Eco Gel, Chicago's Alcohol-Free Styling Classic, and the Edge Tools Around It

Eco gel comes from Ecoco, a Chicago-based company that says it was founded in 1985. It is credited as the first to bring alcohol-free styling gels to market, and that one decision explains why the tubs have stayed on so many shelves. Alcohol-heavy gels can leave hair feeling stiff, and skipping the alcohol is the whole appeal. The Eco Style Professional Gels collection is sold to both beauty professionals and consumers, so the same tub you see at a salon station is the one you can bring home.

I like to think of the range as a set of small personality choices. The Argan Oil Styling Gel is the one I would hand to someone who wants shine and a little softness. The Olive Oil Styling Gel is formulated with 100 percent olive oil plus other natural ingredients, and it is the one the company's own CEO talks about most fondly. Krystal is the plain classic for a sleek, no-nonsense finish.

The Black Castor and Flaxseed Oil Styling Gel is the one I would pick if you like the idea of those oils in your hold. Rosemary Mint brings rosemary and mint into the mix, and I would use it on a slicked ponytail.

A practical tip: use less than you think. Start with a pea-sized amount, warm it between your palms, smooth it on damp hair and let it dry before you judge. If it flakes, you used too much or piled it over a heavy cream.

A good gel is only half of a sleek finish. The other half is the brush, and I have seen a plain little brush do more for a ponytail than a whole extra layer of product. That is why I keep a couple of edge tools near the tub.

Camryn's BFF makes the Gentle Edges Double-Sided Hair Brush and Comb in hot pink, with one side for smoothing and one for shaping. It is small, easy to hold and easy to toss in a bag. Annie International's Double-Sided Edge Brush and Hair Brush in black works the same way, and the bristles help pull a slick, tidy line along the hairline. Evolve Products' Edge Bamboo Hair Brush has a more natural feel, and I like it when I want to smooth without scraping.

Kiss Colors & Care's Maximum Hold Edge Fixer in Sweet Peach is the extra control for those baby hairs and tiny edges that refuse to lie flat. Use a small dab, brush it in with a firm hand, then hold the shape for a few seconds. You will feel it set.

Keep the brushes clean. A quick wash every couple of weeks stops old product from building up and dragging on your edges. The trick is a light hand: tugging at the hairline every day is the fastest way to fight your own hair, so brush gently and let the product do the work.

Sometimes an Eco Style tub is not the right tool. Finer hair, looser waves and hair that hates a hard cast might want something lighter, and the other brands on this shelf cover those days well.

IGK's Frizz and Flyaway Lightweight Gel Hair Taming Wand is the practical one, a wand you sweep over a ponytail or a part to tame flyaways. Mizani's True Textures Sleek Holding Hair Gel is made for textured hair that needs a smooth, sleek hold. Chris McMillan's Hair Gel for Buildable, Strong Hold is what I would try if you like to add hold in layers, one pass at a time.

For curls, Ceremonia's Pequi Medium-Hold Styling Hair Gel and Bounce Curl's Ceramide Jelly Medium-Hold Curl Defining Gel both aim for soft definition rather than a helmet. Pattern Beauty's Indigo Rain Strong Hold Gel is the firm one, for styles that need to last all day.

What I would skip: layering three gels in one sitting, and gel on dry, dusty hair that has old product still sitting on it. Both give you white flakes and a stiff feel. Start with damp, clean hair, choose one gel, and add a second only if you truly need it.

To choose, ask yourself two things: how much hold you want, and how much shine. Then pick the tub or jelly that matches, and stay with it for a week before you decide.

Apply the gel while hair is damp, work it through in sections, and do not touch it while it dries. Once it is fully set, you can scrunch out any stiffness with a bit of oil on your hands. Wash it out properly at the end of the week, since product left on the scalp will start to itch and flake. If your scalp stays sore or irritated after using any styling product, stop using it and see a doctor or a stylist you trust. Keep a small mirror and a good light nearby the first few times, because you learn your own amount quickly once you can see the result. The best gel is the one you can use without thinking about it, and the one you never have to reapply by lunchtime. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Slick Back Brush and Cécred Hair Drops, Beyoncé's Edge Serum and More.