Why I stopped using Eco Gel.

I haven't used Eco Gel since November 6th of 2020.

Eco gel was a product I used since 2017 when I first went natural and it helped me ALOT. When transitioning from relaxed to natural and having to slick down two different textures, it's not easy! So gel easily because of a staple product for me. Back then using the product didn't affect my hair, I started to notice the difference when I became fully natural in 2020.

The biggest difference Eco gel caused in my hair was the way my hair would soak up moisture. It didn’t, at all.

First I would apply my leave-in or cream, then I would apply the eco gel on top. Back then I didn’t do any wash n go’s, I would only apply the gel to my roots to slick my hair down into a slick bun. But of course, throughout the week the product would move down through the length of my hair while detangling. But, as soon as I added the gel white dots/ clumps would start to form. Kinda like what you would see when two products don't mix. But for me, it would happen with ANY product I paired it with.

When the white dots would form it no longer allowed any product I applied to absorb into my hair. Even when I tried to it would just sit on top of my hair strands. But, back then I didn’t understand that my hair wasn't accepting any moisture from the products I was applying throughout the week due to the same recurrence with the gel. If I had to compare it to any experience I’ve had before, it felt like when I used to use silicone-based products and the silicone was the shield from my hair absorbing any moisture. (**Eco gel doesn’t contain any silicone, just using an example.)

So by my next wash day, my hair would be completely dried out. Basically from the lack of moisture my hair got, which was prohibited from the application of the Eco Gel.

That’s when I decided I had to cut it out of my routine and see if I would notice a difference. And for sure I did! It took a couple of weeks to fully see the shift, but when I did it was definitely noticeable.

That’s when I began my journey of trying out different styling gels to replace Eco Gel. It took a while but here are the products I tried out and what worked best for me.

Products & Reviews:

** Reviews are specifically for doing a slick bun not for a wash n go.

Mielle Organics Styling Gel with Honey & Ginger

8/10

This styling gel doesn’t have the most slip which is kind of good cause your hair won't be so slippery while you're trying to grip and slick your hair down. If you do use this option I would say use it at the very end. For example, apply your other products first, detangle, make your parts, etc then apply the gel as your last step & use a bristle brush to smooth it in. I tried adding the gel before detangling and it didn't go well lol.

https://go.magik.ly/ml/19e9l/

Camille Rose Curl Maker

7/10

This product has a lot of slip, which was good for detangling through the hair to get all the curls to slick down but made it kind of hard to hold the form of the slick bun. It has a good hold but, in my opinion not the best for thick type 4 hair.

https://go.magik.ly/ml/19e9h/

Miss Jessie's Honey Curls Curl Enhancers

7/10

This product has a good hold when it dries, but does dry slowly. So the way your hair is when it's wet it will look when it's dry. By that I mean, if you have hairs out of place during the wet process it will look the exact same when dry, so make sure to slick everything down before it dries.

https://go.magik.ly/ml/18o44/

Mielle Pomegranate & Honey Curling Custard

2/10

This custard was thin and had a watery/foamy consistency, so it made it hard to mold the slick bun.

https://go.magik.ly/ml/19e9k/

Eco Slay Jello Shot

10/10

Has a thick gel consistency & a very stronghold. Highly recommend it for thick type 4 hair.

https://www.ecoslay.com/products/jello-shot

As always this is my experience and what worked for me, not everyone has a bad reaction to Eco Gel! I would recommend taking a break from it and seeing what benefits you gain and if it's worth stopping, then try finding some alternatives, and if not continue using it.

If you are trying to stop using Eco gel, I know it's gonna be hard, in the beginning, to switch from a product you relied on heavily in the past to give you a sleek look, but by my experience, I’m promising you that there is a product out there for you that can get the job down without the damage. A natural hair journey is not a journey without trial and error.

If you have any product recommendations for gels to help slick down natural hair, comment them down below to help other naturalistas that are in the search for some! Also let me know what your encounters have been with Eco Gel either good or bad!

Thank you as always for y'all support! Hope this helps. Love y’all.

xoxo whynotgonatural