What's Wrong With Brown Gel, Anyway?

[aloof one]

So I've had it for a while. No gel I have used worked. And I know it allegedly makes your hair hard and break off--- but isn't this only when you comb it out or use too much?

I remember a couple of years ago one day I wanted to pretend I had a jherri curl (or an afro, or whatever came of it) for a project that spanned during the 60s and the 70s and the 80s. Well I cowashed (basically I was out of shampoo) and then covered my hair in brown gel (like it was a leave-in or something!) and detangled and combed it out with some Pink Lotion. My hair was wavy and nasty and I rocked it like a true fool to school. I was getting looks and everything and thought I looked good . Anyway, I had been having trouble at the time with my hair being mushy and breaking and snapping to the point where nothing I had done would fix it (I was using a lot of Herbal Essences conditioner and Pink Lotion like it was water). So after I got home I saw myself and HAD to wash that mess out. Would you believe my hair was strong and not breaking anymore? It was like a protein treatment! So bascially that was the only good thing I used brown gel for in the past... I actually did it whenever my hair got mushy and I had nothing to style it with... But then again I did shampoo with dishwashing liquid a few times.. I guess this story is irrelevant

Back to the point... is it save to use brown gel on my edges? Will it make my hair fall out if I put it on my natural edges? What if I put S-Curl on first? Should I wash it out the next day as opposed to wearing it a few days like I would any other gel? ANyway I have to go get some drinking done tonight since its my last night in town, so I wont be able to respond until the AM, I just wanted to put this out there and see if anyone else uses this *junk* for random purposes.

 

[neenee280]

I have always wondered what was the deal with brown gel too. I remember when my hair was blue black i used brown gel (Ecostyle big ol 32 oz jar) because it didnt clash with my hair.

Now my hair is all different colors...brown, reddish and black. When I need my hair to look DARK, I use Fantasia ic Thick 'n Shine styling gel with Silk, Wheat and Keratin Protein. I have not had any problems. But when I want my hair to look the same color, I have a light blue Fantasia gel that is great.

I look forward to seeing why brown gel is bad also...good question.

 

[PhoenixRose360]

I'm trying to find out also. I have big tub of it in my bathroom and I usually use it for my wash and go's. I don't put much on it, just enough to scrunch it and keep the curl. But ever since I joined LHCF, I keep reading that the brown gel is the DEVIL!!!

 

[Allandra]

Are you referring to the doo doo brown gel? Well, I know it has quite a bit of protein in it. I guess if it's not used to heavily, it could be alright. I remember back in the day when I used to get finger waves (wow that was a long time ago ), my stylist used to use that stuff like it was going out of style.

 

[PhoenixRose360]

This is the one I have

 

[lilamae]

For the past 15 years (yes 15 years) I've used brown gel ( pro style) on to slick down my ponytails and I wear pony tails 75% of the time.

I have had no problem whatsoever. The only thing I did not like is that it made my hair hard. So to fix that problem i use castro oil on top and its make my ponytail super smooth, soft and wavy. Sorry naysayers but this is a staple of mine

 

[LynnieB]

no problems when i use it. i use over vo5 or mix with an oil.

 

[sareca]

This is the one I have

That's my favorite gel in the whole world. It took me years to find it and ain't nobody makin' me give up my brown gel.

 

[*Muffin*]

Are you referring to the doo doo brown gel? Well, I know it has quite a bit of protein in it. I guess if it's not used to heavily, it could be alright. I remember back in the day when I used to get finger waves (wow that was a long time ago ), my stylist used to use that stuff like it was going out of style.

Doo Doo brown gel. I remember that gel. My mother loves it. I don't think it's that bad for your hair. It's only bad if you try to comb your hair or manipulate it with the gel in it. I actually think that it will help hair grow because you aren't manipulating it at all. Here's a list of the ingredients that an online site said it has:

Water , Sodium Salt of Carbomer 940 , Caramel Color , Propylene Glycol , Hydrolyzed Protein , Disodiium EDTA , Fragrance , Diazolidinyl Urea , Methyl Paraben , Propyl Paraben

I'm not a big fan of propylene glycol, but from the looks of it the ingredients don't seem that bad. What do you girls think? (Flashback: My mother used to use this gel in my hair to keep my hair from flying away when I wore it in ponytails. I don't remember it ever making my hair feel hard like most gels do, and it holds pretty well.)

 

[lilamae]

That's my favorite gel in the whole world. It took me years to find it and ain't nobody makin' me give up my brown gel.

what she said!

 

[choconillaprincess]

I can't even lie this stuff TERRIFIES me! It used to freak me out to go to the salon as a little girl & walk out with rock hard hair... I doubt it's bad for the hair though... unless you try to manipulate it... It just makes me feel like a BAP!

 

[Traycee]

Wait I'm having a flashback ....I used to hate when I brushed my hair and those little brown droppings would be in the sink, in the brush....

 

[fluffylocks]

I just added this back to my regimen like a month ago. I was getting sick of using mango butter and other crap and it occured to me there should be no problem with using my Ampro prostyle. Holds down my edges all day. I think i stopped because of reading that gel was bad for hair, and i never thought about it again because no-body on forums seems to use it anymore. But it sure does feel good to go back old school. This is funny because somebody else just started a thread about it not too long ago also.

 

[LookingandListening]

I LOVES ME SOME BROWN GEL!!!! I use it to keep my edges down when wearing a ponytail. (except for when my hair's pressed)

 

[aloof one]

Yey! I think Im gonna keep using it. The ampro gel (I have it too!) has less ingredients than a LOT of gels I have. I have no idea how they make it brown like boo boo... but I think Ima stick to my boo boo.

I have spent almost 30 dollars on different gels and waxes... and for all that residue and frizzyness and reversion that they cause, they really weren't worth it. From Mango butter up to Let's Jam was all trash. I think the brown flakes is the only downside when I look at it.

Maybe this is like when people try to tell you not to use cones. Maybe it just didn't personally work for them...

Anyone know of a brown gell out there thats better than Ampro? Im a PJ, but I know when I run out I want to test some more out.

 

[Sounique]

I have a huge jar of pro style and have only used it once. The color kind of turns me off.erplexed Plus it's a mess when it comes time to wash it out. Nevertheless...

Short story... I have a niece who wore a ponytail EVERYDAY for 2 years and she would use the brown gel to hold her hair down. This was the only product that she used in her hair. No conditioner, no moisturizer. Just wash and gel. Nothing else. When she first started to wear her hair this way it was shoulder length. She would put it in a ponytail and wrap it in a bun.

One day (after 2 years) she let her hair down and it fell to her waist! Beautiful!

So that led me to believe that...

1. Brown gel is not bad for your hair.
2. Low/no manipulation is the best option.
3. Any hair type is capable of growing long.

If brown gel works for you then go for it, by all means.

 

[SelfStyled]

what she said!

Ditto what you both said, when I first started my journey I gave up the brown gel stat, started using mango butter- which smelled lovely and proceeded to break my edges off. I read a tip here to mix the gel with a moisturizing conditioner. So now I mix a dab of gel with a dab of humectress and then scarf it or like 5 min and my edges look so good, and I have had no adverse effects whatsoever from this combination.

 

[OneShinyface]

Are you referring to the doo doo brown gel? Well, I know it has quite a bit of protein in it. I guess if it's not used to heavily, it could be alright. I remember back in the day when I used to get finger waves (wow that was a long time ago ), my stylist used to use that stuff like it was going out of style.

I used to get them too. And my stylist did the same thing. I had a driver's license photo taken with them in 1983...thought I was fione!

 

[NaturallyBlonde]

I love this gel. I use the clear one though. It's my fav!

 

[aloof one]

Ditto what you both said, when I first started my journey I gave up the brown gel stat, started using mango butter- which smelled lovely and proceeded to break my edges off. I read a tip here to mix the gel with a moisturizing conditioner. So now I mix a dab of gel with a dab of humectress and then scarf it or like 5 min and my edges look so good, and I have had no adverse effects whatsoever from this combination.

oooh thats a great idea, im going to try that from now on so i wont have to use up my s-Curl. IM gonna use my V05 conditioner with it.