Help me find a crunchy, super-hold, clear hair gel.

June 24, 2021 9:16 AM

I have little sideburn hairs that I keep long, so that I can tuck them behind my ears, for daily wear and wig-wearing. But I’m having a hard time finding a hair gel that will keep them tucked back there for the entire day.

I much prefer:
Product that is sold in a POT, rather than a tube.
CLEAR in color.
Super-mega hold!
Not too stinky, but I realize I can’t have everything.
The Body Shop used to make just the thing, but since they got bought out by L’Oreal, their mission has been “Let”s ditch everything BostonTerrier loved about the Body Shop.”
Please recommend hair gels you have used yourself.

posted by BostonTerrier to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (7 answers total)

I recently got a tube of this $3 elf "brow mascara" to see if I could chemically cement my eyebrows in place over a sweaty weekend where I needed to look presentable, and this stuff is basically glue strong hold hair gel. Extra crunchy. Just in a convenient little container. (The eyelash and brow goo is exactly the same, just with different spoolies.)

If your sideburns are just long and wispy, I bet you could just swipe the spoolie through them and into the place where you want them to be and it would do exactly what you need.
posted by phunniemee at 9:35 AM on June 24, 2021

If a weird suggestion from the mens' aisle is of interest, pomade? I find it much less unpleasantly sticky and less shiny-looking than gel, and it dries in half a minute. (I personally like the Old Spice brand, which is easy to find in stores but does smell a bit.)
posted by eotvos at 9:40 AM on June 24, 2021

Eco styler Krystal gel. They have it in most drug stores, it has great hold, the smell doesn't bother me personally, and it's not expensive.
posted by twelve cent archie at 9:58 AM on June 24, 2021

Ouidad makes gel at different hold levels for people with curly hair. I use the Advanced Climate Control Heat and Humidity Gel, after I wash it, and it definitely glues it in place as it dries, at which point I comb it out, but you could skip that part. The humidity gel I use works extremely well for fine and thin hair. If your hair requires more hold than that, her other options are here. The version I get is clear, not at all stinky, and very effective. It is in a long bottle, however, rather than a pot. I just pour some in my hand.
posted by Puppetry for Privacy at 10:03 AM on June 24, 2021

I like Eco Styler mentioned above, and I absolutely love Kinky Curly Curling Custard. It has a pleasant, light marshmallowy smell. It uses a botanical formula including horsetail, chamomile, nettle, agave, marshmallow, and aloe vera. It dries "crispy" and you can crunch it out with your hands in a squishing motion (or leave as is).
posted by charcoals at 10:28 AM on June 24, 2021

Along the lines of phunniemee's suggestion, I used a sampler of Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Freeze, and it is super strong, though maybe a bit expensive.
posted by neushoorn at 10:33 AM on June 24, 2021

What you really want id edge control - this is way more effective than regular hair gels because it’s made specifically to control those stubborn edge hairs. I don’t have any specific recommendations because I don’t personally use it, but it’s a big thing in the black, curly hair community.
posted by Aranquis at 1:12 PM on June 24, 2021