The best hair gel for short hair

It’s no secret: maintaining short haircuts require the help of good styling products and tools to keep the look fresh and updated. While many of these hairstyles, like the pixie cut, seem fairly easy to deal with—wake, tousle, spray on hairspray and go—there are times a few stray strands get in the way. Not to mention that sometimes, you’ll find yourself not in the mood to whip out hot tools to update your hairstyle; you’d rather just reach for your best hair gel to slick it down and go. Ladies, we feel you – and rest assured, we all have those moments.

No need to miss your long hair just yet: there are ways to handle your worst hair days with the use of some amazing hair gel. We’ve rounded up some of our favourite picks below:

Editor’s picks: Best hair gel for short hairstyles

For curly short haircuts

On curly and wavy-textured hair, finding a product that will lock your style in place is a big deal. You want your curls to pop and show off your gorgeous pattern. After all, your texture is what really makes the look! If your idea of a curly crop is one that’s full of defined ringlets that withstand humidity, try VO5 Sculpted Firm Hold Styling Gel.

To style: Work hair gel through damp hair before using a diffuser or leave to air-dry.

For straight short haircuts

Whether you need to keep those cowlicks under control or give stray hairs some strong hold or keep your layers in check, try the The VO5 Extreme Style Gel Wax for an all-day hold.

To style: Apply a small amount of hair gel to the piecey or shorter parts of your hair to lock the style in place and keep flyaways at bay.

For when you want it slicked down

Your slick-back action is equivalent to a long haired girl’s ballerina bun. Keep it neat, keep it clean. We recommend going for strong-hold gel, like the VO5 Sculpted Mega Hold Styling Gel, to help lock in your sleek and straight style. Seriously, do you even need any extra effort for this cool and laid-back look? Our advice is to let your hair gel do all the talking.

To style: Comb hair back or to the side using a fine-toothed comb or bristle brush. Then, smooth the gel onto your hair to set your slicked down hairstyle into place. In a hurry? Blow-dry on a low heat setting with a hairdryer that has a concentration nozzle attached to speed up the drying process.