Hair Gel vs Hair Wax: Which is Better for Styling Your Hair?

Updated: May 17, 2024

When it comes to styling men’s hair, figuring out whether to use hair gel or hair wax can be confusing. These popular products each have their own advantages and disadvantages, making the choice dependent on your desired hairstyle and hair type. Hair gel tends to offer a stronger, more fixed hold and a shinier finish, making it ideal for sleek looks. On the other hand, hair wax provides a more flexible hold and matte texture, perfect for achieving a more natural look with the ability to restyle throughout the day. Understanding the key differences between these two products can help you decide which is better suited for your needs.

Hair Gel vs Hair Wax: Which is Better for Styling Your Hair? 3

Table of Content

What is Hair Gel?
What is Hair Wax?
Do You Need Both Gel and Wax?
1. When to Use Gel:
2. When to Use Wax:
Conclusion

What is Hair Gel?

When it comes to hairstyling, hair gel stands out as a prominent product. Typically incorporating ingredients like alcohol and water, this thick and often translucent or opaque substance is renowned for its ability to add shine and hold. Whether you aim to sculpt or shape your hair into the desired style, hair gel effectively coats each strand, offering unparalleled control and strength. Available in various formulations, ranging from light to extra-strong, it can provide a maximum hold that lasts all day. If you’re looking for a subtle sheen or a gentle, casual style, or even a dramatic, vice-like grip, hair gel can deliver. Options abound in drugstores or salons, with each brand offering unique strengths, whether you need a medium or moderate hold.

Drawing from my experience of frequenting both drugstore and salon brands, I’ve found that whether aiming for a gentle daily look or a dramatic all-day style, the versatility of hair gel is unmatched. The grip it provides can transform a simple style into a sculpt masterpiece, tailored to any desire.

Advantages of Using Hair Gel
Hair gel provides an incredibly strong hold due to its unique polymers that cling onto the hair, allowing for various styles. It’s suitable for thick, curly, and unruly hair, providing excellent control. The gel dries into a shiny, glossy, and sometimes wet look finish, making it ideal for those who want their hair to look polished and sleek. Gels offer a wide range of styling options. You can mold and shape your hair into spikes, waves, or even give it a big lift in the front. These dramatic styles stay put all day, ensuring your hair maintains its form from morning to night. This makes hair gel an essential tool for those who enjoy experimenting with their look. The application process is very quick and easy. Within a matter of minutes, the gel dries and forms a hardened layer on the hair shaft, making it ideal for those in a hurry. This rapid method of setting the hair is a lifesaver for busy mornings when time is of the essence. Gels are available in various hold strengths, including light, medium, and extra-hold. These different strengths cater to every hair type. Lighter gels are perfect for those with fine or limp hair, offering a gentle hold without weighing the hair down. The formula often includes alcohol, which helps the gel dry quickly and create a glossy finish. This layer can make the hair look incredibly sleek and polished. It is perfect for those who prefer a sophisticated, well-kept appearance.

Advantages of Using Hair Gel

Hair gel provides an incredibly strong hold due to its unique polymers that cling onto the hair, allowing for various styles. It’s suitable for thick, curly, and unruly hair, providing excellent control. The gel dries into a shiny, glossy, and sometimes wet look finish, making it ideal for those who want their hair to look polished and sleek.
Gels offer a wide range of styling options. You can mold and shape your hair into spikes, waves, or even give it a big lift in the front. These dramatic styles stay put all day, ensuring your hair maintains its form from morning to night. This makes hair gel an essential tool for those who enjoy experimenting with their look.
The application process is very quick and easy. Within a matter of minutes, the gel dries and forms a hardened layer on the hair shaft, making it ideal for those in a hurry. This rapid method of setting the hair is a lifesaver for busy mornings when time is of the essence.
Gels are available in various hold strengths, including light, medium, and extra-hold. These different strengths cater to every hair type. Lighter gels are perfect for those with fine or limp hair, offering a gentle hold without weighing the hair down.
The formula often includes alcohol, which helps the gel dry quickly and create a glossy finish. This layer can make the hair look incredibly sleek and polished. It is perfect for those who prefer a sophisticated, well-kept appearance.

Disadvantages of Hair Gel
One major downside of using hair gel is that it can leave your hair feeling stiff and crunchy. If you apply too much gel, it can harden and create a shellacked appearance, which is far from a natural look. Gels bind together the hair polymers, often resulting in hair that is difficult to style in a more casual, looser fashion. Another common issue with gels is product build-up and flaking. The formula can cause flaking as the gel dries, particularly throughout the day. This can leave unsightly flakes in your hair, which doesn’t rinse cleanly and may require vigorous shampooing to fully remove. This often leaves residues that are hard to wash out, causing further inconvenience. Strong gels are excellent for dramatic creations but are not ideal for more casual, natural styles. They tend to create a firm, stiff effect that is less suitable for texture-based, everyday looks. Hence, if you prefer a more relaxed appearance, gels might not be the best option to achieve it. Heavy usage of strong gels can potentially harm the scalp. Due to their strong binding properties, they might not wash out easily, leading to product build-up. This may cause scalp irritation and other issues. Removing such heavy gel often requires a great deal of effort, which can be taxing on both your hair and scalp.

Disadvantages of Hair Gel

One major downside of using hair gel is that it can leave your hair feeling stiff and crunchy. If you apply too much gel, it can harden and create a shellacked appearance, which is far from a natural look. Gels bind together the hair polymers, often resulting in hair that is difficult to style in a more casual, looser fashion.
Another common issue with gels is product build-up and flaking. The formula can cause flaking as the gel dries, particularly throughout the day. This can leave unsightly flakes in your hair, which doesn’t rinse cleanly and may require vigorous shampooing to fully remove. This often leaves residues that are hard to wash out, causing further inconvenience.
Strong gels are excellent for dramatic creations but are not ideal for more casual, natural styles. They tend to create a firm, stiff effect that is less suitable for texture-based, everyday looks. Hence, if you prefer a more relaxed appearance, gels might not be the best option to achieve it.
Heavy usage of strong gels can potentially harm the scalp. Due to their strong binding properties, they might not wash out easily, leading to product build-up. This may cause scalp irritation and other issues. Removing such heavy gel often requires a great deal of effort, which can be taxing on both your hair and scalp.

What is Hair Wax?

Hair wax is a versatile styling product made from various natural waxes like beeswax, lanolin, petroleum jelly, and mineral oil. Its putty-like consistency offers a flexible hold, allowing for natural movement and matte texture. Ideal for creating piecey separation and a lived-in finish, hair wax can coat hair lightly, providing a re-workable hold that lets you reshape and restyle your hair throughout the day by simply re-running your fingers through it. This styling product also washes out easily with shampoo, preventing build-up on the scalp when used in moderation. Available in both unscented variants and those with subtle masculine scents, hair wax is perfect for achieving various hairstyles.

Advantages of Using Hair Wax
One of the key benefits of using hair wax is its movable hold. Unlike gels, which often create a stiff and immovable style, wax allows you to re-style your hair repeatedly throughout the day without losing its grip. This wax formula is perfect for when you want versatility and a no stiff finish. Hair wax typically offers a matte finish with no visible shine or greasy residue. This makes it ideal for those who prefer a more natural look without the unnatural gloss that sometimes accompanies gels. The absence of shine also ensures that the hair’s natural texture is highlighted, giving a more effortless appearance. Hair wax provides incredible flexibility and movement, resulting in a more touchable and flexible style. It is excellent for adding texture and definition to your hair, coating strands to separate and define pieces for a more dimensional look. This is particularly effective for short to medium styles where detailed texture is needed. With hair wax, you won’t have to worry about heavy build-up. The light formula ensures that it washes out easily with a quick shampoo, leaving no residues behind. This makes it an excellent option for everyday use, as it requires less maintenance and keeps your hair healthy. Hair wax is versatile and works for all hair types, whether you have thin or thick hair. For those with finer hair, the light formula provides just the right amount of hold without weighing it down. For thicker hair, it offers ample control and definition without creating a crunchy aftermath. Using hair wax allows you to achieve an effortless look that is both natural and stylish. It’s perfect for creating that just-out-of-bed hairstyle that still looks deliberate and fashionable. The ability to re-sculpt and re-style ensures that your look remains fresh and adaptable throughout the day.

Advantages of Using Hair Wax

One of the key benefits of using hair wax is its movable hold. Unlike gels, which often create a stiff and immovable style, wax allows you to re-style your hair repeatedly throughout the day without losing its grip. This wax formula is perfect for when you want versatility and a no stiff finish.
Hair wax typically offers a matte finish with no visible shine or greasy residue. This makes it ideal for those who prefer a more natural look without the unnatural gloss that sometimes accompanies gels. The absence of shine also ensures that the hair’s natural texture is highlighted, giving a more effortless appearance.
Hair wax provides incredible flexibility and movement, resulting in a more touchable and flexible style. It is excellent for adding texture and definition to your hair, coating strands to separate and define pieces for a more dimensional look. This is particularly effective for short to medium styles where detailed texture is needed.
With hair wax, you won’t have to worry about heavy build-up. The light formula ensures that it washes out easily with a quick shampoo, leaving no residues behind. This makes it an excellent option for everyday use, as it requires less maintenance and keeps your hair healthy.
Hair wax is versatile and works for all hair types, whether you have thin or thick hair. For those with finer hair, the light formula provides just the right amount of hold without weighing it down. For thicker hair, it offers ample control and definition without creating a crunchy aftermath.
Using hair wax allows you to achieve an effortless look that is both natural and stylish. It’s perfect for creating that just-out-of-bed hairstyle that still looks deliberate and fashionable. The ability to re-sculpt and re-style ensures that your look remains fresh and adaptable throughout the day.

Disadvantages of Hair Wax
Hair wax provides a movable hold, which can make it difficult to achieve perfectly neat and polished styles. If you prefer slicked or tightly shaped looks, such as a classic pompadour or sleek side part, hair wax may not stay perfectly in place. One of the common pitfalls of using hair wax is that it can appear greasy if overused. Applying too much wax can make your hair look limp and oily-looking, which is why it’s crucial to use it sparingly. Those aiming for a clean, non-greasy finish might find wax less appealing compared to other products. Unlike gels that provide a high shine, hair wax offers a matte finish and minimal sheen. For those who want to impart a glossy shine to their hair, wax is not the best choice. It is more suited for textured, natural looks rather than shiny, dramatic styles. Hair wax generally offers a shorter period of hold compared to gel. While it provides a re-workable hold, it can cause styles to revert back faster, requiring frequent touch-ups throughout the day. This short-lasting hold might be a drawback for those seeking all-day wear. The application of hair wax can be somewhat challenging due to its thick stiff texture. It’s often necessary to use a small amount and warm it up in your hands to spread evenly through your hair. This process can be more time-consuming and less user-friendly, especially if you are new to using hair wax.

Disadvantages of Hair Wax

Hair wax provides a movable hold, which can make it difficult to achieve perfectly neat and polished styles. If you prefer slicked or tightly shaped looks, such as a classic pompadour or sleek side part, hair wax may not stay perfectly in place.
One of the common pitfalls of using hair wax is that it can appear greasy if overused. Applying too much wax can make your hair look limp and oily-looking, which is why it’s crucial to use it sparingly. Those aiming for a clean, non-greasy finish might find wax less appealing compared to other products.
Unlike gels that provide a high shine, hair wax offers a matte finish and minimal sheen. For those who want to impart a glossy shine to their hair, wax is not the best choice. It is more suited for textured, natural looks rather than shiny, dramatic styles.
Hair wax generally offers a shorter period of hold compared to gel. While it provides a re-workable hold, it can cause styles to revert back faster, requiring frequent touch-ups throughout the day. This short-lasting hold might be a drawback for those seeking all-day wear.
The application of hair wax can be somewhat challenging due to its thick stiff texture. It’s often necessary to use a small amount and warm it up in your hands to spread evenly through your hair. This process can be more time-consuming and less user-friendly, especially if you are new to using hair wax.

Do You Need Both Gel and Wax?

Deciding whether your hair styling arsenal should include both gel and wax often depends on personal preference and the styles you want to achieve. Integrating both products into your routine allows you to tailor the hold and finish of your hair to suit any particular hairstyle you desire each day.

When to Use Gel:

Achieve perfect slicked back styles with tight shaping for professional looks.
Create and maintain spiky styles that stand straight up all day.
Ideal for short haircuts, ensuring clean lines and controlled styles.
Shiny, Wet-Look Styles: Provides a shiny, wet-look finish for styles like the sleek pompadour.
Managing Thick, Curly Hair: Excellent for taming thick, curly hair and preventing frizz.

When to Use Wax:

Messy, Undone Texture: Perfect for achieving a messy, undone texture, ideal for the casual bedhead look.
Excellent for creating natural, touchable movement and beachy waves that flow effortlessly.
Provides a matte finish with no shine, making it great for understated styles.
Ideal for short textured cuts, offering a flexible hold and easy reshaping throughout the day.
Choppy, Medium-Length Styles: Adds gritty, piecey separation and definition for choppy, medium-length styles.

Conclusion

When comparing gel and wax, it’s essential to consider the type of hold, amount of shine, and hair type to understand which will work better for the style you want to achieve. Gel offers a stronger hold and sheen, making it ideal for firmly molded styles, while wax provides a movable hold and touchable texture that excels with more versatile styling. Each has its place depending on the look you’re going for whether it’s a polished, high-shine finish or a natural, matte appearance. Personally, I appreciate the flexibility of layering products for endless styling possibilities.

Experimenting and learning to evaluate your own hair type and the styles you naturally gravitate towards ensures that you always have the right products readily available to achieve the style you want.

From my experience, having both gel and wax in my toolkit has allowed me to adapt to different styling needs effortlessly, providing the versatility to switch between sleek and casual looks with ease.

Is styling wax better than gel?

Hair wax offers endless possibilities with a less extreme hold and shine compared to gel, making it a favorite among professional stylists and men for a range of hairstyles, from messy bedhead to more structured and professional-looking styles.

Is wax good for hair styling?

Absolutely, wax enhances hair thickness and eliminates frizz while offering quick, easily restyled benefits, making it a useful styling product to have in your bathroom cabinet.

Does gel or wax damage hair?

While products like hair gel and spray can have a dehydrating effect and stimulate loss of actual style, excessive usage may weaken follicles. In contrast, wax, used in small amounts, achieves the desired look for longer periods without much damage.

Is wax or gel better for slicked back hair?

For a slicked back trim with a sleek, strong hold and wet-look finish, hair gel is ideal, ensuring your standout style won’t budge.

Can I use hair styling wax everyday?

Don’t use hair wax every single day as frequent washing can dry the hair, leading to dandruff and hair loss. Taking intermittent breaks from these products helps keep your hair healthy and strong.