Good Gel ingredients
In the search for a good gel, an ingredients list is your best friend!
Water should be the first ingredient.
Polymers in gels
- After water, the ingredient that actually makes a gel are the gel polymers. Polymers deposit on the hair's surface and cause adjacent strands to be attracted to one hair, creating clumps and providing much-needed 'hold'. Once the water begins to dry, a gel cast is formed that can be removed once the hair is completely dry by SOTC. Also read the article about if you do not get a gel cast.
- PVP/VA copolymer or simply VP/VA copolymer - PVP (Poly N-Vinyl-2-Pyrrolidone) is one of the best film formers. But it absorbs water easily, making it difficult in humid weather.
- PVA (Polyvinyl Acetate) is resistant to water absorption, but not as great as PVP in film formation.
- PVP/VA copolymer or simply VP/VA copolymer is a hybrid of the above 2 - the best of both worlds.
- VP / DMAPA Acrylates Copolymer
- Polyacrylate acid
- Polyacrylate-2 crosspolymer
- VP/Dimethylaminoethyl methaceylate copolymer (VP/DMAEMA) – this is also known as Polyquaternium-11
- Polyquaternium (Polyquats) - cationic polymers. Provide support and moisture resistance.
- Polyquaternium-4
- Polyquaternium-10
- Polyquaternium-11
- Polyquaternium-28
- Polyquaternium-69
- Polyquaternium-72
- Note - not all polyquaterniums are film-forming. Polyquaternium-7, Polyquaternium-37, Polyquaternium-44, Polyquaternium-47, Polyquaternium-55, Polyquaternium-59, Polyquaternium-87 etc. are used for their conditioning, detangling or heat and sun protection properties.
- Polyamide-1 - It is a really good film former. Great hold. Gives body and texture to the hair
These are products that form a film around your hair (which slows down moisture loss) + attract moisture. These can also cause a cast that can be removed by SOTC. But these don't provide the "hold" we like. Many of these can be found in custards such as Kinky Curly Curling Custard.
- Linseed Gel
- Aloe Vera Gel
- Hydroxyethylcellulose
- Carboxymethylcellulose
- Pectin
- Xanthan Gum Guar Gum
- Marshmallow Root
- Slippery elm
- Nettle extract
- Panthenol
- Hydrolyzed protein
- Peptides
- Amino acids
- Thickeners in gels
Flaky gels
Gels mainly flake when they do not combine well (are not compatible) with a previous product applied to your hair. To prevent this from happening to your hair, mix the products you are going to use in your palms and see if they form a smooth mixture or thick white clumps. If they form white lumps, they cannot be used together. Some gels also flake if you use large amounts of them. Good examples are Kinky Curly Curling Custard and Cantu Define & Shine Custard.
