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Byrdie / Sabrina Jiang
When it comes down to it, sometimes you just need a powerful product that'll keep your hair in place. While hair gels might remind you of the most cringe-worthy looks of the early aughts, they're actually really great when you need them. (And despite some protests, lots of styles from the 2000s are coming back.)
If you're interested in dipping your toes (or rather, your tips) back into the gel pool, we've got good news. Today's formulas aren't like the goopy blue hues of decades past. They're a little creamier, often nourishing, totally versatile, and offer a flexible hold that lasts for hours. What's more, you can count on all-around better-looking hair. For those rocking a pixie, slick back, cropped cut, sleek updo, or scrunchy curls—and anyone wanting to explore the wet hair look—gel is your friend.
We conducted hours of research on the best gels, evaluating each on formula type, active ingredients, and how it feels in your hair. After consulting with top stylists Kevin Murphy and Sally Hershberger, we narrowed down our list to these best in show.
Scroll down for the best gels that don't feel crunchy.
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Lightweight
Adds volume
Minimizes flyaways
Shiny finish
Hold isn't as strong as other options
What's the best hair gel of today? You're looking at it. Biolage's Styling Gelée is an all-purpose, pro-level product formulated to deliver not just control but also body, shine, and nourishment.
But it doesn't stop there. The lightweight, slightly creamy concoction adds volume, tames flyaways, smoothes, and leaves your hair with a truly gorgeous finish. Enriched with blue agave nectar, citrus oil, and other botanicals, it shapes and sculpts without crunchiness or a sticky residue.
Active Ingredients: Blue agave nectar and citrus oil | Hair type: All | Size: 16.9 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: No
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Affordable
Lightweight
Doesn't flake
Can be drying
Thanks to Garnier, you can get the good stuff without shelling out a bunch of cash. Containing an impressive 98 percent naturally derived ingredients, the brand's Pure Clean Styling Gel offers a strong yet weightless finish without any flakes.
Active Ingredients: Fruit protein, and vitamins B3 and B6 | Hair Type: All | Size: 6.8 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Affordable
Long-lasting
Strong hold
Dries with a crunchy cast
Aussie is a go-to for drugstore haircare, so it's no surprise the brand makes a standout gel. Infused with sea kelp and jojoba oil, Instant Freeze offers maximum hold and a refreshing scent—no flakes, no stickiness, no residue.
Active Ingredients: Australian jojoba oil and sea kelp | Hair Type: All, especially unmanageable hair | Size: 7 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Moisturizing
Minimizes tension
Adds volume
Pricier than other options
Feeling fancy? Treat yourself to a tub of Curl Gelée. It's got Oribe's signature plant-derived complex of lychee, watermelon, and edelweiss flower extracts, plus nourishing natural butters and oils to hydrate and add bounce.
Active Ingredients: Murumuru, mango, and cocoa seed butters | Hair Type: Curly, coils, medium to thick | Size: 8.5 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Smells good
Touchable finish
Great for wash-and-gos
Hold isn't as strong as other options
With braids, twists, and coils in mind, Pattern Beauty's take on hair gel is this sizable tube containing an au natural blend of nutrient-rich ingredients. We're talking cacay oil, coconut oil, and aloe vera, plus a slightly sweet aroma of rose, neroli, and patchouli.
Active Ingredients: Aloe vera, coconut oil, and cacay oil | Hair Type: Curly, coils, textured hair | Size: 9.8 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Doesn't flake
Promotes hair growth
Strong hold
Contains fragrance
You'll be glad to have Sleek + Chic Edge Gel on hand when styling your baby hairs. Containing all-star ingredients like black castor, moringa, mango, and coconut oils, the Haitian superfood blend helps lay the tiniest hairs flat for a polished finish.
Active Ingredients: Haitian moringa oil and papaya | Hair Type: All | Size: 4 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Moisturizing
Shiny finish
Minimizes tangles
Hold isn't as strong as other options
For the curly-haired camp, we recommend Twisted Definition, a creamy gel that simultaneously moisturizes and defines. Drawing from marshmallow root, ginger, shea, and aloe, it pulls out all the stops for spirals, coils, and kinks.
Active Ingredients: Marshmallow, ginger root, aloe vera, and shea butter | Hair Type: Type 3 and 4 curls, coils | Size: 8 oz | Formula: Cream | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Flexible hold
Moisturizing
Hold isn't as strong as other options
If you're working with waves, reach for Brigeo's Curl Charisma. The 90-percent naturally derived formula is chock full of healthy-hair ingredients like quinoa extract, rice amino acids, and tomato fruit ferment extract to give your hair a flexible hold and a nourishment boost.
Active Ingredients: Rice amino acids, quinoa extract, and tomato fruit ferment | Hair Type: Wavy, curly, coils, fine to thick | Size: 5.5 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Affordable
Not sticky
Moisturizing
Consistency gets ruined in hot weather
SheaMoisture's Gel Soufflé does amazing things for those with thick hair and short cuts. The natural formula adds definition and hold, but since it doesn't contain silicone or polymers, you won't get any sticky buildup.
Active Ingredients: Coconut oil, agave nectar, flax seed oil, and shea butter | Hair Type: Thick, curly, coils | Size: 12 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Adds volume
Strengthening
Pump bottle
Feels sticky
Fine hair? Size up with Big Volumizing Gel, which contains fortifying hydrolyzed wheat protein and soothing aloe vera. Apply it to damp hair, then blow-dry, and watch as it plumps up your hair with body, strength, and a soft bounce.
Active Ingredients: Amino acids and fruit extracts | Hair Type: All | Size: 8.5 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Strong hold
Dries quickly
Lightweight
May weigh down finer hair
Need something that'll stay put for longer than a few hours? Go with Davines. As its name suggests, this no-nonsense, strong-hold gel isn't messing around. It dries quickly, adds texture, and preserves your 'do without any clumps.
Active Ingredients: Glycerin and castor oil | Hair Type: All | Size: 4.22 oz | Formula: Cream-like gel | Cruelty-Free: No
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Flexible hold
Touchable finish
Works on wet or dry hair
Hold isn't as strong as other options
For a piecey look that's not hard as a rock, your best bet is R+Co Motorcycle. Despite its tough-sounding name, a dollop of this clear gel will leave your hair feeling soft and hydrated with just the right amount of texture.
Active Ingredients: Coconut oil, sunflower seed extract, and keratin | Hair Type: All | Size: 5 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Helps smooth and define
Lightweight
Hold isn't as strong as other options
High humidity got you down? Ouidad's Advanced Climate Control Gel is formulated to smooth, define, and keep flyaways in check while delivering a reliable hold and an enhanced texture for curls, coils, spirals, kinks, and waves.
Active Ingredients: Sericin and wheat protein | Hair Type: Curly | Size: 8.5 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Adds volume
Not sticky
Touchable finish
May weigh down finer hair
Moroccanoil's styling gel combines the power of their famous argan oil with an alcohol-free formula for a hydrating, long-lasting, and strong hold. Tousle your hair with a squeeze of this gel, and behold your newfound brilliant texture.
Active Ingredients: Argan oil | Hair Type: All | Size: 6 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Lightweight
Touchable finish
Moisturizing
Strong smell
If it's definition you're after, pick up a tub of Curl Cloud. With neem, tea tree, castor, and pimento oils, this antioxidant-rich hair gel accentuates coily and kinky hair and creates a soft hold for loose curls, twist-outs, and braid-outs.
Active Ingredients: Coconut and tea tree oil | Hair Type: Curly, coils | Size: 8 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Flexible hold
Lightweight
Not sticky
Unhygienic packaging
"My favorite product to provide texture, control, and hold is the 24K Vanity Hair Shaping Balm," says celebrity hairstylist Sally Hershberger. "Similar to gel in terms of delivering flexible hold, this balm blends seamlessly into the hair and gives it long-wearing shape and definition without any stickiness."
Active Ingredients: Beeswax | Hair Type: All | Size: 1.7 oz | Formula: Balm | Cruelty-Free: Yes
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Matte finish
Adds texture
Easy to work through hair
Not long-lasting
This pomade smells addicting, just like the rest of Ouai's products, and works just as well to sleek the hair, too. Because of it's lightweight texture, the pomade is easy to work with and manage through various hair types. Expect nothing but a long-lasting hold and a healthy matte finish.
Active Ingredients: Beeswax and kaolin clay | Hair Type: All | Size: 1.7 oz | Formula: Pomade | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Final Verdict
If we could only recommend one hair gel, we'd have to go with Biolage Styling Gelée on account of its multi-use, ultra-nourishing botanical formula that works for all hair types. Having said that, Garnier Fructis Style Pure Clean Styling Gel is a great option for those who want to keep their gel budget under $10. And Oribe Curl Gelée for Shine & Definition is an excellent choice for anyone open to splurging on a high-quality product.
Meet the Expert
- Sally Harshberger is a celebrity hairstylist and founder of the 24K hair care brand.
- Kevin Murphy is a celebrity hairstylist and founder of the eponymous brand, Kevin Murphy.
What to Look for in a Hair Gel
Polymers
Most hair gels contain some form of polymers, which are what creates the long-lasting hold. They can be in the form of naturally derived ingredients, such as starch, cellulose, silk protein, or hydrolyzed wheat protein. Then, synthetic polymers appear on a list as copolymers, polyquaternium, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, silicone ingredients, or acetates.
Fortifying Ingredients
When browsing hair gels, world-renowned session stylist Kevin Murphy says to look for a "range of ingredients designed to protect the integrity of your hair and scalp while giving you that on-trend gel finish."
While formulas vary greatly in terms of their formulations, standout ingredients include plant-based butters, like mango, cocoa seed, and shea, as well as natural oils, like apricot, jojoba, macadamia, castor, tea tree, neem, baobab oil, and coconut. Additionally, you'll find options with hydrolyzed wheat protein, keratin, quinoa extract, rice protein, and other amino acids. Aloe vera is also often added for smoothness and enhanced texture.
Formulation
Modern hair gels come in a few different formulations. There are traditional transparent gooey gels, nourishing gel creams, lightweight gelées, and balms, which fall somewhere between gel and pomade.
Why Trust Byrdie
This roundup was researched and written by Theresa Holland, a freelance commerce writer covering fitness, skincare, makeup, and haircare. She has been contributing to Byrdie since 2020, with other stories appearing on The Spruce and MyDomaine.
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