While there are so many products to retwist locs with, it all boils down to the consistency to understand which would be right for you. There are two types of consistencies out there, gel and pomade. Gel has a wet and cold feel to it while pomade has a very firm feel to it, similar to edge control. These two are both excellent in their own way, helping your retwist have retention and leaving the end result precise, their differences however will make you think twice at what you’ll end up going with. In this quick read you will learn the key differences between the two and ultimately decide what will be right for you.

What is Gel?

Gel is a liquid like styling product that is used to harden hair into place. There are numerous types of loc gels out there, for example Tropical Roots Locking Gel, Lion Locs Gel, and even natural aloe vera gel for the organic girlies. When using these type of gels it is best for your hair to be wet or damp, so styling right after washing is ideal. For the best results, sitting under a dryer (with hair strips on the hair line for maximum slayage) will ensure it is dried in place exactly how it was styled.

What is Pomade?

Pomade is a firm styling product used to hold hair in place almost immediately after it is applied. It gives your hair more of a slick and shiny appearance. Some loc pomades out there are Super Gro Hair Gel, Taliah Waajid Black Lock It Up, and Taliah Waajid Green Apple & Aloe Nutrition Miracle Hold Gel . When using pomades, it is best for your hair to be damp or dry. It is not always necessary to sit under the drier neither, wrapping your hair with some sort of scarf for 30 minutes to an hour can do the trick.

Which Has A Better Hold?

Coming from a loctician who deals with all hair types, it all depends on your preference and your hair porosity. Hair porosity is basically how your hair follicles retain and absorb moisture. You can learn about your hair porosity here.

For majority of my clients, gel absorbs best and has a longer retention rate than pomade. Being that the gel has to “harden” in place, especially after sitting under the drier, it becomes harder for a retwist to revert. For others, gel won’t take as well and they’d rather a pomade. Pomades as mentioned above, almost instantly slicks down a loc with little product and looks more shinier and precise. The retention rate for pomade is lower than gel in my opinion because most pomades contains beeswax, petroleum, and lanolin.

In conclusion, learning your hair porosity and trying out different products until you find the one that sticks is key to mastering your personal loc routine. Check out my blog post on How to Make Your Retwist Last Longer for more tips on how to prolong your retwists in addition to your new found holy grail loc gel!

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