Men are really not that far behind when to comes to experimenting with new hairstyles, as they are often thought of. Fashion is no longer a woman's world and if you are wondering how the guy sitting next to you in the club got his hair looking that groovy, it's only because he knows what suits him when it comes to buying a hair gel.

Choosing Your Hair Gel

A strong pomade or a mild gel spray? Don't just buy the first tube of hair gel that you see on the rack like most men do. Neither should you let the cool new TV commercial decide your next purchase. And don't let the numerous gels at dollar stores tempt you till you read the labels carefully. It is what's inside the bottle or tube that matters and you have two main considerations to make.

First, take into consideration your hair texture. If you have thick hair, you will need an extra-strength gel to hold them in place. If you have thinner hair, you can safely use a normal gel or spray gels. For thick curly hair, choose a hair gel that contains a humidity control agent to keep frizz at bay.

Your second consideration is the look you want to achieve. The hairstyle ideas that follow will give you an idea of what you will need to get the look you desire.

There are some more things to consider when buying a hair gel. A basic point to keep in mind is to stay away from gels containing alcohol because they tend to dry the hair out. Your choice of hair gel should make your hair feel nourished and moisturized as opposed to making it dry. And make it a point to check the labels for a non-flaking gel formula. Or before you know, an inferior quality of gel might start causing dandruff-like white flakes in your hair.

Applying Hair Gel

Get the basics correct and then you can leap on to trying the hairstyle below. The most basic way of doing it is to out a small amount of gel in one hand, rub both hands together and apply to damp, towel-dried hair. Then shape and style your hair with your fingers. Either let dry naturally or blow dry depending upon the look you want to achieve.

Hairstyles Using Hair Gel

1. Thick-haired men can use a stronger gel to stand-up to your hair. Get a wet look by slicking back your hair and letting it dry naturally. You can blow dry your hair for a more breezier look.

2. Thin-haired men can apply a spray gel to the roots and blow dry.

3. Curly-haired men can apply for curl boosting spray gels and then blow dry straight with a brush for maximum curl control.

4. Short-haired men can go in for the preppy look by rubbing firm hold gel on damp hair.

5. Long-haired men who want to look neat can apply gel and slick hair back and even tie a pony tail.

6. Mohawk - Get this whacky look in no time with hair gel. Gel down the hair at sides and at the back. Then spike the top portion by distributing gel to sections of hair and build the shape you desire.

Some Tips for Hair Gel Success

Apart from choosing the right kind of hair gel, there are some other tips for ensuring a good hair day when using hair gels. Keep gelled hair for the night scene. Not only does the gelled hairstyle fit into the night scenario, you also escape from the embarrassment of letting your scalp being seen which is very common with gelled hairstyles. Applying gel at night also ensures that the gel will get washed off next morning which is important or it can make your hair look greasy if left on the scalp for a long time.

Don't use gel everyday as it will eventually lead to thinning of hair. And if you must gel everyday, make it a point to wash and condition and your daily as well. And finally, trust your regular hair stylist to recommend a good product for your hair type.