Editor’s Note, August 2015: The brand Hello Curly no longer exists, Curly Magic is currently being sold by Uncle Funky’s Daughter here.
There’s been a lot of buzz in recent months about the emerging brand, Hello Curly. Most people recall Uncle Funky’s Daughter and their holy grail fave, Curly Magic. Many also recall Tonya Goff, co-founder of Uncle Funky’s Daughter. When the Curly Magic formula changed and Hello Curly sprouted up under Goff’s name as sole owner, many naturalistas were confused. Why did Uncle Funky’s Daughter change their already perfect formula? What is Hello Curly Curl Stimulator, and is it the same as Curly Magic, like Goff says?
According to Goff and other sources, Tonya and her husband went through a grueling divorce and she was forced to sell Uncle Funky’s Daughter against her wishes as a part of the process of dividing assets. She then took her Curly Magic cult favorite formula and rebranded it as Curl Stimulator, under the new label Hello Curly.
Although I never tried the original formula of Uncle Funky’s Daughter, there are several comparison reviews online and the conclusions are all the same: Hello Curly’s Curl Stimulator IS the old Curly Magic.
The Holy Grail lives on under a new name. All of the raves online about Curly Magic and now Curl Stimulator got me curious. How would Hello Curly stack up against favorites of mine like Camille Rose Naturals Curl Maker? Let’s find out.
Ingredient List
Organic Aloe Vera Juice, Aqueous-Infused Extracts of Marshmallow, Chamomile, Nettle, Horsetail, Vitamin E, Agave Nectar Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate and Natural Fragrance
Top Ingredients 411
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Organic Aloe Vera Juiceacts as a natural conditioning agent that restores the hair’s sheen, luster, and shine. It not only makes the hair soft, but it also enhances strength and suppleness. Acts as a natural conditioning agent that restores the hair’s sheen, luster, and shine. It not only makes the hair soft, but it also enhances strength and suppleness.
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Aqueous Infusion of Herbs and Extracts: These herbs and extracts provide slip, conditioning, shine, moisture, and nourishment to the strands while strengthening the follicle and healing damage.
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Citric Acid is a natural extract derived from citrus fruits, it is a widely accepted organic acid used in the cosmetics and food industries as a preservative and a pH control agent. It has antioxidant properties and is used as a stabilizer.
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Potassium Sorbate is a potassium salt of sorbic acid, a naturally occurring antimicrobial compound; used as a preservative.
Product Claim/Description
“Everybody loves curly hair. It’s unique in its own right, and just like people, no two curls are the same. At Hello Curly, we think of ourselves as Curly Crusaders, on a mission to banish frizz, define curls, and connect souls across the planet. We must warn you, when you use our products all kinds of lovelies will send compliments your way. Take it very personally. It is the Universe’s way of affirming to you that you are beautiful, you are magnificent, and your curls are uniquely amazing!”
“Moisturizes and defines medium to loose curly strands without leaving it crunchy or flaky. Works well to maintain definition on tight curls that have a visible curl pattern when wet, but dries with a kinky afro texture. Tames frizz and defines curls. Firm hold, lots of shine, no crunch. Lasting 2nd and 3rd day curls. Moisturizes and defines medium to loose curly strands without leaving it crunchy or flaky. Works well to maintain definition on tight curls that have a visible curl pattern when wet, but dries with a kinky afro texture.”
Performance/Delivery
Out the gate, the first thing I noticed about Curl Stimulator was the SLIP. Major, major, maaaaajor slip. Any tangles that remained in my head after washing didn’t stand a chance. I definitely think Hello Curly needs to expand their line to include a detangler, because they’ve got that formulation on lock!
The SLIP. Major, major, maaaaajor slip.
Needless to say, the product distributed easily throughout the hair. The moment I applied the Curl Stimulator to my hair, my frizz disappeared. My curls were very well defined — it did an excellent job at capturing that “wet look” curl I like to rock from time to time.
Curl Stimulator definitely has a learning curve. This is not one gel that you can just haphazardly slap in your hair and hope for the best. It is really potent, something I didn’t expect from an all-natural, botanical gel. I played with the gel on several occasions to see what application techniques would give me the best result. I was able to follow pretty much every step I do normally to define my curls, except be heavy-handed with styling product. Overuse can lead to super defined, stringy curls, and may lend itself to stickiness.
Using 1-2 pumps per large section of hair seemed to do the trick. This gel works great alone, or in conjunction with other leave-ins and moisturizers. I had absolutely no trouble mixing it with my faves, and it easily got me to day 3 and 4 hair without feeling dried out or crunchy. I was able to progressively achieve that “right” amount of frizz and definition in the days following, which I absolutely loved!
Oh and the shine? Epic.
Availability
Hello Curly Curl Stimulator is available online at www.hellocurly.com and through online retailers like www.hattache.com and www.hairizon.com.
Affordability
At $25 for 18 oz., Curl Stimulator is definitely on the more affordable end of things, considering the quality. Most botanical curl definers are $12 and up for 8 oz. (or less”>, and the 18 oz. jar of Hello Curly Curl Stimulator is HUGE! Especially considering how little you have to use to get great results. My bottle is going to last me a looooong time.
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Bonuses, Drawbacks, and Bottom Line
- Hands down, the slip. Any product that glides through my hair, kicking tangles and taking names is a winner in my book. Getting product through my hair shouldn’t be a struggle, and Hello Curly understands that.
- To be quite honest, I’m not a huge fan of the fragrance. It isn’t strong and artificial, on the contrary it’s very green, earthy, and gentle. It doesn’t bother me enough to have me discontinue using Curl Stimulator, because it’s not overbearing and fades quickly.
- If you’re looking to clean up your curl definers and use more products that are good for your hair, Hello Curly Curl Stimulator is the one. It does exactly what it says it will do, without drying or dulling your natural curls. A lot of naturalistas have put Hello Curly Curl Stimulator on their holy grail list — and I see why! I’m just about ready to add it to mine!
