Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Curl Care Shampoo vs Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector
98 facts in comparison
Based on 865 Reddit opinions. Close race—Hair PerfectorOlaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector edges ahead.
865 opinions
Hair Perfector leads by 2pts
VS
80%
B+
Based on
821 Redditors
Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Curl Care Shampoo
~$16.99
494 opinions
tldr; Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Curl Care Shampoo is a popular and effective choice for curly hair, praised for being a gentle cleanser that enhances curls, though some may find it too mild.
Check pricesVS
Reddit's Pick
82%
B+
Based on
687 Redditors
Winner
Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector
~$34
371 opinions
tldr; Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector is widely recommended and praised for repairing bleach and heat damaged hair, helping curls regain their spring.
Check prices⭐CUR
⭐HOL
⭐MOI
⚖️PRO
⭐ING
67
Points
59
Points
Score by Category
Curl Definition
70%91%
Hold
70%67%
Moisture & Hydration
47%58%
Product Weight
50%0%
Ingredients
64%50%
Why is 3 Hair Perfector better than Curl Care Shampoo?
- Higher Reddit score (82% vs 80%)
- Better curl definition (91% vs 70%)
- Better moisture (58% vs 47%)
- ⭐ Highly recommended for major bleach damage.
Based on 1,508 Reddit opinions
Too Close to Call
Reddit prefers the Hair PerfectorOlaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector
Winning by 2 points (82% vs 80%)
Better curl definition
Better moisture
Highly recommended for major bleach damage.
High confidence (1,508 mentions)
💬Reddit Sentiment
Based on 1,508 Reddit mentionsOverall Rating
Care Shampoo
8.0/10
821 mentions
Hair Perfector
8.2/10
687 mentions
INGREDIENTS
Care Shampoo6.4/10
Hair Perfector5.0/10
HOLD
Care Shampoo7.0/10
Hair Perfector6.7/10
VALUE
Care Shampoo9.8/10
Hair Perfector2.7/10
WEIGHT
Care Shampoo5.0/10
Hair Perfector0.0/10
MOISTURE
Care Shampoo4.7/10
Hair Perfector5.8/10
CURL DEFINITION
Care Shampoo7.0/10
Hair Perfector9.1/10
⚔️
Head to Head
| Topic | Care Shampoo | Hair Perfector |
|---|---|---|
Ingredients | 64% | 50% |
Hold | 70% | 67% |
Value | 98% | 27% |
Weight | 50% | 0% |
Moisture | 47% | 58% |
Curl Definition | 70% | 91% |
Category Wins
Care Shampoo: 4|Hair Perfector: 2
Head to Head
Care Shampoo: 4|Hair Perfector: 2
IngredientsCare Shampoo
Care Shampoo64%
Hair Perfector50%
HoldCare Shampoo
Care Shampoo70%
Hair Perfector67%
ValueCare Shampoo
Care Shampoo98%
Hair Perfector27%
WeightCare Shampoo
Care Shampoo50%
Hair Perfector0%
MoistureHair Perfector
Care Shampoo47%
Hair Perfector58%
Curl DefinitionHair Perfector
Care Shampoo70%
Hair Perfector91%
Care Shampoo
80%
82%
Hair Perfector
Care Shampoo80%
Hair Perfector82%
Close race - Hair Perfector edges ahead by 2 points
Key Specs
| Spec | Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Curl Care Shampoo | Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector |
|---|---|---|
| Hair Type | All curly hair types (2A-4C) | — |
| Formula Attributes | Sulfate surfactant-free, silicone-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, drying alcohol-free, gluten-free, dye-free, cruelty-free | Sulfate-free, paraben-free, vegan, gluten-free, cruelty-free, protein-free |
| Key Ingredients | Rice Curl Complex (rice, keratin amino acids, enzymes), Shea Butter | — |
| Scent | Citrus Jasmine | — |
| Usage | Leave-in, rinse-out, or co-wash | — |
Key Highlights
Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Curl Care ShampooWinner
⭐ Praised for taking curls to "a whole other
⭐ Described as a gentle cleanser.
⭐ Recommended as a lighter shampoo option.
⭐ Part of a popular and effective overall routine.
⚠ Might not be cleansing enough for some users.
Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector
⭐ Highly recommended for major bleach damage.
⭐ Saved hair from inexperienced stylists & damage.
⭐ Helps curls get their spring back.
⚙ Functions as bond repair, not a conditioner.
⭐ Many people "swear by" it.
Topic Battles
Care Shampoo: 3|Tied: 0|Hair Perfector: 2
⭐Curl Definition
Hair Perfector winsCare Shampoo
70%
Hair Perfector
91%
⭐Hold
Care Shampoo winsCare Shampoo
70%
Hair Perfector
67%
⭐Moisture & Hydration
Hair Perfector winsCare Shampoo
47%
Hair Perfector
58%
⚖️Product Weight
Care Shampoo winsCare Shampoo
50%
Hair Perfector
0%
⭐Ingredients
Care Shampoo winsCare Shampoo
64%
Hair Perfector
50%
Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories
📈Where They Rank
💬What Redditors Actually Say
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector
Best Praise
+285 pts“Olaplex #3 will revive the curls but I suggest you leave it overnight and wash out next day I have 2C hair and same issue when straightening hair. Think it's better to blow dry straight, lay it down straight with durag or bonnet, and then low heat straighten with oil/heat protectant EDIT: OP bc your hair is dyed it's more sensitive to the heat. So I'd advise you to stay away from heat if you wanna keep your curls. Someone else said that olaplex only works when wet and for an hour. That might be true, but I've experimented with leaving olaplex in 3, 6, 8 hours and 6 to overnight resulted in tighter curls. I have long hair low porosity so it doesn't completely dry until next day and that might be why it works better for me”
r/curlyhair
ViewTop Criticism
+24 pts“I used K18 and olaplex. Personally for me they didn't do anything magical that any other good protein based deep conditioner didn't do. For instance the hask keratin deep conditioner. Did a much better job in reducing frizz, adding shine and definition to my hair compared to k18 or olaplex.”
r/curlyhair
View3 more quotes available below
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Curl Care Shampoo
Best Praise
+1151 pts“I have very similar hair and I use herbal essence orange mousse followed by nym curl talk gel and it works awesome neither are expensive.”
r/curlyhair
ViewTop Criticism
+35 pts“My husband hates the scent of the Curl Talk line. I got two different variations of NYM, kids and curl definition shampoo/conditioner, and he has no problem with it. But if I touch the refreshing foam, he knows immediately. Turned the bathroom fan on it offended him so much 🤣”
r/curlyhair
View3 more quotes available below
Sentiment Over Time
Care Shampoo
Hair Perfector
📈Historical Price Data
Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Curl Care Shampoo
Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector
Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Curl Care Shampoo
All-time low: $5.85(2022-08)
$7 below 90-day avg
Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector
All-time low: $15(2024-09)
Which is Better?
Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector Wins
82%
Perfector
vs
80%
Shampoo
Close race, but Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector edges ahead by 2 points based on 1,508 Reddit opinions.
Why Hair PerfectorWinner
- ⭐ Highly recommended for major bleach damage.
- ⭐ Saved hair from inexperienced stylists & damage.
- ⭐ Helps curls get their spring back.
Why Care Shampoo
- Better Value for Money (98% vs 27%)
❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown
Sentiment Breakdown
45%Positive
Positive
45%Neutral
46%Negative
9%Based on 687 Reddit opinions
Sentiment Breakdown
49%Positive
Positive
49%Neutral
39%Negative
12%Based on 821 Reddit opinions
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector or Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Curl Care Shampoo?
Based on 1,508 Reddit comments, Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector has a slight edge with 82% positive sentiment vs Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Curl Care Shampoo's 80%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.
Should I buy Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector or Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Curl Care Shampoo?
Both have similar approval ratings (82% vs 80%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
What do Redditors love about Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector?
Reddit users highlight: Highly recommended for major bleach damage.. Saved hair from inexperienced stylists & damage.. Helps curls get their spring back.. With 687 mentions and 82% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Curl Care Shampoo?
Reddit users highlight: Praised for taking curls to "a whole other. Described as a gentle cleanser.. Recommended as a lighter shampoo option.. With 821 mentions and 80% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 1,508 Reddit comments: 687 about Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector and 821 about Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Curl Care Shampoo. Data was sourced from Curly hair products community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.
865 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 6/14/2026