The Very Best Hair Gels
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When I was growing up, hair gels were thedrying, hardening products of childhood dance competitions (when my mom would scrape my hair back into a teeny bun). But good hair gels can give you the right level of hold and control without any of the moisture-zapping, rock-solid-scalp effects. Instead, they now contain hair-friendly ingredients like arganoiland flaxseed that can actually trap that moisture within your hair as you style it. Basically, whether you want to define yourcurlsand waves, tame flyaways, or control your edges, a hair gel is the way to go.
First, some definitions: Because hair gels have gotten some bad press in the past, brands will often label them with gel-adjacent terms likebalm. To be clear, when talking about hair gels, I mean any gelatinous product designed to give the hair some definition or hold — so when you see a balm below, know that it’s to all intents and purposes a gel. Next, as gels have such a range of uses, I made sure to speak to people with all kinds of hair types when compiling my list of the best. I then chatted to stylists and experts in hair care as well as gathering advice from our beauty columnistRio Viera-Newtonon how to safely use hair gel (without breakage) if you’re slicked-back-bun curious. Read on for the best gels (and balms and gelées) — and you can also read my reporting onanti-frizzproducts andleave-in conditioners.
Updated on March 12, 2026
We added a gel that creates volume at the root and checked prices and stock for all products. We’re also happy to report that Soultanicals Sprung Coil-Boosting Gelly is back in stock.
Whatwe’relookingfor
Ingredients
Along with a level of hold, I’m looking for ingredients that will nourish. This is particularly important if you have a tighter curl or a kinky hair type, as “when curls are tighter, they don’t tend to need as much hold,” saysDhiran Mistry, a stylist at David Mallett salon. Instead, they need the moisture of ingredients like olive, argan, and jojoba oils and flaxseed.
Dispenser
Nobody really wants to scoop their fingers into a big pot of gel, so I’ve included options that have pumps or other less messy dispensers.
Price
As hair products go, gels are often on the cheaper side. To make sure you know exactly what you’re spending, though, I’ve made a note of price per ounce.
The best hair gel overall
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Ingredients:Aloe extract |Dispenser:Tube |Price:$0.73 per oz.
Earlier this year, our beauty columnist Riowrote an odeto Garnier Fructis Style Pure Clean Styling Gel, calling it “the key to a slick back bun — without the breakage.” She liked the fact that it was lightweight and easy to wash out, but still could secure her hair in place all day (the brand described the product as having ‘extra strong hold.’) I started doing some research into the gel. The ingredients list was full of green flags: It uses the naturally derived acacia gum as its main holding agent, as well as containing aloe extract, one of my favorite hair-friendly (and skin-friendly ingredients), as well as vitamins b3 and b6, and other conditioning, non-drying ingredients. During my research, I saw plenty of reviewers with wavy and curly hair types saying that it gave them great curl definition, and lasting hold without any crunchy residue. As it’s suitable for most hair types — not all, I wouldn’t recommend this for kinky hair which, as I mentioned, needs less hold and more moisture — and it’s so affordable, I’m naming it our top pick.
Best less expensive hair gel
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Ingredients:Olive oil |Dispenser:Tub |Price:$0.25 per oz.
I first heard about this gel on theLondon Underground: I was sitting opposite a girl with a perfectly slicked bun, and asked her what she used to lock it into her place. She told me that she switched between using argan oil and olive oil eco gel to keep her flyaways down and hair slicked back. I immediately went out and bought a tub myself, and it’s what I’ve been reaching for since. The gel has a particularly strong hold — I havebangs, but when I slick them back with this gel, I don’t need any added bobby pins or slides to stop them from breaking free. The gel is also great for setting curls, too, says model and influencerDestiny Owusu. “When I’m just wearing my natural curls, I wet my hair in the shower every morning so the curls are fresh. I put in some leave-in conditioner, then I run my fingers through it with Eco Style Olive Oil Gel,” she says. “It makes my set last an entire day.” Also I slick my hair back a couple of times a week, and six months since buying my tub, it’s still half full.
Best curl-elongating gel
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Ingredients:Jojoba oil, vitamin B5 |Dispenser:Tub |Price:$0.55 per oz.
When we did a deep dive on the best products forcurly hair, stylist Stephanie Louis, told us about Soultanicals. “They’re a brand that really understands curly hair, especially those with tightly coiled hair at the end of the curl spectrum,” she says. “This ‘Gelly’ is a phenomenal curl definer and curl elongator — so the holy grail of double whammies.” By this she means that the gel can be used both to set the curls in place, and to protect them from frizz between wash days — so they elongate the style.
Best less expensive curl-elongating gel
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Ingredients:Flaxseed (vitamin E), wheat protein |Dispenser:Tub |Price:$0.47 per oz.
Aunt Jackie’s gel offers a lot of the same benefits, at a slightly lower drugstore price. Its ingredients list is particularly nourishing: Flaxseed contains omega-3 fatty acids, which work with strengthening wheat protein to fortify the hair as it provides hold. Flaxseed also acts as a sealant, which prevents breakage over time. Jonathan Emanus, an artist who we chatted to aboutcurly hair maintenance, recommended it as the ultimate non-flake hair gel. “I use it for most of my protective styles and to style my eyebrows and sideburns,” he says.
Best hair gel for dry curls
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Ingredients:Wheat protein and amino acids, arnica flower, vitamins A and E |Dispenser:Squeezy bottle |Price:$2.14 per oz.
As Mistry mentioned above,tighter curlsneed an injection of moisture. This is where a lightweight, moisture-rich gel works best. “This Ouidad gel contains meadowfoam-seed oil and arnica flower to lock in moisture — and cut down on dryness and frizz,” says Mistry. It also contains wheat protein, one of my favorite nourishing and strengthening ingredients for all kinds of hair.
Best for more defined curls
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Ingredients:Glycerin, oat, soy, and wheat amino acids|Dispenser:Squeezy bottle |Price:$2.66 per oz.
If you want more defined curls, this gel forms a light cast as hair dries to lock in shape. But once you scrunch it out, curls feel soft and bouncy, not crunchy. Ashley Wolfgang, Strategist newsletter editor, says she has been using this gel for more than ten years: “It gives my curly hair a nice definition and hold that lasts all day; there’s a dramatic difference in my hair on days I use it versus when I don’t.”
Best for slicked-back buns
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Ingredients:Rosemary-leaf extract |Dispenser:Pumpable bottle |Price:$10.67 per oz.
For a slick back bun that needs serious hold, hair stylistRogerio Cavalcanteturns to R+CP. “It works best on sleek styles, especially for updos, top knots and tight ponytails keeping hair in place without the crunchy feel,” he says. Part of what makes it work so well, he says, is the controllable pump that stops you from overdoing it with the product. Instead, you get a slicked but still breathable style.
Best wet-look hair gel
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Ingredients:Watermelon, lychee, edelweiss, vitamin B5, gold pigments| Dispenser:Tube| Price:$12.60 per oz.
If you want to create a really wet-look style, a serumlike, more fluid product is the way to go. This product recommended to me by award-winning hairstylistSean Michaelis just that; somewhere between a gel and a serum, it can be used both to provide a voluminous lift for a big, bouncy blowout or as a smoothing, slick hair gel. “It’s lightweight, so you can get that slick-back, kind-of-wet, Kim Kardashian–on–the–red–carpet vibe. You brush it back with your fingers or a comb, and then diffuse your hair, and it will all harden up, and it will look beautiful,” Michael explains. “It also has little gold flakes in there that look a lot like glitter, so it actually creates a lot of shine in the hair. And it doesn’t build up, I’ve never had a problem. I use it every day.” Michael also explains that it’s a great product for men who like to quickly style their hair. “For men, it’s very easy,” he explains. “Just jump out of the shower and throw some gel in, and it makes the hair look good.”
Best volumizing gel
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Ingredients:Keratin amino acids, wheat proteins, lavender, and chamomile|Dispenser:Pump bottle |Price:$2.59 per oz.
Gels are usually associated with curl definition and slick styles, but blow-dry gels are designed for the opposite effect: airy volume. This one is heat activated to create structure and lift at the roots while blow-drying — without feeling stiff or sticky like other root-lifting products.
Ourexperts
Rogerio Cavalcante, hairstylist
Jonathan Emanus, artist
Stephanie Louis, hairstylist
Sean Michael, award-winning hairstylist
Dhiran Mistry, stylist at David Mallett salon
Destiny Owusu, model and influencer
Rio Viera-Newton, Strategist beauty columnist
Ashley Wolfgang, Strategist newsletter editor
The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
