I’ll be honest, I’ve been interested in Curl Gel-les’c for the past year or so…I just couldn’t bring myself to pay $25 for 8oz of a serum (a conditioner? maybe…). I tend to use serums as finishers for extra conditioning, to soften a gel, and frizz control, and my staple, Curl Junkie Curls in a Bottle (CIAB), wasn’t giving me any issues. However, I went to one of my local beauty supply stores, and lo and behold, Curls products were 50% off! I couldn’t resist…it was also spring, and glycerin was being good to me. And let me tell you…I’m so happy I found out for 50% off, because I would have been uber annoyed if I had paid full price for this. I’ll get right to it –
Site Description: It isn’t a gel, and not quite a serum it’s Curl Gel-les’c (pronounced Curl Jealousy). This botanically based, organic curl styler imparts brilliant sheen, banishes frizz, and holds those twirls in place! Great for humid climates. Transform dry frizzy locks into the enviable curls that every woman dreams of, with Curl Gel-les’c. Go ahead, your curls deserve it!
Ingredients: Purified Water, Polyquaternium-11, Sorbitol, Certified Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Polyquaternium-37, Vegetable Glycerin, Certified Organic Coconut Milk ( Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice), Certified Organic Linden Seed Oil ( Tilia Cordata Flower Extract), Certified Organic Flaxseed Oil ( Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Certified Organic Chamoile Extract (Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract) Certified Organic Rosemary Extract (Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract), Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol. I really like the ingredients, like REALLY! They are pretty great, especially because I’ve never had issues with polyquats. Coconut milk…rosemary…flaxseed…yum!
Consistency: Like a thick serum, reminds me of Frizz Ease. A little thicker than Curls in a Bottle…it might be around the same consistency as Curl Queen.
Smell: A fruity type scent…sort of like tangerines and fruit juice. It’s yummy.
Performance: Okay, so I really wanted to like this stuff. But, my pet peeve was that it kept reacting with EVERYTHING! Light gels, heavy gels, curl creams, etc etc. And that is a MAJOR BUMMER when you are using a finisher…and you’re basically done with your hair, then you put it on your canopy and BAM! White head city! Like seriously, it made a white coating with everything, even for second day hair refreshing. The only time I could avoid it was if I used it as my sole styler, rather than a finisher (even if I had only used gel+serum), and Curls in a Bottle can easily be used as BOTH a sole styler and finisher for me. The Gel-les’c (GLC) as a sole styler was pretty good, but if you are looking for clumping/curl defining, you won’t get it with this, in my experience. It was good for frizz control and gave a soft hold, similar to CIAB, but did not have as much shine, which is okay. My hair looked like it does when I style with conditioner only, but with some extra frizz control, so it looked a little more tame. Also, since the hold was so soft, I could not get second day hair with this product. But anywho, I couldn’t even figure out what was making it react so much – maybe it’s the sorbitol? Usually serum type products and lighter gels help rid me of whiteness, so I was a little baffled at this issue. If any of you have had the same thing happen and can perhaps shed some light, please chime in!
Verdict? Granted, the directions do basically say to use it as your sole styler, so I cannot say that the product was bad, I was just not able to use it how I wanted to. Since purchasing the GLC, I tried Curly Hair Solutions Curl Keeper, which can also be used as a sole styler and finisher (and has glycerin as well). So, I’m going to stick with CIAB ($18 for 12oz) and Curl Keeper ($15.50 for 8oz).
questfortheperfectcurl.com 
Okay, so I know I ‘m like a year late reading this post..idk if anyone will even read this lol. But I felt compelled to respond because my experience with the Curls Gel-les’c is SO different! My hair LOVES this stuff–and I mean…L-O-V-EEEE! I’m 2 years post BC and was still searching for something to hold my curls so that I don’t have to continue re-wetting and applying a leave-in to my hair every single morning to get the curl definition back. But a friend recently bought the curls gel-les’c for her daughter and didn’t like it, so she gave it to me to try and this is DEFINITELY going on my MUST HAVES list.
I used it as a gel/finisher on top of my leave-ins and shea butter. I’ve NEVER seen my hair so defined! Like..ridiculous. AND it didn’t dry my hair out or make it really crunchy like other gels do. It gave an awesome moisturizing and firm (but not crunchy) hold. The next day, all I had to do was spritz with a teeny bit of water–just enough to fluff it back out and that was it. I’ve NEVER been able to have 2nd day hair with a wash-n-go where i didn’t have to wet and style it all over again…never.
I feel this strongly about very few products because my hair often seems to not like anything and I’ve been trying to figure it out for years lol. Regular gels that other naturals seem to enjoy (eco stylers, ampro, etc.) don’t work on my hair AT ALL. But this product is IT for me, hands down. It is def pricey, but the results I got make it worth it. I’ll be purchasing this when the bottle I was given runs out, for sure.
I just wanted to say all of that in case anyone else ever comes across this post that’s thinking about trying it–I encourage you to try it because it may work for you. Of course, everyone’s hair is different, but the gel-les’c was awesome for me. My hair is very curly/coily/springy with tons of shrinkage, and is high porosity. The fact that my hair is porous may be why i didn’t have the issue of it reacting with other products or getting white or flaky. It soaked into my hair nicely. I also know my hair loves glycerin, and this product has both glycerin and sorbitol. From my understanding, both of these act as humectants and draw moisture into the hair. So, maybe that’s why my hair likes it so much. IDK..either way..I’m in love!
(Sorry for the novel..I got excited lol)
I actually really love Curls Goddess Glaze. It works better on my hair than Gel S C, and it also is a good deal cheaper than GLC is the 32 oz. size.
I tried that when my hair was short and disliked it – it was pretty drying and a bit crunchy on my hair. My hair seems to do better with their conditioners.
i’ve just plain never tried it. I gave the target version a shot (Curls Goddess Curl Gel) – FAIL. i know there are less quality ingredients. So i decided that i wasn’t going to spend the money on the salon brand, even though i can get that on the ground as well. KCCC all the way for me! SN: I ALWAYS LOVE A WRITTEN POST – it’s work-friendly!!! =O
Update! I tried it with my twist out and it actually turned out nice. I guess I will use it for this til it’s gone! Def not repurchase material.
Good to know! I thought it would be good for a twist out…but I haven’t done one of those since Memorial Day. Next time I do one, I’ll use it so I can get rid of it, lol.
Thanks for the review- my experience with this product was just like yours. I have 4a/b hair, and I used this product as my sole styler about 5 months ago, and got a big bushy fro… and definite “white head” when placed on top of any of my gels….I promptly put it in the “to be swapped” pile…I did like the scent, though! Please keep up the good work- missing your videos!
Okay I’m glad I’m not the only one! It was really getting on my nerves!
Heck yea! i have this product which i paid full price for 😦 and i am very annoyed with it reacting to EVERYTHING!!!! i too love the ingredients so rather than let it go to waste (cuz its a no go for this wng girl) i use it on my twin sisters hair they are 5 years old and natural..they get ponytails with twists and barrets so the reaction doesnt affect there hairstyle like it does mine…kinda mad tho..i wanted to love it but babbz (my hair) says no..anyway thanks for sharing Elle and letting me vent lol 🙂
I guess it’s all good it kept reacting though, ’cause that junx is expensive and I wasn’t trying to have to keep buying it, lol!
For some strange reason, reading this made me want to go and define my curls lol
LOL what?! Girl…you are so random. 😉
I totally agree with you! I got it also for 50% off but unlike you I purchased two bottles! My hair is extremely thick so when I do a wng I need some hold it was ok I am trying it now to do a twist out also using Curls whipped cream I hope it does better than the wng.