The 16 Best Gels for Natural Hair of 2023

Best Overall

Mielle Organics Honey & Ginger Styling Gel

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You might’ve been forced to choose between moisture or hold in the past, but this styling gel gives you the best of both worlds. The formula—which contains honey, aloe extract, and babassu oil—nourishes and hydrates your hair while also offering curl definition and frizz reduction. Those with a wide range of curl types rave that it delivers a crunch-free hold without sticky build-up or damaging chemicals. 

Price at time of publish: $13

Hair Type: Curly | Active Ingredients: Acrylates Copolymer | Scent: Honey and Ginger | Size: 12.0 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Best Budget

ECO Style Olive Oil Styling Gel

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We’ve all seen this OG gel on the shelves at our local beauty supply store, but there’s a reason why this classic product has become a styling staple. The alcohol-free formula provides serious hold and definition while olive oil moisturizes strands. It can be a great option for those who wash their hair frequently (it’s known to flake after three or four days of buildup), but it really shines as a maximum-hold styler for twisted or braided styles.

Price at time of publish: $6

Hair Type: All | Active Ingredients: Triethanolamine | Scent: Clean | Size: 16.0 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best Lightweight Hold

Briogeo Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Quinoa Frizz Control Gel

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This gel provides light to medium hold for long-lasting, natural-looking definition with superior movement, shine, and softness. This formula—made with quinoa extract, keratin, and rice amino acids—fortifies strands and increases elasticity as well as smooths and seals the hair cuticle to lock out frizz and promote consistent curl formation. Reviewers also love that this lightweight formula doesn’t cause any stiff or sticky after-effects.

Price at time of publish: $24

Hair Type: Curly | Active Ingredients: Polyquaternium-37, panthenol | Scent: Clean | Size: 6.0 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best Strong Hold

Taliah Waajid Tight Hold Loc It Up for Natural Hair

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If you’re looking for serious hold minus the flakes, this gel is the one for you. It’s strong enough to maintain loc styles—it's ideal for retouching or even creating new locs. But it’s also flexible enough to use as a styling gel to define your curl pattern and limit frizz. The all-natural formula is alcohol-free, which also makes it a great option for those with sensitive scalps. 

Price at time of publish: $13

Hair Type: Color-Treated, Locs | Active Ingredients: Acrylates copolymer | Scent: Rosemary and Nettle | Size: 6.0 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Best Strengthening

NaturAll Club Curl Defining Flaxseed Gel

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This nourishing gel (made with organic flaxseeds) keeps your natural hair strong, but it also delivers amazing hold. The formula is non-sticky and leaves natural hair feeling soft and crunch-free—plus, it allows for flawless wash-and-go styles, twists, and braid-outs. It's available in both flexible hold (for defining curly hair) and extreme hold (for defining kinky, coily hair).

Price at time of publish: $15

Hair Type: Curly, Kinky, Coily | Active Ingredients: Caprylhydroxamic acid |Scent: Flaxseed | Size: 8.0 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Best Defining

The Doux Big Poppa Defining Gel

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This humidity-resistant formula creates a long-lasting, flexible hold, and helps to fight frizz while defining your style. It especially comes in handy for those who are transitioning from relaxed to natural hair or with multiple hair textures, and it comes with a promise to keep your curls poppin', defined, and shining. As a bonus, this 16-ounce container holds plenty of product, so you can feel good about getting the most bang for your buck.

Price at time of publish: $14

Hair Type: Curly, Kinky, Coily, Textured | Active Ingredients: Ppg-5-Ceteth-20 | Scent: Unscented | Size: 16.0 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best Edge

Design Essentials Sleek Edge Control

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When I first found this edge control on my mother’s bathroom sink, let’s just say that it didn’t stay there for long—it remains one of the best edge controls I’ve ever used. You can count on this product to tame your flyaways and provide a firm hold to unruly hair. And, while there’s no miracle product that'll completely change the texture of the hair that frames your face, this will definitely help you style your baby hair to perfection.

Price at time of publish: $12

Hair Type: Relaxed, Natural | Active Ingredients: Ceteareth-25 | Scent: Clean | Size: 2.3 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best for Thinning

NaturAll Club Flaxseed Gel Edge Control

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Edge control is typically a quick fix, but this product doesn’t just lay your edges—it promotes growth, too. Made with organically sourced flaxseed, this formula offers strength and naturally derived protein to help promote edge hair growth and prevent breakage. This product will smooth your edges, tame frizz, and manage flyaways to reveal effortless, filled-in, and laid-back edges that last all day long.

Price at time of publish: $19

Hair Type: Curly, Kinky, Coily, Textured | Active Ingredients: Ceteareth-25 | Scent: Clean | Size: 2.3 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best for Wash-and-Go

CURLS Blueberry Bliss Curl Control Jelly

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For all of the curly girls who don’t like gel for their wash-and-go styles, this jelly is a total game-changer. My high-porosity hair is very curly yet fine, which makes it difficult to find a gel that defines my curls without drying them out or causing too much product build-up. I’d almost written off gel completely until trying the Blueberry Bliss Collection, but once I did, I never looked back—my curls were hydrated, soft to the touch, and more manageable.

Price at time of publish: $20

Hair Type: Wavy, Curly, Kinky, Coily | Active Ingredients: Castor seed oil | Scent: Blueberry | Size: 8.0 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Best Multi-Purpose

Pattern Beauty Strong Hold Gel

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You can never go wrong with a slicked back pony, and this gel has what it takes to get the job done. Never damaging or drying, reviewers love that it has a flexible yet strong hold that’s great for a variety of styles. It also has a slippery texture that distributes well throughout your hair, making it an ideal choice to define your curls when rocking a wash-and-go style.

Price at time of publish: $25

Hair Type: Curly, Kinky, Coily | Active Ingredients: Polyquaternium-37 | Scent: Clean | Size: 15.0 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Best for Sensitive Scalps

Curlsmith Hydro-Style Flexi Jelly

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This medium-hold styling gel is formulated to be super lightweight, delivering the definition you deserve without product build-up that can irritate your scalp. It’s super-charged with hyaluronic acid and hydrates both your scalp and your hair, plus it’s full of several other yummy ingredients, like green tea, thyme, and lavender.

Price at time of publish: $12

Hair Type: Curly, Kinky, Coily | Active Ingredients: PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil | Scent: Unscented | Size: 2.0, 8.0, or 16.0 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

Best Anti-Frizz

Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel

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For curly hair, humidity is not your friend. That’s because textured hair leaves the hair cuticle exposed, causing your strands to expand and frizz when they encounter water. The answer? This protein packed-gel, which seals every strand and locks in moisture to define dull frizzy hair. The result is a flexible hold that won't leave hair crunchy, sticky, or weighed down.

Price at time of publish: $75

Hair Type: Curly | Active Ingredients: Acrylates copolymer | Scent: Clean | Size: 8.5 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No

tgin Rose Water Defining Styling Gel

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Twist-outs, braid-outs, roller sets, and slicked back looks—if you can style it, this gel can hold it. This rose water gel delivers moisture and soft hold to your hair for greater definition without flakes or residue. Plus, it's free of harmful sulfates, parabens, and artificial colors, so you can feel confident that you aren’t sacrificing the well-being of your hair for the sake of a style.

Price at time of publish: $16

Hair Type: Wavy, Curly | Active Ingredients: PVP/VA Copolymer | Scent: Rose Water | Size: 13.0 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Best for Fine Hair

Aveda Confixor Liquid Gel

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When you have fine hair, it can be difficult to find a gel that delivers the hold you want without weighing down your curls. This liquid gel does just that while the Morikue protein-infused formula conditions, fortifies, and creates definition. Reviewers also rave that it adds body and volume to limp hair.

Price at time of publish: $27

Hair Type: Fine | Active Ingredients: PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil | Scent: Rose Water | Size: 13.0 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes

Best Elongating

Aunt Jackie's Flaxseed Elongating Curling Gel

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For type 4 hair, we all know that the shrinkage is real, but this beautiful gel does the work to stretch shriveling curls. The formula—made with flaxseed, shea butter, and extra-virgin olive oil—conditions your hair while nourishing the scalp and promoting hair growth. Users love that it defines curls without flaking or weighing hair down.  

Price at time of publish: $12

Hair Type: Wavy, Curly, Coily | Active Ingredients: Carbomer, Aminomethyl propane | Scent: Unscented | Size: 15.0 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No