I have a few blog posts about gel already, but I noticed that there were several questions I get related ot gel that I hadn’t answered yet, So, I thought I’d compile a blog post that is sort of Q and A style with gel being the core topic. So, here we go. If you want to see my other blog posts on gel, here are those:
What is a gel cast, why you want one, and how to create one
How to know if you’re getting a gel cast and reasons why you may not get one
15 hair gels tested on my wavy hair (over 3 days each, with pics!)
How much gel to use on wavy hair?
This is going to vary a lot from person to person. Hair density can vary really dramatically, with some people having 1 hair per hair follicle, and others having up to 6 hairs per hair follicle. Meaning, some people can literally have 6x as much hair on their head as other people!
When you keep that information in mind, it can really help to explain why some people need to use way more gel than other people. Hair length can also make a big difference, of course.
Unfortunately, this variation in amount and length of hair means it’s not really possible to give a general rule of thumb such as a quarter sized amount or a golfbal sized amount and have that work for everyone.
I have very dense hair and I cover my palms with gel 3 to 4 times depending on the specific gel I’m using.
If you’re new and looking with how much to try to begin, here’s a rule of thumb I’ve heard. Gather your hair as if you’re going to put it into a ponytail, but then use your thumb and pointer finger to circle the ponytail instead of actually putting it in a hairtie. Hold your fingers in that same as you remove your hand from your hair. Use that size/shape as an estimate for how much gel to use in each 1/4 section of your hair.
To give an example, if you measure your ponytail and it’s about as big as a quarter, you’d use a quarter-sized amount of gel in four sections of your hair (Front left, right left, left back, right back). This would just be a starting point, and you’d analyze your results and then use more or less next time depending on how it went.
Ultimately, finding out how much gel you should use will require some experimentation. We all use too much, and we all use not enough, at some point! It’s part of the journey.
Hair follicle count information source: MindBodyGreen.com.
