Guys, when you want to groom your hair often you need some additional help in the form of hair products. Even if you have great hair texture and a great barber, many like the extra lift and separation that hair gel offers. There are quite a lot of hair products available on the market today including moose, hair wax or pomade, hair sprays, and hair gels. Before choosing any one product, considering your hair type (i.e., thickness, length, etc.) is important to ensure that your hair is not damaged in the process.

Hair gel is one product that’s an important component of most men’s hair grooming routines. Here are a few things you should be aware of before you pick a hair gel:

1. The difference between a hold and a shine
Understand the difference between a hold and shine. Most often we end up confusing the two to be the same but fail to see what their critical role is when choosing a hair care product, especially a man’s hair gel:

• Hold is all about the holding power of the gel. This term is used to denote the flexibility of your hair after the gel has been applied. A stronger hold gel will keep every strand of hair in place, while a more fluid one will allow for your hair to be pliable. Usually, the strength of the hold you pick is your choice because it depends on what kind of a hair setup you are looking for.
• Shine, on the other hand, is all about the visual effects it bears on the hair after application. It can be a low shine, wet shine, or a glossy shine finish that you get out of many of these hair gels. You need to decide what sort of shine your want to emanate again based on the hairstyle you wish to wear and what form of a texture you want to highlight.

2. Affordability
Each of us has used a man’s hair gel at some point or the other. This is one of the most common go-to products as it is easy to apply and best for quick hair styling to achieve a look that stands out. Also, hair gel happens to be a very affordable hair styling product under any circumstances.

3. Styling preference
You can simply apply hair gel on the go, on top of your damp hair, and style it with your hands in seconds for a lasting look. It is important to note that hair gels work best on damp hair so it doesn’t end up looking sticky.

4. Hair texture and length
Hair gel is suitable for all hair textures, thickness, and lengths. As much as it is beneficial, there are also drawbacks to it as overuse or over-application of a man’s hair gel can end up affecting your scalp, causing it to dry out or flake, and strip it of moisture.