Analysis of Egyptian mummies has shown that a fat-based hair gel was used to keep styles in place, and the oldest sample is about 3,500 years old. I love that, because it means the urge to keep a part sharp or a curl in place is about as old as vanity itself. A version came along in 1914 as well, when a veterinary student in Buenos Aires named José Antonio Brancato mixed a hair fixative sold as gomina.

Modern formulas have come a long way from either of those. The best ones today hold without the stiff, white flakes, and a good number are made to leave hair softer underneath. When I shop for hair gel, I ask two things: how firm do I need this to be, and what will happen to it by afternoon.

The grid starts with the firmest options. Pattern Beauty's Indigo Rain is a strong-hold gel, and Mizani's True Textures Sleek Holding gel is the one for laid-down, shiny styles. Ceremonia's Pequi is a medium-hold gel with a softer finish, and Bounce Curl's Ceramide Jelly is a medium-hold curl definer that dries without a hard cast. IGK's Frizz and Flyaway Gel Taming Wand and Emi Jay's Angelstick are the portable ones, made for smoothing flyaways along the part and around the face.

Apply on damp hair, scrunch or smooth, and leave it alone until it dries. Touching it early is where frizz starts. I also like to comb through with a wide-tooth comb right after applying, because it spreads the formula evenly and stops one stiff patch from forming at the crown.

A slick-back is really a question of grip and shine, and the tools matter almost as much as the formula. I keep a sleek stick in my bag and a heavier product at home, and they do different jobs.

Briogeo's Style and Treat Sleek Stick is a styling stick for smoothing flyaways along the hairline, and Oribe's Supershine Smoothing Wax Stick works the same way with a glossy finish. BondiBoost's Strawberry Gum Grip is made for slick-back styling, useful when you want a ponytail to look tight and neat. Moroccanoil's Strong Hold High Shine Sculpting Pomade is more of a classic pomade, for a sculpted, polished top. Kérastase's Genesis Homme Light-Hold Styling Wax Pomade sits at the other end, a light hold that leaves room for texture.

Bounce Curl's Define EdgeLift Brush is a brush for curl definition and styling control, and it does the fiddly work that a pomade cannot. Use a tiny amount of product, brush it in the direction the hair wants to go, and hold it for a few seconds. On humid days I press a little more along the parting, since that is where a style tends to give up first.

The test for any of these: touch your hairline mid-afternoon. If it feels tacky or has flaked, you used too much. If it has lifted, use a bit more next time, or brush in a second thin layer.

Not every day needs a firm hold. Sometimes I want hair that still moves when I turn my head, and a cream or mousse does that better than any firmer product. Think of these as the gentler cousins.

The dae Cactus Fruit 3-in-1 Styling Cream comes with its own taming wand, so it is a two-in-one for smoothing and finishing. Kérastase's Gloss Absolu Glaze Styling Cream is made for medium to thick hair, and it leaves a soft shine. Bumble and bumble's Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Styling Cream is a long-lasting hydrating cream, a good match for dry ends. Pattern Beauty's Palo Santo Curl Mousse gives curls and coils definition without a hard finish, which makes it a good base under a firmer product.

Crown Affair's Smoothing Air Dry Styling Cream and IGK's RICH KID Coconut Oil Air-Dry Cream are both made for air-drying, the ones I would use when I want to skip the dryer entirely.

What I would skip: layering a heavy cream under a strong hold on fine hair, and any firm product on hair that is not fully damp when you apply it. Both lead to flakes and dullness. Use a nickel-sized amount, distribute it with your fingers, and add more only after the hair has dried. A diffuser on low heat helps the cream set, and it saves the ends from a hot, direct blast.

I keep my styling routine to three moves: work in a small amount, shape the hair while it is still damp, and let it dry without touching it. If you do that with almost any of the products above, you will get a cleaner finish than if you fiddle.

Wash out product buildup every week or two with a clarifying shampoo, since layers of styling can leave hair feeling stiff. If a firm hold turns crunchy when it dries, scrunch gently with a dry cotton shirt to soften it. And if your scalp itches or flakes after styling, take a break from the product and see a doctor if it does not settle. Keep a small travel size in your bag for touch-ups, and remember that a light mist of water usually revives a style better than more product does.