Not Your Mother's
Making Curly Hair Simple, Not Stressful
Background & Challenge
Not Your Mother’s grew from a social media-driven hair trend into a drugstore staple, with the launch of its Curl Talk line helping establish the brand as a go-to for wavy to curly hair. However, its branding began to feel out of touch with its younger audience, while its in-store placement alongside brands like Nexxus and Pantene highlighted the need for a more modern, fun, and youthful presence.
Young Ones, ADC, Merit [2026]
CA Awards, Shortlist [2025]
Insights & Logo
Becoming a guiding figure. Curl Talk is a conversation that empowers girls to embrace their natural curls. The line fills a market gap by offering a light-hold starting point for girls beginning their curl journey.
Clarity + Education
Clear, conversational language that feels personal and connected. Guiding young girls through the uncertainty of starting their hair journey.
The logo represents an upward movement of confidence and resilience, leading towards the integrated heart. NYM has always used the heart within its logo. In the redesign, the heart was moved from being the "o" to becoming integrated at the end, not only for legibility but also to connect the mark as a whole journey. The "M" mark was inspired by curls but also adds a modern, youthful presence that feels approachable to young audiences, and of course, their mothers.
Rebrand Statement
Not Your Mother's is a sigh of relief. A professional and yet approachable guide that makes caring for curly hair simple, not stressful. The bold new forms, colors, and graphics symbolically represent a reassuring voice that empowers girls to embrace their curly girl journey with confidence every step of the way.
BTS Video
Part of this project was partnering with a professional photographer to create base product photography and a lifestyle photoshoot. Minh Tran created the incredible, polished product photos. Heather Wilde shot the lifestyle shoot. With this came mood boarding, prop creation, wardrobe, and casting. The BTS video shows the joy and collaboration on set with my wonderful models Makiah Redson and Mia Zamora, two young girls of different backgrounds who both went through their own journeys of learning to love their natural textures.
Shot on VHS
Design Thinking & Process
The process began by identifying a gap in curly-hair education and guidance, especially for younger users starting their curl journey, through research and over 30+ interviews with girls, moms, and hairstylists. These insights highlighted a need for clarity, support, and approachable communication rather than complicated or overly polished messaging. This then shaped a design direction built around bold typography, strong color, and organized systems that feel clear and resilient.
Product Design & Dieline Breakdown
The custom cylindrical bottle creates a recognizable silhouette that can become synonymous with NYM, while differentiating it from typical squeeze tubes and pumps. The packaging uses lowercase type, custom icons, and a simple, easily listed, curl routine to make the product feel youthful, clear, and easy to navigate. As seen above, custom embossed messages are at the top of the round bottles for a tactile element. Together, these elements create a distinctive system that feels current while staying recognizable across the NYM line.
Takeaways
Empathy + Restraint
Not every design needs everything and the kitchen sink, but for this, it was about finding small moves that make a large impact.
This quote is from a mother-daughter duo I spoke to in the research/interview process. Her words truly inspired the heart of the branding and the core of what the NYM rebrand is.
Next Project
Missouri Botanical Garden
