Bumble and bumble
Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Heat/UV Protective Primer
7.8Good
A six-oil leave-in primer spray that detangles, softens and adds heat protection to 450°F plus UV filters, at a salon-brand price.
Leave-in5$34.00
Curl Talk Defining Cream
A cheap, lightweight rice-protein curl cream that defines and softens waves and curls but gives little hold without a gel.
7.8
Good
Beauty score
#3 of 8 styling
Community
—/10
- Format
- Curl cream
- Size
- 6 fl oz
- Price per oz
- $1.84 / oz
- Price tier
- Drugstore
Made for: Wavy hair · Curly hair · Coily hair · Color-treated hair
Last reviewed November 2, 2026 by our editors · How we score
The verdict
A cheap, lightweight rice-protein curl cream that defines and softens waves and curls but gives little hold without a gel.
Curl Talk Defining Cream is Not Your Mother's drugstore styling cream for waves, curls and coils, built on the brand's Rice Curl Complex of rice extract, keratin amino acids and enzymes. The brand says it boosts definition, seals in moisture and controls frizz, and lists it as free of sulfate surfactants, silicones and parabens. Curly-hair creators have reviewed it widely for years. Reddit users like it as a light, non-greasy cream for fine waves but note it provides little hold on its own, and the brand recommends layering its Sculpting Gel on top.
Best for
- Wavy and curly hair that wants soft definition without crunch
- Budget shoppers building a cream-plus-gel routine
- Protein-tolerant curls (a fragrance- and protein-free version exists)
What we love
- Very affordable for a curl cream
- Light enough for fine waves when used sparingly, per the brand and Reddit users
- Free of sulfate surfactants, silicones and parabens
- Rice extract and keratin amino acids help define curl clumps
Worth knowing
- Little hold on its own; the brand recommends layering a gel
- Contains protein and fragrance, which some curls don't tolerate
- The brand's site no longer sells direct, so prices vary by retailer
How it scored
The breakdown.
Five factors, weighted for formulas. Here’s our working.
7.8Good
Beauty score out of 10. Brands can’t pay for placement — ever.
- Results30%7.5
Creators and Reddit users report soft, defined, low-frizz waves and curls, though several note it gives little hold unless a gel goes on top.
- Formula & ingredients20%7.4
A silicone- and sulfate-free cream with rice extract, keratin amino acids and conditioning polymers; the protein and fragrance won't suit every head of curls.
- Texture & experience15%7.6
Reddit users describe it as light and not greasy and easy to scrunch out, with a citrus-jasmine scent; fine hair needs only a small amount.
- Value20%8.8
At $10.99 for 6 fl oz it is among the cheapest widely reviewed curl creams, and creators note it is easy to find at Target and Walmart.
- Community love15%7.7
A long-running drugstore staple reviewed by many curly-hair YouTubers, generally liked by wavy and curly Redditors who often pair it with a gel.
Beauty profile
Inside the bottle.
Texture
Lightweight styling cream that the brand says is not shea butter- or oil-based
Format
Curl cream
Fragrance
Contains fragrance — Citrus-jasmine (brand)
Size
6 fl oz / 177 ml
Key ingredients
Ingredient encyclopedia →- RiRice extract & fermentBotanicals & ferments — ingredient guide
- K&Keratin & proteinsHair & scalp — ingredient guide
What’s in it: Rice Curl Complex of rice extract, keratin amino acids and an enzyme (acyl coenzyme A desaturase), with shea butter ethyl esters, polyquaternium-10 and fermented tomato and radish extracts.
How to use
On damp hair, apply a quarter-size amount evenly from roots to ends, adding more as needed, then air dry or style; the brand suggests scrunching Curl Talk Sculpting Gel over it for hold.
Free from (brand-stated)
- sulfate surfactants
- silicones
- parabens
- phthalates
- drying alcohols
- gluten
- dyes
Claims & certifications
- Cruelty-free (brand-stated)
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Paraben-free
Full ingredient list (INCI)21 ingredients · key actives highlighted · as listed by the brand
- Water (Aqua) (Eau),
- Polyacrylamide,
- C13-14 Isoalkane,
- Shea Butter Ethyl Esters,
- Polyquaternium-10,
- Keratin Amino Acids,
- Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract,
- Acyl Coenzyme A Desaturase,
- Lactobacillus/Tomato Fruit Ferment Extract,
- Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate,
- PG-Hydroxyethylcellulose Cocodimonium Chloride,
- Laureth-7,
- Disodium EDTA,
- Citric Acid,
- Ethylhexylglycerin,
- Phenoxyethanol,
- Fragrance (Parfum),
- Linalool,
- Limonene,
- Hydroxycitronellal,
- Citronellol.
Formulas change. Always check the packaging, and patch-test if your skin is reactive.
Creator video reviews
Watch it in action.
Real reviews, try-ons and wear tests from independent creators — verified with TikTok and YouTube and labelled when sponsored.
We don’t pay creators for reviews, and they don’t pay us. Nothing from TikTok or YouTube loads until you press play.
What people say
Straight from the source.
Verbatim from Reddit, forums, blogs and the beauty press — linked, so you can read the whole thread.
4 verbatim quotes · 3 positive · 1 mixed
r/WavyhairPositive
I found gel and mousse were also making my waves stringy so I switched to NYM curl talk cream after the NYM leave in conditioner. I don’t get the same definition as gel, but I can scrunch the crunch and it doesn’t get frizzy.
r/curlyhairPositive
I love this brand for my finer 3a-c hair. I pretty much only use nym curl talk. Shampoo, conditioner, curl cream and mousse.
r/curlyhairPositive
Hydrolyzed rice protein is very good at this and will fill the gaps in bleached hair so it curls better. Try NYM Curl Talk Curl Cream.
r/curlyhairMixed
You are currently using creams (Cantu / NYM defining cream), which provide moisture but no structural hold.
Price & value
Is it worth it?
Typical price
$10.99
for 6 fl oz / 177 ml
Per ounce
$1.84
DrugstoreMid-rangePrestigeLuxury
About 54% less per ounce than the typical styling we review. Our value score: 8.8/10 for a drugstore pick.
Price checked November 2026 at a non-Amazon retailer. Prices change — retailers show the current one.
Where to buy
We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. It never affects our scores or what we recommend. How we make money
Community
What members noticed.
Ratings, skin types and the benefits people actually saw — logged on the Benefit Wheel.
No member ratings yet.
Tried it? Your score — and your skin or hair type — helps the next person decide.
Highlighted: what it’s built to do.
Discussion
No discussions yet.
Tried Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Defining Cream? Ask a question or share how it’s working for your skin or hair — you’ll be the first.
FAQ
Good questions.
Do I need a gel with Curl Talk Defining Cream?
Not necessarily, but the brand says layering gives the best definition and hold: apply the cream first on soaking-wet hair, then scrunch in Curl Talk Sculpting Gel. Reddit users note the cream alone provides moisture but little hold.
Does Curl Talk Defining Cream contain protein?
Yes. The standard version contains keratin amino acids as part of the Rice Curl Complex. Not Your Mother's makes a separate Fragrance & Protein Free Defining Cream for protein-sensitive hair.
Will it weigh down fine waves?
The brand says it suits 2A to 4C patterns and advises a dime-size amount on soaking-wet hair, kept away from the roots, for fine or thin waves. Thicker coils need more product applied in sections.
Is it silicone-free and cruelty-free?
The brand lists it as free of sulfate surfactants, silicones, parabens, phthalates, drying alcohols, gluten and dyes, and says its products are cruelty-free.
Sources we checked (8)
- notyourmothers.com/products/curl-talk-defining-cream
- notyourmothers.com/products/curl-talk-defining-cream.json
- notyourmothers.com/pages/about
- reddit.com/r/Wavyhair/comments/1ohkdil/stringy_waves_no_matter_what/
- reddit.com/r/curlyhair/comments/1wpgv0n/your_opinion_on_popular_curly_hair_brands_day_12/
- reddit.com/r/curlyhair/comments/1w9ws3h/how_to_care_for_short_curly_hair/
- reddit.com/r/curlyhair/comments/1x5i1sn/not_sure_what_to_do_need_help/
- amazon.com/s?k=Not+Your+Mother%27s+Curl+Talk+Defining+Cream
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