These 20 Gels Will Give You the Best Curly Hair of Your Life (2024)

If you have curly hair, chances are you want to define your curls without weighing them down or causing frizz. Finding a product that works for curls is harder than it seems. If you've tried every curly hair product in the books and are still looking for something with a little extra oomph, it may be time to consider using a hair gel.

"A gel will provide that separation that you like to see when you have curls, and it's also going to give you a little bit more definition," says Leigh Hardges, a Chicago-based hair stylist. "Because of the way it coats the hair, it's going to help prevent frizz." According to Hardges, hair gel works best on 3A (loose, springy ringlets) to 4A (tight, defined, S-shaped curls) hair types.

But first, how do you apply hair gel?

Hardges says to apply when your hair is still soaked. "You always want to layer gels: You never want to mix them with anything in your hand because they’ll curdle." Opt for using a leave-in conditioner first, then following up with a gel. 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.

From there, the way you apply hair gel depends on what type of hair you have.

• For waves, Hardges recommends covering your hands in gel and using your fingers to rake through your hair, squeezing your curls as you go.
• For curls and coils, don't rake through your hair at all — just squeeze the gel into your curls. "The more separation you create, you're also going to create a lot of frizz," Hardges explains. "You want to stop frizz from happening instead of trying to get rid of it after it's there."

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. 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. “It feels featherlight, gave my hair bounce and tamed flyaways,” a tester says.It's alcohol-free, so it won't dry your hair out, and you can use it on damp or dry hair.

This one of Hardges' staples. All you need for perfect curls is to use a leave-in conditioner followed by this gel. "You don’t have to do this whole series of creams, and it's not going to flake," says Hardges. She cautions that a little goes a long way — if you use too much, you could see some flaking.

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. 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.“I applied this on my damp hair before drying, and loved how well it defined and boosted my curls — and the subtly sweet scent,” says one tester.

With over 1,000 5-star reviews on Amazon, this curl gel is definitely a fan-favorite. This gel has a stronger hold, so your curls will stay in place, but it's also hydrating."After all these years of looking for a product that will hold my curls and reduce frizz, my curls have never looked better," raves one reviewer.

This curl gel is a hairspray alternative that also works as a conditioning treatment. It's super lightweight, so your curls won't feel crunchy or heavy."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.

Hardges likes this gel because it's super versatile — youcan use this gel on all curl types, from loose waves to tight coils. Reviewers also loves how much definition and body this gel gives their hair.

This styling gel is a great pick if your hair is on the finer side."I have low porosity, loose waves/curls, and this gel is perfect because it doesn’t weigh them down at all," says one reviewer. This gel also provides major hold,so your curls will look just as luscious at the end of the day as they did at the beginning.

Reviewers praise this product for taming frizz, defining curls, and adding tons of moisture back into their hair. This product is a must if you live in a more humid climate — reviewers say their hair kept its shape no matter how much humidity they had to put it through.

Hardges uses this pure flaxseed gel on her own hair.It helps hair growth and makes curls last for days."This stuff is gold," raves one reviewer. "I’ve used it on a wash and go and I’ve used it for twist outs. I am in love." Hardges' pro tip: After it dries, follow up with an oil for extra-soft tresses.

This gel helps mold strands but also leaves them feeling soft and touchable."I have somewhat coarse hair that wants to dry into beach waves but need some moisture and structure to do it," says one reviewer."This gel is exactly what my hair needs to look healthy, shiny and styled without me doing anything other than wash and go."

You can always depend on Briogeo for clean curl care. This gel holds curls in place while also promoting curls to form. Good-for-your-hair ingredients like quinoa extract and keratin amino acids also help strengthen hair.

Described as a "glossing gel," this curl potion defines curls, hydrates hair, and delivers major shine."I had low expectations for this product since lightweight gels usually do not provide good definition for my hair," says one reviewer."However, this product dramatically exceeded my expectations. Despite its low-to-nonexistent crunch factor, it gives me beautiful ringlets with minimal frizz."

This humidity-resistant geldoesn't feel sticky and controls frizz and flyaways."I've been using this product for some time now after experimenting with many others," one reviewer says."This is the only one that holds the curls in place the longest and feels the softest."

Planning a day at the beach? This hair gel has UV protection that helps filter out harsh rays that could lead to sun damage. Bonus: its sweet citrus scent will make you want to use more.

Designed specifically with heat and humidityin mind, this gel works wonders to deflate your tresses. "On the worst most humid day, I use this and it always works," says one reviewer. "[It] leaves my hair feeling soft and not sticky or crunchy. Perfect gel for soft but strongly held curls."

Leave it to Tracee Ellis Ross' beloved haircare line to have a hair gel that defines curls while also nourishing them. This gel is packed with strengthening ingredients like aloe vera and coconut oil."The gel isn't like your typical super crunchy and defined gel," notes one reviewer."It focuses more on moisture and a slight definition, which is great if you want to keep your hair soft and slightly defined."

This gel was made with damaged hair prone to split ends. Perfect for twist-outs, reviewers love how long this gel makes their curls last.It also looks like molten gold, which makes application more fun.

Another pure flaxseed option, this hair gel has racked up thousands of positive reviews on Amazon."This has become one of my all time favorites," raves one reviewer."It really defines my coils and doesn't flake or leave a white residue on my hair." It also helps encourage hair growth.

This cream-based gel helps define and hold curls in place while keeping hair moisturized and soft. "This gel is my holy grail," one reviewer says."Use it on soaking wet hair and you can't go wrong. It practically turns into water in my hair and my hair just drinks it up."

Both organic and cruelty free, this gel smells like honey and orange blossoms. A little bit goes a long way for all-day hold, touchably soft curls, and an ingredient list you can feel good about.