Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Strengthening Volume Foam — 6.5 oz container

Not Your Mother's

Curl Talk Strengthening Volume Foam

Styler / Mousse, polymer-set

Styler
mousse
foam
Sulfate-free
Silicone-free
Curly-method
Vegan · label states

Size6.5 oz

Price$10.99seen at one store · 6.5 oz

Price / oz$1.69/ozat 6.5 oz

Where to buy2 stores · $10.99–10.99

Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.

Scent:

Notes: citrus, jasmine.

“Citrus Jasmine” (Brand page)

Manufacturer page: notyourmothers.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Factor Your profile Fit

Best for hair types Wavy–Coily Not in your profile

Moisture level High Not in your profile

Hold system High Not in your profile

Slip / detangling Little Not in your profile

Weight on hair Light Not in your profile

Fragrance Present Not in your profile

Protein Prominent Not in your profile

Silicone / wax buildup None Not in your profile

Clarifying wash needed Low Not in your profile

Scent Citrus · FloralStrength not recorded 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 Present Not in your profile

Fast-drying alcohol None Not in your profile

Vegan / cruelty-free Vegan · label states Not in your profile

Animal-derived ingredients 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

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 30 ingredientsAbout average Not in your profile

Price tier Drugstore Not in your profile

Where to buy it Brand website · Grocery / mass 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.

Priced with its peers

$1.69/oz at 6.5 oz, less than 71% of the 201 mousses , which mostly run $1.54–4.14/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet

Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones

Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together

Fine hairthat flattens under most products

Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Stretching wash daysnothing here needs a detergent to remove

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent

Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein

Anyone who dislikes a castthe film formers here can set firm

Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you

Whether this hold suits you depends on your density, porosity and how long your style needs to last. The consultation works that 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 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 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
WaterWater (Aqua) (Eau)	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Neutral
Propanediol	humectant	Pulls water into the hair	Moisturizes
Polysorbate 20	solubilizer	Keeps oils dissolved in water	Stabilizes
Maltodextrin/VP Copolymer	film former	Lays down the film that holds a shape	Holds
Sodium Polyitaconate	film former	Lays down the film that holds a shape	Holds
PVP	film former	Lays down the film that holds a shape	Holds
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein	film former	Lays down the film that holds a shape	Protein
Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract	botanical extract	A plant extract, there as much for marketing as for function	Neutral
FragranceFragrance (Parfum)	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Limonene	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Linalool	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance
Citronellol	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance

What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Protein-forward: a strengthening formula, not a moisture one. Contains fragrance. Chelators for hard water.

Full ingredient list (30)

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 ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
2 Propanediol

General function
A corn-derived humectant and solvent, often chosen as a lighter-feeling alternative to propylene glycol.

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

May suitFine or easily flattened hair
Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A 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.

PubChem
- humectant
- solvent
3 Polysorbate 20

General function
Keeps fragrance and oils dissolved in a watery formula so it stays clear.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
4 Maltodextrin/VP Copolymer

General function
A starch-based hold polymer that sets softly and washes out with water.

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

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
5 Sodium Polyitaconate

General function
A plant-sugar-derived polymer used for light hold and to help other ingredients deposit. It washes out with water.

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

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
6 PVP

General function
A classic hairspray polymer. It gives firm hold but attracts moisture, so humidity can soften the set.

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

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.

May not suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
The 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.

PubChem
- film former
- polymer
7 Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

General function
A light plant protein that adds body and shine, popular in volume products.

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

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Filling surface gaps evens out the cuticle, which is part of what makes damaged hair comb and reflect light more like undamaged hair.

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.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Hydrolysed fragments are small enough to sit in the gaps of a worn cuticle for a wash or two, temporarily restoring stiffness and cutting breakage in combing.
- film former
- protein
- hydrolysed protein
8 Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract

General function
An amaranth seed extract used at low levels for moisture and shine claims.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- botanical extract
9 Biotin
- vitamin
10 Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine

General function
A mild co-cleanser that keeps foam stable in hard water.

Secondary ingredient
Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair
Mild cleansing leaves more surface lubrication in place on hair that dries out quickly.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
One of the mildest detergent classes. It is usually there to let a formula lather without a harsher detergent doing the work.

May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
The mildest detergents are also the least complete: a routine that deposits films needs something stronger periodically.
- amphoteric cleanser
- secondary cleanser
- cleanser
▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
11 Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate

General function
A biodegradable hard-water chelator used in place of EDTA.

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
12 Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
13 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
14 Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent
15 Sodium Benzoate
- preservative
16 Potassium Sorbate
- preservative
17 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
18 Fragrance · Fragrance (Parfum)

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
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 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
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
22 Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes

General function
A synthetic musk or woody-amber note used as a fragrance base.

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
23 Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil

General function
A cold-pressed citrus oil used for a fresh scent; naturally high in limonene.

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
Essential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.
- botanical extract
- essential oil
- fragrance
24 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
25 Linalyl Acetate

General function
A lavender-like fragrance component, related to linalool and listed for the same allergen reason.

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.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
26 Geranyl Acetate

General function
A rose-scented fragrance component related to geraniol.

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.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
27 Terpineol

General function
A lilac-like fragrance component found naturally in several essential oils.

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
28 Vanillin

General function
The main scent compound in vanilla, used as a fragrance note.

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.

PubChem
- fragrance
29 Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Peel Oil

General function
Bergamot oil, used as a bright citrus fragrance note.

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
- botanical extract
30 Pinene

General function
A pine-scented component of essential oils, declared as part of the fragrance.

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

What the whole list adds up to

13 fragrances
6 named fragrance allergens
5 preservatives
4 film formers
3 solvents
3 polymers
3 botanical extracts
2 hard-water chelators
1 humectant
1 solubilizer
1 emulsifier
1 protein
1 hydrolysed protein
1 vitamin

Ingredient list captured 2026-10-12. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 6.5 oz

Seen at $10.99 1 store · checked Oct 13

Good value under $9 Under $1.42/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 $11 at this size.

Show the price ladder

Price for 6.5 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores

Not Your Mother's
$10.99

6.5 oz · $1.69/oz

Oct 13Lowest per oz
Not Your Mother's (brand site)
$10.99

6.5 oz · $1.69/oz

Oct 11

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

6.5 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 6.5 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 $1.42/oz; at 6.5 oz that is $9. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
About $11 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 6.5 oz.

Formula

Formula score

8 of 10

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

How the score is counted

2 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
Costs less per ounce than 71% of the 201 mousses we’ve priced
Covers 5 of the 6 things a mouss 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.

Eden BodyWorksSame function Lavender Aloe Smoothing Gel $1.18/oz $0.51/oz less

Protein
Curly method
Lightweight

Differs: Cruelty-free
Sold online

Compare

Taliah WaajidLowest cost per oz Crinkles & Curls $1.06/oz $0.63/oz less · Close function

Function: Water-binding (humectants)
Also: Masstige tier
32 oz bottle

Compare

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 suits

Best user

Soft, over-stretchy hair, looking for protein high in the formula and a curly-method-compatible formula

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, hair that stiffens on protein, or anyone who will not scrunch out a cast

Best alternative if not

Consider Eden BodyWorks Lavender Aloe Smoothing Gel, 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.

SupportedBacked by ingredients

Partly supportedSome supporting logic

Stated by brandNo clear evidence

Potential conflictFormula works against claim

Delivers instant volume to thin, fine curls

It reads light on the strand, which is what volume claims depend on.

Maltodextrin/VP Copolymer
Sodium Polyitaconate
PVP

Supported

Leaves room for lift.

Weightless texture that leaves hair fuller and bouncier

Light silicones and low wax content help it avoid visible residue.

Water
Propanediol
Benzyl Alcohol

Supported

Less likely to weigh hair down.

Never stiff or crunchy

Hold polymers appear without the emollients that usually keep a film from setting firm.

Maltodextrin/VP Copolymer
Sodium Polyitaconate
PVP

Potential conflict

Expect a cast you have to scrunch out.

Biotin and rice protein build strength to reduce breakage

Protein sits in the first eight ingredients.

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Supported

Reinforces a damaged strand.

Safe for natural and color-treated hair

It avoids sulfate detergents, which are the usual cause of fast fade.

—

Supported

Less fade per wash.

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.

Reviewers with fine, flat-rooted or low-porosity curls say it gives root volume and lift without crunch or stiffness.

fine waves and curls

It is described as light and easy to use, defining curls and waves without weighing hair down.

wavy and curly users

A minority found it gave little or no volume, so the volume claim does not hold for everyone.

a few lower-rated reviews

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.
5 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-10-13.
Ingredient references are linked for 10 of 22 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 2026-10-12.

Curl Talk Strengthening Volume Foam

Is this right for you?

Read from the label, not the marketing

The ingredients that change a decision

What the whole list adds up to

Should you buy it?

What the brand says, and what the formula shows

What people report

More from Not Your Mother's

How this page was made

Hair Care Consultation