Gel Usage

[Snowymoon]

I had posted a thread over at TLHC before the site went down, and I am dying to continue the discussion. :whoohoo:

I had asked if using lots of gel (like 2 quater-sized puddles) would cause buildup and whether or not those doing this used a leave-in underneath that, and if so how much leave-in is enough?

Well, I tried it last night. I left quite a lot of conditioner in and put on 2 huge puddles of Re:Coil (some raked in and some scrunched in). My hair was all gooey with it and then dried into hard, crunchy noodles. :gurn: The next morning, I scrunched this out. I have full, really wavy hair!!! YAY!! Does this work with all gels, or do some work better than others?

[Alizarin Fionn]

I did not see the thread earlier Snowy but I can tell you that some of the gels that I have tried have been really sticky. They did not seem to dry crunchy for me to be able to scrunch out. It seems to be that different kinds of gel definintely do not have the same effect.

I think the most important thing is making sure that there is no alcohol in the gel, other than that go with what you like the results of.

[Snowymoon]

What about build-up issues? Does using this much gel cause quick build-up? :ooh: I wonder if some ingredients (polyquats) are more prone to that.

I am really surprised about the A/G Re:Coil working so well because it contains panthenol, protein and magnesium sulfate; I really thought my hair hated all this stuff. However, the Re:Coil seems to leave my hair really conditioned. :happy:

[Xandergrammy]

I had posted a thread over at TLHC before the site went down, and I am dying to continue the discussion. :whoohoo:




Just wanted to say "hi", Snowymoon!! I don't use gel very much now because I haven't found one that I like. I'm hoping to get some good ideas from this thread.


Xandergrammy (aka Leni)

[Snowymoon]

Hi Xander! :flower: Good to see you over here. :happy:

I am hoping to get some ideas as well, including re-trying some of my old favorites. If I am going to use this much gel, it is going to be really expensive if my hair wants the good stuff.

I guess I have another question along that line. Do those who do use lots of gel, do you rinse and reapply it daily or do you just mist it? Will it be okay to leave gel in the hair for days until washing? :boggle:

[Ursula]

Snowy - how long ago was it that you started using gel with a quarter size blob? I know that's the amount you were using a year ago, and you'd been using that much for quite a while before that.

In the meantime, you're hair has grown....

You probably have twice as much hair now as you did then, so it would make sense that you need twice as much product for the same coverage - maybe more, because the new growth isn't layered.

In addition to clipping to lift the roots, you might try putting your hair in a snood to dry. That would support the weight, so the upper part can wave if it wants to.

On the rare occasions I use gel, I wear my hair loose for the first day or so, then just comb it out and wear it up as usual until the next wash. I've never had luck rinsing out gel, I need to at least CO, and possibly shampoo, to get it out.

Off topic - LHC will be down until the 18th! How will we survive?

[kittcatt]

When I feel the need to use gel, I use aloe gel. So no build up and leaves my hair soft. It's great.

Yeah, I'm going to have LHC withdrawals.

[wonderlywroughte]

Snowy, I leave my product in for days after washing because I'm way too lazy to wash every day. Since I'm wearing it up anyway, it doesn't really seem to matter. I haven't noticed any adverse effects. If you wanted to wear it down though, you could certainly mist and scrunch to re-encourage curls.

[darkwaves]

Hi Snowy -- Congrats! Your hair sounds wonderful today.

For me, it depends on the gel. With re:coil, I can leave it for several days with no problem, and even comb through it the next day. It just feels soft and smooth. But some gels lock my hair in tendrils and if I'm not planning to rinse, I have to wear it twisted up. (I don't mind putting it up without combing; it just looks curlier that way.) http://chatter.thebeautybottle.com/images/ibulletin/editor/menupop.gif

I'm glad this new board is up -- may take time to get used to. My text looks huge when I'm writing here.

[Snowymoon]

Ursula, I used to use more gel when I first started trying the CG thing, but then I cut back thinking it was weighing my hair down too much. I was using Volumax gel back then (polyquat-10 as the main holding ingredient). :ooh: I took to using very small amounts, and that did work okay. I then quit using it altogether. I thought I was using too much in the past, now I am not so sure. Hair looks pretty good today. :ham: I am rather surprised. :boggle:

I just wonder if leaving in a lot of conditioner under a gel is really necessary to protect it from any drying effect the gel may have. :rain:

[bellabee]

Hi Snowy! SO glad you're liking the Re:Coil!! :) The leave-in is a good idea IMO, to keep drying effects of mag. sulfate down. My hair couldn't tolerate it at all-- even a little made it feel hard and dry, but then it loves the oils and butters that yours doesn't.

[Rain]

Okay, I have to try using more re:coil!

If I reapply the next day, it's just a tiny bit to smooth down frizz. Generally, I would either mist and rescrunch or wear my hair up and not worry about the curliness. The product's already in there.

[bowie]

I find the cheapie gels dry my hair. Some never did--Aura Gel, Re:coil (I think did not), Angell. Those never did. Biolage Gelee always did--new version anyway.

You get less crunch or less hold if you put gel over a leave in conditioner. Which may or may not be what you want. I have to use some sort of styler daily, otherwise I am not happy with my hair. Oh, a big key is to rake it through your hair to get it saturated--works well. I found *scrunching* gel never worked for my hair.

ETA--misting with a bit of water the next day or later in the day, re-activates the gel.:whoohoo:

[Snowymoon]

Biolage Gelee dried my hair out too, and I did not even use that much. :ooh: Volumax gel never dried my hair out.

[Meezer]

Snowy, my hair turns out the best when it dries a bit crunchy and then I'm able to scrunch it out. I also get the best 'crunch' when I don't use a leave-in under it to soften things up.

Basically I shower at night, apply Aura Hypo gel section by section to my hair, let it airdry for a while so that teh crunch begins to set, flop it all over my pillow and continue drying for the night. My morning hair is usually quite nice. :D

You have GOT to try the Aura gel! It's quite un-gel like in many ways and IMO, it rinses out cleanly. :D

[SunCat]

I find that no matter what gel I use, including pure aloe vera gel, my hair dries crunchy until I run my fingers through it or scrunch it then it looks great. A little mist of water reactivates the gel.

[Alizarin Fionn]

I have never really noticed any problems with build up but then I use baking soda every two weeks anyway to get rid of cone build up. I do the spray thing to reactivate the next morning and the curls really seem to last until I wash my hair again.

[Rain]

Biolage Gelee dried my hair out too, and I did not even use that much. :ooh: Volumax gel never dried my hair out.

Biolage Gelee makes my hair feel dry until I wash it out but it doesn't actually have a drying effect for me. I don't have an increase in tangles or a need for extra conditioner like I would if it was actually drying. Either way, not my favorite gel because of that.

[Rain]

You have GOT to try the Aura gel! It's quite un-gel like in many ways and IMO, it rinses out cleanly. :D

ITA. I've been using it since last summer and I loooove it. Thanks to Meezer for making me an addict! :lafhard: It's full of oils so the ingredients might look scary but I've never had a problem with build-up at all. I use it very much like Meezer does but I also sometimes use it as a 'cone serum to smooth down frizzies. It works really well both ways and never makes my hair crispy.

[Snowymoon]

The Biolage did give me extra tangles and a need for more conditioner. :ooh:

:purplex:

I will have to try the Aura gel now for sure. I have even had build-up symptoms from Fruit of The Earth Aloe Gel. However, I never used tons of it either. :confused:

:chicken: <~~~ There is no reason for the chicken other than I thought it was cute, and I thought that this thread would not be complete without a chicken! :p

[Rain]

:chicken: <~~~ There is no reason for the chicken other than I thought it was cute, and I thought that this thread would not be complete without a chicken! :p

I love the chicken! That's all I had to say. :lol:

[Meezer]

I love the chicken! That's all I had to say. :lol:

That would be three of us! I adore all of these new emoticons!

Also... all of this talk about Biolage Gelee lit a fire under my pants. I don't have the actual Gelee, but I do have a bottle of the Biotera knock-off... so that's what is drying in my hair right now. Mmmmm... smells so good! Just hope my ends don't feel like straw in the morning!:notsure:

[bowie]

Snowy, you will have to try the Aura--you will like it. Unfortunately for me, a Sally's is so far away that I cannot justify driving for a stinkin' bottle of gel.

Didn't the company stop making the Aura gel or was that not the case?

[annarose]

Snowy, please keep posting how the gels work out on your hair. We seem to have similiar hair likes/dislikes and I've been wanting to try out some gels but you have been being my guinnea pig for this lately :hammy: ! <---(reason to use this smiliey)

Now that I can't read your journal I don't know what is working for you, so please keep writing about it here!!

[Snowymoon]

Will do. :D

Bowie, I have a 2 Sally's stores in my area. Want me to grab you some while I am there? Send me a PM and let me know if ya want some.

[Meezer]

Didn't the company stop making the Aura gel or was that not the case?

Nope, they are still making it. It seems that there was some sort of miscommunication. Hopefully....

[Coppercurls]

Snowy, you will have to try the Aura--you will like it. Unfortunately for me, a Sally's is so far away that I cannot justify driving for a stinkin' bottle of gel.

Didn't the company stop making the Aura gel or was that not the case?


I agree! I love the Aura Hypo gel. This is the best gel I have ever used. I only shampoo my hair once a week (Nature's Gate Rainwater Henna) and have never gotten build up or crunchy hair using the Aura Hypo. I may rinse 2-3 times in between washings with water only and reapply a leave in. I 'm telling you I love this stuff!

[Snowymoon]

Okay, now that we have discussed gels we like, how about how you apply it and/or use it?

So many options here! Over soaking-wet hair, over water-scrunched-out hair or toweled hair? Do you plop before or after the gel application if you plop at all? Do you rake it in, scrunch it in or both?

Right now I am applying a leave-in over sopping-wet hair, if I am using one, and then scrunching out the excess water with my hands. I then am scrunching with an Aquis towel to dry it off a bit. Then I apply the gel, 2 quarter-sized blobs. I rub the gel in my hands and smooth the first blob over my canopy and rake it in just a bit being careful not to separate the tendrils too much. I then rub the second blob into my palms and scrunch it into the ends of my hair. I scrunch some more and then put in the clips to allow it to dry. That is it. After it dries, whether overnight or not, I flip my head up-side down and ruffle up the hair at the scalp. I then scrunch the ends to remove crunch. Wah-lah! :geek:

I also want to try plopping a while after putting the gel in as above. I would think putting gel over soaking-wet hair would dilute it down and decrease the hold power as well as waste product. Thoughts?

Also, how much rinsing to you find it takes to remove the gel from your hair? Gads! I had to rinse a lot to soften and remove the Re:Coil, it seemed. It did seem to leave my hair very soft. I will have to try it again without so much leave-in under it or with no leave-in at all. :ooh: I had a *lot* of conditioner under it last time.

[curlsgirl]

Snowy, I am going to try some Aura gel today, getting some from Sally's. Let me know how you like it if you try it. I am currently having problems since I am COing all the time getting my aloe gel to work very well so I am going to try the aura gel. I do the Curly girl method in answer to your question about how you use the gel. I CO then turn my head upside down and dry sections with microfiber towel then flip over, add aloe gel and jojoba, scrunch and let dry not touching. It had been working very well until lately. My hair is getting too soft and not curling as well. Time to try something different! Results in tomorrow :lafhard:

[Rain]

Also, how much rinsing to you find it takes to remove the gel from your hair? Gads! I had to rinse a lot to soften and remove the Re:Coil, it seemed. It did seem to leave my hair very soft. I will have to try it again without so much leave-in under it or with no leave-in at all. :ooh: I had a *lot* of conditioner under it last time.

I never notice any trouble trying to rinse products out unless I'm experimenting with some horrible 'coney thing. Even if I use hairspray, it comes right out.

[wonderlywroughte]

I also usually have no problems rinsing out product. It might've been all the conditioner left it. Maybe it got dry and gunky. :boggle: lol!

[goldilocks]

I put a leave-in in pretty wet hair and then I use rocking ringlets and confident coils. I then plop for about 20 min.
I get pretty good 2nd day hair from that combo, I mist it with either water or focus21 Sea Plasma.

lately I have been using the last little bit of some shea butter conditioner from here

http://stores.ebay.com/Sher-Essence-Natural-Beauty_W0QQsspagenameZADMEQ3aBQ3aFSELQ3aUSQ3a3QQtZ km

my hair likes shea butter so I put a bit of water in the bottle and shook it to get the conditioner into solution and put 1-2 squirts of that into my mist bottle and today I added 1 squirt of AG:recoil to that mix to see if it would help revive my curls. So far it has worked ok, maybe I don't have enough AG:recoil in there. HTH

[Meezer]

I never notice any trouble trying to rinse products out unless I'm experimenting with some horrible 'coney thing.

I don't normally have a problem rinsing out silicone-free stylers either. I'm thinking that it may be the leave-in conditioner as well, Snowy. Just might be overkill.

As far as gel application, after showering I put my hair up in a turbie while I get dressed to sop up excess water. If I don't do this, my hair is too waterlogged and I don't get enough hold from my gel. I then take my hair down, separate it into three sections, and rake about a quarters worth of gel into each section. You may need less gel-- I usually use quite a bit b/c I have so much poof/ volume to my hair. My last step is to smooth a pea sized amount over the canopy-- just for good measure. ;)

I then airdry for about an hour so that the gel can set... and then go to bed with my hair fanned out over my pillow. :D

[curlsgirl]

Tried the Aura hypo gel last night and I really like it. I even went and mowed the yard after while my hair was drying, dampened it again and went to bed. This morning my curls were pretty relaxed but shiny and pretty. I definitely will use this for a while. Meezer, what is the difference in this and the other 2 products you mentioned from Sally's, biotera and volumax I think?

[Meezer]

Meezer, what is the difference in this and the other 2 products you mentioned from Sally's, biotera and volumax I think?

Hi Curlsgirl!

The Aura Hypo Gel is the most moisturizing of the three gels that I mentioned. On my hair, the Aura gel provides the hold of a light gel and the moisturization of a cream... which is why I adore it in the winter months when we are a bit dryer here in FL. The Biotera and Volumax gels are also silicone free, but have slightly more hold and less moisture than the aura. They make great summer gels for me when we are in our rainy season. :D HTH!

[Dulci]

Okay, now that we have discussed gels we like, how about how you apply it and/or use it? ...

Some people have better luck applying their products the way Ouidad recommends, (http://www.ouidad.com/curl_central/product-use-guide.asp?ug_nav=8) instead of scrunching it in the Curly Girl way. You don't have to use Ouidad products, substitute the ones you have. Good luck!

[Rain]

Some people have better luck applying their products the way Ouidad recommends, (http://www.ouidad.com/curl_central/product-use-guide.asp?ug_nav=8) instead of scrunching it in the Curly Girl way. You don't have to use Ouidad products, substitute the ones you have. Good luck!

I smooth my gel down the hair and comb it through either with fingers or an actual comb. Then I scrunch to get my boings to boing again.

[curlsgirl]

Tried the Quidad method last night. My curls are tighter but not as uniform. I put VO5 tangerine tickle and aloe in my hair for about an hour then COd with more tangerine tickle. Then I put my hair up in a towel for a few minutes. Then took it down and just raked it with Aura hypo gel and crunched. Then I went to bed damp. I had LOTS of curls this morning. I am thinking leaving the jojoba oil out of the aloe gel and also using the Aura helped but I think I liked the Curly girl method of drying better. It does make my crown flatter though. I don't mind that too much however. Just wanted to let ya'll know the results. Snowymoon did you try the Aura gel yet? I REALLY love it. I am so glad I got it. Okay so just looked at the Quidad method again. I don't think I did it quite right so maybe I will try it again or maybe I will develop a Curlsgirl method :lafhard:

[Rain]

I am really loving the two quarters of re:coil! I tried it with and without leave-in and got great hair both times. I'm stunned. I have gotten gunky, producty hair with much less re:coil than this. Whatever! It's working!

[curlsgirl]

I am really loving the two quarters of re:coil! I tried it with and without leave-in and got great hair both times. I'm stunned. I have gotten gunky, producty hair with much less re:coil than this. Whatever! It's working!:whoohoo: Don't ya just love it? What are you mixing with the Re:coil?

[Rain]

:whoohoo: Don't ya just love it? What are you mixing with the Re:coil?

I'm not mixing anything with it. It's working all by itself. :whoohoo::whoohoo::whoohoo:

[Ursula]

I'm wondering if the gunky feeling when only a little gel is used comes from inconsistant coverage. Is it the contrast between gelled and not gelled hair that makes the gelled part feel gunky in comparison?

Gel seems to work partially by sticking to itself, so, if there isn't enough gel, is it the gelled sections without other gelled hair to stick to that instead sticks to everything else?

Kind of like, when you go to glue a broken ceramic piece, if you don't use enough glue, it feels sticky and doesn't fasten, but if you use enough, it holds, and stickyness isn't an issue.

[wonderlywroughte]

That makes sense, Ursula. When I don't use enough Re:coil, I get weird puffy patches and other spots that are crunchy and it just feels gross. I also think applying it to soaking wet hair helps it spread around easier. I have a hard time applying product to just damp hair. :sweatdrop:

[Ursula]

That makes sense, Ursula. When I don't use enough Re:coil, I get weird puffy patches and other spots that are crunchy and it just feels gross. I also think applying it to soaking wet hair helps it spread around easier. I have a hard time applying product to just damp hair. :sweatdrop:
So would you think the puffy patches are non-gelled while the cruchy patches have gel?

[curlsgirl]

I'm not mixing anything with it. It's working all by itself. :whoohoo::whoohoo::whoohoo:Oh silly me, I thought when you said "quarters" you meant you mixed it with something but you meant the size of the dollop right? :eureka:

[wonderlywroughte]

Yes, the puffy parts have no gel, the crunchy parts have too much. They won't join up and work together. :sweatdrop:

[curlsgirl]

I was reading in my Curly Girl book last night and Lorraine recommends a "spray gel" for better more even spreading. Since the Aura is a little too heavy for me (that or I was using too much to try to get it on all my hair) I mixed half Aura, half regular aloe gel and a little water to make my own spray mix. I am going to see how this works next time. Just thought I would share.

[wavebaby]

:grinhappy: Allright, you bunch of enablers!

All of this gel talk has awakened the product-ho in me:lafhard:
Good timing too, because i am running the local Amazing Race tomorrw, and have been wondering about the hair situation. i am leaning towards loose double braids work low with a bandanna over top...and possibly, gel?????
but product-free me only has some clairol herbal essences gel under the sink, would that work? i keep it around for DD #1'a 3a/b halo fluff.

[curlsgirl]

:grinhappy: Allright, you bunch of enablers!

All of this gel talk has awakened the product-ho in me:lafhard:
Good timing too, because i am running the local Amazing Race tomorrw, and have been wondering about the hair situation. i am leaning towards loose double braids work low with a bandanna over top...and possibly, gel?????
but product-free me only has some clairol herbal essences gel under the sink, would that work? i keep it around for DD #1'a 3a/b halo fluff.If I remember correctly the Herbal Essence gel is cone-free right? Or maybe that is Suave. Won't the braids bother you while running? I have to have mine all up off my neck. But that's just me. If I were you if I was going to braid I would use some coconut oil in the braid for moisturizing instead of gel. But if you need the hold then gel is good I guess. Good luck in the race!

[Ursula]

I'd suggest firmly done braids, rather than loose. They'll hold better. Loose braids go hedgehog with barely a glance.

[wavebaby]

curlsgirl & Ursula, thanks for the tips!

I was thinking of braids rather than an updo as I'll need my hair covered...it's going to be 25 degrees cel (about high 80's f???) I have too much hair to stuff inder a hat, so i figured braids. For the record, it's not like a marathon race, constant running, it's like the tv show, so there will be stops & driving, etc. If anyone has any other suggestions, i am totally open.

Yes, herbal essences is conce free, but i think I'll damp bun without gel for
smoothness & tangle-free-ness & braid in the am.
That way I can just take the braids out & sweep it up into a ficcare for the dinner after & not look too wildly disheveled :geek: Thank you for the well-wishes! I hope we do well!

[Snowymoon]

I had trouble getting the Re:Coil to rinse out. I rinsed for a long time 2 different times now, and I feel there is some sort of stuff left in my hair. :ooh: I did not use a leave-in under it either. :purplex:

I loved how it looked, though. :grinhappy:

[Ursula]

I had trouble getting the Re:Coil to rinse out. I rinsed for a long time 2 different times now, and I feel there is some sort of stuff left in my hair. :ooh: I did not use a leave-in under it either. :purplex:

I loved how it looked, though. :grinhappy:
Gels are designed to stick to hair. I doubt they're designed to get out with just rinsing.

I expect that a chemist testing gel would test to see that it came out well with ordinary shampoo. Coming out with just water might even be seen as a minus, since it would then come out if you were caught in the rain. Probably most people designing gels have never heard of CO washing, and wouldn't think to develop a gel that would wash out with CO, or just rinse out with water.

It's not your hair, Snowy, it's the gel.

[curlsgirl]

FYI, the Aura Hypo gel came out just fine with CO. I even put coconut oil over it and it all came out with CO.:lafhard:

[Snowymoon]

Oils never come out of my hair with just CO washing, though. :purplex: Sometimes I have to shampoo several times to remove even light oilings. :ooh: The only oil my hair has ever seemed to tolerate is the corn oil in the Sun Kissed Raspberry old formula. I don't understand it, but it is what it is. :boggle: