The 27 Best Curly Hair Products for Every Different Budget. "Use it on soaking wet hair and you can't go wrong. It’s also free of parabens, mineral oils, and alcohol. There are hair waxes that do wonders for disheveled, natural looks, and there are pastes that can be worked and reworked throughout the day. That thing we all hated is actually called a “gel cast,” and it’s the magic behind traditional curly hair gels. It also helps encourage hair growth. Looking for the best hair gel for men? It’s the stiff, hardened coating that stronger-hold gels often leave behind on curly hair. AND THAT CRUNCH IS A GOOD THING. Both organic and cruelty free, this gel smells like honey and orange blossoms. If you’re using gel for a protective style, twist/braid-out, or literally any other style that’s not a gel cast, you’ll have to experiment with which application works best for your texture, whether that’s praying-hands, shingling, finger-raking, or Denman-brushing. The Aunt Jackie’s Flaxseed Elongating Curling Gel gives your curls, waves, and coils ... 2. This curl gel (or ~jelly~ if we're gettin' fancy) has a super-thin consistency, making it easy to spread throughout your type 3 to type 4 hair. From items like Kerastase hair mask, Moroccanoil, Olaplex no 3, and more. Play around with using your gel alone, or on top of a leave-in conditioner and an oil. Over the course of the day, curls can lose definition and unravel, especially ... Fights frizz: When curls lose definition, they tend to frizz. Once dry you get a moisture-protective barrier between your tresses and the world that is soft to the touch and flake-free. This gel has a stronger hold, so your curls will stay in place, but it's also hydrating. Promise. Another pure flaxseed option, this hair gel has racked up thousands of positive reviews on Amazon. A little bit goes a long way for all-day hold, touchably soft curls, and an ingredient list you can feel good about. Not too heavy, not too light, just the perfect medium-hold gel for 2c and 3a curls. Below, the best curly hair gels, according to the GH Beauty Lab, expert advice, and top-rated products loved by online reviewers: This GH Beauty Award winner is packed full of ingredients like glycerin, castor oil, and aloe, which work to hydrate curls instead of making them crunchy or sticky. The brand is known for opening the first salon dedicated to cutting and curly hair care -- 35 years ago. This rich, cult-favorite twisting gel brings out your curls and keeps them defined and shiny (shout out to the itty-bitty flecks of gold shimmer in the gel). "This is the only one that holds the curls in place the longest and feels the softest.". The rice amino acids and avocado oil will help your hair retain moisture, which reduces the … Auntie Jackie’s Curl La La Defining Curl Custard. The ~key~ to a ridiculously good twist-out? Shop the Glamour Beauty Award–winning, best curly hair products for textured and natural hair. Curly-haired gals and guys have no shortage of products to choose from, but we think the best product for curly hair is Briogeo's Curl Charisma Rice Amino Avocado Leave-In Defining Cream. The best hair product for curly kids is can be shampoo, conditioner or/and custard. It's alcohol-free, so it won't dry your hair out, and you can use it on damp or dry hair. Usually, strong-hold gels can just weigh down fine curls. Last update on 2020-12-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API. Or, like, even remotely equal. "This gel is exactly what my hair needs to look healthy, shiny and styled without me doing anything other than wash and go.". Cool—Read This, How to Grow Your Hair Super Freaking Long—And Fast, These Magical Diffusers Will Transform Your Curls, 15 Ultra-Hydrating Shampoos That Smooth Flyaways, Adwoa Baomint Moisturizing Curl Defining Gel, The Mane Choice Ancient Egyptian 24 Karat Gold Twisting Gel, Briogeo Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Quinoa Frizz Control Gel, Aussie Instant Freeze 20-Hour Hold Hair Gel, Innersense Organic Beauty I Create Hold Styling Gel, Aunt Jackie's Flaxseed Don't Shrink Curling Gel, Giovanni L.A. Natural Styling Gel Strong Hold, Chloe Metzger is the deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan, obsessively writing about new makeup launches, the best hair products (curly girl here; whattup), and the skincare formulas that really work for every skin type (. If the last time you used hair gel on your curls was before you had a driver’s license/a real sense of self, then hi, yeah, same. Moisturizing and giving a light hold that dissolves instantly in your wet hair. Shop the best hair products for curly hair that will help eliminate frizz. It's best for medium-to-thick curls, so if your hair is easily weighed down like mine, don't go overboard on the application. Best Hair Gel for … Quiz: What Are the Best Hair Products for My Curls? They add the perfect amount of definition, shine, protein, and hold to type 2, 3, and 4 hair...but they're usually annoying to DIY. Hardges likes to squeeze in an oil after her gel has dried to get rid of any gel cast (the hard coating some gels can leave behind) and add extra moisture. Includes reviews of shampoo, co-washes, conditioners, and more. "This does a really good job at taming the frizz and not weighing my curls down as a lot of products seem to do," says one reviewer. Some curly folks like to use a diffuser to break their cast, or find that sleeping on their gel cast naturally breaks it by morning. 1 / 6. The gel heard 'round the world! If you legit cannot get a gel cast to save your life (it's an art! Cool, so now that we’ve thoroughly got your junior-high brain up to speed on today’s world of gels, please keep reading to find the 15 best (but actually) curly hair gels for types 3 and 4 hair. "It really defines my coils and doesn't flake or leave a white residue on my hair." This gel made the list of the Best of the Best on NaturallyCurly.com for a reason! Behold! It's also packed with coconut, almond, and avocado oils to keep 3c to 4c hair moisturized and lightly held all day without feeling stiff or crunchy. Get defined, touchable waves and curls in one step. By combining the benefits of a gel and a serum together, it works to smooth your strands while also defining and shaping your curls, all without any crunchiness. Uh, take this quiz immediately pls). From there, the way you apply hair gel depends on what type of hair you have. A moisturizing, medium-hold gel that'll still give you body and movement without flakes or stiffness. As she told us, “I love it so much to condition my curls with! They might sound weird for the uninitiated, but everyone who embraces their waves know that these they can’t live without them. There are so many different conditioners that claim to be the best for curly hair, but according to Sow, the best is from Maui Moisture. Hardges says to apply when your hair is still soaked. Our picks include the best hair gel for the particular goals you are trying to achieve. "Because of the way it coats the hair, it's going to help prevent frizz." This drugstore curl serum with buriti oil is basically a moisturizing dream for your curly hair. Planning a day at the beach? A little goes a long way with this one. Flaxseed, shea butter, and extra-virgin olive oil come together to condition your hair while promoting scalp health and hair growth. Ouidad is the original curl expert! This one of Hardges' staples. Pantene Curl Perfection Sculpting – Best Hair Gel for Thick Curly Hair; 3. To prevent frizz and add shine, you can rub a few drops of a lightweight hair oil between your hands before scrunching out the crunch (finer hair types might want to skip this and just use clean hands). The best gels to define and separate curls, fight frizz, and hydrate dry, curly, and and wavy hair from affordable drugstore brands like Dove, Suave, and more. Help!) How do gels for curly hair work? It's lightweight, non-sticky, and silicone-free, so it'll help define your wavy hair without weighing it down. This Rene Furterer gel has UV filters to protect your hair from... Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel … Microfiber Towels Are the Key to Perfect Hair. ... Curls are not like straight hair and gel products are not meant for curls. Over on CurlTalk, SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie is a favorite for Type 2’s. FINALLY!! The lightweight formula is filled with aloe vera and sugar beet root to keep curls hydrated and softly defined—this definitely isn't a strong- or even medium-hold gel—though drier hair types will want to layer this one over your leave-in or oil. It's Curly Girl Method-approved (as are most of these gels on this list), safe for low-porosity hair, and under $10. It boasts a long list of all-natural ingredients, including botanical-infused water, horsetail, chamomile, nettle, and marshmallow. 20 Best Curly Hair Products for a Flawless Mane In a sea of styling aids, these 20 products are tops for helping your curly hair look its best — whether you wear it natural or straight by Audrey Fine , … She cautions that a little goes a long way — if you use too much, you could see some flaking. ", Leave it to Tracee Ellis Ross' beloved haircare line to have a hair gel that defines curls while also nourishing them. "The gel isn't like your typical super crunchy and defined gel," notes one reviewer. The best gel for curly hair is possibly the most underrated but also most useful product that you should have in your wavy locks arsenal. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. 2. Despite its low-to-nonexistent crunch factor, it gives me beautiful ringlets with minimal frizz. This Skincare Product Changed Justine Skye's Skin, The Best Leave-In Conditioner for Your Hair Type. Why the Mayo Clinic Diet Is One of 2021's Best, 7 Major Reasons You Should Try Dry January, Best Humidity-Fighting Gel for Curly Hair, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. On clean, sopping-wet hair, I just rake and scrunch a quarter-size squeeze through my flipped-over, sopping-wet hair, then immediately plop for 20 minutes and air-dry. While the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab has never tested hair gel specifically, we constantly test hair products for all types of different hair, and hair gels have been included in our Beauty Awards in the past. Perfect for twist-outs, reviewers love how long this gel makes their curls last. This custard is on the lighter end of the custard spectrum, so it won't feel as heavy on finer hair types (hi!). Aunt Jackie’s Flaxseed Elongating Curling Gel. As a gel and serum hybrid, this GH Beauty Award winning pick doesn't just work double-duty on your curls, it's also affordable. As your hair dries, the gel forms a crunchy shell around each of your curls/waves, defining it while protecting it from humidity and frizz. "I’ve used it on a wash and go and I’ve used it for twist outs. Despite being a beauty editor, I spent the majority of my adult life thinking of hair gels as the quickest way to leave my curls crunchy, flakey, and stiff…just like 13-year-old me liked it. "[It] leaves my hair feeling soft and not sticky or crunchy. This cream-gel hybrid is pure moisturizing goodness in a jar, and basically every reviewer swears by its wash-and-go powers. Designed specifically with heat and humidity in mind, this gel works wonders to deflate your tresses. In junior high, we called this a ~lewk~. Kinky Curly Original Curling Custard is an easy to use salve that works best when applied to thick, coarse curls. This styling gel is natural, organic, and fully edible (JK, please don't eat it, despite how yummy it smells). While some gels will give you all the hold (and all the dryness and accidental shrinkage), other gels, like this protein-spiked formula from Aunt Jackie's, will keep your hair defined and moisturized, and—when paired with a good curl cream and/or oil—stretched and healthy, even in your wash and go. Check out the 11 gels with different hair types, including curly hair, from brands like Dove, American Crew, and R +Co. 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