Brand comparison
Camille Rose vs Ouidad: Which Curl Gel Brand Is Better?
Camille Rose's Curl Maker is for soft, hydrated curls; Ouidad's Climate Control is for frizz in humid weather. Camille Rose rates slightly higher.
| Compared | Camille Rose | Ouidad |
|---|---|---|
| What reviewers think | Mostly positive: Well liked and consistent, but pricey. | Mostly positive: A cult gel. Not for everyone. |
| Curl Score | 4.1 Great | 3.9 Good |
| People with an opinion | 45 | 107 |
| Best-liked product | Curl Maker | Advanced Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel |
| More promising for | Thick, dry, low-porosity or coily hair that wants hydration and soft definition. | Curls that frizz in heat and humidity, and anyone who wants soft, touchable hold that lasts for days. |
| Think twice if | Your hair is fine and easily weighed down, you want a firm cast, or you live somewhere humid and want hold that lasts. | You want a hard cast or very strong hold, your hair is fine and builds up easily, or you're sensitive to strong scents. |
Most people comparing Camille Rose and Ouidad are really comparing two gels: Camille Rose's Curl Maker and Ouidad's Climate Control. Both are their brands' most loved products. They do different jobs, though. Curl Maker is about hydration and a silky finish. Climate Control is about holding curls together in heat and humidity.
Camille Rose has a slightly higher Curl Score. Ouidad has more than twice as many reviewers.
The main difference
Gel: Ouidad's Advanced Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel is a long-time holy grail for humid weather, though a sizeable minority get no cast or a sticky finish. Camille Rose's Curl Maker is hydrating and silky, but its medium hold gives out in humidity for some. That makes humidity the deciding factor.
Leave-in: Camille Rose's Moisture Milk is wonderfully soft on coils, though thick. Ouidad's Moisture Lock Leave-In pairs well with its gel, but its strong scent puts some off.
Hair type: Camille Rose suits thick, dry, low-porosity and coily hair. Ouidad's gel is used on everything from fine 2C waves to thicker curls, though it builds up on some fine hair.
Scent and price: most reviewers enjoy Camille Rose's smells. Ouidad's leave-ins draw scent complaints. Both are pricey, and Ouidad often turns up half price at TJ Maxx and Marshalls.
Which to choose
Choose Ouidad if you live somewhere humid and frizz is the main problem.
Choose Camille Rose if your hair is thick, dry or coily and wants moisture and softness more than hold.
Neither gives a firm cast. If you want one, Ouidad's stronger red-label Advanced gel comes closer.
The verdict
Humid climate: buy Ouidad. Dry, thirsty coils: buy Camille Rose. Some reviewers combine a moisturizing leave-in with Ouidad's gel to get both.
Head to head
Each brand's strongest product of each type, by what reviewers say.
Amazon links on this page are affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. How this works
Conditioner and leave-in
Camille Rose
6 positive·3 mixedWonderfully soft on coils and well smelling, but thick enough that several reviewers dilute it.
Best for Thick or coily hair that wants softness
Ouidad
Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner
3 positive·1 mixed·1 negativeA long-time go-to for some, especially paired with the gel, but its strong scent puts others off.
Best for A leave-in under the Climate Control gel
Gel
Camille Rose
8 positive·4 mixed·1 negativeThe favourite: a hydrating, silky gel that most reviewers like, whose medium hold gives out in humidity for some.
Best for Soft, hydrated definition on fine to coily hair, alone or under a stronger gel
Ouidad
Advanced Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel
46 positive·10 mixed·18 negativeA long-time holy grail for frizz in humid weather, though a sizeable minority get no cast, no hold or a sticky finish.
Best for Curls that frizz in heat and humidity and want soft, lasting hold
Which suits your hair
What reviewers with each kind of hair report.
Fine or wavy hair
Camille Rose
The Curl Maker is the safest bet: a reviewer with fine 2B/3A hair is on her fifth bottle and says one lasts six months or more. The thick, creamy products are riskier.
Try Curl Maker
Ouidad
Opinion splits. Reviewers with fine 2C, 3A and 3B curls call the gel amazing and say a little goes a long way on soaking wet hair.
Thick, dense or coily hair
Camille Rose
This is where the range gets its warmest reviews. A reviewer with type 4 coils says nothing leaves her hair as soft as the Moisture Milk, and a reviewer with 3C/4A hair loves the Curl Maker alone or under a stronger gel, though it flakes on her.
Try Moisture Milk
Ouidad
Reviewers don't single out Ouidad for this.
Strong hold
Camille Rose
The Curl Maker is a medium-hold gel, and reviewers who wanted a crunchy cast or hold through humid weather found it too soft. Its humectants can keep curls flexible or even swollen in humid air.
Ouidad
The original gel gives soft, touchable hold with no hard cast, and several reviewers wanting a crunchy cast found it too weak. The Advanced Climate Control (red label) is stronger, and its fans say it gives a cast other gels haven't, but others still found it weak or sticky once the cast was broken.
Humid weather
Camille Rose
Reviewers don't single out Camille Rose for this.
Ouidad
This is what the Climate Control gel is for, and reviewers in Texas, Florida and Savannah say it keeps their curls defined through humid weeks. It isn't universal: reviewers in Miami, humid Georgia and very humid sea-level climates got no cast and frizz within hours.
Sensitive scalp or scent-sensitive
Camille Rose
Reviewers don't single out Camille Rose for this.
Ouidad
The leave-ins draw the most complaints: reviewers describe the Moisture Lock leave-in as strong, lemony and chemical, or a stale perfume they threw away. Others say the range smells low and neutral, and one uses the shampoo and conditioner as a fragrance-free option, so experiences vary by product.
Starting out or on a budget
Camille Rose
Start with the Curl Maker, the most reviewed product and the one most reviewers like. One buys it on sale, and another says it is cheaper than a similar gel depending where you buy it.
Try Curl Maker
Ouidad
Reviewers don't single out Ouidad for this.
Based on what commenters with similar hair reported. Hair varies.
What reviewers like and dislike
Camille Rose
- Praised: Smells that most reviewers enjoy
- Praised: Hydration and a silky finish from the Curl Maker
- Praised: Deep softness on thick and coily hair
- Praised: A solid, consistent brand
- Praised: Thick formulas that can be diluted to last longer
- Complaint: The price, and trouble finding it cheaper
- Complaint: Medium hold that gives out in humidity
- Complaint: Flakes from the Curl Maker, for a few
- Complaint: Hair that felt dry or like straw, for a few
- Complaint: Thick, heavy formulas on fine hair
Ouidad
- Praised: Frizz control in heat and humidity
- Praised: Soft, touchable curls that last for days
- Praised: Decades of loyal use from some reviewers
- Praised: Often cheap at TJ Maxx and Marshalls
- Praised: A big bottle that lasts
- Complaint: No cast or hold for some reviewers
- Complaint: A sticky or heavy finish on some hair
- Complaint: Expensive at full price
- Complaint: Strong scents, especially the leave-ins
- Complaint: Buildup on fine hair