Today, I’m going to be talking about Tresemme Mega Sculpting Gel!
Regular readers know that as my hair has gotten healthier, it hasn’t needed a hard hold gel on a regular basis. But when I first started the Curly Girl Method, a hard hold gel was a must!
After trying several, I eventually landed on this Tresemme Mega Hold Gel as my favorite.
This review will cover what I found to be the Pros and Cons of this gel, along with how I currently use this gel and what my overall take away is.
Keep in mind, I can only speak from my experience with my 3a/3b hair. My hope is that this review will be a good guide for all the curly girls out there, but your results may be very different from mine.
Side note: This page does contain affiliate links, which means if you purchase something using the product links on this page, I may get a small commission. This comes at no extra cost to you and helps keep this site running. Thank you!
Also, I follow the simplified version of the Curly Girl Method most directly derived from the Curly Girl Handbook. This means the only ingredients I look to avoid are sulfates, silicones, and drying alcohols. If you have more ingredients that you look to avoid, it would be a good idea to check the ingredients for yourself before making a purchase.
For the purposes of this review, I still used Suave Essentials as a leave-in and Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Defining Cream like I always do so I could accurately compare the results.
The Pros
Texture and Feel
The texture and feel of this gel are my biggest pro.
One issue I’ve always had with hard hold gels (even when I needed them) is that they were often heavier and would lock in so much moisture that it would weigh my hair down.
They would also leave a really hard cast that was, at times, challenging to break up.
However, this gel is lightweight that it locks in just enough moisture to give me great curls, but doesn’t weigh my hair down or take forever to dry.
And when it comes time to scrunch out the crunch, this gel breaks up so easily and leaves my hair feeling soft.
Definition and Hold
Because this gel doesn’t weigh my hair down, it creates some awesome, bouncy, well-defined curls. This is another area where thicker hard hold gels have fallen short for me in the past.
Because other gels can weigh the hair down, that also means they’re elongating the curls. That can be a great look, if that’s what you’re going for.
But if you want better definition, this mega hold gel has done for me what few harder hold gels have been able to.
This curl definition also holds well throughout the day.
Frizz Control
Of course, the true test of a gel is how it holds up against frizz control. This gel does not disappoint.
It may take some playing around to get the right amount for your hair, but once you do, this gel creates some great frizz-free curls.
Minimal Build-up and No Flakes
Since the Curly Girl Method recommends going several days without washing your hair, a gel that doesn’t flake and has very little build up is crucial.
I can report that I’ve used the gel pretty regularly for a stretch, and I had very little build up and absolutely no flaking.
The Price
This gel runs around $7 at your local drugstore. It’s hard to beat a price like that–especially given these awesome results!
The Cons
The Smell
The smell is kind of a flowery perfume scent and it’s really really strong. I’ve used this gel fairly regularly for months and I’ve found that it’s so strong, you really never get used to it — at least, I‘ve yet to get used to it.
It also doesn’t fade all that much was your hair dries.
I’ve decided that I like the gel enough that I can live with the scent, even if I don’t love it. But if you’re not a fan of strong or floral smells, this may not be the best gel for you.
Longevity
While the curl definition holds great throughout the day, I’ve found that my hair gets a little frizzier than I’d like as the day goes on.
It’s possible that if I used more gel I would have longer lasting frizz control, but I’ve shied away from that because (like we’ve covered) I don’t want the gel to be too heavy on my hair.
If you give this gel a shot and have solid frizz control all day, you’ll have to tell us about it in the comments! 🙂
How this gel works for me
When I needed a hard hold gel, I used this gel every day. I applied it using the praying hands technique (discussed in this post), then scrunched to encourage the curl pattern.
Today, my favorite gel is the Biotera Defining Gel (you can check out my review of that here), but I’ll often use the Tresemme gel to give my hair a little extra support when I need it.
In these cases, I apply the Biotera gel with the praying hands technique, then scrunch. The Biotera is a medium/hard hold, which is great for me most days.
However, when I’m sleeping in the crunch, or if it’s humid or rainy out, I like to add an extra layer of this Tresemme gel to give my hair a little extra help.
Bottom line
This is my favorite hard hold gel.
This is a great gel to try if you’re looking for a gel that gives you great curls, solid frizz control, and doesn’t weigh your hair down–as long as you can handle this scent. 😉
You can find Tresemme Mega Hold Sculpting Gel here.
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Looking for more guidance on your curly hair journey?
For beginners
If you’re new to curly hair care and looking for some help, you should check out the No-Stress Guide to Curly Hair Care!
After spending two years learning and caring for my curly hair, I wanted to create my own, in-depth guide to help fellow curlies create incredible curls in the easiest way possible.
It took me a while, but I eventually found an approach that helped me create a curly hair routine that fits into my life in the simplest way possible. And now I want to help you do the same!
For more intermediate/advanced guidance
If you’ve been on your curly hair journey for a while but still have some struggles, check out Curly Hair Problems!
After spending hours scouring the internet looking for solutions to my own curly hair problems, I found myself wishing for an easier, more comprehensive guide to the most common problems.
So that’s what I created!
Curly Hair Problems offers you 78 total solutions to the five most common curly hair care problems, including frizz, curl clumps, limp curls, product issues, and scalp issues.
Sound off: Have you tried this gel? Tell us about your experience! Be sure to tell us a little about your hair type too!