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Taliah Waajid

Soft & Curly For Natural Hair

Leave-in / Light leave-in, lightweight

  • Leave-in
  • gel cream
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
Size6 fl oz
Price$5.59 Good valueseen at one store · 6 oz
Price / oz$0.97/ozat 6 oz

Scent:

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

Manufacturer page: taliah.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

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Lower cost than most leave-ins

$0.97/oz at 6 oz — less than 81% of the 477 leave-ins , which mostly run $1.17–5.50/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

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
Fine hairthat flattens under most products
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent
Hair that needs proteinthere is none in this list
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Coarse, very dry hairthis is a light formula for its category
Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only

Whether this weight sits well on your hair depends on density, porosity, and how much you already layer — 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.

Weight on the hair Light

Water-first and light: unlikely to flatten fine hair.

Slip and detangling High

Conditioning agents sit high in the list — this is a detangling formula.

Water-binding (humectants) High

Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here.

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

Protein None

No protein or amino acids 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
WaterWater (Aqua) solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Polyquaternium-10 conditioning agent Conditions and softens — this is what makes it comb through Detangles
Peg-14m emulsifier Keeps oil and water mixed Stabilizes
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceAloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Panthenol humectant Pulls water into the hair Detangles
Tocopheryl AcetateVitamin E (Tocopheryl Acetate) antioxidant Protects the formula Stabilizes
Polysorbate 20 solubilizer Helps dissolve the oils Stabilizes
Methylchloroisothiazolinone isothiazolinone Stabilizes
FragranceFragrance (Parfum) fragrance The scent Fragrance
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.
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 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.

    Leading ingredient

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

    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
  • 3 Peg-14m
    General function

    An ethoxylated or propoxylated formulation aid. Ingredients of this family keep oils, silicones and fragrance evenly dispersed in a water-based product.

    Leading ingredient

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

    • emulsifier
  • 4 Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice · Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis)
    General function

    Aloe gel, used for light moisture and slip. High in the list it also contributes a little natural hold.

    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

    Gums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Hydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Aloe is mostly water carrying sugars that bind more of it, which is why it turns up as the base of moisture-first formulas.

    • humectant
    • botanical extract
    • gum
  • 5 Panthenol
    General function

    Provitamin B5. It draws in water and penetrates the strand a little, which is why it is the standard ingredient for softness and shine claims.

    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

    It hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.

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

    Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • conditioning agent
    • vitamin
  • Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 6 Tocopheryl Acetate · Vitamin E (Tocopheryl Acetate)
    General function

    A stable form of vitamin E used to keep the oils in a formula from oxidising. It is used at fractions of a percent.

    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.

    PubChem
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 7 Polysorbate 20
    General function

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

    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.

    • solubilizer
    • emulsifier
  • 8 Methylchloroisothiazolinone
    General function

    A very potent rinse-off preservative used at trace levels. It is a known contact allergen for a small number of people.

    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.

    PubChem
    • isothiazolinone
    • preservative
  • 9 Methylisothiazolinone
    • isothiazolinone
    • preservative
  • 10 Glycerin · Vegetable Glycerin
    General function

    A small water-loving molecule that draws moisture into the hair and holds it there. It is the most common softening ingredient in conditioners and leave-ins.

    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 suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    High-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Binds 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 hair

    Water moves both ways. Measured across concentrations, glycerin solutions give water up in some conditions and take it from the air in others. What it does for you depends on how much of it is there and on the air around it.

    Scientific Reports
    • humectant
  • 11 Polyquaternium-37
    General function

    A thickening polymer that gives creams and curl products their bounce and helps them cling to the strand.

    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
    • thickener
  • 12 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

What the whole list adds up to

  • 3 humectants
  • 2 conditioning agents
  • 2 film formers
  • 2 polymers
  • 2 emulsifiers
  • 2 vitamins
  • 2 isothiazolinones
  • 2 preservatives
  • 1 solvent
  • 1 botanical extract
  • 1 gum
  • 1 conditioning agent
  • 1 antioxidant
  • 1 solubilizer

Ingredient list captured 2026-08-23. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 6 oz

Seen at $5.59 lowest of 2 stores · checked Aug 30
Good value under $7 Under $1.13/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 $7 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $21 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores

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 $5.59 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 $7 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.13/oz; at 6 oz that is $7. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $21 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 leave-in is built around, and it costs less per ounce than most of the leave-ins we have researched.

How the score is counted
  • 1 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs less per ounce than 81% of the 477 leave-ins we’ve priced
  • Covers 5 of the 6 things a leave-in should do
  • Reviewers mention 5 things they like about how it performs
  • Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.2 pts
  • A light baseWater or a volatile carrier first, so it does not weigh hair down.2 pts
  • Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
  • No detergent-dependent filmNothing that needs a clarifying wash to remove.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, for less

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.

African PrideLowest cost per oz Feel It Formula Peppermint Rosemary & Sage Strengthening Detangler Hair Cream $0.62/oz $0.35/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Curly method
  • Lightweight
· Close function
Function
  • Oils and butters
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, looking for a protein-free formula and real detangling slip

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, soft, over-stretchy hair that needs protein, or very dry or very humid climates

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.

4
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
0
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Defines curls and waves (from the possibly-related jelly listing, not confirmed for this SKU)

Film formers or natural gums are present, which is what holds a clump together.

  • Polyquaternium-10
  • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
  • Polyquaternium-37
Supported

Holds a clump together.

Adds shine and moisture (from the possibly-related jelly listing)

Humectants or rich emollients sit in the first eight ingredients.

  • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
  • Panthenol
  • Glycerin
Supported

Helps hair feel hydrated.

Stops frizzy hair (from the possibly-related jelly listing)

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

  • Polyquaternium-10
  • Polyquaternium-37
Supported

Smoother strands, less frizz.

Light, alcohol-free, moisture-based, condition-filled styling jelly (from the possibly-related jelly listing)

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.

softens hair and activates curls without manipulation (possibly-related product)

It makes my hair soft and the curls come alive without any manipulation

Softens and moisturizes children’s hair

Parents of textured-hair children

Some adult users report professional-looking coils; this is an exact 6 oz styling-jelly SKU, not a leave-in conditioner

Adult and child styling reviewers; format caveat

lightweight, easy styling (possibly-related product)

Makes hair super soft. Light weight. Easy styling

Defines and calms curls/coils with a pleasant scent

Curly/coily-hair reviewers

More from Taliah Waajid

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.
  • 5 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 4 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-08-25.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 2 of 6 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 2026-08-25.