Are you using the wrong gel? How to Pick the Best Gel for Your Curls

How do you know if you’re using the wrong gel? The majority of hair problems such as frizz and lack of curl definition can be solved by using the right gel.

With so many types of gels, finding the right gel can be so confusing.

I’m explaining everything you need to know about gel formulas and helping you determine the best gel for your curl type.

 Signs you don’t have the right gel:

• Your curls are dry, frizzy and don’t have a cast/crunch
• Your curls frizz up after scrunching out the cast
• Your curls won’t last by the end of the day
• Your curls feel sticky or weighed down
• Your curls look stringy and have too much crunch
• Your curls feel dry

How gels differ:

• Hold level
• Weight or consistency of the formula
• Amount of moisture
• Additives for humidity
• Additives for strength such as protein

How to Pick the Right Gel

1. Determine your porosity/damage level

Porosity is how damaged the cuticle layer of your hair is.
Why: Knowing your porosity will tell you if you need more sealing ingredients, stronger hold, moisture level, and how much protein your hair needs.

Types:

• Low porosity:
  • Cuticle doesn’t absorb product easily and water beads up
  • Gets weighed down easily
  • Not color-treated or bleached
• Medium porosity:
  • Absorbs products and water
  • Can frizz in high humidity
  • Doesn’t dry out very quickly, and stays moisturized in between wash days
  • Healthy hair that has regular wear and tear from brushing, the sun, etc.
• High porosity:
  • Absorbs water and product easily
  • Most affected by humidity
  • Hair often dries out in between wash days
  • Damaged from highlights, dye, and chemical treatments

Note: You can have multiple porosities. Select products based on the most prominent porosity or the most problematic.

How to determine porosity: Think about how healthy your hair is and look for the symptoms mentioned. How quickly do your naked curls dry after they’ve been towel-dried?

Low porosity:

• Limit protein
• Incorporate humectants + film-forming humectants
  • Glycerin
  • Propylene glycol
  • Sorbitol
  • Aloe
  • Flaxseed
  • Pectin
• Light or medium moisture 
• Can use lighter hold

Medium porosity:

• Incorporate some protein
• Incorporate film-forming humectants
  • Aloe
  • Flaxseed
  • Pectin
• Light or medium moisture 
• Can use medium to strong hold gels

High porosity: 

• Incorporate protein
• Incorporate sealants like oils, polyquats, or silicone
• High moisture
  • Humectants
  • Oils
  • Butters
• Use strong hold gels
  • Polymers
  • PVP or PVA
  • Polyquaternium

2. Determine your texture/strand width

Texture or strand width is the width or thickness of your individual strands of hair
Why: Knowing your strand width will tell you how thin or thick your gel needs to be.
Types: 

• Fine 
• Medium
• Coarse

Note: You can have multiple textures. Select products based on the most prominent texture or the most problematic.

How: Pick up a single strand of hair and feel it between your fingers. Does it feel very thick, wirey or even have kinks in it when you run your fingers down the strand? If so, it’s coarse. On the other hand, if you can barely feel it and can barely see it then it’s fine. If it’s somewhat in between its medium. 

Fine hair:

• High water content with less oils and butters
• Thin to thick formulas
• Thickening ingredients provide texture for volume & clumps
  • Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
  • Carbomer
  • Xanthan gum
  • Cellulose
  • Starch
• Any hold level but strong hold may help fine hair retain its shape better

Medium hair:

• Thin to medium formula gels
• Medium moisture 
• Some thickening ingredients
• Any hold level but strong hold will last longer

Coarse hair:

• Thin to medium formulas 
• Can contain oils and butters
• High moisture 
• High slip
• Any hold level
• Avoid thickening ingredients

How to combine porosity & texture to determine best gel

Strong Hold Gels

Medium hold gels

Light hold gels

How to shop & filter products

The shop page on my blog is a database of all of the products I have tried and includes filters so you can narrow down the products based on your unique needs. To find the right gel, use the following filters:

• Category: Hair > Styler
• Tags:
  • Hold level: The amount of cast & long-lasting frizz-protection
    • Strong hold
    • Medium hold
    • Light hold
  • Protein: Needed if you have damage or not
    • Contains protein
    • Protein-free
  • Formula weight: This combines product thickness & moisture content
    • Lightweight liquid gel
    • Lightweight gel
    • Medium-weight liquid gel
    • Medium-weight gel
    • Medium-weight custard/souffle
    • Thick gel

For more help in choosing products to build out your perfect curly hair routine, watch this playlist on how to pick the right products.