Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with gel

Best Hair Product for Men

jameslavelle3 — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:02:47 -0800

Men with short hair: what hair product do you use to style your hair on a daily basis, if any? Also, I am looking for high quality hair product that has a decent hold and is as non-flaky and non-greasy as possible. Cost is not a concern. In the past, gel has worked for best for me but I am open to new ideas.

Maybe it's time for a (hairstyle) change?

Vorteks — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:46:09 -0800

I'm a man, and all my life I've had exactly one hairstyle. Now I'm looking to refine my look a little bit. What do I need to know? I've had pretty much the same hairstyle for 26 years. My friends and family often tease me that there's no point in me even going to the barbershop because "it always looks the same anyway". I have always worn a medium-length cut. My hair parts naturally, and I've never fought it. I pretty much use no hair products of any kind, other than shampoo and conditioner. I'm pretty conservative in my dress and grooming.

Now, I'm thinking a bit of change might be good. I might change my overall hairstyle, or maybe I want to keep my style but use some kind of product to enhance it or keep it in place a bit. However, I have no idea where to start. Can you help me? How does a man choose a new hairstyle? Is there some kind of guide? What sort of products (gels, sprays, brushes, etc) should I know about? What's the difference between a $10 barber, and a $30 salon? Any and all information would be helpful.

In general, I would consider:

A new (yet still conservative) hairstyle. A bit longer, a bit shorter, try to remove the part, whatever.

Using a subtle gel or spray to hold my hair in place or enhance it

Going to a new shop or salon if it would help

I would not consider:

Coloring or highlighting.

Gels or sprays that have a very obvious and dramatic effect - making your hair look solid, or laquered, or whatever

Anything that would shock your grandmother. I'm going for a more modest, business-friendly look.

I'm looking for more general advice about my options rather than a specific recommendation, but if it helps this is what I look like (although the part in my hair isn't always that pronounced). Also, if it matters, I live in Michigan, USA.

Thanks in advance!

how do I describe bazuka gel to a german pharmacist?

krautland — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 06:50:16 -0800

how do I describe bazuka gel to a german pharmacist? I recently got hold of some extra-strength bazuka gel while in the UK and would like to purchase something similar in germany. alas, I don't quite know how to explain what I want to the pharmacist. I use this to make life easier on my callus feet.

Philosophy's 3-in-1's as shampoo

BostonTerrier — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 06:30:17 -0800

Philosophy's 3-in-1's as shampoo: what are your experiences? I've recently discovered the 3-in-1 products by Philosophy (the shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath product.)

I very much like the idea of portmanteau products (one thing that can do multiple things) and I'd like to ditch using a separate shampoo.
Before I do, however, I must ask the HiveMind: has anyone used 3-in-1's exclusively for shampoo? Or even mainly as a shampoo? How did it work out for you?
My hair is between chin and shoulder-length, and needs washing every other day, if that makes a difference.
I look forward to reading your experiences with Philosophy.

What is a gel that turns to liquid with minor agitation?

Bugbread — Sat, 30 May 2009 02:48:16 -0800

What do you call a gel that turns into a liquid with very minor agitation/pressure? I have an alcohol hand cleanser which, when you push the pump, comes out like a gel (like thick shampoo or the like), but when you start rubbing your hands together, turns into a regular fluid, like straight alcohol. I remember seeing something on a science show on TV which talked about this type of gel, which had a special name. What was that name?

(Note: telling you the name of the hand cleanser probably wouldn't help, as it's Japanese)

Good gel imaging system?

sickinthehead — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:06:07 -0800

I'm looking for a good system to take pictures of gels stained with either Ethidium Bromide or Coomassie. Can any one suggest one with good quality and value? It would be nice if it had an overhead UV light to cut bands out of gels.

aloe gel uses!

KateHasQuestions — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:09:31 -0800

Recipes/suggestions for use of aloe plants and aloe gel? I have a ton of aloe plants that just keep making new baby aloes. I use aloe gel once in a while when I get burned, but it'd be cool to use it in bigger quantities to make something useful.

Anyone know any good recipes for any DIY beauty/lotion products? Aloe juice? Any other suggestions? It'd be helpful if it was stuff you've made and know how long it would keep for, but any links and information are welcome as well!

Is it worth the money to go to the Gel conference?

scottso17 — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:34:09 -0800

Is it worth the money to go to the Gel conference? I went last year and found it really inspiring, and it helped me generate some fresh thinking in my work. But my brother pointed out a much cheaper conference with similar stature speakers that he found inspiring: NY Times Small Business Summit. I'm torn -- I really enjoyed Gel, but the price seems really high. Could I get a better bang for the buck elsewhere?

For further background, Gel was described as a "poor man's TED".

The deadline for discounted registration is Tuesday, so I'm trying hard to make up my mind.

Final preparations for a first half-marathon

web-goddess — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 05:31:00 -0800

Final half-marathon preparations: I'm signed up for the Sydney Half-Marathon (my first ever!) on May 18th, and I've just got a couple questions as I enter these last few weeks of preparations. Do I need to start investigating energy gels or GUs or something? And is this a *really* bad time to get new shoes? I'm getting a bit jittery so I'd be grateful for any wisdom and advice from the MeFi running contingent... I did my longest run ever today - ten miles! But man, am I sore right now. I had plenty of Gatorade and water throughout the two hours (yes, I'm SLOW), but I've since been googling and it seems like ten miles is about the magic number when folks start taking energy supplements with them. I've read enough to know that I shouldn't take anything for the first time during the actual race. So should I try out some in these last three weeks? What kind of results can I actually expect from them? My legs were feeling pretty dead by the end of today's run, but I just chalked that up to the effort of going farther. Would sucking down a gel or two have made me feel noticeably more peppy?

The other culprit for my soreness could be my shoes. I've done 430km (about 270 miles) on this pair, which I bought last September. Most of the articles I can find online suggest replacing them between 300-500 miles. I'm a fairly big girl, so I'm sure I'm putting a bit more wear and tear on them than a lighter runner would. So should I get a new pair as soon as I can and start rotating them for my last few workouts? Or would it be better to stick with what my feet are used to until after the race?

I'm grateful for any additional advice you guys can offer! I'm actually kind of excited to "graduate" into longer distance running. I've tried several times in the past to become a runner but it never really stuck until this year. Wish me luck...

Help me figure out barn doors and gels!

rinosaur — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 10:55:47 -0800

Tell me everything you know about barn doors and gels for light kits! So! I just scored my dream photography job and I started last week. The guy before me left a light kit similar to this one (although I'm not sure if it has the background reflector). Along with that is a set of barn doors and gels. I can work with the light kit alright, but I've never used barn doors or gels. I'm looking for resources (web, book, video, etc.) or your collective knowledge on how to use them! Thanks, Mefites!

Inexpensive Pilot G6 gel pens (or at least as good alt)?

nolnar — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 07:05:41 -0800

Help me find webshops with inexpensive Pilot G6 gel pen cartridges, or at least as good alternatives, that ship to private customers in Europe? BACKGROUND:
I write a lot by hand with gel pens, specifically the Pilot G6, mainly black or blue color. http://www.pilotpen.us/products/ ; screenshot: http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/2814/pilotrangelt1.png . I think Pilot uses the same ink cartridge for G2 mini, G2 pro, G2 and G6.

ALTERNATIVES:
Alternative pens/catridges should be at least as good as the G6. They should have the same or similar qualities as the G6, G2 et al: good flow, dry quickly, no "stuttering".

EXAMPLE:
I have locally found the Niji J-clear range of pens and have "testdriven" them for a while (http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/9688/nijijclear05ea7.jpg ; I can't find an official website when googling). The J-clear is normally almost as good as G2, G6 et al. But lines drawn with the Niji pens are in my experience always a bit more "fuzzy". And, a more serious problem, some of the Niji pens began to "stutter" after a while. With "stutter" I mean that even with least half the ink left in the cartridge the regular think ink flow frequently gets interrupted by half flow or no flow but then later works as it should again. That really makes a pen unreliable and obstructs efficient use. (I should note that I bought all the Niji test pens at the same time so maybe I good a batch that was old or otherwise nonrepresentative.) So any alternative to G6 et al should be "fuzzy" or "stutter".

VOLUME:
The pens/cartridges should also be available for bulk purchase by some internet enabled store that ships to Europe (to Sweden specifically). With bulk I mean something around 50-100 pens (I use up around 50 pens a year). But if a GREAT bargain price was available if a larger batch is purchased then that might also work.

PRICE:
the Niji pens cost the equivalent of 1.5$ over the counter where I live. That's for one pen (casing) including its ink cartridge. I have not found a place that sells just Niji cartridges. The G6 cartridges also costs around 2$ at local office supply stores.

But I have a hunch that there are DRASTICALLY less expensive gel pens/cartridges around somewhere but that I have just not discovered the brand name and where to get them. Maybe in the sub 0.5$ price range. Maybe from some webshop outlet in east asia with very low bulk prices even with the shipping cost to Europe included.

My hunch is based on my experience from purchasing electronical devices cheaply from such webshops, from reading about eye glasses consumer activism at http://glassyeyes.blogspot.com/ and from sheer optimism. If it works for mp3 players and glasses then why not pens, right?

Ok, I hope that is enough details for the question. Now I hope for your feedback.

Online quest for Ushuaia vanilla shower gel!

mdonley — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 01:53:12 -0800

Awesome, supermarket-available, vanilla-scented shower gel from France - bought online and shipped to Latvia? I'm trying to find a way to buy "Ushuaia Gel Douche 2 en 1 Adoucissant Vanille" online and have some shipped to me in Latvia.

Here's an image of the bottle at a French-language product-review site.

I've found a bunch of online stores based in France/Belgium that will deliver to French/Belgian addresses, which isn't helpful, as I'm in Latvia. It's not on ebay.fr or amazon.fr.

It's probably no more than 5 euros for a 250ml bottle, and is in every supermarket, apparently, but I was in France over Christmas, when everything was closed, and didn't get a chance to pick any up.

(I'm also willing to pay a France-inhabiting MeFite to send me some if I can't find it online.)

Thanks!

Scallion gel?

R. Mutt — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 18:37:23 -0800

I love scallions. I mean, I should really do the right thing and propose. But the one thing holding me back is that small, clear blob of gel/fluid that sometimes oozes from the joint where the hollow green section meets the solid white section while chopping. What is that stuff? If it matters, these scallions are usually overpriced Whole Foods scallions.

What type of gel is good for spiking unspike-able hair?

KathyK — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 14:06:57 -0800

What is a good hair gel to spike my 6-year old nephew's spike-resistant hair? I've tried a few different types of hair gel, mostly from drugstores and a couple from hair salons, but none have been able to overcome his hair type which is thick, straight and coarse. It looks really good for the first hour and then it starts to submit to his natural hair style. He really likes pointy spiked hair, not just on the top but on all sides. I've tried gel, gel with hair spray, gel dried with a hair dryer, gel-hair spray-hair dryer and nothing works. Is there a tried-and-true brand out there that is not too expensive and stands up to "mega hold" status for a kid's rough and tumble lifestyle? Thanks!

Why did blueberry puree turn to gel?

dbolll — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 13:16:43 -0800

Cookingfilter: Why did my blueberry sorbet base solidfy? Last night, in anticipation of wanting blueberry sorbet today, I blended up (no cooking or freezing) a batch of blueberry sorbet. This consisted of only 2 cups of fresh blueberries, 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, and 4 tablespoons of simple syrup. Immediately after blending, the liquid base had a considerable amount of viscosity, like very soft whipped cream, which I attributed to the blender whipping air into the mixture.

I put the liquid base in an airtight container and refrigerated overnight. This morning, most of the liquid had solidified into a gel not unlike Jell-o, although about 1/4 of the liquid is now much thinner than it was last night.

Does anyone know why this happened and what, if anything, I can do in the future to prevent it from happening?

Where can I buy this French shower gel?

soonertbone — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 22:31:11 -0800

I'm looking for a particular brand of French shower gel called Bourjois. Is there any way to buy this in the U.S? A friend of mine enjoyed this brand of shower gel while a student in France. We can't find any American distributors, though, and are wondering if there's any possible way to get this gel in the States.

She's really after the scent "Gomme-Moi," but would also be interested in "Bonheur en Mousse" or "Deshabillez-Moi", as she's afraid they might have discontinued the Gomme-Moi scent.

Anybody know where she might look? Bonus points for finding an American distributor, but I think she'd also be interested in a French distributor who would ship overseas.

Is burning silica gel dangerous?

splatta — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 11:57:58 -0800

Last week at a friends house we were sitting around a nice fire, when my brother found one of those silica gel packets, and (stupidly) threw it in. The room almost immediately filled with noxious fumes, and our throats hurt for a couple days afterwards. What happened when that silica burned, and was any permanent damage done?

Restoring Gel Coat

monsta coty scott — Fri, 06 May 2005 08:42:39 -0800

I am prepping my old 18' catamaran for the summer and I would really like to restore the gelcoat finish on the fiberglass to a bright sheen. Can I use a regular buffing wheel, rubbing compound and wax that I would use on my car? The hulls are your regular fiberglass hulls with an orange gel coat finish. The orange has faded, has dirt and water lines on it and I would like to try and clean it up. Does anyone have a suggestion on working with gelcoat finishes?

What are some cat-safe cockroach extermination methods?

brownpau — Wed, 13 Oct 2004 22:40:38 -0800

Can anyone recommend an effective cat-safe cockroach extermination measure? I have a roach infestation problem in my apartment. I've sprayed the nooks and crannies with Raid, plugged the cracks with Combat Gel in the cracks, left a dozen traps in a dozen corners, and mercilessly kill any roach I see, but their population is not dropping. I'm Googling and Froogling about for possibilities, but firsthand accounts would be great. Again, I need something cat-safe.