CURLSMITH - Shine Gel, Strong Hold Styling Hair Gel, Frizz Protection, Sensitive, Fragrance Free, for All Curl Types, Vegan (8 fl oz)

I discovered my hair was wavy a couple months ago after a major haircut and have been trying to find haircare products that better suit my new texture and do. I must confess that being an 80's kid who lived through an era of highly sculpted hair and who was very happy to see the back end of an "architectural hair" trend that never flattered me, I haven't used gel in years. But in doing my research (*cough* YouTubing), many talked about the importance of gel in maintaining curl/wave shape, particularly if you have fine hair or fragile curls. So I worked to overcome my aversion.One thing I'll say off the bat is that this is definitely not a gel I'd use in its undiluted state on dry hair, and the manufacturers agree, noting it should be applied to sopping wet hair. I was worried with all that water that I'd dilute it too much at first, and I overcompensated by adding way too much gel for my hair. After I got a well-nigh unbreakable gel cast, I made adjustments the next time...and used a bit too little. Since I'm new to the waviness and to this method of applying gel, I figure that's probably par for the course. But after tweaking over the course of a few wash days, I've finally come to the right amount.I really like the fact that this gel is fragrance-free because I have both sensitive skin and asthma -- I've had immediate skin reactions and asthmatic attacks from products in the past, so I'm always a bit trepidatious when I have to select new products. This gel does have a light natural ingredient smell that one can smell if one sniffs it in the container -- the scent reminds me a bit of Elmer's glue -- but I don't notice any odor when actually applying it, and doesn't set off any reactions for me, which is great!The gel does add a nice amount of shine to my hair, but it really doesn't moisturize, so I prefer to use it after applying a leave-in conditioner when I'm using the shampoo and conditioner from the same line. When I'm using a heavier, coconut-oil shampoo and rinse-out conditioner, though, I don't need a leave-in, too, so the need for a leave-in really does depend on what other products are being used -- the gel does help me form nice wave clumps as long as my hair is sufficiently moisturized.Another way I've been using this gel -- considering how important emulsifying with lots of water seems to be in getting the best outcome with this product, I decided to do a little experiment and mixed just a little of the gel into a smaller spray bottle full of water and tried applying that mixture to dry hair on wash days or as a second-day refresher when I haven't previously applied gel. I found that if I shake the bottle to mix and then spray my hair until it's thoroughly dampened, I can get a nice, very light cast on the hair that is easy to smooth once the hair is dry.So while I was a bit resistant to using gel and fought a bit at first to get the application right, I'm really enjoying this product now and find it suits my needs for a product that a) won't make me wheeze or get a rash upon application, b) won't weigh it down too much (if I don't overapply) and c) will hold the delicate waves in my fine hair. It may not be the right product for everyone, but all in all, I'm pleased with the way it works on my fine hair.

I've used quite a few gels over my curly journey and this one is my favorite! It has a very strong hold so my waves don't fall flat. The smell is very mild. I can use this either by itself for a longer, less-producty feel, or I can use it with mousse. It always works to make a great cast!

I love this gel!! After Ouidad discontinued their curl immersion line, I thought I'd never find another gel that would hold my curls the way the their curl custard did while still being color safe, and I didn't, until now! It's probably been a 2yr long search lol Not only does this product give me amazing second day curls, they still look great on day 3! I had concerns at first because the product is sticky when putting it in your hair, but once it dried that was no longer an issue and I'm thrilled to be able to wear my curls down again!

2 B to C low to medium porosity wavy hair. This gel has a super strong hold. Leaves my hair super crispy after SOC with an argan oil, the results are incredibly great. Will buy again.

I have 2B fine, wavy hair and occasionally use “scrunch out the crunch” to define my waves. I don’t like perfumey artificial fragrance lingering in my hair, but it can be tough to find a fragrance-free gel that forms a good cast. I had been using the Vanicream “free and clear” gel which worked pretty well, but it would make the ends of my hair feel dry and look dull. I figured I’d try this Shine Gel from Curlsmith to see if I could get the same results but with more softness and shine.The first time I used it, I used my usual ~quarter-sized amount scrunched into wet hair and air dried, then slept on it. I was impressed by how well it held the shape of all my waves even overnight, no touch-ups required in the AM. But unfortunately it caused a really odd sticky residue in my hair that made it feel stiff and tacky and look a bit stringy, and was tough to fully “scrunch” out.Since then I’ve only used the tiniest pea-sized amount and that seems to work better for my fine hair, with less noticible residue.In terms of shine factor, this makes my ends look and feel a bit less dull than the Vanicream gel, but I wouldn’t say it does anything extra to make my hair look shiny or smooth.Overall, if I were someone who uses a lot of this daily, I don’t think I could justify such a high price for hair gel. But because I use it only occasionally, it’s more justifiable. I think once I use this up (which should take forever considering I’m only using a pea-sized amount), I’d try their lighter shine “jelly” formula instead which would hopefully not leave as much of a residue on my finer hair.

This is by FAR my favorite hair gel. It’s a little crunchy when it first air dries, but I quick scrunch fixes all of that. The BEST thing is that I can finally go 3-4 days in between washes because it holds my hair so well. It’s hydrated like it should be now thanks to this product for my curls.

Works great with Lush curl cream!

A little goes a long way with this gel. Doesn’t feel heavy. Leaves a good hold that lasts longer than our scrunching gel.