10 Best Hair Gels for Men 2022

By Emily Lemon On Jun 12, 2022

Courtesy of Retailer

Hair gel has been responsible for some of the most iconic men’s hairstyles of all time. Gordon Gekko in Wall Street, for instance, who defined the 80’s slicked back Wall Street look; the punk spikes of Sid Vicious, both in real life and as played by Gary Oldman; Justin Timberlake’s frosted boy band curls, Pauly D’s Jersey Shore blowout, Lionel Richie’s Jheri curl, the list goes on.

The truth is hair gel is much more versatile than one might think. And while some of those iconic hairstyles previously mentioned are currently not in style, a few of them are making a comeback—especially those turn of the millenium looks!

The good news about hair gels today are the products are made with more natural ingredients and don’t contain as much alcohol (which is what used to give hair that wet, crispy look). The water-based hair product has become easier to apply (a pea-sized amount is enough), delivering a more natural look and flexible hold. Hair gel is also a solution for anyone with wavy, curly, or coarsely-textured hair because it can tame frizz without weighing your hair down. Another plus is it’s effectiveness at spot treatment, smoothing sides, and taming cowlicks. And if you want your hair to shine, like for a classic movie star side part, hair gel can do the trick while being more lightweight than a product like pomade.

Read more: Best Hair Products

All of this is to say you should consider making hair gel the hardest working product in your Dopp kit. We sourced the most trustworthy gels for all types of hair and all styling possibilities. Now all that’s left to do is find the one that best fits your style!

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Best Overall

Thickening Style Gel

Pleasant scent
Can be used on dry or damp hair
Natural shine

Baxter of California’s styling gel is made with a paraben-free high hold formula that works great on dry and damp hair. If you want a shiny and slick look, use on damp hair. For a natural, more wavy look, you can run it through towel-dried hair and use a blow dryer to work it into place. The gel’s perfect amount of hold, combined with versatility in use and pleasant scent, is what makes this product the top dog.

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Best Bang For Your Buck

Sculpting Gel

Wallet-friendly
Great for hair touch-ups

Less than $9 and available at most drugstores, Harry’s Sculpting Gel is an excellent wallet-friendly hair product to add to your repertoire. You can use the gel to create an all over slicked back look, or you can use it for small touch ups when you want to control sides that are sticking out or your pesky cowlick.

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Best Low To Medium Hold

The Player Gel

Rinses out easily
Lightweight

Medium hold means that your hair will stay in place, but you can still run your fingers through it. There’s slightly less shine to this formula, so it’s ideal for a natural look like there’s no product in your hair at all.

Best Eco-Friendly Hair Gel

Motorcycle Flexible Gel

Has moisturizing ingredients
High level of hold

This gel is creamy and packed with moisturizing natural ingredients, so hair stays full and rich instead of crispy. R+Co’s products are all vegan, gluten free, and cruelty free (no animal testing). The brand has even cut down on its footprint by switching its bottles to 55% post-consumer resource (PCR) packaging.

Read more: Best Face Moisturizers

Best For Curls

Curl Corps Enhancing Gel

Controls frizz
Enriches curls and waves

Amika’s unisex gel works great for curl control on long hair. While it’s a little expensive, the results you get are worth the investment. We’re talking weather-proofing, curl-boosting hair with a high level of bounce.

Strongest Hold

Ultra Glued Invincible Styling Gel

For most of us when we think of hair gel we reflect back to our younger days where the product with the hardest hold became our styler of choice. Ultra Glued by Got2B is one of the strongest hair gels out there and will give your hair a firm hold. It’s a solid choice for vertical hair styles.

The lightweight gel feels thin, but holds like a much heavier formula which makes it perfect for even thin hair. It also has literal gold specks so hair looks shiny and healthy without looking wet. A high price, we know, but Oribe makes some of the best hair products across the board.

Pattern by Tracee Ellis Ross

Curly hair, do care. Pattern by Traces Ellis Ross’ curl gel will help your locks to look healthier and bouncier than ever before with nourishing ingredients. It provides control over your curly tendrils without overpowering them.

Swag Goo Edge Control Gel

This gel works great for taming waves, curls, and cowlicks. It’s strong, yet non-greasy, and it contains vitamin E and aloe to promote hair health. The best part is it comes in a 2 oz travel size container so it’s great for on-the-go corrections.

Crystal Orchid Biotin Infused Gel

We love this gel’s ability to tame frizz while also producing a natural shine. What’s unique about Crystal Orchid is it’s infused with biotin, so you’re also helping boost your hair growth. And lest we forget to mention it’s wallet-friendly price point.

For the past two years, we consulted with Men’s Health‘s Grooming editors and writers on the top grooming products for men. Experts, including our Grooming Editor Garrett Munce, put a number of hair gels to the test and evaluated their effectiveness, scent, and value. We also considered top-reviewed hair gels that had high customer ratings on e-commerce websites we trust.

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