Curly Hair Society
N

Foam · Not Your Mother’s

Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Refreshing Curl Foam

4.5

Excellent

15 opinions from 15 people

Positive
12
Mixed
2
Negative
1
How is the Curl Score calculated?

We read 2 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

A light, water-based foam that's well liked for refresh days, with a softer hold than the mousse.

The full verdict

Reviewers describe it as much lighter than the mousse and not sticky, and one has rebought it about 8 times as a staple that works alone or layered. Others rate it 10/10 for making curls curlier, say it works really well on low-porosity 2B hair, or call it the only product of the brand they like. The hold is softer, it's only useful when curls are still in decent shape, and too much weighs hair down. One reviewer hates it.

Best for
Refreshing waves and loose curls between washes

Reviewer experiences

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

See all 16 reviews
  1. PositiveReddit comment

    I've rebought it about 8 times: a staple that works alone or layered for extra hold.

    u/dibarrie3a-3br/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

    Read the full comment

    I am a WHORE for the curl talk foam. Ive tried many things and would usually not finish the bottle. This is the first one I've consecutively bought like 8 times now. It's definitely a staple in my bathroom. It's really nice by itself for lazy days and great to layer on the days I want a bit more hold. I have 3a-3b hair. Pic is my hair with the curl talk foam and air-dried. I scrunched with ogx argan oil when it was fully dry.

  2. MixedReddit comment

    It works as a styler, but weighs my hair down if I use too much.

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

    Read the full comment

    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)

  3. NegativeReddit comment

    I hate the refresh foam; never again.

    u/BeautifulBunny_2092b-3a, medium porosity, low density, finer/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

    Read the full comment

    I’m new to my waves/curls and this is the line I picked up first and learned with mostly. It’s just ok but definitely better products out there. Agree it tends to leave a film on my hair. Have 2b-3a, medium porosity, low density, fine hair. Most used products from the line are the leave-in, gel 3 and flash freeze. Have the refresh foam and hate it. Never again. Just the travel size mousse left and much prefer Herbal Essences or Doux.

  4. PositiveReddit comment

    It works really well on my low-porosity 2B hair.

    u/Soggy-Pain4847Low porosity, 2Br/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

    Read the full comment

    The foam and flash freeze gel have worked really well for my low porosity, 2B hair

  5. PositiveReddit comment

    My hair loves the refreshing foam.

    u/fireantheadr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

    Read the full comment

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

  6. PositiveReddit comment

    I use it for refresh days.

    u/effulgentelephantr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

    Read the full comment

    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.

  7. PositiveReddit comment

    The foam is nice.

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

    Read the full comment

    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.

  8. PositiveReddit comment

    I love the refreshing curl foam.

    u/Witty_Farmer_5957r/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

    Read the full comment

    Love the refreshing curl foam

  9. PositiveReddit comment

    10/10: lighter, water-based, and it makes my curls curlier.

    u/Moth_blossomLow porosityr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

    Read the full comment

    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.

  10. PositiveReddit comment

    I like the refreshing foam; the other products don't work for me.

    u/jennifer_m13r/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

    Read the full comment

    I like the curl refreshing foam but the other stuff just doesn’t work.

  11. PositiveReddit comment

    The only product I like; it works well on day 2 hair.

    u/Nearby_Ad_4372Fine, curlyr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

    Read the full comment

    The only product I like of theirs is the refreshing foam. I find it works well on my day 2 hair. Their gel was too hard for my fine, curly hair. The mousse always left a weird texture. The leave in was okay, but I have had better.

  12. MixedReddit comment

    OK, but only useful when my curls are still in decent shape; no replacement for a wash day.

    u/GloomyCicada9508r/curlyhair, 2026Original comment

    Read the full comment

    I like the hard hold gel. Its very viscous. Watery or lightweight gels don't work for me because my hair will just frizz up before a cast forms without something gloopy holding it in place lol. Its not too expensive either, I wish they sold it at kroger though since I never go to Target. I'm currently not using it though, I'm using gorilla snot instead because its cheap af and the consistency does a good job holding my hair in place before a cast forms. I've also used the NYM curl talk mousse. It's okay, but I've found if I use too many products in my hair I won't get a gel cast, so I only use gel. I”ve also used the refreshing foam. It's okay, but its only really useful when your curls are still in an somewhat okay state, its no replacement for a full washday.

  13. PositiveReddit comment

    Great.

    u/madele44Low density hairr/curlyhair, 2023Original comment

    Read the full comment

    I've been using NYM products consistently for about 9 years. I like their shampoos and conditioners (the original line, the bond line, and the clarifying scalp clay scrub in the little tube). I always have at least one in my rotation at all times. My curls are obsessed with their mousse. I've tried so many products from salon quality brands, and I always come back to this mousse. Their refresh foam is great, also. The gel doesn't do it for me. Out of all their products I've tried, the gel is the only thing I didn't like. However, many people love that gel. My low density hair just doesn't like it. While this brand works for a lot of people, it just might not be for you, and that's okay, too.

  14. PositiveReddit comment

    Less hold, but definitely not sticky.

    u/mermaidslp2B/C, low porosityr/curlyhair, 2023Original comment

    Read the full comment

    I use the curl talk refresh foam. Not as much hold as others since it’s supposed to be for refreshing curls, but definitely not sticky.

  15. PositiveReddit comment

    Much lighter than the styling mousse; doesn't weigh my hair down.

    u/caffeinatedlackeyMixed curls and wavesr/curlyhair, 2023Original comment

    Read the full comment

    I love the curl talk refreshing foam! It's much lighter than the regular styling mousse so it doesn't weigh down my hair as much. I have mixed curls and waves that do best with lightweight products that allow them to bounce up.

  16. MixedReddit comment

    A decent replacement, but not as good as the discontinued Sea Kale foam.

    u/mermaidslp2B/C, low porosityr/curlyhair, 2023Original comment

    Read the full comment

    I’ve been using the Blue Sea Kale line for years and love it. The foam that went with it was my holy grail, and then they discontinued it. I use the curl talk foam now which is decent, but not as good as the other foam. I suppose it’s meant to be used as a refresh vs regular foam so that’s why. I’m 2B/C, low porosity.

What reviewers say

  • Praised: Light and not sticky
  • Praised: Revives curls on day 2
  • Complaint: Softer hold than the mousse
  • Complaint: Weighs hair down if overused

What reviewers use instead

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

Marc Anthony

Show 6 more

Herbal Essences

Aunt Jackie's

  • Frizz Patrol mousse Positive

    Loving it: super lightweight and touchable.

    u/gradualgooseOriginal comment

Cake

John Frieda

  • Dream Curls Mousse (old formula, pre-2022) Positive

    The only other product that worked for me, but only the pre-2022 formula.

    u/Super-WidgetOriginal comment

Paul Mitchell

  • Hydrowhip mousse Positive

    Expensive, but the best mousse I've used; a little goes a long way.

    u/Physical_Reveal_7397Original comment

More from Not Your Mother’s

The brand review
  1. Curl Talk Curl CreamBest likedStyling cream23 positive·5 mixed·4 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 16 comments in 2 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