Do you struggle with hard, crunchy curls? That’s called a gel cast. It’s imperative to get a strong hold on your routine, preventing frizz and making your style last longer. However, it often results in that stiff, crunchy, “wet look” that we all try to avoid. So is it possible to get soft, full bouncy curls in tandem with definition and hold?
What is a Gel Cast?
A gel cast is the firm, slightly crunchy layer that forms around your curls as the gel dries. The time it takes to form depends on how quickly your hair dries, typically around 15 to 45 minutes when diffusing and 1 hour or more when air-drying. Drying time can vary depending on factors such as hair density, porosity, and the amount of product applied. Styling products like gels contain holding ingredients that create a film on the hair, binding the strands of hair together and holding them in place. They can also contain moisturizing ingredients to prevent a dry, brittle feeling. Gels can provide different levels of hold, from very soft and flexible to super strong and stiff. The stronger the hold, the stronger gel cast you will get, and the longer your hairstyle will last with more frizz control.
The Benefits of a Gel Cast
A gel cast provides many benefits to the hair health, definition and appearance.
For Hair Health
- Creates a temporary protective barrier around the curls as they dry.
- Helps lock in moisture and protect against humidity.
- Reduces frizz and minimizes disruption to the curl pattern during the drying process.
- For Curl Definition & Style
- Helps curls, waves, and coils maintain their shape as they dry.
- Enhances definition and encourages curl clumping.
- Provides longer-lasting hold and helps styles last between wash days.
- Helps reduce flyaways for a smoother finish.
- For Appearance
- Creates a more defined, uniform curl pattern.
- Helps curls look smoother and less frizzy.
- Once scrunched out, leaves curls looking soft, bouncy, and well-defined.
Having that cast on your hair will help the curl hold its curl pattern, structure and definition for a more long-lasting style. If you live in a humid environment or if it’s a very windy day, leaving the gel cast in after styling will protect your curls from frizz. A cast will also help lock in moisture and prevent your hair from drying out throughout the week. Most importantly, a gel cast will prevent frizz from forming and tame flyaways. It’s particularly important while drying the hair, as it will set your curls, waves or coils in place and keep them defined until the next wash.
How To Get a Gel Cast for Curly Hair?
Get a gel cast by completing the following steps;
- Start with clean, wet hair and apply your leave-in conditioner.
- Apply a gel that forms a cast section by section using the raking method, ensuring even coverage.
- Select the styling method of choice such as scrunching, finger curling, or shingling to encourage curl formation.
- Allow the hair to dry completely, either by air-drying or diffusing. As the gel dries, a cast will naturally form.
- Avoid touching or manipulating your curls while they dry, as this can create frizz and disrupt the cast.
- Once fully dry, gently scrunch out the cast to reveal soft, defined curls.
What if I Don’t like the Crunchy Gel Cast Look?
The most important thing that most people don’t get about the gel cast is that it is totally temporary! You don’t have to go around with crunchy curls, if that’s not your preference. If you leave the cast in after drying your hair, your style will last longer and be more protected from the environment, gradually softening throughout the day. But if you’d prefer to have soft curls from the beginning, you can break the gel cast as soon as your hair is fully dry!
This will make your curls soft and bouncy while keeping them defined.
Does a Gel Cast Damage Hair?
A gel cast does not damage the hair. Instead, it creates a temporary protective barrier around the curls as they dry, helping to reduce frizz, maintain definition, and protect against humidity.
A gel cast can be achieved on all curl types and textures. The key is choosing a gel styler that suits your hair texture and styling needs. For example, if you have fine to medium-textured hair, the Hydro Style Flexi Jelly is a great option as it creates a cast without weighing the hair down. For medium to coarse textures, the Curl Defining Styling Soufflé or In-Shower Style Fixer may be better suited, providing stronger hold and longer-lasting definition.
- Include a new section here discussing whether a gel cast damages hair
- If not, then we want to highlight this even more
- If there are considerations with a gel cast and things to be aware of we want to break them down here and advise on how to prevent it.
- Also we want to mention here whether it’s suitable for all types of curly hair eg. fine curly hair.
How do you Break a Gel Cast?
There are a few methods you can use to break your gel cast if you prefer a softer look. You can choose to release all of the crunch for your hair entirely, or just only scrunch out a portion of it to maintain some hold and stronger frizz protection.
The simplest method of breaking your gel cast is to use dry hands to gently scrunch out your curls after you’ve styled and dried your hair.
If you rub a hair oil between your hands before scrunching, it will help soften the hair and add shine while scrunching out the gel cast.
Using a diffuser is another way to release the gel cast in your hair. Set your hair dryer to low speed and warm or cool air and scrunch out your hair with the diffuser bowl until the cast is released. Do this only once your hair is done drying, or it may encourage frizz.
The one thing all these methods have in common is that they have to be performed on fully dry hair. Doing it before the hair is dry will prevent the cast from serving its frizz prevention function, and it will break the curl clumps. So always keep it as the last step of your routine!
Step-by-step guide to Scrunching Out The Crunch
Here’s how you can soften your gel cast while maintaining hold.
Start with clean, wet hair.
Apply a leave-in conditioner and/or styling cream of your choice for moisture. Skipping leave-in or cream and only using a gel can result in brittle, dry curls.
Thoroughly apply a gel. The stronger hold you choose, the stronger cast you will get. Curlsmith In-Shower Style Fixer and Fragrance-free Stronghold Gel are the best option for strong hold, followed by the Curl Defining Styling Souffle.
Apply gel liberally for additional hold.
Style as desired.
Scrunch out excess water and product with a hair towel or T-shirt.
Apply another light glaze of gel if more hold is desired, but make sure you only gently glide over the curls and not comb in between, or it will disturb the curl pattern.
Diffuse or air dry, trying not to touch your hair while you do it. Touching the hair will prevent the cast from forming. As the hair dries, you will feel it gets progressively more crunchy.
Once hair is 100% dry, apply a hair oil to your palms and rub them together. A little goes a long way with oils, so avoid applying too much so your curls don’t feel greasy or weighed down. Smooth over the hair and gently scrunch. If you want to retain more hold, which will make your style last for longer, avoid scrunching out all of the gel cast.
For more volume, reach underneath the hair and shake out the roots by gently massaging them. This can also be done throughout the day to boost hair volume for flat roots.
How to Choose a Hair Oil to Scrunch Out the Gel Cast
The Curlsmith Bonding Oil is a great option for all hair types to use when scrunching out the gel cast because it’s lightweight and won’t weigh down the hair or make it look and feel greasy. It contains penetrating and sealing oils such as castor seed oil, apricot kernel oil, and plant esters. Using oil at the end of your routine helps to soften the hair, provide shine, and lock in moisture.
Another option is the Frizz Control Finishing Serum, which helps create a protective barrier around the hair to defend against humidity and preserve curl definition. It’s especially great for medium/coarse textures or those with very dry hair. This unique blend of sunflower, watermelon and argon oils nourishes the hair, reducing frizz by 65% for up to 72 hours. It also smooths flyaway’s, breaks the gel cast, and makes your hair glossy at the end of your routine.
How to Prevent Frizz When Breaking the Cast
Sometimes, despite your best intentions, you may still find yourself with some frizz after you have scrunched out your gel cast. There are a few common culprits of this event:
Your gel doesn’t have a strong enough hold. Look for ingredients such as Polyquaternium for maximum hold and humidity protection. The In-Shower Style Fixer is the strongest hold option from Curlsmith, followed by the Fragrance-free Stronghold Gel, and both contain Polyquaternium-69. Alternatively, if you prefer a softer look, aloe and flaxseed are great film-forming humectants that provide a flexible stronghold. The Curlsmith Styling Souffle contains both aloe and flaxseed, which provide long-lasting moisture and definition.
You scrunched out the crunch when your hair was still damp. Touching your hair when wet can cause it to frizz. Wait until your hair is completely dry before you scrunch out the crunch. It helps to let your hair cool down after diffusing to feel if it’s truly dry. Thick curl clumps can take longer to dry, so make sure they are not still damp within.
Your curls were not moisturized first. Applying gel to hair that is very dry can cause it to dry out quickly after your wash day and frizz up. Using a leave-in conditioner or styling cream as a base layer in your routine will ensure your curls are properly moisturized. Gel will then lock in that moisture and give you hold. Incorporating regular deep conditioners is also necessary to prevent dry hair.
Your oil is too heavy. Using heavy oils or butters may cause the gel cast to break up too much when scrunching out the crunch. Instead, use a lightweight oil like Bonding Oil to soften the hair without causing frizz.
Crunchy Gel Cast is Nothing to be Afraid Of
Using a gel is the best way to create defined, frizz-free curls that last longer in between washes. Gel often gives a very defined, stiff feeling that is essential for frizz protection, but this is only temporary. Finishing off with the right hair oil will soften that cast and prevent crunchy, stiff curls. Incorporating these tips will ensure your definition is maintained while achieving frizz-free, soft, bouncy curls.
