Brand comparison
Miss Jessie's vs Aunt Jackie's: Which Curl Brand Is Better?
Both brands have a well-loved cream and gel. Aunt Jackie's is much cheaper and slightly better rated; Miss Jessie's suits fine hair better.
| Compared | Miss Jessie’s | Aunt Jackie’s |
|---|---|---|
| What reviewers think | Loved, with a catch: Soft definition. Divisive scent. | Mostly positive: Big results. Small price. |
| Curl Score | 3.9 Good | 4.2 Great |
| People with an opinion | 70 | 51 |
| Best-liked product | Pillow Soft Curls | Curl La La Defining Curl Custard |
| More promising for | Waves, curls and coils that want soft definition without crunch, if you can live with the fragrance. | Medium to coarse curls and coils, children's detangling, and anyone who wants reliable results on a budget. |
| Think twice if | You are sensitive to fragrance, you avoid silicones, or your fine hair is quickly weighed down by creams. | Your hair is fine and easily weighed down, or your scalp reacts to rich creams. |
Miss Jessie's and Aunt Jackie's have a lot in common. Each has a well-liked curl cream, a gel with loyal fans and a popular leave-in. Aunt Jackie's has a slightly higher Curl Score and costs much less. Miss Jessie's covers a wider range of hair types, including fine waves.
The main difference
Curl cream: both are well liked. Aunt Jackie's Curl La La has fewer critics in proportion and gives soft, defined, bouncy curls, though it's too heavy for some. Miss Jessie's Pillow Soft Curls has more reviews, and is the one recommended for fine to medium waves.
Gel: Miss Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls has almost no critics. Aunt Jackie's Don't Shrink Flaxseed Gel is a cheap gel that rivals pricier ones for many, but turns gummy, sticky or drying for a few.
Fine hair: Miss Jessie's has Feather Soft Curls for fine hair. Aunt Jackie's gets complaints about weight on fine hair.
Price: Aunt Jackie's wins clearly. Reviewers point to an 18oz tub of gel for about $7.
Scent: both get complaints. Miss Jessie's smells like fabric softener, and some Aunt Jackie's scents are ones reviewers can't stand.
Which to choose
Choose Aunt Jackie's if your curls are medium to coarse or coily, you want reliable results on a budget, or you're detangling children's hair.
Choose Miss Jessie's if your hair is fine, or you want the more dependable gel.
Skip Miss Jessie's if you avoid silicones. Skip Aunt Jackie's if your scalp reacts to rich creams.
The verdict
For medium to coarse curls, Aunt Jackie's gives similar results for less. For fine hair, or the most reliable gel, Miss Jessie's is worth paying more for.
Head to head
Each brand's strongest product of each type, by what reviewers say.
Amazon links on this page are affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. How this works
Curl cream
Miss Jessie’s
18 positive·6 mixed·3 negativeThe most reviewed and most recommended product in the range: soft, uncrunchy definition, for anyone who can bear the smell.
Best for Fine to medium waves and curls that want soft definition without crunch
Aunt Jackie’s
Curl La La Defining Curl Custard
13 positive·1 mixed·1 negativeA well-liked custard for soft, defined, bouncy curls and refresh days, though too heavy for some.
Best for Soft definition on medium-length curls, alone or under a gel
Gel
Miss Jessie’s
15 positive·1 negativeThe best liked gel in the range: reviewers repurchase it for years, with one clear exception on fine hair.
Best for Anyone after soft, lasting definition
Aunt Jackie’s
Don’t Shrink Flaxseed Elongating Curling Gel
9 positive·1 mixed·3 negativeA cheap, long-lasting gel that rivals pricier ones for many, though gummy, sticky or drying for some.
Best for A budget gel for medium to coarse curls
Which suits your hair
What reviewers with each kind of hair report.
Fine or wavy hair
Miss Jessie’s
Feather Soft Curls is the one reviewers with fine hair pick over Pillow Soft, and all five who mention it like it. The Leave In Condish is another that fine-haired reviewers say doesn’t weigh curls down.
Aunt Jackie’s
Go carefully. A reviewer with fine 3A/3B hair found the Flaxseed gel gummy on sopping wet hair, a reviewer with fine, long hair says the whole line left it straw-like and greasy, and Curl La La was too heavy for another.
Thick, dense or coily hair
Miss Jessie’s
Multicultural Curls is the one reviewers with thicker hair name most: a reviewer with low-porosity 3B-4A curls highly recommends it, and another rates it above Pillow Soft on 3B-3C hair. Opinion isn’t unanimous.
Aunt Jackie’s
Reviewers don't single out Aunt Jackie’s for this.
Strong hold
Miss Jessie’s
Jelly Soft Curls is the gel, and the best liked product in the range. Reviewers say the curls stay soft and intact all day, even when dancing and sweating, and that it avoids the scrunchy feel of other gels.
Try Jelly Soft Curls
Aunt Jackie’s
Reviewers don't single out Aunt Jackie’s for this.
Sensitive scalp or scent-sensitive
Miss Jessie’s
This is the brand’s weak spot. Feather Soft Curls is the one reviewers call mild, and a reviewer who is very sensitive to scents says the Leave In Condish has been good to her.
Aunt Jackie’s
Reviewers don't single out Aunt Jackie’s for this.
Children's hair
Miss Jessie’s
Reviewers don't single out Miss Jessie’s for this.
Aunt Jackie’s
Parents are some of the most enthusiastic reviewers. The Knot On My Watch detangler is described as a miracle on a son's matted neck curls and the best detangler for a curly 'nest', and Curl La La worked wonders for one reviewer and their daughter.
Starting out or on a budget
Miss Jessie’s
Pillow Soft Curls is the most reviewed and the most recommended, and paired with Jelly Soft Curls it is the routine reviewers call their daily go-to. Because the scent is such a deal-breaker, try it in a shop or a small size before you commit.
Aunt Jackie’s
This is the brand's strength. Reviewers say the Flaxseed gel gives results very similar to Kinky-Curly Curling Custard for a fraction of the price, and one reviewer with coarse 3B hair uses only the gel for a cast that lasts up to a week.
Based on what commenters with similar hair reported. Hair varies.
What reviewers like and dislike
Miss Jessie’s
- Praised: Soft definition without crunch or a stiff cast
- Praised: Second-day hair that still looks good
- Praised: Staples that reviewers have repurchased for years
- Praised: Lightweight options for fine hair, such as Feather Soft Curls
- Praised: A range made for many textures, from fine waves to coils
- Complaint: A fabric-softener scent that some find nauseating
- Complaint: Heavy or greasy results on fine hair, for a few
- Complaint: Silicones in many of the products
- Complaint: Skin or scalp reactions, for a handful of reviewers
- Complaint: Price and availability, especially outside the US
Aunt Jackie’s
- Praised: Very cheap for the amount
- Praised: The Quench leave-in
- Praised: Soft, defined, bouncy curls from Curl La La
- Praised: A Flaxseed gel that rivals pricier gels
- Praised: Detanglers that work on children's knots
- Complaint: Gummy, sticky or drying gel, for a few
- Complaint: Heavy on fine hair
- Complaint: Stopped working for some long-time users
- Complaint: Spray bottles with a straight stream
- Complaint: Scents some can't stand