Best Baby Hair Gel Of 2020

At some point, your baby’s untruly hair will need to be tamed. Aside from cutting it, hair gel is one of the best ways to give your child some extra style.

Whether you’re looking to create a sophisticated look for your family’s Christmas cards or want your baby to turn heads with a rocking mohawk, the best baby hair gel can make it happen.

Is Hair Gel Safe for Babies?

Generally speaking, it’s not recommended that you use any skin or hair products made for adults on your baby.

Your little bundle of joy is still getting used to all of the things their body and immune system are being exposed to. Their skin is still quite thin. As a result, beauty products are absorbed very quickly into the body where they can wreak havoc. 

While these types of products are gentle enough on us adults, they’re not made for the skin of a young baby.

The chemicals, fragrances, and alcohol on beauty products can cause a pretty serious allergic reaction on their skin. In addition to internal issues, such as gastrointestinal upsets, topical creams can lead to eczema and painful rashes.

Needless to say, you should steer clear of your own hair care products anytime you get the urge to mess with your child’s hairdo.

If you want to have a bit of fun and give your kid a makeover they can show off, you need to invest in hair gel that’s specifically designed for their sensitive scalps.

These products don’t contain a lot of the harsh chemicals you’ll find in the stuff on your bathroom counter. Instead, they utilize natural ingredients.

The chosen ingredients are derived from plants, animals, or minerals. They go through minimal processing to reduce the chances of an allergic reaction.

While there’s no way to guarantee that an ingredient is better for your baby because it’s nature-based, the risks are much lower when compared to products filled with mysterious chemicals.

How to Choose the Best Baby Hair Gel

It’s important that you put the same effort into choosing a hair gel that you do with choosing all of your baby’s other health products.

Remember, the gel that you choose is going to be sitting on top of your baby’s delicate scalp. The last thing you want to deal with is a painful rash and a crying baby. Here are some things to consider when you’re searching for the best baby hair gel.

Ingredients

As I mentioned earlier, having the right ingredients is key to keeping things safe. Avoid any unnecessary ingredients and fragrances.

Up to 10 percent of the North American population has some kind of fragrance sensitivity, so there’s a good chance that your baby may react to something that’s heavy on the smell. It’s an unnecessary feature, so go with something that’s neutral and pleasant.

Scrutinize the ingredient’s list of any hair gel you’re considering and try to avoid anything that contains harsh chemicals and parabens. 

Parabens have been found to affect hormonal production. Instead, opt for natural alternatives. Things like witch hazel, aloe vera, and jojoba are often used in natural gels in lieu of harsh chemicals.

Staying Power

The whole point of hair gel is that it holds your baby’s hair in a specific style. If you have any experience with these types of haircare products, you know that nothing lasts forever. You’ll need to consider the type of hairstyle you’re planning on doing and how much holding power you’ll need. 

If you just want to define their little baby curls, you can go with a gel that has a lighter hold. However, if you plan on sticking their locks up to the sky, something with a strong hold is essential.

Babies very rarely stay still, so there’s the added obstacle of your baby constantly messing with their updo! Keep this in mind and choose accordingly.

What’s the Best Way to Use Baby Hair Gel?

Before you do anything, it’s a good idea to perform a small patch test to see if your baby will have an unwanted reaction. It’s better to be proactive and deal with a tiny patch of skin than it is to deal with an entire head that’s in pain.

Apply a tiny amount of the hair gel to the inside of their forearm. Leave the gel there for at least 24 hours and see if there’s a reaction. If not, you’re good to go!

Baby hair gel is versatile enough to be used on wet, dry, or damp hair. You can achieve different results based on when and how you apply it. Simply take a small amount of gel in your fingertips and rub your hands together.

This technique allows you to evenly distribute the product through your baby’s hair without any noticeable globs. Run your finger through their hair and style accordingly. You can use a comb, brush, or hairdryer to get the desired effect. Just make sure you run the hairdryer on the lowest setting for safety.

Top Baby Hair Gel Options

With the information in the previous section in mind, I’ve compiled a list of some great baby hair gel options that you can use to give your baby some unique personality.

Snip-Its Funky Spiker Kids Hair Gel

The Funky Spiker hair gel from Snip-Its is uniquely formulated for creating a hairstyle that defies gravity. It has a strong hold that’s capable of lasting for several hours. Not only that, but it doesn’t flake.

This is a common issue among strong hair gels that makes your baby look like they have severe dandruff! With this gel, that’s not something you have to worry about.

To make it easy on your baby’s scalp, the gel doesn’t include any harsh chemicals. Natural ingredients, however, are plentiful. There’s sunflower seed oil, grapeseed extract, aloe leaf juice and more.

There is a fragrance added. Thankfully, it’s not overpowering or super artificial smelling. It smells clean and light, which your baby may not mind. The gel comes in a clear, airtight bottle that’s reminiscent of the craft glue you used to use in grade school.

PROS

• checkExtreme hold
• Doesn’t flake
• Natural ingredients
• No harsh chemicals
• Clear
• Airtight bottle

CONS

• exclamation-triangleHas a light fragrance

Snip-Its Silly Slicker Kids Hair

Another great option from Snip-Its, this gel offers a slightly different final look than the previous product. It has a strong hold that can last all day, though it’s not strong enough to make your baby’s hair look stiff and rigid. In the event that your kid’s hair gets tussled, you can easily restore their hairdo back to its former glory with just a little bit of water.

Like the other products in Snip-Its hair styling line, this gel is made up of renewable plant-based ingredients. One downside is that this gel does have a slightly stronger fragrance.

It’s a tropical scent, so it’s much more noticeable than the previous product. To make sure that your baby doesn’t react negatively to the gel, perform a small patch test.

PROS

• checkStrong hold
• Doesn’t flake
• Can be reactivated with water for touch-ups
• No harsh chemicals
• Made from natural plant-based ingredients
• Comes in a convenient squeeze pouch

CONS

• exclamation-triangleHas a moderate tropical fragrance

Little Roseberry Hair Gel for Kids

If you want to create a naturally sculpted look for your baby, you may want to consider this gel from Little Roseberry. It has a very light hold, so it’s not suitable for extreme styles.

In fact, it’s so light that you may not even notice there’s anything in your baby’s hair once its dried. It won’t feel crunchy or greasy.

Organic aloe and natural witch hazel are used. There’s also vitamins and antioxidants that may set your baby up for a life of good hair early on.

Things you won’t find in the ingredient’s list include sulfates, parabens, fragrances, or dyes. It’s designed to be as baby-friendly as possible. The handy little pump bottle is quite convenient as well, especially when you’re dealing with a restless baby.

PROS

• checkFree of sulfates and parabens
• Contains natural aloe and witch hazel
• Includes beneficial vitamins
• No harsh chemicals
• Easy-pump bottle
• No fragrance or dyes

CONS

• exclamation-triangleVery light hold

Fresh Monster Natural Hair Gel for Kids & Babies

One look at this hair gel’s bottle and it’s obvious that this product is catered towards kids. Inside the cartoony monster packaging, there’s a hypoallergenic gel that’s ready for some fun styling.

It has a medium hold, so it’s capable of holding shape for quite some time. While it certainly won’t keep long spikes up, the gel is designed to keep hair looking good without a greasy or crunchy feel.

When it comes to the formula itself, this gel may be a good option for avoiding allergies. It has no parabens, sulfates, alcohol, fragrances, or dyes. The toxin-free hair gel is also completely vegan and cruelty-free.

PROS

• checkMedium hold gel
• No sulfates, parabens, phthalates, or alcohol 
• Doesn’t have a fragrance of dye
• Dermatologist tested
• Hypoallergenic formula
• Convenient squeeze tube bottle

CONS

• exclamation-triangleNot strong enough to spike up long hair

Manzanilla Ricitos de Oro Hair Gel

This hair gel isn’t just for styling your bundle of joy’s hair. It may also nourish their locks and strengthen the follicles. Chamomile extract is used for this purpose.

The flower is printed heavily on the package and the gel takes on a light chamomile smell. There’s no harsh alcohol. It’s made to be gentle and nourishing.

As for the performance of the gel itself, you may experience mixed results. It has a medium hold, though the gel is quite heavy. If you use too much of it, your baby’s head may look greasy instead of styled. It also takes a bit longer to dry out.

PROS

• checkEnriched with chamomille
• No alcohol 
• Gentle
• Medium hold
• Comes in a convenient tub

CONS

• exclamation-triangleLight fragrance
• May feel greasy before drying

Conclusion

If you’re still unsure about which baby hair gel to go with, I would recommend the option from Fresh Monster. When compared to the other gels on this list, the Fresh Monster gel has an ideal formula. 

It doesn’t have any of the harsh stuff that hair care professionals have been preaching against for years. There’s also absolutely no fragrance or dyes, which can prove to be useful if your baby has sensitive skin. 

While it may only have a medium hold, that still provides you plenty of styling options. It can be used for short hair, long hair, and everything in between without producing that awful crunchy feel that’s associated with hair gels.

Overall, it’s a product that meets all of the criteria. It’s designed for the needs of babies and young kids. The great ingredient’s list makes that very obvious.