Hair Gel – A Jewel For The Crowning Glory

Author: Dotty Whippo

Are you having a bad hair day again? Now you can tame your unruly mane to suit your moods. Start using a hair gel and you will never have to face a bad hair day again! All kinds of gel are available in the market and a good quality is one is pretty much safe to use regularly.

Hair gel is a product made of chemical polymers which allow the hair to be styled, textured and kept in place due to its viscosity. It is an essential accessory for hair styling and has been in use since centuries. The first evidence of hair gel being used was discovered in Egyptian mummies dating back to 3,500 years. The Egyptians were using fat based hair gels to style their hair and ensure they retained the style even after death.
Today there are a range of hair gels available in the market, suiting every pocket and having every imaginable colour and fragrance. There is also a special type of hair gel, known as ‘ethnic' gels which are made to cater specifically to the unique hair structure of Africans.

Most of the gels hold the hair style in place and do not make it hard. Some also give a wet set look to the hair while keeping the style in place. Many of them also contain colourants that give a temporary colour to the hair. These are available in a range of colors. Hair gels of good quality will also moisturize and condition your hair.

There are gels to suit every kind of hair, long or short, be it thick and wavy or thin and limp, poker straight or frizzy and curly hair. Depending on the hair style you would like to sport, you can use a foamy light get for a playful messy look, a thick gel for a slicked back look and medium to thick gel for a spiky teeny boppy look.
Hair gel works well on all kinds of hair. The best way to work the gel into the hair is to apply it when the hair is slightly damp. Take a small coin sized amount of hair gel into your palms and work your way into the hair from the front to back right upto the hair ends. The benefit of using hair gel in place of other products like mousse etc. is that a hair gel has a good holding quality and will keep your style in place even when outdoors in the face of strong winds.

A good quality hair gel is recommended if you are prone to using it every day for styling. For long term every day use, ideal ones would be those containing natural extracts and pH balance.

In India, the concept of hair gels is only just picking up. Most of the regular users are young males and those from the fashion and entertainment industry. The common man still does not deem it necessary to indulge in a hair gel, unless it is for a special occasion like a wedding. Though there is nothing wrong with using a hair gel, due to its consistency, hand might get sticky if one is prone to adjusting the hair all the time. Also, given our dusty environments, hair might tend to attract dust and dirt and frequent cleaning of the hair would be all the more important.

For everyday use, it is best to used water based hair gels that are light on the hair. Keep the medium to strong ones for special days and occasions where you need that extra zing in your personality to shine through.

Posted in: Hair