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What reviewers say
Reviewers rank it among their favourite less-expensive gels, and one on her fifth bottle calls it ride or die, with a good balance of hydration and hold on loose curls. A reviewer says it gave a strong cast and a silky finish with nothing else added, with finger coils lasting more than a week. Others find it similar to a pricier gel and cheaper depending where you buy it. The doubts are consistent. It is a medium-hold gel, so reviewers wanting a crunchy cast or living in humid climates found curls swell or go soft, one found it very slow to dry, a couple said it flakes, and several find it overpriced.
Praised for
- Hydrating, with a silky finish
- A balance of gel and cream-like softness
- Lasts a long time on fine hair
- Cheaper than similar gels, depending where you buy
Complaints
- Medium hold, with no firm cast
- Soft or swollen curls in humidity
- Flakes, for a couple of reviewers
- Slow to dry
- Overpriced for some
Every review
PositiveReddit comment
One of my favorite less-expensive gels, though it's been hard to find at a lower price lately.
u/jujubunneer/curlyhair, 2026Original comment
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My fav less expensive gels are: Umberto Giannini, Uncle Funky, and Camille Rose (though I'm having a hard time finding Camille at a lower price lately) [Note: product assumed to be Curl Maker]
PositiveReddit comment
I really like Camille Rose Curlmaker; DIY flaxseed gel is another option.
u/Sinthe741r/curlyhair, 2026Original comment
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I made a similar post a few years ago! People suggested Camille Rose Curlmaker (which I really like) and DIY flaxseed gel.
PositiveReddit comment
Very similar to KC.
u/Curly-Patr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment
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Camille Rose's Curl Maker is very similar. Not sure of price where you live.
PositiveReddit comment
I really like it.
u/goat20202020r/curlyhair, 2026Original comment
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I really like Camille rose curl maker
PositiveReddit comment
Very similar to KC, and cheaper depending where you buy it. I own a million gels.
u/xoffender1251r/curlyhair, 2026Original comment
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Camille Rose Curl maker. Depending where you buy it, it's cheaper. They're very similar to me, I have a million gels
PositiveReddit comment
My ride or die, on my 5th bottle: a great hydration/hold balance for loose, undone curls. Good for refreshing, and works in cold and warm climates.
u/staymaybay2b/3a; finer/curlyhair, 2026Original comment
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My ride or die hair product is their curl maker gel!!!!! I’m on my 5th bottle. I find the balance of the hydration and hold perfect for my 2b&3a hair. I use it to refresh all well. Not a strong hold but amazing for loose and undone curls. And works for me in both extremly cold and warm climates.
PositiveReddit comment
A strong cast, enough hold and a silky finish with nothing else added; my finger coils lasted over a week. The pump is a pain, so I decanted two bottles into a jar.
u/AbiWaterr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment
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Love curlmaker. Gives me a strong cast with enough hold and a silky finish to my hair without having to add anything else. Used it for finger coils and they’ve been going strong for over a week so far. The pump is a major pain in the ass though. Bought 2 bottles and dumped them into a jar to scoop it.
PositiveReddit comment
I've used a couple of bottles; really nice for my hair.
u/gemmajaws2C/3A medium/coarser/curlyhair, 2026Original comment
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2C/3A Medium/Coarse I used a couple of bottles of the Curl Maker gel, it is really nice for my hair. I also tried the Honey Hydrate Leave-In Hair Conditioner which was an interesting texture, very sticky like honey (not surprising) but made my rough texture feel softer.
MixedReddit comment
I buy it on sale and a bottle lasts 6+ months on my fine hair, but I agree it's very overpriced.
u/staymaybayfine hairr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment
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I buy it on sale and it lasts me 6+ months since I have fine hair. But totally agree, very over priced
MixedReddit comment
I love the moisture, the smell and the medium-ish hold, but its many humectants stop it forming a cast or lasting in high humidity (swelling and frizz). I now make my own gel.
u/AmberIndiaRosehigh humidity climater/curlyhair, 2026Original comment
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I love the moisture and the smell and the medium-ish hold of the curl maker gel. However, upon looking into ingredients, the gel has quite a few humectants, which in high humidity climates, don’t create the cast or hold up long enough due to bringing water into the hair and culausing the hair to swell and frizz. I now look for products that don’t have as many humectants or just make my own
MixedReddit comment
7/10; beautiful hydrated results, but it takes very long to dry, so I only use it on days I can diffuse for longer.
u/MonArchie66r/curlyhair, 2026Original comment
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I’ve only tried 3 products. The algae renew hair mask 10/10 I think my only problem with it was I basically used it up in a month but that might’ve been because I was using too much. It smells incredible too and I would get compliments from strangers all the time about the smell of my hair. The guava slip shampoo 8/10 it’s really good if your hair gets tangled when shampooing and very hydrating, but it just didn’t feel like it was cleaning my hair that well, but it’s definitely a go to shampoo especially in the winter when my hair is drier. The curl maker 7/10 I definitely got beautiful and hydrated results from this gel but my only problem is that it takes soooooo long to dry. So I only ever used it on days where I had more time to defuse my hair for longer.
MixedReddit comment
Great, but the hold isn't the best; I replaced it with Uncle Funky's Daughter for better hold with similar shine and definition.
u/nu24601r/curlyhair, 2026Original comment
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They have very good consistent products. Fav is the underrated Jansyn deep conditioner, I like it better than Algae renew. The smells are great and most products perform as advertised. My biggest issue is I have basically found replacements I prefer for each one of their products. Curl maker is great but its hold isn’t the best and I replaced it with Uncle Funky’s Daughter which gives me a better hold with similar shine and definition. Their ginger hair rinse was nice but I’ve had ones that do a better job cleaning. Moisture milk is a nice leave in that smells great but I get better results with comparably priced products and if I’m splurging I’d rather go with Olaplex 5. The algae renew just wasn’t giving my hair the moisture it needed but it was a great experience. I have yet to replace the Jansyn deep conditioner though, that stuff is magic. Overall a solid brand they’re just too expensive for what you get.
MixedReddit comment
I love it alone or under a stronger gel on my 3c/4a hair, but it flakes on me.
u/OptimalStrawberry8293c/4ar/curlyhair, 2026Original comment
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LOOOOVE curl maker on its own or under a stronger gel on my 3c/4a hair, it just flakes on me :( The conditioning custard is fabulous and smells exactly like Froot Loops but it would be way easier if the bottle had a pump cuz she’s thicccc
MentionReddit comment
I want it, but it's too expensive for me.
u/74hehehaha47r/curlyhair, 2026Original comment
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omg! i want the curlmaker but its to expensive for me :(
NegativeReddit comment
Flakes on my hair.
u/mannie3moonr/curlyhair, 2026Original comment
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The Curl Maker gel flakes on my hair, unfortunately. But the ginger shampoo, the moisture milk, and the twisting butter are nice.
What reviewers use instead
Garnier
Fructis Hair Filler Hyaluronic Acid Gel-Cream Mention
Part of my current routine.
u/74hehehaha47Original comment
How we collated these reviews
Drawn from 15 comments in 2 Reddit discussions below. We read every comment in each, logged each product a commenter had an opinion on, and classified each opinion as positive, mixed or negative. This is public commentary, not verified purchases or customer ratings. Our full method
