Davines This Is A Curl Gel Oil 250ml

A gel that turns to oil on contact — and the reason curls hold without going crunchy.

Most curl gels do one job well and the other badly: they either hold and leave hair stiff, or they hydrate and drop out by lunchtime. This is a hybrid, so you get definition and moisture at once. Hold strength is 3 out of 5 — enough to keep a curl, not enough to make it hard.

What you'll notice

Curls that keep their shape all day without the crunch, and frizz that stays down even when the weather turns. Hair feels soft to touch rather than coated, and there's a natural shine rather than a wet-look finish.

Who it's for

Curly through to coily hair. Particularly good if you've given up on gels because of how they leave your hair feeling.

Who it's not for

If you want firm, structured hold or a proper wet look, 3 out of 5 won't get you there — This Is A Medium Hold Modeling Gel is the firmer option. And on loose waves it may be more product than you need.

What to pair it with

LOVE CURL Enhancing Milk underneath is the combination I'd recommend. The milk hydrates and gives the curl its spring; the gel oil sets the definition. Together they hold far better than either does alone.

How to use it — including the bit most people skip

Work it between your palms and apply evenly to wet hair, section by section so it spreads properly. Scrunch or comb through, then diffuse or air-dry without touching it.

As it dries it forms a cast — a firm film over the curl that protects the shape while the hair sets. It's meant to feel crispy at this stage. Wait until the hair is completely dry, then scrunch gently with your hands to break the cast open. That last step is what gives you soft, defined curls rather than stiff ones, and it's the step almost everyone misses.