LA LOOKS gels comparison

jeepcurlygurl · 07-22-2011, 09:52 AM

I've been using LA Looks Sport Gel for many years and love it. But since Big Lots had huge 30 oz bottle of some of their other gels for only $2.50, I decided to try them just to see how they differ.
I believe all of the varieties contain some form of protein, are CG, and are alcohol free (but ingredients are listed below for you to check out).
Each gel has a slightly different scent. I like the smell of the Sport gel the best and Power Spikes gel the least, but none of them linger.
As far as hold, I didn't notice a huge difference. Oddly, of the 4 that I tried, the Curls gel was my least favorite. It made my hair soft but for me that means the hold is not strong so my hair was frizzier and poofier.
None of the gels were flaky, didn't feel producty.
The Sport Gel is still my favorite. It does everything I want so I hope they never stop making it! : )

SPORT - BLUE, HOLD #10+

Aqua/Water/Eau (Water), PVP, Sorbitol, Carbomer, Keratin Amino Acid, Panthenyl Ethyl Ether, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Oleth 20, Rahnella Soy Protein Ferment, Amino Methyl Propanol, PEG 8, Tetrasodium EDTA, Benzophenone 4, Methylparaben, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Parfum (Fragrance), Butylphenyl Methlyproprional, Hydroxyisohexl 3 Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Limonene, Hexylcinnamal, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Ext D&C Violet 2 (CI 60730) (Ext Violet 2), FD&C Blue 1 (CI 42090) (Blue 1)

CURLS - TURQUOISE , HOLD #8
water, pvp, sorbitol, carbomer, hydroxypropylcellulose, polyquaternium-7, propylene glycol, fragrance, panthenyl ethyl ether, glycerin, keratin amino acids, palmitoyl oligopeptide, chitosan (and) glycosaminoglycans (mdi complex), oleth-20, cocodimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed hair keratin, glyceryl polymethacrylate, rahnella/soy protein ferment, peg-8, aminomethyl propanol, glycolic acid, potassium sorbate, methylparaben, tetrasodium edta, diazolidinyl urea, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, benzophenone-4, blue 1, yellow 5.

DURAHOLD - ORANGE , HOLD #10+
AQUA (WATER), PVP, VP/VA COPOLYMER, CARBOMER, CLYCERIN, KERATIN AMINO ACIDS, PANTHENYL ETHYL ETHER, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, GLY0ERYL POLYMETHACRYLATE, PALMITOYL OLIGOPEPTIDE, RAHNELLA/SOY PROTEIN FERMENT, AMINOMETHYL PROPANOL, PEG-40 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL, PPG-5 CETETH-20, PEG-8, DISODIUM EDTA, BENZOPHENONE-4, METHYLPARABEN, METHYLCHLOROISOTHIAZOLINONE, METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE) BENZYL BENZOATE, BENZYL SALICYLATE, LIMONENE, LINALOOL, HEXYL CINNAMAL, CI 15985 (YELLOW 6), CI 16035 (RED 40).

POWER SPIKES - GREEN, HOLD #12
Aqua (Water), PVP, Sorbitol, Carbomer, Panthenyl Ethyl Ether, Keratin Amino Acids, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Aminomethyl Propanol, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Benzophenone-4, DMDM Hydantoin, Methylparaben, Parfum (Fragrance), Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, CI 19140 (Yellow 5), CI 61570 (Green 5).

WET LOOK - CLEAR, HOLD #10 I didn't try this one because I don't like the wet look. It usually means stringy hair for me and is the result of lots of glycerin (note how high it is on the ingredients list). My hair isn't keen on too much glycerin and I don't like the producty feel of it. And I seriously doubt that this has #10 hold with all that glycerin.

Aqua/Water/Eau (Water), Glycerin, VP/VA Copolymer, PVP, PEG 40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Keratin Amino Acid, Panthenyl Ethyl Ether, Carbomer, PPG 5 Ceteth 20, Amino Methyl Propanol, Propylene Glycol, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Rahnella Soy Protein Ferment, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, PEG 8, Disodium EDTA, Benzophenone 4, Methylparaben, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Parfum (Fragrance), Butylphenyl Methlyproprional, Hydroxyisohexl 3 Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Limonene, Hexylcinnamal, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol

Cuban-curl-E · 07-23-2011, 08:22 PM

I love sport look! I can't imagine I'd like the others as much but I'm interested in trying the cashmere curls for softer hold. Any thoughts or experience with that one?

jeepcurlygurl · 07-24-2011, 07:46 AM

I haven't tried that one. Not sure if it's a newer or older version of the Curls gel so it might be the same or similar.

crwritt · 07-24-2011, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cuban-curl-E

I love sport look! I can't imagine I'd like the others as much but I'm interested in trying the cashmere curls for softer hold. Any thoughts or experience with that one?

I like the Cashmere Curls. It doesn't have glycerin, holds well, isn't crunchy, and comes in a small enough tube to carry in my purse. The only place I've seen it for sale is Family Dollar.

smashleighfig · 07-24-2011, 04:04 PM

Excited to see this post! I've been tempted to try some others but I love the sport one so much. I do think I'm going to try out the curl one though, it just looks tempting and for a couple bucks, can't go wrong there!

jeepcurlygurl · 07-24-2011, 04:18 PM

If I ever come across a tube of Cashmere Curls for cheap, I will also give it a try. I'm glad to see it doesn't have glycerin but I see it has castor oil which I don't think my hair will like much more that glycerin. But it's still work a shot.
I do wonder why it comes in a tube and why it's more expensive than all the other LA Looks gels?

I meant to add to my original post that I have also tried the Mega and Mega Mega Hold gels a few years ago and found them similar but still not as good as the Sport gel. If they ever stop making Sport gel I will probably have a nervous breakdown (like I did when they stopped making Marathon mascara). I have a good hoard of it in the cupboard tho. : )

Cuban-curl-E · 07-24-2011, 06:41 PM

Jeepcurlygurl, I'm going to look for the cashmere curl too and try it. So far haven't seen it. Will let you know what I think. Since you mentioned castor oil versus glycerine, what difference do those chemicals make? I'm too new at this to know what my hair likes or dislikes.

jeepcurlygurl · 07-24-2011, 09:01 PM

I am no good at the science of ingredients. I just know what my hair does or doesn't like. It doesn't seem to like heavy ingredients that add a producty feel and things like glycerin, castor oil, and mineral oil all have that feel if they are high up on the ingredients list. But others love those ingredients so it's different for everyone.

jeepcurlygurl · 09-19-2011, 08:27 AM

Just tried the LA Looks Polish Perfect gel last week.
love the smell. I like the way it feels when my hair is wet. I like the softeness of my hair when it's dry.
The hold isn't quite enough for me so this week I'm mixing it with the Sport Gel.
I think the basic difference between them is that the glycerin in the Sport Gel has been replaced with mineral oil in the Polish Perfect.

POLISH PERFECT - PURPLE, HOLD#8
AQUA (WATER), PVP, QUARTZ, KERATIN AMINO ACIDS, PANTHENYL ETHYL ETHER, CARBOMER, PHENOXYETHANOL, PEG-40 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL, PPG-5-CETETH-20, AMINOMETHYL PROPANOL, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, METHYLPARABEN, DISODIUM EDTA, BENZOPHENONE-4, METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE), LIMONENE, CITRAL, BENZYL SALICYLATE, LINALOOL, BENZYL BENZOATE, HEXYL CINNAMAL.

Cuban-curl-E · 09-26-2011, 07:23 PM

Jeepcurly, why didn't you like the power spikes? I'm tempted to buy it since hold is 12 and I believe it's glycerin free...

jeepcurlygurl · 09-26-2011, 07:40 PM

The only thing I didn't really like about the Power Spikes was the scent. But I still have 2 bottles I got on sale and do use it.
I would buy any of the LA Looks gels if I found them on sale, except for the Curls gel and the Wet Look gel.

ninja dog · 09-26-2011, 07:57 PM

I tried the Cashmere Curls and found the hold wasn't strong enough. Yet, the #10 hold blew me away; I truly could not crunch the stuff out of my hair.

I got Cashmere Curls at Family Dollar. Bekkapoo recommended it.

holycurlsbatman · 09-29-2011, 06:18 AM

I'm trying LA Looks Nutra Curl this morning. It smells SO good. This was posted in general discussions also but the ingredients that original poster posted are different than what's on my bottle so I posted mine below the link:

New LA Looks Gel for Curls! Nutra Curl

Aqua (water) PVP, POLYQUATERNIUM-11, CARBOMER, PANTHENYLETHYL ETHER, PEG-11 AVACADO GLYCERIDES, PHENOXYETHANOL, AMINOMETHYL PROPANOL, PEG-40 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL, PPG-5-CETETH-20, METHYLPARABEN, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, DISODIUM EDTA, BENZOPHENONE-4, METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE)

So far, I like it wet. I'll let you know when it dries - could be tomorrow. high humidity here and it takes HOURS for my hair to dry anyways

TaraVictoria · 09-29-2011, 06:26 AM

I LOVE their gels too but I tried the Nutra Curls (green bottle with avvocato oil) and wasn't too happy with it - I got an oily finish when my hair dried. I liked the purple one, Polish Perfect too, pretty good for humid weather (which we've been having WAY TOO much of here on the East coast!). But I'm holding true to blue - the original curls gel from LA Looks -LOVE it - has the perfect amount of hold for my curls. Actually, its perfect when I use it with Shea Moisture underneath as a leave in... love the combo!

holycurlsbatman · 09-29-2011, 09:31 AM

Ok, my hair is *mostly* dry and I thought I'd post a pic after using the nutra gel (or whatever it is) this morning. I like it. I haven't crunched it all the way out yet - I did diffuse a little. I'm heading out to the elementary school, I'm one of the lunch monitors and I"ll be on the playground for an hour. Who *knows* what it will look like after that

It's a cool 60 degrees, trying to be sunny and breezy. Eeks. But here's a pic right now.

The front and the side that refuses to go back - and the back (well, the best I could get - for some reason I just couldn't get the right angle with the camera -

)

colaborlinda · 07-31-2012, 12:23 PM

Is the Power Spikes gel CG? I have been using all Deva products, but forgot my gel while visiting my daughter and used her Power Spikes. I like it! I can even get 2nd day hair, but I don't want to use it if it is bad for curly hair.

Corrina777 · 07-31-2012, 12:28 PM

Yes, it is

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