How to Set Hair Without Gel

Use water

You probably never thought that H2O could be a means of styling your hair? Well, you’d be both right and wrong. Wrong because, duh, it can be used to style your hair, and right because since it’s a natural agent, it cannot give you a very strong style nor let it stay for a very long time.

Here’s the thing. After you’ve had your bath and washed your hair, take a towel and dry your hair. Not to the point of drying it completely, but letting it remain damp. Remember, we need the water! Do not brush your hair when it’s dripping wet because the roots are weakest during this point, which would mean styling or even combing your hair would result in greater hairfall.

Let your hair dry to the point where it becomes damp and then go ahead and style your hair. If you have straight or mildly wavy hair, use a rat tailed comb. If you have very wavy or curly hair, use a brush or wide-tooth comb. And then style your hair as you would like it.

Make a sugar hair spray

You can also work on how to set hair without gel by your DIY hair setting spray. Use it as an additional way to strengthen the hair style you made with water. All you need is 1 cup of water and 2 teaspoons sugar. Put some water in a pan and boil it. Add sugar to it till it dissolves, let it cool and then pour it into an empty spray bottle. And spray several times to get better results if your hair is layered.

Here is a video about making DIY hair sprays with lemon and sugar. Check it to know how to make and use these two materials to make natural hair spray:

Use a heat tool

You can use a blow dryer or a straightening iron – whichever you’re comfortable with. Just make sure you use it on damp hair and not dry hair. And if you’re using an iron, make sure you wear safety gloves so that you don’t burn your fingers.

Choose hair paste

The jury’s still out on what constitutes a paste, but you can easily understand what it is when you touch its texture. They have a toothpaste-like consistency and generally give you a medium to very firm hold. If you’re new to styling your hair, a paste is highly recommended because it’s a highly versatile product which can be used to make a great number of styles.

Use hair creams

How to set hair without gel? Try hair creams. They’re also known as hair lotions because of their lotion like consistency. They give your hair a softer or lighter hold as compared to other hair styling products. This makes it great for everyday use. Also, if you have frizzy hair, then hair creams are your best bet.

Try hair oil

This is a great alternative as oils provide a lot of nourishment to your hair. However, much like water, they don’t provide a very strong hold on your hair. Also, avoid this method if you have oily roots because oils tend to give your hair a sheen that will start making your hair look oily after a few hours. It’s best suited for those with dry or frizzy hair. Also make sure to take literally no more than 3-4 drops each time.

Wear hair wax

Unlike hair gels, hair waxes do not have alcohol, which is great for your hair because alcohol has drying properties. It is also great for dry hair because it doesn’t dry out, unlike gels. It also adds shine to one's hair.

Spray some hair Mousse

Hair mousse has a very lightweight feeling to them, and much like hair creams, they don’t provide heavy or prolonged usage. It’s best used if you want to keep your style in place for a couple of hours, max. It’s great for first timers working on how to set hair without gel.

Use hair spray

Sprays are mostly aimed at women, but who says women should have all the fun? Hair sprays provide great hold for a long period of time, which makes them perfect for strong hairstyles or styling longer hair. However, most sprays tend to harden the hair temporarily, so keep that in mind.

Check out this video for a very detailed instruction in which you can learn how to style your hair with hair spray in five steps: