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Not Your Mother's

NYM Kids Curly Care Curl Defining Cream

Styler / Curl cream, mixed-hold

  • Styler
  • curl cream
  • cream
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
  • Vegan · label states
  • Cruelty-free · label states
Size6 fl oz
Price$6.99 Good valueseen at one store · 6 oz
Price / oz$1.17/ozat 6 oz
Where to buy1 store

Scent:

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

“Fruity peachy pineapple scent” — Brand page

Manufacturer page: notyourmothers.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

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Lower cost than most curl creams

$1.17/oz at 6 oz — less than 76% of the 105 curl creams , which mostly run $1.17–4/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
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
Matte, textured stylesabsorbent powders do the mattifying

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent

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 Mixed

Gums and synthetic polymers together.

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.

Oil absorption High

Absorbent powders or starches high in the list.

Oils and butters Rich

Butters near the top: a heavy, softening formula.

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 Prominent

Fragrance sits in the first eight ingredients — a larger share of the formula.

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
WaterWater (Aqua) solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Hydrolyzed Corn Starch film former Lays down the film that holds a shape Holds
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
Laureth-7 emulsifier Keeps oil and water mixed Stabilizes
Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter butter Heavy softening — this is what makes it rich Heavy
FragranceFragrance (Parfum) fragrance The scent Fragrance
Phenoxyethanol preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
Ethylhexylglycerin preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Softens
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. Contains fragrance. Contains heavier butters.
Full ingredient list (12)

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 · Water (Aqua)
    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 Hydrolyzed Corn Starch
    General function

    A starch fragment used for light body and film, not a protein despite where it often appears on a label.

    Leading ingredient

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

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Adds grip and body with no oil attached, which is what lifts fine hair at the root instead of weighing it down.

    DependsCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    How rigid the finish is depends on which polymer it is and what the formula pairs with it, not on there being one.

    DependsMaximum-hold styling

    Starch gives texture and grip rather than a set film; firm hold usually needs a polymer alongside it.

    • film former
    • starch
  • 3 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
  • 4 C13-14 Isoalkane
    General function

    A light carrier that spreads other ingredients and leaves a dry finish.

    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

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

    • emollient
    • solvent
  • 5 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
  • 6 Laureth-7
    General function

    An emulsifier that keeps silicones and oils dispersed in water.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • emulsifier
    • solubilizer
  • 7 Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter
    General function

    A plant butter that is slightly lighter than shea, used in curl creams.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coarse, porous hair loses water quickly and can carry the weight; a butter slows that loss more than a thin oil does.

    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.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A solid fat melts onto the strand at body temperature and stays there, which is the heaviest surface moisture-holding a formula can offer.

    • butter
    • emollient
  • ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 8 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
  • 9 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
  • 10 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 11 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
  • 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 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

What the whole list adds up to

  • 4 emollients
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 film formers
  • 2 hard-water chelators
  • 2 preservatives
  • 1 starch
  • 1 polymer
  • 1 thickener
  • 1 light ester
  • 1 emulsifier
  • 1 solubilizer
  • 1 butter
  • 1 fragrance
  • 1 declared fragrance

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-05. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 6 oz

Seen at $6.99 1 store · checked Sep 5
Good value under $24 Under $4.04/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $24 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $28 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store

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. Seen at $6.99 is the price we have observed for the 6 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $24 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $4.04/oz; at 6 oz that is $24. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $28 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 6 oz.

Formula

Formula score
8 of 10

This formula covers the systems a curl cream is built around, and it costs less per ounce than most of the curl creams we have researched.

How the score is counted
  • Costs less per ounce than 76% of the 105 curl creams we’ve priced
  • Covers 4 of the 6 things a curl cream should do
  • Drugstore tier, sold at Brand website and Grocery / mass
  • Drugstore tier
  • 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.

GoldwellClosest function StyleSign Curls Defining Cream $4.75/oz $3.58/oz more
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Silicone-free
Function
  • Film formers
  • Water-binding (humectants)
Also
  • Salon tier
  • 5 oz bottle
Compare
Living ProofClose function Full Texturizing Foam - 5.0 oz $6.80/oz $5.63/oz more
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Silicone-free
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • Water-binding (humectants)
  • Oils and butters
Also
  • Salon tier
  • 5 oz bottle
Compare
ORSLowest cost per oz Curlshow Chic Style Curl Pudding $0.83/oz $0.34/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Rich
· Related function
Function
  • Water-binding (humectants)
  • Weight on the hair
  • Oil absorption
Also
  • 12 oz bottle
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

Hair that stiffens on protein who want a protein-free formula and a curly-method-compatible formula

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance

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.

2
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
4
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Curl enhancing and defining

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Anti-frizz

Silicones or film formers smooth the cuticle, which is the usual mechanism.

  • Hydrolyzed Corn Starch
  • Polyacrylamide
Supported

Smoother strands, less frizz.

Tear-free and dermatologist tested

A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.

—

Stated by brand

Only the brand’s testing shows this.

98% Naturally Derived

A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.

—

Stated by brand

Only the brand’s testing shows this.

For All Curl Types

No formula reads the same on every texture; our fit panel is the better guide.

—

Stated by brand

See the fit panel instead.

Sulfate surfactant free, silicone free, paraben free, drying alcohol free, allergen free, dye free, gluten free, cruelty free, and vegan

No silicones appear in the ingredient list.

—

Supported

Nothing that needs a strong wash.

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.

A recurring complaint is that the cream dries out hair and leaves a waxy residue that pills or flakes, taking several washes to fully remove despite being marketed as moisturizing.

Some parents of kids with very curly or frizzy hair say the cream did little to define curls or control frizz for that texture.

Several reviewers describe the cream as smooth and lightweight with a pleasant scent, saying it effectively defines and holds their kids' curls all day.

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.
  • 4 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-09-05.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 3 of 9 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 2026-09-05.

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