounce than the 2 oz.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it9 listings · 7 stores
6 ozusual store sizeBest per ounce
-
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
-
Ulta
$10.996 oz · $1.83/ozAug 27
-
Not Your Mother's
$10.996 oz · $1.83/ozAug 30
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
-
Ulta
$10.99Aug 25
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
- 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.
- Commonly seen is the middle half of current prices for the 6 oz at recognised stores. We leave out the cheapest and most expensive quarters, so one sale or one overpriced listing can’t move it.
- 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.
- Each size is guarded on its own, so a multipack or a marketplace listing at one size cannot move another.
- About $11 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 6 oz.
Formula
9
Formula score
9 of 10
A complete formula at an ordinary price: mid-range per ounce among curl creams, with the working systems in place.
How the score is counted
- 1 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs less per ounce than 67% of the 228 curl creams we’ve priced
- Covers 5 of the 6 things a curl cream should do
- Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs
- 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, for less
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'sLowest cost per oz
Curl Talk Defining Cream
$1.13/oz $0.56/oz less
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Rinses clean
- Function
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 sensitive to fragrance, for a formula with no added fragrance and a product with no scent
Biggest tradeoff
Less suited to oily scalps and fine hair, anyone who wants a soft, touchable finish, or anyone who wants a product to smell of something
Best alternative if not
Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Defining Cream, for similar results 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.
4
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
0
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Maximizes 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.
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.
Fragrance and protein free
No protein or hydrolysed protein appears in the list.
—
Supported
Fine for protein-sensitive hair.
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.
Appreciates that the fragrance-free formula doesn't clash with personal perfume or scent preferences
Ulta reviewer sensitive to added fragranceDefines and de-frizzes curls with excellent curl definition and moisture sealing
Ulta reviewer with curly hairProduct seemed to disappear into the hair strands without leaving hold or visible definition behind
Ulta reviewerFound it lacked effectiveness on tighter curl patterns (3a and beyond), not providing enough definition for that texture
Ulta reviewer with type 3a+ curlsMore 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.
- 2 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-08-27.
- Ingredient references are linked for 3 of 9 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.
