Wash n' Go Curl Challenge: Curls Goodes Curls vs. Miss Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls Product Review


Let's get ready to rummmmmmmble!

Not really.

Ok but seriously, let's talk about a good wash n' go. The further along I get in my transition, the less I actually want to do to my hair. Not because I'm lazy or pressed for time (moreso the latter if anything), but because I really really, like really love the curl pattern that's coming in. So much that I don't really let the heat damaged ends bother me. Now that I've officially entered the curl defining product junkie hunt phase of my transition (let's call it CDPJH Syndrome for short), I've been experimenting with different products and combinations. Here are some of the products I've tried:
  • As I Am Smoothing Gel
  • Beautiful Textures Curl Definer Styling Custard
  • Miss Jessie's Super Sweetback Treatment
  • Purgasm Shop Wild Cherry Poppin' Curl Gel
  • Obia Natural Hair
  • Miss Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls
  • Curls Goddess Curls
I'll be doing reviews on all of those products soon (especially Obia and Purgasm). But for this head to head, I wanted to compare two products that make similar claims. Ready? Let's go!

Showdown Round 1: Ingredients (top 6) & Analysis

Goddess Curls: Water, Sorbitol, Polyacrylate-14, Polyquaternium-7, Polysorbate 20, Organic Mango Seed Butter
  • Sorbitol: Naturally occurring element in fruits and veggies, but can also be synthetically made from hydrolyzed corn starch. Much like glycerin, it adds slip to a product, as well as functions as a humectant and a thickener. It helps cosmetics from drying out in their containers.
  • Polyacrylate-14: polymer for hair styling that combines long-lasting style support and exceptional humidity resistance.
  • Polyquaternium-7: Polymeric quaternary ammonium salt used as an antistatic agent and hair fixative (for hold).
  • Polysorbate 20: Emulsifier that enables oil and water to mix. It helps product disperse, is a thickener, and stabilizer of essential oils.
  • Mango Seed Butter: Rich in beta carotene, essential fatty acids and vitamins A and E. This ingredient also helps to treat dry skin and protect against future dryness.
Jelly Soft Curls: Water, Polysorbate 20, Glycerin, Carbomer, PVP, Triethanolamine
  • Polysorbate 20: Emulsifier that enables oil and water to mix. It helps product disperse, is a thickener, and stabilizer of essential oils.
  • Glycerin: Generally vegetable-based humectant that absorbs and retains moisture from the air.
  • Carbomer: Emulsion (mix) stabilizer, viscosity increasing and gel forming agent.
  • PVP: Polyvinylpyrrolidone, a faint yellow solid polymer that helps to keep oils and liquids from separating. PVP also acts as a sealant, forming a thin layer over hair to retain moisture.
  • Triethanolamine: Alkaline substance used for pH adjustment, fragrance, and as a surfactant.
And the Winner Is: In this round, the superior ingredient list goes Goddess Curls, by a narrow margin. They both have humectants high on the list, as well as other random polymers and whatnots. But what gives Goddess Curls the edge is the Mango Seed Butter. Seeing butters and oils (organic at that) within the top 5 or 6 is always a good thing. Especially for a gel.

Showdown Round 2: Availability, Affordability & Value (size)

Goddess Curls: For about $8.99, you can grab an 8oz bottle of this product from Sally Beauty Supply or Target. Bonus: the price for Sally Beauty Club Members is about $1 cheaper. If you purchase Goddess Curls from their website (www.curls.biz), it will cost you $14. I don't know why.

Jelly Soft Curls: Every time anyone says "Miss Jessie's", the automatic word association is expensive. But this product retails for the "introductory price: of $14 at Target and online at www.missjessies.com for an 8.5oz tube.

And the Winner Is: Goddess Curls, hands down. In all fairness, I did cop the Goddess Curls as a part of Sally's buy 2 get 1 free July promotion. At the $7.99 tag, I was able to get 3 bottles for around $16. That surely beats out Miss Jessie's $14 for 8.5oz. Plus, we don't know when the introductory price will end...

Showdown Round 3: Product Claims & Performance


Goddess Curls
The Claim: This botanical gel will banish frizz, define and hold your curls in place - without the stiff, crunchy feeling that most gels give. Alcohol and protein free. Ideal for humid climates. Great for all curl types.

The Truth: By golly, a product bottle that doesn't lie! I rocked my wash n' go curls for 3 days before washing. I honestly could have gone longer, but my hair was dirty from workouts and whatnot. My curls were touchable, defined, and quite literally popping. I became INSTANTLY enamored with Goddess Curls. I feel as though this is the product I've been looking for! Something that plays nice with other products while giving me EcoStyler level hold (minus the super crispy). I also like that it is textured more like a serum or a liquid gel.

Jelly Soft Curls
The Claim: A man on the moon.  Stay-on lipstick.  Fat-free ice cream.  At one time, all these things seemed impossible, but they all exist now.  Finally, you can add Miss Jessie’s innovative Jelly Soft Curls hair gel to the list of impossible things – now, made possible!  That’s right, Jelly Soft Curls is your next must-have styler because it is specifically designed to leave your curls touchably soft and crunch free while at the same time giving your curls the shine and hold that you love.  Don’t believe it?  Try it!  Simply squeeze out a quarter size of Jelly Soft Curls into your palm, and apply it section by section to your damp (not wet) curls covering your entire head.  Get ready for your shiniest, smoothest, softest, and sexiest curls ever.  Touching is believing! All curly good things are possible with Miss Jessie’s products. The Proven Expert in Curls. Period!

The Truth: Jelly Soft Curls did a pretty good job at defining my curls. It definitely made for a softer looking hold, but I didn't get the 100% definition I was looking for. For the thickness, I expected it to pack a little more punch. The texture is pretty close in viscosity to EcoStyler; it is undeniably a gel.

And the Winner Is: This round is a draw. Both products do exactly what they say they'll do. Kudos to both! Finally a lil' honesty on the packaging of hair products...

Showdown Round 4: Bonuses & Drawbacks

Goddess Curls
Bonuses: I really like the fact that this product is unscented and uncolored. Pretty rare these days! I've also discovered that it "plays nice" with many leave-ins and moisturizing products, making it the ideal partner in the 1-2 punch for popping curls.

Drawbacks: By day 3, I did need to add in some moisture. I guess the humidity blocking powers of this gel are really at work!

Jelly Soft Curls
Bonuses: Some of Miss Jessie's products tend to be artificially colored some rather strange hues for hair products (like baby blue, bubble gum pink, and Easter purple). But they got it right with Jelly Soft Curls. This product is C-L-E-A-R. Thank you!

Drawbacks: Artificial fragrance. Although it isn't terribly overpowering, it is reminiscent of fabric softener. Some may like the fresh fragrance. I also found Jelly Soft Curls to be a little drying, and in need of moisture which proved to be difficult in terms of pairing products. It doesn't play too nicely with others, lending itself to buildup flaking quite easily.

And the Winner Is: By a close margin, Goddess Curls. Being able to play nicely with others is HUGE, especially products outside of your brand. It mixes nicely with other Curls products (like Cashmere Curls), Eden BodyWorks products, Shea Moisture Products, and tons of other leave-ins and Conditiones. Jelly Soft Curls, not so much. It was almost as difficult to pair as EcoStyler.

The FINAL Showdown: The Bottom Line

I gotta give it to Goddess Curls on this one. I am shocked and surprised at how effective this product is for creating super-defined and long lasting curls. I've seen it at Target and Sally's for a while, and never thought to try it out. I'm so glad I did. The absence of artificial fragrance and coloring is a bonus. This is not to say Jelly Soft Curls is a bad product - I'm sure tons of naturalistas will love this new product, and will be made believers by Miss Jessie. Nothing wrong with that at all! I liked both products truthfully, but I just liked Goddess Curls more. And there's one last thing I'm still trying to figure out. After I cowashed my hair (with Goddess Curls all up in it), it was ridiculously easy to detangle. Even though I hadn't even pretended to run my fingers through my hair in days. Maybe the curl clumping prevents tangles...Good thing I stocked up at Sally's...

6 Comments

  1. Love this thorough review, made me revisit my Goddess Curls. Thank you

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  2. Thank u soo much I was having a hard time figuring out what to get

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  3. I've totally been stalking your blog lately trying to get info on the MHM - which I am going to brave this month. I just bought this gel (CGC) as a total impulse buy KNOWING it wont work (I'm crazy) and then I stumbled upon this. I'm too excited to try this...I happen to have some Curls Crème Brule so I'll be pairing them. Thanks for the review!

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  4. Yay!!!! Let me know how it works out for you!

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  5. Hello Christina,
    This is an excellent review. I enjoy the battle between this product. The way you describe all the experiments is really very nice. Thank you for your nice sharing and experiment.

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