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The Shortlist
- Best OverallOuidad Advanced Climate Control Heat & Humidity GelShop
- Best ValueLA Looks Extreme Sport Tri-Active Hold GelShop
- Best for WavesNot Your Mother's Curl Talk Frizz Control Sculpting GelShop
- Best for Soft DefinitionUncle Funky's Daughter Curly Magic Curl StimulatorShop
- Best Botanical GelKinky-Curly Curling CustardShop
- Best for CoilsEco Style Olive Oil Styling GelShop
- Best Hard HoldAussie Instant Freeze Sculpting GelShop
Gel has an image problem left over from the 1990s: hard, wet-looking, crunchy curls. Used properly, a modern gel gives none of that. It dries into a thin shell around each curl, protects it while it sets and is then scrunched away, leaving soft, defined hair that holds its shape for days.
It is the product that does the most to prevent frizz, and the one most often left out.
What we looked for
- Hold that scrunches out. A firm cast is good. A cast that will not break is not.
- No flaking, alone or over a leave-in.
- Formulas without drying alcohols, which most curl routines avoid.
- A range of strengths, since fine waves and tight coils need very different things.
The picks
How to choose
| Your hair | Start with |
|---|---|
| Fine or wavy | Not Your Mother's Curl Talk |
| Curly, frizz-prone | Ouidad Climate Control |
| Curly, dislikes stiffness | Uncle Funky's Daughter Curly Magic |
| Thick curls and coils | Kinky-Curly Curling Custard |
| Coily | Eco Style Olive Oil |
| Curls that never last | LA Looks or Aussie Instant Freeze |
How to apply gel
- Start soaking wet. Gel on damp hair gives frizz and stickiness.
- Leave-in first, if you use one.
- Emulsify. Rub the gel between wet palms until it thins.
- Glaze, then scrunch. Smooth flat hands over the surface of each section, then scrunch upward toward the scalp.
- Use enough. Your hair should feel slippery, like seaweed.
- Dry without touching, by air or diffuser.
- Scrunch out the crunch once completely dry, with a drop of oil on your palms if you like.
Common problems
- White flakes. Usually a leave-in and gel that do not mix. Rub the two together in your palm before using them; if they bead up, change one.
- Sticky hair. Too much product, or hair that was not wet enough.
- Crunch that will not go. Scrunch harder, with a little oil, or switch to a softer gel.
- Dryness. Gel provides hold, not moisture. Put a leave-in underneath.
Not sure gel is the right styler for you? See Gel, Mousse or Cream: Which Styler?