13 Best Drugstore Hair Products of 2025
Gold-standard hairspray: L’Oréal Paris Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Hair Spray Unscented
The supremely fine unscented mist is beloved by industry professionals for good reason: The hold is sturdy and reliable, without any crunch or unsightly flaking.
With just six ingredients — somewhat of an anomaly in the hairspray category — L’Oréal Paris Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Hair Spray keeps strands where you want them without making them rigid or plasticky. The magic lies in the dispenser, which produces an ultrafine mist that invisibly coats styled strands. We’re always impressed with how little it takes to set casual styles but also stand in awe of how much you can apply to more-elaborate updos without hair looking lacquered or wet. Like all aerosols, it’s important to follow the instructions and hold the can 12 inches from your head, which allows the formula to properly aerate and disperse.
Most versatile curl cream: Miss Jessie’s Pillow Soft Curls Cream
Apply this slippery styling lotion on damp hair to enhance a natural curl pattern. Strands are left bouncy (not stiff) and with a glossy (not greasy) sheen.
Lots of Wirecutter staffers swear by many of Miss Jessie’s products, but the lightweight Pillow Soft Curls Cream stands out for its versatility on a range of hair textures. A blend of both botanical and synthetic moisturizers and conditioners, it works especially well for twists, braids, Afros, or puffs, says one staffer with 4B curls. Meanwhile, another staffer with 2A waves works the cream into damp strands when she wants low-key, tousled hair. Not everyone is crazy about the soapy-clean scent, but we do all agree this lotion has range.
Best multipurpose gel: Eco Style Olive Oil Styling Gel
Use this bouncy jelly to slick back hair, smooth edges, or define curls. The hydrating formula holds fast without forming a hard cast.
There’s a reason this distinctive chartreuse tub is in so many beauty editors’ bathrooms: Eco Style Olive Oil Styling Gel smooths and holds all hair types, imparting a subtle sheen without crunchiness. The alcohol-free formula contains a water-soluble polymer (PVP) for hold, plus strand-soothing hydrators like olive oil and glycerin. Staffers with a range of textures (2A to 4B) swear by it for laying edges, slicking back tight ponytails, and finger-coiling curls. “It doesn’t leave a hard cast after drying, so there’s no flaking,” says beauty writer Ayanna Redwood-Crawford.
