After every application of the Pequi Styling Gel, expect your strands to be treated with a conditioning concoction of aloe vera, pequi oil, and açai extract. The combination of these ingredients intensively moisturizes hair strands for a shinier look and softer feel; plus, the latter ingredients are rich in antioxidants, which protect your hair from environmental factors that can lead to brittleness, dryness, and dullness. Ohio-based cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos notes that pequi oil is also used as an alternative to palm oil for its high abundance of conditioning palmitic acid. Also included in the formula is aloe, which Dobo says “contains polysaccharides that behave as humectants which help hydrate the scalp and provide light conditioning to the hair.”
The ingredients definitely supply the moisture I need to reduce the look of my extremely frizzy strands, but what truly has made this product a staple in my routine for the past month is how versatile it is. Unlike other gels I’ve tested, this formula effortlessly defines curls as easily as it smooths out an updo.
When I’m in the mood for a style that’s as low-maintenance as possible, I simply apply my daily scalp serum (which will forever and always be the Act + Acre Cold Processed Stem Cell Serum), separate my damp hair into two sections, and slather on a palm-size glob of this good stuff on each side. After five minutes of persistent scrunching, my waves are set, defined, and volumized. If I’m really feeling up to it, I’ll diffuse my hair for five minutes to increase definition and volume, too.
