10 Best Hair Gels for Men (Review) in 2021

With its retro style and vintage Barber shop look, the Johnny B Mode brand prides itself on delivering quality, professional style products and is constantly undertaking extensive customer research to keep up with changing styling trends and the feedback and needs of its consumers. This Styling Gel is a testimony to that continued R&D and continues a thick formula that someone manages to deliver a flexible hold but one that shouldn’t need constantly restyling throughout the day. The first thing that will probably grab your attention outside of the jar it comes in is the gel itself which is sky blue. It also smells pretty amazing too but not too overpowering.  Just a small amount should be enough to tame your name! It’s long lasting and dries hard, so you know that it’s working, but it still manages to be flexible too. It delivers a nice sheen rather than a glossy finish and is easy to wash out of your hair. It’s also alcohol-free which helps to maintain and lock in the moisture in your hair. Part of a full range of male grooming and hair care products, it’s great for thick hair that needs plenty of taming and control. Find more great products like this by checking out our guide to the best shampoo for men.

Sumotech is one of the top selling products from the highly innovative and much-loved hair care brand that is Bumble and Bumble. Their Sumotech gel promises to deliver lo-shine but hi-tech and is part paste, part crème, and part wax to deliver what is ultimately a very pliable and malleable product that you can really mold into the hair. It’s great for adding texture and definition to hair and works equally as well on straight as it does wavy hair. It can also be used on healthy, dry, damaged and color treated hair with no adverse side reactions.  You literally just dab a small amount between the palms and warm up the paste-like texture then evenly distribute throughout the hair to style. It’s best used on almost dry or dry hair rather than on hair which is wet. Due to that elastic consistency, it’s a great product for really separating out hair and molding more demanding styles. Another great styling product is hear clay so make sure you read our review.

We love this old school gel because it’s just so versatile. It works well with just about any type of hair or style and is super easy to use and administer, simply setting your chosen style firmly in place. As the name suggests, this is Firm hold, so you’ve no need to worry about your quiff dropping during the course of the day. It’s great on short to medium lengthed hair and shouldn’t require any restyling during the day. It will lift your hair and give it more life and depth and generally help to make it look healthier. All that, plus you can use it on wet or dry hair, and it won’t set too rigid like many other gels can. It’s not shiny (AKA greasy!) and being water-soluble it’s also easy to rinse clean from your hair without leaving behind any unwanted residue or flakes. It also has a subtle natural fragrance which isn’t overpowering. American Crew products are also full of natural ingredients and extracts, and in this Firm Hold Styling Gel, you’ll find Vitamin B5, Sage and Ginseng all of which can additionally help to treat and maintain lustrous hair and prevent thinning. It comes in a really convenient and generous sized 33.8-ounce bottle so is going to last a fair old amount of time, and overall delivers a firm but not stiff or crunchy, textured hold. Love grooming products? Check out our review of the best pomades for men for our top picks.

The clue with this one is in the name. Hard Up! If you are the kind of guy that likes to raise his hair game and thinks that the higher, the better, then you are definitely going to appreciate the sexy staying power of this innovative gel. There aren’t many products around that can deliver a hold like this one can, whether you’re caught in extreme weather or hitting it hard down the gym, there ain’t no excuse for going floppy on us! The Gel contains a wax which is what gives it that immense staying power and it dries hard in your hair within minutes, whether you are applying to wet or dry hair. You can also use it if you want to go for that more tousled and disheveled look too. It’s going to work on all kinds of hair lengths and has a non-sticky and non-greasy formula so neither your hair nor your hands will feel like an oil slick after handling. We’d describe the scent as being soft and clean, and while it does have some shine to it, it’s certainly not a glossy finish. Due to its texture and consistency though, it is slightly harder to wash out than some of the other Best Hair Gels we’re so far reviewed.

If your hair is all about the vertical height, then you are going to need a powerful gel to keep it in place and this got2b ultra glued is more than up to the job. It delivers the ultimate, targeted control for those high-velocity hairstyles. It’s a high-end formula that delivers a technical level, professional style finish but without any unwanted stickiness. It’s strong and easy to mold and manipulates so that you can be daring and play with more adventurous styles. It easily washes out with a little shampoo, so you aren’t going to be left with a hair-raising adventurous style! It comes in an easy to dispense and administer gel tube in two size options. Our handy guide to the best hair oils features more great products like this.

Tigi is quite possibly known the world over for their innovative range of hair care products and their iconic and stylish packaging. You will certainly find this range in many professional salons as well as on the bathroom shelves of discerning males and females on top of their hair game. The Power Play Gel is an excellent performing product that delivers a mid-weight texture and is great for anyone looking to still have an overall natural style and finish rather than anything too overly coiffed! It’s a great choice on longer hair because that matte finish won’t make it look lank or at all greasy. That said, it still works well on all kinds of shorter and curlier hair types and if you do want more texture and hold, try using it on wet hair and applying some heat from a hairdryer. It’s alcohol-free and packed with antioxidants so healthy for your hair and your scalp too. We love its natural and non-sticky texture and results.

You may already be a fan of the Dove Men + Care body range and the brand keeps on adding to their repertoire of hard-working, effective but budget-friendly grooming products. Next up in our Best Hair Gels for Men we have a Control Gel from Dove that not only helps to hold hair in place but can also improve the condition and appearance of your hair, leaving it looking altogether more healthy, and luscious. This is an easy to use styling gel that provides a strong but manageable hold. It’s suitable for everyday use and is also infused with caffeine which is an ingredient often found in hair care products to help maintain stronger and thicker looking hair. It won’t leave the hair looking flat or greasy but instead, healthier and smoother. Just dispense a few drops directly into the palms, rub the hands together and sculpt evenly through the hair into your desired style. It’s great for delivering a smooth and sleek, stylish finish and is especially good for creating wet-look styles.

This is a stronghold, matte finish, textured styling agent that can be used in both damp and dry hair to create some serious shapes and definition. It’s thick yet pliable and has a creamy consistency that is easy to work between the fingers. It’s firm yet not at all tacky or gummy and it really easily rinses out too. It delivers a natural, laid-back look but can still also be used to create well defined polished and professional looking finishes. It also smells deliciously of oranges with additional notes of sandalwood and patchouli which are earthy and fresh but not overpowering. Great for all hair types and lengths, it delivers touchable texture and is perfect on thinning hair. The reason for this being that it contains an active ingredient called Swertia Japonica which actively increases blood flow to the hair follicle thereby stimulating them. A great added bonus to this already hard-working Billy Jealousy Headlock Molding cream. Be sure to also check out our list of the best conditioners for men for more great items like this.

Buck’s Burley Hair Cream is for real men! It even smells more manly than the other Hair Gels we’ve reviewed today. Apparently, that’s because it’s packed with pheromones so you might just find yourself not only having a good hair day but also being strangely more popular than usual with the opposite sex. Winner! It delivers a strong, firm and solidly dependable hold with zero stiffness and no greasy residue either. With added moisturizes and active hydration, your hair will also look healthier and stronger as well as being more manageable and smelling great! It’s everything you need from a hair cream and nothing else. Just uncompromising hold and impeccable style.

Last up in today’s Best Hair Gels for Men product roundup we have something from professional range Redken and their men’s diffusion grooming line inspired by the vintage barber shops of New York, their Brews range. The Stand Tough Gel delivers maximum hold for when you need to create a very sculpted and defined look. It’s infused with Malt extract, hence the Brew connection, and works great in conjunction with the rest of their Brew, vintage inspired range. It’s easy to apply and control and can be warmed up and worked in the hand before applying evenly throughout the hair. Style it your way, every day for a truly polished and sculpted finish. And this can also be a perfect grooming gift for your loved ones.