Curly Hair Society
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Styling cream · Not Your Mother’s

Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Curl Cream

4.2

Great

32 opinions from 32 people

Positive
23
Mixed
5
Negative
4
How is the Curl Score calculated?

We read 3 public Reddit discussions and logged each person's opinion of each product as positive, mixed or negative, and members add theirs when they review a product here. The Curl Score puts those on a scale of 1 to 5: every opinion positive would be 5, every one negative 1, and an even split 3, with a mixed opinion counting as half positive. Passing mentions aren't opinions, so they don't count, and each person counts once per product. Every brand is scored the same way, but these are comments, not verified purchases or a survey. Sources and method

The verdict

The best-liked Curl Talk styler: defined, juicy curls from a small amount, at a drugstore price.

The full verdict

Reviewers call it magic, their drugstore go-to and a cream they've used for years, and one says their hair has never looked better. A small amount goes a long way, which suits fine hair, and several pair it with the Curl Talk gel or mousse. One uses it as a pre-bed mask. The doubts are a minority: a few hated it or found it made their hair frizzy and stringy, one found it sat on top of their hair, one says it made their acne break out, and a couple dislike the intense fragrance.

Best for
Waves and curls that want soft definition on a budget
Skip it if
You're sensitive to strong scents

Reviewer experiences

A representative mix, good and bad, from the commenters.

See all 33 reviews
  1. PositiveReddit comment

    I love the curl cream.

    u/Prize_Contact_1655Fine, loose curlsr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    Love this brand for the most part!! Their bonding conditioner is amazing, and I love the sculpting gel and new volume foam as well as their curl cream. The two products I hate though is their mousse- I can’t get it to work for me. Makes my hair sticky stringy and also weighs it down. And their new “daily” conditioner. It smells different than the other curl products in a way that I don’t like and it doesn’t have alot of slip and it seems too light for my hair type. Edit: for reference I have fine, loose curls

  2. MixedReddit comment

    It works pretty well, but I dislike the scent.

    u/knormoyler/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    I've been using the regular line's defining cream and spray leave-in conditioner. They work pretty well, but I'm not a fan at all of the scent. Looking forward to trying a different brand to find one that I like better.

  3. NegativeReddit comment

    The cream makes my hair very frizzy and stringy.

    u/Snickersnee2B/C, thickish and a bit coarse but not very denser/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    My hair does NOT like the gel or cream, they both make my hair very frizzy and stringy. I've had some luck with the mousse and spray leave-in conditioners, though it seems like it's been acting differently with my hair recently. I have trouble getting the right amount that is enough to give some hold but not too much where it weighs my hair down. I've used the foam successfully as a styling product but it weighed my hair down a bit if I accidentally used too much of it. Still better than a lot of products I've tried! Just not quite right for my hair (2B/C, thickish and a bit coarse but not very dense)

  4. PositiveReddit comment

    The curl cream is magic.

    u/grebilrancherr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    The curl cream is magic for me

  5. PositiveReddit comment

    I like the curl cream.

    u/dymphna76r/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    The leave-in conditioner and flash freeze gel are holy grails for me. I like the curl cream and their bond building products. Also, the fragrances of these products are light and pleasant.

  6. PositiveReddit comment

    A big fan; on my fine hair I use a small amount emulsified with water.

    u/DoughnutSecure7038Finer/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    Big fan of the cream personally, but my hair is fine so I only use a small amount and emulsify it with water in my hands before applying it

  7. PositiveReddit comment

    A huge fan; my go-to.

    u/Daft_Dandelionr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    I am a huge fan of the gel and cream, and these are my go-to. I find the Bond-Repair shampoo and conditioner is great, but usually by the end of the bottles my hair needs a break and I'll switch to something else for a bit (not sure if that's a product thing or my hair thing as this seems to be the case with my hair for most products)

  8. PositiveReddit comment

    My hair loves the cream.

    u/fireantheadr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    My hair LOVES this brand. Especially the refreshing foam and the cream

  9. PositiveReddit comment

    My current go-to.

    u/techchick101r/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    The curl cream & their new flash freeze gel is my current go to

  10. PositiveReddit comment

    I love it.

    u/deets23_r/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    I love their mousse, curl cream, and spray gel (game changer!) I personally have never had residue left on my hair

  11. PositiveReddit comment

    I use the cream in my routine.

    u/effulgentelephantr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    I use the cream and sometimes the spray gel in my routine. I use the foam for refresh days (I wet my hair first ofc lol). I used to get their whip it up mousse…it was amazing. So bummed they don’t make it anymore. I don’t love the curl talk mousse.

  12. PositiveReddit comment

    I love it; my drugstore go-to.

    u/Kaitlynhodr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    I love the curl cream from not your mothers! It’s my drug store go to.

  13. PositiveReddit comment

    The cream is nice.

    u/lobsterbanditoVery fine, low porosity 2b/3ar/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    I have very fine, low porosity 2b/3a hair. I’m sad they reformulated or discontinued the Naturals line because they had great shampoos and conditioners and the price point is great. As far as styling products, I don’t love either of the Curl Talk gels, but the cream is nice, as is the foam. I like the scent of the Curl Talk line.

  14. PositiveReddit comment

    I've just started; it gives juicy hair on my high-porosity hair.

    u/aliveinjoburg2High porosityr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    I just started using the Curl Talk cream and it gives me juicy hair. I have high porosity hair though.

  15. PositiveReddit comment

    I used it for a long time, mixed with the sculpting gel; a good budget option.

    u/opusbotr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    I used the cream for a long time! Mixed with the sculpting gel. I think it's a good budget option.

  16. PositiveReddit comment

    My go-to for years; I use just a tiny bit.

    u/mmedd2B/2Cr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    I’m a 2B/2C and this is my go to Ive been using it for years. I only use the curl cream in my hair though and just a tiny bit.

  17. PositiveReddit comment

    I love it; a quarter-size amount covers my whole head.

    u/SoftSpeakMeanStreakLow porosity, protein thirsty, 2b, lots of ringlets, belly-button lengthr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    I love the curl cream personally. I have low porosity, protein thirsty, 2b hair with a lot of ringlets. I use maybe a quarter size amount on my whole head, my hair is belly button length. Haven’t tried the mousse or refresher, I love Pantene curl mousse. Tried the gel and I don’t like it. I like a slippery gel, so this one was too thick for my liking. My preferred gel is Umberto Gianni Curl Jelly, but it’s hard to find where I live, so I use it sparingly.

  18. PositiveReddit comment

    It does wonders after a wash.

    u/Soggy-Hotel-2419High density, med-low porosity, 2c-3ar/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    High density, med-low porosity, 2c-3a curls! The cream does wonders for my hair after a wash!

  19. PositiveReddit comment

    It works well for me.

    u/TeaWithKermitr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    I’ve been using this line for the past couple of months and I feel like the curl cream works well for me but that I always have a bad hair day when using the spray-on leave-in conditioner. I think that I’m going to nix that from the rotation for now.

  20. PositiveReddit comment

    I occasionally use a small amount.

    u/TheClassicPBJr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    Do Amika please!! Loving these posts. I love the strong hold gel and occasionally use a small amount of the curl cream.

  21. PositiveReddit comment

    I love it as a pre-bed mask; it helps my curls keep their shape.

    u/daiwuff2c/3a, very coarse, porous and thickr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    Oh man I love this cream. I'm currently only using it as a little bit of a “mask” before I wrap my hair for bed and it really helps my curls keep their shape. I can't wait to try it in my wet hair after a shower, but I'm working through other products I'm trying first. I have their spray gel also- I really liked the idea of a sprayable gel, but it works more like a hairspray and does nothing for frizz.

  22. PositiveReddit comment

    It works so well, and it's affordable.

    u/nosuchhthingasluck3a/3br/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    i use the curl cream and mousse on my 3a/3b hair. both work so well and are more affordable than other brands for me since i use them so much . ive tried so many products and i've been sticking with them for awhile now. but if you're going to try a product from the line, the mousse!!!!!

  23. MixedReddit comment

    I liked it a lot, except for the intense fragrance.

    u/EmbarrassedRaccoon342C/3A, medium/high porosity, mid lengthr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    I used to use their curl cream and liked it a lot (except for the intense fragrance). I stopped using curl cream altogether, but otherwise I'd probably still buy it.

  24. MixedReddit comment

    My hair seems to get used to it, so I switch products halfway through a bottle.

    u/eat_my_bowls92r/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    I’m the same way with their hair cream! Once it gets about half way, I switch to a different product for a while. My hair seems to get used to one.

  25. MixedReddit comment

    OK, but it sat on top of my hair instead of sinking in.

    u/Jessisanr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    Hated this brand. I tried the cream and the mousse. The cream was okay, but didn't sink into my hair properly- it just kinda sat on top. The mousse made my hair look worse than it does with no product at all. It was SO frizzy. I wanted it to work because there's not a lot of brands with travel sized mousse and I do a lot of traveling.

  26. MixedReddit comment

    I like it and it gets the job done, but I prefer other brands; medium thickness.

    u/Moth_blossomLow porosityr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    I have low porosity hair i tried the regular Mousse first and it was heavy on my hair and with other products I was using at the time it contributed to a gross feeling on my hair after it was dry that was like waxy and prodcty. I was at ulta talking to an employee and she recommended i try the foam as it's water based and more lightweight. 10/10 recommend the foam it's so much lighter and it gets my curls so curly and it feels good in my hair. Edit: Currently using the curl cream from them as well. I like it i think i prefer the other brands i have used in the past but money is tight for me so it gets the job done. it's a little more of a medium thickness then really lightweight or heavy.

  27. NegativeReddit comment

    I hate the cream.

    u/ummmyeeeahhhr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    Hate the cream, shampoo and conditioner but I love the level 5 gel and the 3-4 mousse. The gel really gets the job done for me

  28. NegativeReddit comment

    I tried the curl cream and hated it.

    u/NarwhalOk2977r/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

  29. NegativeReddit comment

    The curl cream makes my acne break out.

    u/marymoonur/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

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    The gel is okay for me. The curl cream makes my acne break out and the mousse is so sticky for me.

  30. PositiveReddit comment

    I use it as a styler after Aussie coconut leave-in conditioner.

    u/beagoodbearFine on topr/curlyhair, 2024Original comment

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    I use the Curl Talk Cream after the Aussie coconut leave-in conditioner

  31. MentionReddit comment

    I own it.

    u/actualchristmastreer/curlyhair, 2024Original comment

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    I have Marc Anthony mousse, and from curl talk I have the gel and curl cream

  32. PositiveReddit comment

    My hair has never looked better.

    u/ReturnOfTheFox2B/Cr/curlyhair, 2023Original comment

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    My hair is 2B/C. I started using Not Your Mother's a few months ago and my hair has never looked better. I use the Curl Talk Curl Care Shampoo, Curl Talk Bond Building Conditioner, and Curl Talk Defining Cream. On non-wash days I sometimes use the dry shampoo. My daughter has 3B/C hair and also uses these products with great results.

  33. PositiveReddit comment

    Similar results to the gel.

    u/Kathrynlenar/curlyhair, 2023Original comment

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    I just recently switched to using NYM products as well and so far I’m really liking them. I feel like I get similar results using the gel or the cream. I did not like the mousse. It was fine, but for my routine, I much prefer Herbal Essences curl mousse. I had a bunch of old Aussie gel that I didn’t want to waste, so I mixed it with NYM gel and I think I like the combined product more than either gel on its own.

What reviewers say

  • Praised: Juicy, defined curls
  • Praised: A little covers the whole head
  • Complaint: Frizzy and stringy, for a few
  • Complaint: An intense fragrance, for some

What reviewers use instead

Other brands the same reviewers mentioned. A single mention is a lead, not a verdict.

Cantu

  • Leave-in conditioner creams Positive

    Gives me better frizz control than the NYM gel.

    u/DumpstahKatOriginal commentShop

Love Your Curls

More from Not Your Mother’s

The brand review
  1. Curl Talk Refreshing Curl FoamBest likedFoam12 positive·2 mixed·1 negative
  2. Curl Talk Leave-In ConditionerBest likedLeave-in7 positive·1 mixed·1 negative
  3. Naturals Gardenia & Mango Butter Shampoo & ConditionerBest likedShampoo & conditioner4 positive·1 mixed·1 negative
Show all
  1. Curl Talk Curl Activating MousseMousse23 positive·8 mixed·18 negative
  2. Curl Talk Frizz Control Sculpting GelGel10 positive·3 mixed·8 negative

Best liked: rated by at least 4 people, more than half of them positive.

How we collated these reviews

Drawn from 33 comments in 3 Reddit discussions below. We read every comment in each, logged each product a commenter had an opinion on, and classified each opinion as positive, mixed or negative. This is public commentary, not verified purchases or customer ratings. Our full method

Sources