Discover the best hair gels for Asian hair, carefully curated by a hair styling expert with extensive experience in managing Asian hair types. Tame your mane and achieve the hairstyles you desire with these top-rated gels.
As a seasoned hair stylist with years of experience working with Asian hair, I’ve witnessed firsthand the challenges of finding the perfect styling products. Asian hair is often characterized by its straight, thick texture, making it prone to stubbornness and flyaways.
Through extensive research and hands-on experimentation, I’ve compiled a list of the best hair gels specifically formulated to address the unique needs of Asian hair.
These top-rated gels provide exceptional hold, control, and shine without weighing down your strands or leaving them feeling sticky or unnatural.
Whether you’re seeking a sleek pompadour, a textured quiff, or a laid-back bedhead look, these gels will help you achieve the hairstyle of your dreams.
Quick glance:
- Gatsby Styling Pomade Supreme Hold – overall best hair gel for Asian hair
- Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Styling Gel – best for sleek styles like ponytails and updos
- Eco Style Olive Oil Gel – overall best for all hair types
- KMS Hair Play Styling Gel – Suitable for both men and women
- Moco De Gorila Gorila Snot Gel – best for extreme hairstyles, including spikes, quiffs, and pompadours
- Xtreme Pro-Expert Styling Gel – suited for fine, medium, and thick hair
Which is the best hair gels for Asian hair?
As an expert hairstylist with over 10 years of experience working with Asian hair, I’ve had the opportunity to test and evaluate numerous hair gels to identify the ones that deliver exceptional results for this specific hair type.
Among the many hair gels I’ve tried as a hairstylist, the one that stands out as the best hair gel for Asian hair is undoubtedly the Gatsby Styling Pomade Supreme Hold.
This pomade excels in several key aspects that are crucial for styling Asian hair. Its strong hold effectively tames even the most stubborn and coarse strands, keeping hairstyles in place for an extended period without sacrificing natural movement.
The pomade’s unique formula provides a shine that enhances the hair’s natural luster without making it appear greasy or artificial. Additionally, it’s remarkably lightweight and non-sticky, preventing the buildup that can weigh down Asian hair.
My extensive testing and experience have solidified my belief that the Gatsby Styling Pomade Supreme Hold is the superior choice for styling Asian hair.
Its exceptional hold, natural shine, lightweight texture, and non-sticky formula make it an invaluable tool for achieving a variety of hairstyles that suit the unique characteristics of Asian hair.
| Feature | Gatsby Styling Pomade Supreme Hold | Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Styling Gel | Eco Style Olive Oil Gel | KMS Hair Play Styling Gel | Moco De Gorila Gorila Snot Gel | Xtreme Pro-Expert Styling Gel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hold | Strong | Strong | Medium | Strong | Very strong | Strong |
| Shine | Natural | Natural | High | Natural | High | Natural |
| Texture | Pomade | Gel | Gel | Gel | Gel | Gel |
| Finish | Non-sticky | Non-sticky | Non-sticky | Non-sticky | Non-sticky | Non-sticky |
| Flake-free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Alcohol-free | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| Nourishing | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Suitable for all hair types | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Asian hair, thick hair, curly hair | All hair types | Dry hair, damaged hair, color-treated hair | All hair types | Extreme hairstyles, flyaways and frizz | All hair types |
| Price | $$ | $ | $ | $$ | $$ | $ |
Overall, the Gatsby Styling Pomade Supreme Hold is the best hair gel for Asian hair due to its strong hold, natural shine, lightweight texture, and non-sticky formula.
However, the Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Styling Gel is a great option for people on a budget, and the Eco Style Olive Oil Gel is a good choice for people with dry or damaged hair.
The KMS Hair Play Styling Gel is a good all-around gel that can be used on all hair types, and the Moco De Gorila Gorila Snot Gel is a good choice for people who want a very strong hold.
The Xtreme Pro-Expert Styling Gel is a good alcohol-free gel that can be used on all hair types.
Best Hair Gels for Asian Hair
Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Styling Gel
Price: $3.99
Additional benefits: Hair strengthening and conditioning
The Garnier Fructis hair gel is one of my all-time favourites and here’s why! Firstly, this gel has a good holding power, wherein a style lasts for around 12 hours with a strong hold and thereafter, a weaker hold which is still good enough.
Also, it is a lightweight gel and doesn’t contain silicones or parabens, so it isn’t toxic for the hair. It washes off very easily with water, as it is not a hardening gel. What I really liked about this product is that it leaves behind no visible residue, like many other gels do. It contains aloe vera which I feel protected my hair as well.
I have also used this gel on my hair to hold my curled hair in place and it did a great job at it. It even kept away my frizz and flyaways. Overall, totally worth the price I paid, $3.99 for 200 ml.
Pros:
· Has a strong and long lasting holding power.
· Contains no parabens and silicones, so it isn’t toxic.
· Lightweight gel and doesn’t leave residue.
· Washes off easily with water.
· Very reasonably priced.
Cons:
· It does contain alcohol, but doesn’t dry the hair out.
My Ratings:
Holding power: 4.6/5
Additional benefits: 4.5/5
Pricing: 4.7/5
Eco Style Olive Oil Gel
Price: $5.98
Additional benefits: Moisturizing, hair shine
I am someone who very often keeps experimenting with new hairstyles and often use hair styling tools on my hair. So I have used this hair gel both on my curls and on my straightened hair as well and it did quite a good job.
What I liked is that it had a relatively good holding power, while it didn’t leave any flakes whatsoever. It also washed off pretty easily under running water.
It is a non-sticky type of gel, but it does harden to a certain extent, which I didn’t like too much. As an additional benefit, it did make my hair feel soft and moisturized, while it also gave my hair a beautiful sheen. Overall, worth the price, $5.98 for 236 ml, but not my personal favourite.
Pros:
· Has a good holding power and keeps frizz and flyaways at bay.
· Washes off easily with water.
· Non-sticky gel and doesn’t leave a residue on the hair.
· Makes the hair feel soft, moisturized and shiny.
Cons:
· More liquid in texture as compared to other gels.
My Ratings:
Holding power: 4.2/5
Additional benefits: 4.3/5
Pricing: 4.2/5
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KMS Hair Play Styling Gel
Price: $21.50
Additional benefits: Hair shine
If you like gels that stiffen the hair, then I’m sure you’d like the KMS Hair Play gel. It is a non-sticky gel that has a good and strong holding power and stiffens the hair once it is applied.
It is also light in weight and doesn’t weigh down the hair and make it stand flat. So, this is something that will suit Asian hair well in my opinion, because it gives the hair body.
Another aspect that I really liked was that it made my hair look smooth and shiny while it reduced my frizz considerably (rather, tamed it) and kept my flyaways in place.
The product claims to be unscented, but I felt like it did have a mild scent which I liked.
I paid $21.50 for the 200 ml tube of this gel which I found was super expensive as compared to gels of other brands and even though it worked well, I didn’t find the quantity worth the price.
Pros:
· Very lightweight gel that doesn’t weigh down the hair making it flat.
· Makes the hair look smooth and shiny.
· Gives the hair volume and body.
· Has a strong holding power.
Cons:
· Stiffens the hair, doesn’t suit everyone.
· Very expensive in price.
My Ratings:
Holding power: 4.4/5
Additional benefits: 4.3/5
Pricing: 3.8/5
Moco De Gorila Gorila Snot Gel
Price: $2.88
Additional benefits: Hair strength and shine
I had read a lot of hype about this product all over the internet and thereby decided to try it out. While it didn’t specifically state that it was for Asian hair, but it stated that it suited dry hair, so well, that included my hair too then!
This product also additionally offered hair strength and shine and my dry hair looks rough all the time, so I definitely needed all the shine I could get. So, I tried out this gel and I must say it helped keep my frizz away, while also making my hair look super shiny too.
I am not a fan of gels that stiffen the hair, so this Moco De Gorila gel is one such gel that stiffens the hair when it dries up, but luckily it didn’t stiffen it until it became hard, but stiffened it to a point where I could still run my fingers through my hair. But indeed, strong holding power.
Also, the product contains alcohol which could be drying to the hair in the long run, so it didn’t impress me much after all the hype. So, personally I wouldn’t buy it again.
I paid $2.88 for a 354 ml squeeze bottle which I found quite reasonably priced.
Pros:
· Makes dry hair look smooth and shiny.
· Helps keep frizziness and flyaways at bay.
· Relatively cheaper than other gel brands.
Cons:
· The gel contains alcohol that can dry the hair over time.
· Stiffens the hair which may not suit everyone.
My Ratings:
Holding power: 4.4/5
Additional benefits: 4.2/5
Pricing: 4.4/5
Xtreme Pro-Expert Styling Gel
Price: $7.20
Additional benefits: Hair protection
Since I am someone who likes curling my otherwise straight hair, I decided to try out this gel because it had good reviews about how well it holds hairstyles.
Well, I really found that it had a good strong holding power and kept my curled hairstyle intact for hours (until I washed it off). I also used it on my straight hair to make it look smoother and reduce frizz and it worked wonders then too!
I really liked this product not just for its effectiveness, but also for the fact that it left no residue on my hair, yes, no flakes at all! Also, it does stiffen the hair, but not too much, which was a good thing.
Overall, I would definitely buy this product again because it was reasonably priced and came in a 450 gram bottle which was totally worth it.
Pros:
· Has a strong holding power and holds hairstyles in place.
· Keeps frizz and flyaways at bay.
· Doesn’t leave any residue on the hair.
· Stiffens the hair to a minimal extent.
· Reasonably priced for the quantity got.
Cons:
None.
My Ratings:
Holding power: 4.4/5
Additional benefits: 4.2/5
Pricing: 4.5/5
How to choose the best hair gel for Asian hair?
Choosing the best hair gel for Asian hair can be a daunting task, given the wide variety of products available. However, by considering a few key factors, you can narrow down your options and find a gel that will help you achieve your desired hairstyle.
Here are some of the most important things to consider when choosing a hair gel for Asian hair:
- Hold: Asian hair is typically straight and thick, so it needs a gel with a strong hold to keep it in place. Look for a gel with a hold factor of 4 or 5.
- Shine: Asian hair can look dull and flat, so a gel with a natural shine can help to enhance its appearance. Look for a gel that is described as “natural shine” or “high shine”.
- Texture: Asian hair can be coarse, so it needs a gel that is lightweight and non-sticky. Look for a gel that is described as “lightweight” or “non-sticky”.
- Flake-free: Asian hair is prone to flaking, so you need a gel that is flake-free. Look for a gel that is specifically formulated to be flake-free.
- Alcohol-free: Alcohol can dry out Asian hair, so you need a gel that is alcohol-free. Look for a gel that is specifically formulated to be alcohol-free.
- Nourishing: Asian hair can be dry and damaged, so a gel that is nourishing can help to improve its condition. Look for a gel that contains ingredients like olive oil or panthenol.
- Suitable for all hair types: Not all hair gels are suitable for all hair types, so it is important to choose a gel that is specifically formulated for Asian hair.
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To Summarize