Pudding, soufflé, custard, and gel....

Curlee'smom

So...besides the fact that they can all be foods, what is the difference between soufflé, gel, custard, and pudding? Are they better for specific hair types? I thought maybe they are mostly the same only different names, but some companies have more than one of these products.

And then there's CJ, I think, who has all those food ingredients so it really sounds like you're buying dessert! Lol

Wildfox

In my experience gel has a thinner consistency - more liquid like, custards and soufflés are like thicker/heavier more moisturizing gels and puddings are more like a butter or cream all with varying degrees of hold. This may vary from brand to brand, the lines I've tried are kinky curly, Shea moisture, jessicurl, some drug store lines like garnier fructise, etc.

claudine191

That's a good question. I've had bad luck with some gels and gel-like souffles, but good luck with a pudding. Come to think of it, I've also had bad luck with a pudding by another maker.

The differences I've found lie in the texture, not only of the product, but of the hair type they affect. For example, the lighter the product, the less it works for me. So a creamy pudding does nothing, while a sticky pudding helps enhance my waves. Also, certain brands seem to define textures differently, so that what I would call a cream, they might call a custard.

Good old marketing. How clever to name hair products after delightful desserts!

kathymack

You're right. A product can be anything the manufacturer wants to call it. There is no "real" definition to separate them. I, personally, call products made of the more natural ingredients "jelly" products and the ones with the "chemicals," gels. I stay away from the gels, especially ones with polyquats.

Trick

This thread is making my hungry for breakfast! lol