CGM (Curly Girl Method) approved
No sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones — it meets the usual curly-method test.
—
Supported
Clears the usual method test.
Not Your Mother's
Curl Talk Fragrance & Protein Free Sculpting Gel
Styler / Gel, strong-hold
- Styler
- gel
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
Size9.7 fl ozusual store size · 2 sizes
Price$15.49seen at one store · 9.7 oz
Price / oz$1.60/ozat 9.7 oz
Where to buy5 stores · 3 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-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
High
Not in your profile
Hold (as stated)
Strong
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
High
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Light
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
Air-sets
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
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
Brand website · Ulta +1Widely sold
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
$1.60/oz at 9.7 oz, less than 61% of the 267 gels , which mostly run $1.13–3.78/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
Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
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
Likely
Film formers with little to soften them, so expect a cast to scrunch out.
Weight on the hair
Light
Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.
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 |
| Glycerin | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| VP/VA Copolymer | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Holds |
| Propanediol | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| PVP | film former | Lays down the film that holds a shape | Holds |
| Carbomer | thickener | Sets the texture | Holds |
| Disodium EDTA | hard-water chelator | Binds trace metals | Stabilizes |
| Laurtrimonium Chloride | conditioning agent | Adds slip, lower in the list | Detangles |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Protein-free: this is built for moisture rather than for strengthening. Chelators for hard water.
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
Glycerin
General function
Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.
Role in this product typeIn styling gel, glycerin helps retain moisture as the product dries, supporting a softer, more flexible finish. The hold itself comes from the formula's film-forming polymers.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Cosmetic Ingredient ReviewMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairMay suit hair that benefits from added water retention and a softer, more flexible gel finish.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairBinds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairConsider the climate and the complete formula: prominent humectants can behave differently in very dry air and on frizz-prone hair in high humidity.
- humectant
-
3
VP/VA Copolymer
General function
A hold polymer that dries to a clear film. It sets the style and washes out with water.
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
-
4
Propanediol
General function
A corn-derived humectant and solvent, often chosen as a lighter-feeling alternative to propylene glycol.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay suitFine or easily flattened hairLight and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairA small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairA humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.
- humectant
- solvent
-
5
PVP
General function
A classic hairspray polymer. It gives firm hold but attracts moisture, so humidity can soften the set.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
PubChemMay 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.
May not suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairThe film takes up water from the air. The patent work that produced the VP/VA copolymers describes a PVP film turning sticky after time in a humid atmosphere, and being dependable only where humidity is low — so hold and feel both move with the weather.
- film former
- polymer
-
6
Carbomer
General function
A thickener that turns a liquid into a clear gel. It also contributes a light hold.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
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.
- thickener
- polymer
- film former
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
7
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
-
8
Laurtrimonium Chloride
General function
A light conditioning agent common in sprays and leave-ins where weight matters.
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 hairA cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairThe class that does the detangling in a conditioner. It deposits lubrication where the cuticle is worn.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSubstantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.
- conditioning agent
- 9 Polyaminopropyl Biguanide
-
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
Sodium Hydroxide
General function
A strong base used in trace amounts to raise pH; fully neutralised in the finished product.
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 TrichologyDependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairThe alkali half of a pH-adjusting pair, used in small amounts to bring a formula up to its target rather than to make it alkaline. Alkaline conditions raise the fibre's surface charge and lift the scales — but the finished pH is not on the label.
- pH adjuster
What the whole list adds up to
- 3 film formers
- 3 polymers
- 2 solvents
- 2 humectants
- 2 preservatives
- 1 thickener
- 1 hard-water chelator
- 1 conditioning agent
- 1 emollient
- 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 · 9.7 oz
Seen at
$15.49
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 $29 at this size.
Sizes
2 oz
$4.99
$2.50/oz
6 oz
$9.35
$1.56/oz
9.7 ozusual store size
$15.49
$1.60/oz
The 6 oz costs the least per ounce, 38% less than the 2 oz.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it5 listings · 5 stores
9.7 ozusual store size
-
CVS
$15.499.7 oz · $1.60/ozAug 30Lowest per oz
2 oz
-
Target
$4.992 oz · $2.50/ozAug 30Lowest per oz
6 ozBest per ounce
-
Walmart
$9.356 oz · $1.56/ozAug 30Lowest per oz
-
Not Your Mother's
$10.996 oz · $1.83/ozAug 25
-
Ulta Beauty
$10.996 oz · $1.83/ozAug 27
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 $15.49 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 $9 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $0.97/oz; at 9.7 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 $29 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 9.7 oz.
Formula
10
Formula score
10 of 10
The formula carries the systems a gel is built around, and it sits in the middle of the range for gels per ounce.
How the score is counted
- 3 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
- Costs less per ounce than 61% of the 267 gels we’ve priced
- Covers 6 of the 6 things a gel should do
- Reviewers mention 3 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.
Mielle OrganicsLowest cost per oz
Pomegranate & Honey Air Dry Styler Gel
$0.38/oz $1.22/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Lightweight
- Differs
Mielle OrganicsClose function
Pomegranate & Honey Air Dry Styling Lotion
$0.97/oz $0.63/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Lightweight
- Function
- Also
Herbal EssencesClose function
Touchable Hold Hair Styling Spray Gel
$0.96/oz $0.64/oz less
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Lightweight
- 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 sensitive to fragrance who want a formula with no added fragrance and a product with no scent
Biggest tradeoff
Less suited to anyone who will not scrunch out a cast, very dry or very humid climates, or anyone who wants a soft, touchable finish
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
0
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Fragrance-free
No fragrance is listed.
—
Supported
Safer for scent-sensitive scalps.
Protein-free
No protein or hydrolysed protein appears in the list.
—
Supported
Fine for protein-sensitive hair.
Silicone-free
No silicones appear in the ingredient list.
—
Supported
Nothing that needs a strong wash.
No drying alcohols
No fast-drying alcohol appears in the list.
—
Supported
Nothing that flashes off dry.
Long-lasting hold without flaking
Synthetic hold polymers are present.
- VP/VA Copolymer
- PVP
- Carbomer
Supported
Structure that lasts the day.
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.
Several reviewers say the gel feels light, holds flexibly, and avoids a stiff, crunchy finish.
Reviewers across hair typesSeveral reviewers with fragrance or protein sensitivities say the gel fits their routine well.
Reviewers sensitive to fragrance or proteinMany reviewers say the gel defines curls and controls frizz, bringing back shape to lifeless or frizzy hair.
Reviewers with curly or frizzy hairMore 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.
- 3 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 0 editorial), last checked 2026-10-31.
- Ingredient references are linked for 7 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.
