The Very Best Hair Gels for Easy Slick Backs (2024)

While hair gels might mentally teleport you back to the early aughts, they're actually really great when you need to lock in your look (think: slicked-back hairstyles and defined tight curls). Today's formulas aren't like the goopy blue hues of decades past. They're a little creamier, often nourishing, versatile, and offer a flexible hold that lasts for hours.

What's more, you can count on having better-looking hair all around. For those rocking a pixie, slick back, cropped cut, sleek updo, or scrunched curls—and anyone wanting to explore the wet hair look—gel is your BFF. We conducted hours of research evaluating each hair gel on formula type, active ingredients, and how it feels in your hair. After consulting with top hairstylist Kevin Murphy, we narrowed our list to these best in class.

Our Top Picks

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Best for Natural Hair:

Pattern Curl Gel at Amazon$12

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What We Like

  • Lightweight, pro-grade formulation

  • Adds volume

  • Shiny finish

What to Consider

  • Hold isn't as strong as other options

Active Ingredients: Blue agave nectar and citrus oil | Hair type: All | Size: 16.9 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: No

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. The lightweight, slightly creamy concoction adds volume, tames flyaways, smooths, 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.

What We Like

  • Great value

  • Lightweight consistency

  • 98% naturally derived ingredients

What to Consider

  • Can be drying

Active Ingredients: Fruit protein, and vitamins B3 and B6 | Hair Type: All | Size: 6.8 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Thanks to Garnier, you can get the good stuff without shelling out a bunch of cash. Containing an impressive 98% naturally derived ingredients, the brand's Pure Clean Styling Gel offers a strong yet weightless finish without any flakes.

What We Like

  • Easily accessible

  • Long-lasting hold

  • Works well for all hair types

What to Consider

  • Dries with a crunchy cast

Active Ingredients: Australian jojoba oil and sea kelp | Hair Type: All, especially unmanageable hair | Size: 7 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes

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.

What We Like

  • Moisturizing formula thanks to seed butters

  • Minimizes tension on scalp

  • Adds volume

What to Consider

  • Pricier than other options

Active Ingredients: Murumuru, mango, and cocoa seed butters | Hair Type: Curly, coils, medium to thick | Size: 8.5 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes

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 butter and oils—namely murumuru, mango, and cocoa butter—to hydrate and add bounce.

What We Like

  • Defines curls and smooths flyaways with a touchable finish

  • Smells great

  • Great for wash-and-gos

What to Consider

  • Hold isn't as strong as other options

Active Ingredients: Aloe vera, coconut oil, and cacay oil | Hair Type: Curly, coils, textured hair | Size: 9.8 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes

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.

What We Like

  • Moisturizing and hydrating for curls and coils

  • Shiny finish

  • Minimizes tangles

What to Consider

  • Hold isn't as strong as other options

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

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.

What We Like

  • Manages frizz and flyaways

  • Flexible hold while remaining comfortable

  • Moisturizing

What to Consider

  • Hold isn't as strong as other options

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

If you're working with waves, reach for Briogeo's Curl Charisma. The 90% naturally derived formula is chock-full of healthy hair ingredients like quinoa extract, rice amino acids, and tomato fruit ferment extract, which give your hair a flexible hold and a nourishment boost.

What We Like

  • Nonsticky, rich formula locks in coarse hair

  • Moisturizes with natural oils and butters

  • Available for under $15

What to Consider

  • Consistency gets ruined in hot weather

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

SheaMoisture's Gel Soufflé is amazing for those with thick hair and short cuts. The natural formula adds definition and hold, but since it doesn't contain silicone or polymers, there won't be any sticky buildup. Just keep in mind that the consistency might not hold up in hot weather, as coconut oil tends to melt.

What We Like

  • Adds volume

  • Strengths fine strands

  • Pump bottle

What to Consider

  • Feels sticky

Active Ingredients: Amino acids and fruit extracts | Hair Type: All | Size: 8.5 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes

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.

What We Like

  • Strong hold for all-day or all-night wear

  • Dries quickly

  • Lightweight on most hair types

What to Consider

  • May weigh down finer hair

Active Ingredients: Glycerin and castor oil | Hair Type: All | Size: 4.22 oz | Formula: Cream-like gel | Cruelty-Free: No

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 clumping.

What We Like

  • Flexible hold with touchable, soft finish

  • Defines and holds style

  • Works on wet or dry hair

What to Consider

  • Hold isn't as strong as other options

Active Ingredients: Coconut oil, sunflower seed extract, and keratin | Hair Type: All | Size: 5 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes

For a piecey look that's not as 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.

What We Like

  • Great for hot, wet, and humid climates

  • Helps smooth and define

  • Lightweight

What to Consider

  • Hold isn't as strong as other options

Active Ingredients: Sericin and wheat protein | Hair Type: Curly | Size: 8.5 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes

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.

What We Like

  • Adds volume and texture

  • Notsticky feel

  • Touchable finish

What to Consider

  • May weigh down finer hair

Active Ingredients: Argan oil | Hair Type: All | Size: 6 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Moroccanoil's styling gel combines the power of its 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.

What We Like

  • Lightweight formula defines each and every curl

  • Touchable finish

  • Moisturizes with coconut and tree oils

What to Consider

  • Strong smell not for everyone

Active Ingredients: Coconut and tea tree oil | Hair Type: Curly, coils | Size: 8 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes

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.

What We Like

  • Matte finish

  • Adds texture

  • Easy to work through hair

What to Consider

  • Not long-lasting

Active Ingredients: Beeswax and kaolin clay | Hair Type: All | Size: 1.7 oz | Formula: Pomade | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This pomade smells addicting, just like the rest of Ouai's products, and works just as well to slick the hair, too. Because of its 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.

What We Like

  • Glue-like hold

  • No-flake formula

  • Smoothing

What to Consider

  • Product is a little tacky

Active Ingredients: Castor seed oil | Hair Type: All | Size: 6 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: No

In the description, this hair gel states that it can accommodate “vertical hairstyles,” so if you’ve been wanting to take your hair to new heights, this is the product for you. For zero movement and long-lasting looks, the Ultra Glued hair gel won’t let you (or your hair) down. Squeeze a small amount into your palm and distribute evenly through damp hair.

What We Like

  • Works for complex hairstyles

  • Orange scent freshens dirty hair

  • Adds shine

What to Consider

  • Formula may take a while to wash out

Active Ingredients: Grapefruit peel oil | Hair Type: All | Size: 8.5 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: No

Break out this sculpting Redken hair gel if you want to attempt a style that goes beyond your basic bun or ponytail. This formula provides flake-free shape memory and even adds shine to your hair when styling.

What We Like

  • Holds without residue or flakes

  • Works for all hair textures

  • Adds shine

What to Consider

  • Currently only available through Fenty Beauty website

Active Ingredients: Replenicore-5 complex, bamboo sap water | Hair Type: All | Size: 7 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Feeling hair envy? Don’t be the jelly type—get The Gelly Type. Rihanna’s beauty empire now includes a haircare category, and this strong hold gel is here to hold your hair with no trace. Thanks to its invisible finish, you won’t even know it’s there. With added benefits like split-end repair and frizz control, you’ll find yourself reaching for this one time and time again.

What We Like

  • Perfect finishing touch for any hairstyle

  • Flexible hold

  • Water-based formula

What to Consider

  • Fragrance can be too strong for some

Active Ingredients: Jojoba milk and Tsubaki seed oil | Hair Type: Straight, wavy and curly hair | Size: 4.1 oz | Formula: Gel | Cruelty-Free: Yes

When it comes to hair, the finishing touch often makes all the difference. Don’t leave the house without a bit of Crown Affair’s Flexible Hold Finishing Hair Gel. This gel extends your style by holding it in place, taming flyaways, and even adding shine to your hair. This gel works best for fine and medium hair textures for long-lasting looks and won’t leave you with stiff strands.

What to Look for in a Hair Gel

  • Polymers: Most hair gels contain some form of polymers, which are what create 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, 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, 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.
  • Formulation: Modern hair gels come in a few different formulations. There are traditional transparent gooey gels, nourishing gel creams, lightweight gellies, and balms, which fall somewhere between gel and pomade.

FAQ

  • How do you apply hair gel?

    With a dime-to-nickel-sized dollop in the palm of your hand, massage the gel into your hair, evenly coating each strand. Use your fingers to add texture, scrunch your curls, or tousle your hair to create the look you're going for.

  • Can you put hair gel in wet hair?

    To prevent drying out your hair or getting that crunchy feeling, gel will typically perform better if applied to wet or damp hair. This way the gel will glide through strands more easily and the product will also lock in the moisture that’s already in your hair.

  • Does gel damage your hair?

    If a hair gel is high-quality and combined with the right ingredients, it can shut the cuticle and create shine, Murphy explains. However, products with poor-quality ingredients and high alcohol content can create dry, brittle hair and dry out your scalp.

  • Does hair gel expire?

    "Everything has a use-by date," says Murphy. "Most brands have a shelf life of two years or more, then they either discolor or the suspension drops, and they become watery."

Meet the Experts

Kevin Murphy is a celebrity hairstylist and founder of the eponymous brand, Kevin Murphy.

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.

Austen Tosone is a beauty writer and content creator based in NYC. She tests dozens of beauty products for work and is always on the hunt to uncover the latest and greatest ones to share with Byrdie readers. In between hair wash days, there are few things she appreciates more than a slicked-back bun or ponytail.

The Very Best Hair Gels for Easy Slick Backs (2024)
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