Medium hold gel for smooth, defined curls
Gums or waxes give some structure, without the polymers that carry a firm hold.
- Xanthan Gum
Partly supported
Soft structure, not firm hold.
Bouclème
Curl Defining Gel
Styler / Gel, medium-hold
- Styler
- gel
- Moisture-rich
- Vegan · label states
Size10.14 fl oz
Price$30.96seen at one store · 10.14 oz
Price / oz$3.66/ozat 10.14 oz
Where to buy3 stores · $28.00–43.00
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
“A nurturing and uplifting blend of Grapefruit, Rosemary, Palmarosa and Patchouli” — Brand page
Manufacturer page: boucleme.us
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
Complete the consultation to see exactly how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 2,400+ products in our library we can match exactly the right products to you.
- In 10 minutes we can identify your exact hair condition and traits.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 17 factors we check.
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- Your goals, scalp, damage history, water, budget, and scent preferences all shape your plan.
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Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Wavy–Coily
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Hold (as stated)
Medium
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Little
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Low
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
Not determined
Not in your profile
Essential oils
Present
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Vegan · label states
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Vegan · label states
Not in your profile
Show all 17 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Aerosol can
Not determined
Not in your profile
Needs heat to set
Not determined
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Heavy
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
31 ingredientsA long list
Not in your profile
Price tier
Salon
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Brand websiteOne channel
Not in your profile
The consultation builds your hair profile, then reads every factor in this table against it — and tells you where this product fits, or what to use instead.
Start your consultation$49.00 once, for your consultation and hair profile. No subscription, no required purchases.
Your avoid-list
Priced above most gels
$3.66/oz at 10.14 oz — more than 81% of the 155 gels , which mostly run $1.19–3.51/oz.
Great for
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Maybe skip if
this product carries a scent
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only
What the formula actually does
Read from the label, not the marketing
Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.
Hold (as stated)
Medium
A medium hold, as stated by the brand.
Hold system
Natural gum
Natural gums do the holding — softer, and it re-wets more easily.
Oil absorption
None
No absorbent powders or starches.
Oils and butters
Present, high in the list
Oils sit high in the list — a softening, coating formula.
Needs detergent to remove
No
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
from the formula
stated by the brand
reported by reviewers
Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.
Ingredients that matter
The ingredients that change a decision
The workhorse ingredients plus anything lower down that changes a decision. These chips name what an ingredient does — they are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterAqua/Water/Eau | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| GlycerinGlycerin (Vegetable) | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Extract | — | — | Neutral |
| Xanthan Gum | gum | The hold system — natural gums, softer than a synthetic polymer | Holds |
| Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate | emulsifier | Keeps oil and water mixed | Stabilizes |
| Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Fruit Extract | botanical extract | A plant extract, marketed as much as functional | Neutral |
| Argania Spinosa Kernel OilArgania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil | oil | Softens the film so it does not set hard | Softens |
| Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil | oil | Softens the film so it does not set hard | Softens |
| Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil | botanical extract | A trace plant extract | Fragrance |
| Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
Full ingredient list (31)
US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order. Annotations keep three readings separate: the ingredient's general function, its role in this product type, and what its position can support.
-
1
Water
· Aqua/Water/Eau
General function
The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
-
2
Glycerin
· Glycerin (Vegetable)
General function
A small water-loving molecule that draws moisture into the hair and holds it there. It is the most common softening ingredient in conditioners and leave-ins.
Role in this product typeIn styling gel, glycerin helps retain moisture as the product dries, supporting a softer, more flexible finish. The hold itself comes from the formula's film-forming polymers.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
Cosmetic Ingredient ReviewMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairMay suit hair that benefits from added water retention and a softer, more flexible gel finish.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairBinds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairConsider the climate and the complete formula: prominent humectants can behave differently in very dry air and on frizz-prone hair in high humidity.
- humectant
- 3 Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Extract
-
4
Xanthan Gum
General function
A fermented sugar gum that thickens water-based formulas and adds soft, natural hold.
Role in this product typeIn styling gel, xanthan gum builds viscosity so the product spreads without running. It can also contribute a flexible film that supports light, natural-feeling hold.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
JungbunzlauerMay suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdMay suit curls or waves that benefit from definition with a flexible, soft-feeling film.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what keeps flyaways lying down without stiffness.
DependsMaximum-hold stylingConsider the complete hold system when maximum fixation is the priority: xanthan contributes a flexible film, while stronger hold may depend on additional resins or polymers.
- gum
- thickener
- film former
-
5
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
General function
A plant-derived solubiliser used to dissolve fragrance in water-based formulas.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
-
6
Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Fruit Extract
General function
An extract from the fruit of Pomegranate (Punica Granatum). Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- botanical extract
-
7
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
· Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil
General function
Argan oil. A medium-weight oil used for shine and softness on the outside of the strand.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
May not suitFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.
- oil
- emollient
-
8
Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil
General function
Flaxseed oil, used for softness; the seed extract is used instead for natural hold.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
May not suitFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.
- oil
- emollient
-
9
Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
· Cocos Nucifera (Virgin Coconut) Oil
General function
One of the few oils small enough to move into the strand, which is why it is used for pre-wash treatments. It can feel heavy or stiff on protein-sensitive hair.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairBecause it penetrates rather than sits on top, it works on hair that loses water through a worn cuticle instead of only slowing evaporation from the surface the way a non-penetrating oil does.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairThe exception to the class read: lauric acid is small and linear enough to enter the shaft rather than only coat it, and in comparison testing coconut oil was the one that reduced protein loss from washing on both undamaged and damaged hair.
- oil
- emollient
- ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
-
10
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil
General function
The essential oil of Citrus Aurantium. Essential oils are aromatic — they are in the formula for scent, and they are a common source of declared fragrance allergens.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- botanical extract
-
11
Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil
- fragrance
- botanical extract
- 12 Tilia Cordata (Linden) Flower Oil
- 13 Litsea Cubeba (May Chang) Fruit Oil
- 14 Michelia Alba (Magnolia) Flower Oil
- 15 Michelia Alba (Magnolia) Leaf Oil
- 16 Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Red) Peel Oil
- 17 Origanum Majorana (Marjoram Sweet) Leaf Oil
- 18 Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange Sweet) Peel Oil
- 19 Cymbopogon Martini (Palmarosa) Leaf Oil
- 20 Pogostemon Cablin (Patchouli) Leaf Oil
-
21
Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil
General function
Rosemary essential oil, used for scent and its traditional scalp reputation.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesEssential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.
- botanical extract
- essential oil
- fragrance
-
22
Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil
General function
The essential oil of Spearmint (Mentha Viridis). Essential oils are aromatic — they are in the formula for scent, and they are a common source of declared fragrance allergens.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- botanical extract
- 23 Styrax Tonkinensis (Benzoin) Resin Extract
-
24
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
General function
A thick, tacky oil used for sealing ends and for slick, held-down styles.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
- oil
- emollient
-
25
Benzyl Alcohol
- preservative
- solvent
-
26
Dehydroacetic Acid
- preservative
-
27
Limonene
General function
A citrus-smelling fragrance component that EU rules require to be named separately because some people react to it.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
28
Linalool
General function
A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
29
Geraniol
General function
A rose-scented fragrance component, listed on its own because some people react to it.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
30
Citral
General function
A lemon-scented fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
31
Benzyl Benzoate
General function
A fragrance component with a faint balsamic scent, named separately on the label because it is a recognised contact allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
What the whole list adds up to
- 9 fragrances
- 5 botanical extracts
- 5 named fragrance allergens
- 4 oils
- 4 emollients
- 2 solvents
- 2 preservatives
- 1 humectant
- 1 gum
- 1 thickener
- 1 film former
- 1 emulsifier
- 1 solubilizer
- 1 essential oil
Ingredient list captured 2026-09-16. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 10.14 oz
Seen at
$30.96
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
-
Bouclème (boucleme.us)
$28.0010.14 oz · $2.76/ozSep 16Lowest per oz
-
Care to Beauty
$30.9610.14 oz · $3.05/ozSep 16
-
Target
$43.0010.1 oz · $4.26/ozSep 16
Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.
How we work this out
- 10.14 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
- Seen at $30.96 is the price we have observed for the 10.14 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- About $21 is what gels typically cost at this size. Too few of the products that do the same job carry a price for us to draw a good-value line.
Formula
10
Formula score
10 of 10
Above the range for gels per ounce for a complete formula, with no close, lower-priced match in our library.
How the score is counted
- Nothing in our library does the same job for less
- Costs more per ounce than 81% of the 155 gels we’ve priced
- Covers 6 of the 6 things a gel should do
- Reviewers mention 2 things they like about how it performs
- A hold systemThe polymer, gum, or wax that holds the shape.3 pts
- Softeners alongside the holdWhat keeps a film flexible instead of brittle.2 pts
- No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.2 pts
- A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
- A humidity claim with a mechanismThe claim has a film former or silicone behind it.1 pt
- Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt
The formula score is completeness for the job: the share of the systems this product type is normally built around that we can find in this list, weighted. It is not efficacy, not quality, and it never compares across product types.
Similar products
- No close alternatives are recorded for this product yet.
- Browse this product category
Final decision
Should you buy it?
Only if you need exactly thisBest user
Hair that craves moisture — for moisture that stays in and defined, clumped curls
Biggest tradeoff
Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, very dry or very humid climates, or people shopping on a budget
Best alternative if not
Nothing in our library matches it closely at a lower price.
We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.
Claims check
What the brand says, against what the formula shows
Claims are quoted from the brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when the ingredient list actually speaks to it; everything else stays "stated by the brand", which is not a criticism — most claims simply cannot be read off a label.
0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
1
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
3
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
99% Plant powered
A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.
—
Stated by brand
Only the brand’s testing shows this.
Vegan, sulphate and silicone free
We have not recorded the silicone status of this formula.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
Voted Bronze for Best Curls Styling Product in the Beauty Bible Awards 2023
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
How to read this
We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula — not marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.
Reviewers
What people report
Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.
Long-time customers describe it as a holy-grail styler they have repurchased loyally for years.
multi-year repeat customersReviewers describe the texture as lightweight and moisturizing, almost serum-like, giving a soft light-to-medium hold rather than a stiff cast.
general curly-hair reviewersA repeated complaint is that the fragrance was changed in a reformulation and is less pleasant than before.
returning customers comparing to an earlier formulaSome reviewers say the gel did not hold or define their curl pattern despite following directions.
reviewers whose curl type it did not suitMore from Bouclème
How this page was made
- Everything above is generated from our researched product record — identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. No part of this page is written per product.
- The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
- Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
- The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
- 4 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-09-16.
- Ingredient references are linked for 7 of 14 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are conditional formulation guidance, not a conclusion about the finished product or about you.
- We have not tested this product in a lab and we do not physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list; behaviour claims are labelled as the brand's.
- Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice.
- Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
- This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
- Formula readings: derivation v22. Record last updated 2026-09-16.