Will hard hold gel make hair curlier?

Babyfine

I have been using some mousses, which I like:Nexxus mousse plus, Oscar Blandi, HH Totally twisted because my wimpy fine waves need volume in the winter. I also use Deva Curl light defining gel with B'leave in. but I've been wondering if a harder hold gel Like Deva Curls or some others would give me more curl, curlier hair. I tend not to used gels as much in the winter, but I'm wanting to try Deva Ultra gel.
Problem is I'm trying to use up my stash, and I've got tons of The light defining gel left, and my bathroom looks like a department store.
Will a harder hold gel be the answer?
I want MORE curl, more volume, bigger hair.
something I don't have naturally of course.

Cristy_amk

I've had huge success with biosilk rock hard gelee.

Therese1

I have found that a hard-hold gel does give me more curl. It's worth trying! Volume is tough for us fine-haired wavies.

Babyfine

Thanks for your replies! I think I will give a hard hold gel a try.
I will give Biolsilk Rock hard gelee a try.
I really wanted to quit being a product junkie, lol.

Alyssa.Godfr

Pros of hard hold gel - I've definitely found it makes my hair curlier. It helps the curls form and hold while your hair's wet so they don't get weighed down. It also holds better throughout the day.

Cons of hard hold gel- Just one actually. Mousse was much more low maintenance. I could leave the house with my hair wet and by the time I got where I was going it was dry enough to scrunch the crunch out of. It didn't look too bad before scrunching it, so it wasn't embarrassing. I look insane before I SOTC with hard hold gel in my hair. I'll probably switch back to mousse or foam with no alcohol when the weather changes. Right now, though, I need the boost and hold from the gel.

Babyfine

Thanks Alyssa. I need the volume mousse provides especially in the winter but I love the stronger hold of gels. I'm really thinking of getting a hard hold gel. My hair looks shinier and healthier with gel, too, I really like the Devacurl for that.
Just not enough volume, sometimes.
I know the Deva sites advises using the gel in conjunction with the Deva foam but wow the expense of buying both those!! also I don't like too many products in my hair.
ETA I need to update a new picture, too, i have gotten my hair looking wavier than in this picture, which was taken in 2008.
So i can get my hair to be 2B if I use the right products.
I would love to be in the 3 catagory but it isn't going to happen

Babyfine

Alyssa.Godfr wrote: »

Pros of hard hold gel - I've definitely found it makes my hair curlier. It helps the curls form and hold while your hair's wet so they don't get weighed down. It also holds better throughout the day.

Cons of hard hold gel- Just one actually. Mousse was much more low maintenance. I could leave the house with my hair wet and by the time I got where I was going it was dry enough to scrunch the crunch out of. It didn't look too bad before scrunching it, so it wasn't embarrassing. I look insane before I SOTC with hard hold gel in my hair. I'll probably switch back to mousse or foam with no alcohol when the weather changes. Right now, though, I need the boost and hold from the gel.

Yes the second paragraph is my problem,too, my hair looks noodle-y and sometime even scalpy(!) with gel if I;m not careful.(I have very fine thin hair.)
One good gel that makes my hair curlier is Giovanni more body hair thickener, but it tends to build up I have found, especially if one is CG.
I don't think it's water soluble. It takes a sulfate to get out the sticky-ness for me, even though their shampoos are sulfate free(and I really like their shampoos)
that;s one reason I like the Deva gels, they don't build up.

Mei

My lopo hair hates hard hold gel, and weighs it down. Deva ultra defining gel was terrible for giving me limp hair and always left my canopy at a 2a. I love mousse because it gives me tons of curl and volume and my canopy stays at a 2b that way. I live in a very, very wet climate though, so gel never actually fully dries here, and when it does, going outside dampens it again, which loosens the curl. Mousse doesn't seem to suffer this problem.

naturecat

Gelatin gel seems to be the only thing that can provide my baby fine hair more curl and more hold. Esp if I do a gelatin PT beforehand.

Babyfine

Mei-gel does tend to weigh my hair down, too, if I'm not careful. Plus it makes my hair look noodley and scalpy if I'm not careful as well. I just make sure to use a very little amount. so far I've had the best luck with the Deva LDG and B'Leave in for not weighing down my hair. And just using a tiny bit.
maybe what I really need is a strong hold mousse? If such a thing exists.
Back during my perming days I used to use Clairol 3-1 mousse which gave my hair dry from perming moisture but it just weighs down my much healthier non-permed hair now.

naturcat- i will have to try that(gelatin)

chupie

The only two consistently good hard hold gels left are I believe Biosilk Rock Hard (make sure it is not the one in a tube - I don't know why but that one IS different and it is not CG. The one in a bottle is.) and Sweet Curls Crazy Hard Hold Gel on Etsy. It is worth it to have one.

ExpectoPatronum

I don't know how much help I can be considering my hair type and texture are different but....

I didn't really like the Biosilk Gel. I thought it was sticky and, surprisingly, it weighed my hair down. I actually had less curl when I used it than nearly any other gel. I'm on Team Ecostyler, currently. It's got a harder hold than the Deva light defining gel, but isn't nearly as sticky as Biosilk.

But, I actually get the most volume when I skip gel all together. This is something I've just recently begun experimenting with, but using the LOC (leave-in, oil, cream) method has been great in making sure my hair is moisturized, and my waves are really liking it. Since skipping gel, my waves have really perked up and I feel like my hair looks curlier now without gel.

guthak01

You could always try using a mousse with a gel over it. For volume, I have had great success with this combo. Upside down I scrunch the mousse through my hair and roots, and then the gel gets scrunched in as well. After this, I diffuse upside down for a few minutes, and then I clip my roots. It may weigh you down, but you could give it a shot.

The mousse/gel combo I have been using this winter is HH Tousle Me Softly + LA Looks Sport Gel.

The biosilk gel I find to be way too sticky and gross in my hair, but my hair is curlier than yours.

As far as hold goes, I have found the DevaCurl Ultra to be lighter than LA Looks Sport Gel and Biosilk.

Babyfine

Thanks for your suggestions- I may give the mousse/gel combo a try

Alyssa.Godfr

Sweet Curls Elixirs makes a volumizing foam. I haven't tried it but I did order it. It's a cheaper than the Deva one (at least the price listed on Ulta).

Mei

Unfortunately due to said wet climate Deva products are a no-go as are most others with a high amount of glycerin - as they pull a ton of moisture from the environment to my hair and leave me with sticky wet hair for most of the day. On a good day it takes 3-4 hours for my hair to air dry completely but with lots of glycerin in a leave-in product it might not completely dry or could take double the amount of time. I love where I live, but I hate how it's made it difficult to find good hair products. My friend who is high porosity does really well with the Deva line here, but I am lopo from roots to ends, even after some processing... It's insane lol

wavydaze

I usually get the most curl out of a jelly styler (like homemade FSG!) with some protein (CNPF) in it. Uncle Funky's Daughter Curly Magic is a good one too. I'm a fine-haired wavy too and a lot of stylers can weigh down my hair. Jelly stylers are lightweight so I find my hair can curl better as it dries. Homemade gelatin gel is really great too for fine hair.

Having said that, I've also had great luck with hard hold gels scrunched in, especially in high dews (and in soft water). Volumax Mega was my high dews/soft water HG hard hold gel. I've had luck with the BRHG too.


For more volume: protein, plopping for 5 min, diffusing, clipping.