Like many other beauty-obsessed tweens, I had a penchant for hair gel in middle school. Each morning, I would squeeze some product into my palms and scrunch with abandon, which would often leave my curls straw-like and brittle. Clearly, I had no idea how to use the product properly (this was way before I had a roster of hair experts to turn to with all my styling questions), but I’ll admit that every time I think of gel, my mind flashes to those stiff strands.Â
