Devacurl Ultra Defining Gel Review: Hairstylist Reviews

Here is the Devacurl Ultra Defining Gel’s review. I’ve also listed out the ingredients and given you details on how to use this product. 

If you have curly hair, then you must have heard about the curly girl method for hair. This involves using minimal shampoo and giving your curls the extra moisture to help your hair clump.

But the most important part of the curly girl method (apart from the technique) is the use of the right product. And the Devacurl Ultra Defining Gel is one of these CGM-recommended products. 

So I decided to use this gel and decided to see what the hype was about anyway!

Is it good for curls? Is it too heavy? And can it help low porosity hair as well? 

In this article I have given the Devacurl Ultra Defining Gel’s review and listed out what are the pros and cons of this hair gel. 

Is The Devacurl Ultra Defining Gel Good For Hair?

DevaCurl Ultra Defining Gel is a popular styling product among those with curly hair, lauded for providing strong hold without the crunch and enhancing curl definition. It’s formulated without harsh chemicals like sulfates, parabens, and silicones, aligning with the Curly Girl Method. While many users report positive results, such as reduced frizz and long-lasting curls, some have experienced issues like dryness or scalp irritation. 

Key Takeaways:

1. The Devacurl Ultra Defining Gel is a popular styling product recommended for curly hair, known for providing strong hold without stiffness and enhancing curl definition.
2. Formulated without harsh chemicals like sulfates, parabens, and silicones, it aligns with the Curly Girl Method (CGM) principles.
3. Ingredients like VP/VA Copolymer and Polyquaternium-7 contribute to glossiness, reduced frizz, and long-lasting curls.
4. The gel contains hydrating ingredients such as glycerin and wheat protein, making it suitable for wavy to curly hair types (2b to 3c).
5. Despite its benefits, the gel may not be suitable for all hair types, particularly those with very coarse or type 4 coily hair.
6. Concerns include the presence of synthetic fragrances, scalp irritation for sensitive individuals and its ultra-lightweight formula, which may not provide enough moisture for certain hair textures.
7. Overall, the Devacurl Ultra Defining Gel is praised for its effectiveness, affordability, and compatibility with the Curly Girl Method

Ingredients of the Devacurl Ultra Defining Gel Explained

Water (Aqua, Eau), VP/VA Copolymer, Glycerin, Polyquaternium-7, Polysorbate 20, Triticum Aestivum (Wheat) Peptide, Avena Sativa (Oat) Peptide, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Peptide, Melissa Officinalis Extract, Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Extract, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aminomethyl Propanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Fragrance (Parfum).

Ingredient Name	What It Does
Water (Aqua, Eau)	solvent
Cetearyl Alcohol	emollient, viscosity controlling, emulsifying, surfactant/​cleansing
Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil	emollient, perfuming
Glycerin	skin-identical ingredient, moisturizer/​humectant
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate	viscosity controlling
Cetrimonium Chloride	antimicrobial/​antibacterial, emulsifying, preservative, surfactant/​cleansing
Behentrimonium Chloride	preservative
PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate	emollient, solvent
Ethyl Macadamiate
Laureth-4	emulsifying, surfactant/​cleansing
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Protein
Panthenol	soothing, moisturizer/​humectant
Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Extract	antimicrobial/​antibacterial
Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Extract
Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Extract	soothing, antimicrobial/​antibacterial, emollient, perfuming
Melissa Officinalis Extract
Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract	soothing
Achillea Millefolium Extract	soothing, surfactant/​cleansing
Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch
Propylene Glycol	moisturizer/​humectant, solvent, viscosity controlling
Ceteareth-20	emulsifying, surfactant/​cleansing
Disodium EDTA	chelating
Aminomethyl Propanol	buffering
Diazolidinyl Urea	preservative
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate	preservative
Fragrance (Parfum)	perfuming

Water (Aqua)

Water in most hair care products (and other cosmetics) is the chief component of the formula as it’s the solvent which dissolves all the other ingredients. 

The water used in hair care products is sterile and deionized. This means there are no minerals in this water as they can interfere with the other ingredients. 

Water-based hair products, especially conditioners are lighter, spread easily and help hydrate your hair if there are humectants (like glycerin, etc.) present in the formula.

VP/VA Copolymer

VP/VA Copolymer is a substance used in hair products to form a glossy film over your hair. It helps add shine to hair, controls frizz and flyaways and also reduces the chances of tangles. 

This ingredient is often used in products instead of silicones as it is water soluble and washes off easily. 

Glycerin

Glycerin is used in shampoos to act as a humectant. These attract moisture to your strands, hydrating them and then preventing the moisture from escaping. 

This makes glycerin an excellent ingredient to use on low porosity hair, dehydrated hair, damaged hair, etc. 

Hydrated hair is generally more elastic and less prone to breakage, hence glycerin helps reduce hair fall this way. 

Polyquaternium-7

Polyquaternium 7 is a type of hydrophilic copolymer, or in simpler terms a substance that attracts moisture to your hair. It also functions as a conditioner that helps coat the hair in a slippery cover and makes it easier to detangle. 

It is also an antistatic agent that helps prevent frizz from forming in your hair.

Polyquaternium-7 is safe for hair and non-toxic. Unlike silicones it doesn’t coat your hair or cause buildup. 

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)

Chamomile is a well-known anti-inflammatory and natural lightening agent that has been used in medicine since ancient times across cultures like Greek, Roman and Egyptian. 

Traditionally chamomile has been used to treat eczema on scalp, skin irritation, redness and itching. In fact, research shows that it’s almost 60 percent as effective as OTC hydrocortisone creams available in the market. It’s also very rich in antioxidants.

As chamomile is rich in vitamin C, its acidic properties make it an excellent natural hair lightening agent. It’s used in shampoos and conditioners (and even brewed as tea to be applied on hair) to help fade color. 

No, chamomile will not lift your black hair to brown or blonde the way bleach does. But it is proven to lighten hair a shade or two to give a “sun-kissed” look

My Review of the Devacurl Ultra Defining Gel 

I got this specifically because I was tired of the flaking and crunchiness that came with using other hair gels for curly hair. I used to use the Ecostyler Gel religiously before I decided to try this one.

The one thing that attracted me most towards this Devacurl gel was that it was super lightweight. I had noticed that several hair products for curly hair, especially the curly girl method approved ones, were very heavy and using a rich hair gel on top of these conditioners can actually weigh hair down. 

For this particular reason, the Devacurl gel is also suitable for wavy type 2 hair as well as curly type 3 hair. 

When I first got this gel I immediately noticed the texture. It wasn’t sticky and spread through my curls easily.

I have type 3c curls, so after washing my hair I used liquid leave-in conditioner and argan oil and then applied the gel on to give it some hold.

And it worked fantastically well!

My hair clumped nicely and formed curls well. And no it didn’t feel crunchy and stiff at all. In fact, I could work through my curls and shape it into different styles pretty easily.

So I’d say it’s flexible even though it gives a very strong hold on your curls. 

But my favorite part about this Ultra Defining Gel? I absolutely loved that there were no silicones or parabens or silicones in this product!

Now parabens are a type of commonly used preservative that have been shown to cause cancer and also linked to several endocrine (hormonal) disruptions.

So they are better avoided in any sort of hair care, skin care or cosmetic.

Silicones are a different ball game altogether. These aren’t “bad” for your hair per se as they are non-toxic and harmless. However, they can cause a lot of buildup on hair, causing greasiness, decrease in hair porosity and even lead to fungal infections. 

Now the Devacurl gel replaces silicones with polyquaternium-7 and other polymers that have similar functions to silicones but they are water soluble. 

These ingredients help add gloss to your hair, control static and reduce frizz. They also make it easier to detangle hair and reduce breakage. However, they do not build up on hair as they get washed off in the shower. 

The gel also smelled really good but I was a tad disappointed to see that this was due to the addition of parfum or synthetic perfumes in it. Now artificial fragrances are not all bad but if used too often on hair they can leave it dry.

Also, some people with uber sensitive scalps cannot deal with perfumes. So I’d say test it before you use it if you’re one of those people. 

Now coming to the price. I’d say this Devacurl Gel is a steal. I got it for $12.00 for a bottle of 12 Fl. oz of the gel and since I use only a little as it has a strong hold, I don’t need a lot of product. 

So it lasts for a long time and gives you your value for money. 

What I Liked About The Devacurl Gel  – The Pros

• I liked that the gel is hydrating but lightweight so it suits both wavy and curly hair
• The gel contains water soluble polymers that add shine and slip to curls but don’t cause buildup
• The wheat protein and oat proteins in the gel helps increase curl definition while also repairing hair damage
• The Devacurl gel has a very lovely and pleasant fragrance

What I Disliked About Devacurl Gel – The Cons

• The gel is ultra lightweight so I don’t think it would be good for African American 4c hair. 
• The gel also contains perfumes so it can be drying in the long run and difficult for sensitive scalps.

Why You Should Trust Haireveryday?

The author of this article, Leah Marie Priest has a degree in Cosmetology with years of experience in dealing with hair care, scalp care, and hairstyling. As someone who extensively deals with all kinds of hair textures, products, styling methods and more, hair Leah Marie knows what kind of products and procedures suit each hair type and person. We have also tested these hair products and processes ourselves to provide you an unbiased review about every product. Each of our articles are also reviewed by a team of medical professionals so that you get the most accurate and expert-reviewed information.

Conclusion 

In summary, I think the  Devacurl Ultra Defining Gel is a low to medium-priced, lightweight hair gel that helps define your curls and keeps them in place.

It makes your hair soft and also helps you shape hair easily as it doesn’t flake or crunch after application.

I’d suggest it for people who have hair textures ranging from 2b to 3c wavy and curly types. I think it won’t work as good for type 4 coily hair as it’s not very moisturizing (hence not very heavy). 

There is very little that I don’t like about the Devacurl gel. I think the only drawback here is that it uses artificial perfumes and that too is only a problem if you have scalp issues like psoriasis or something similar. 

All things considered, if you’re going to get on the Curly Girl Method, I’d definitely recommend using this gel to finish things off. 

Also Read:

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How To Style Curly Hair With Gel

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