Guide to hold ratings

How to read the hold number on the bottle

Every squeeze bottle and jar in our catalogue carries a hold number from 1 to 10. That digit tells you how stiff the gel sets once it dries. It tells you nothing about the quality of the batch. Here is how to pick the number that suits your hair.

The scale from one to ten

The number printed on the front of the pack is our hold rating. A bottle marked 10 gives the maximum grip we mix. A jar marked 7 gives a lower grip that lets the hair move slightly when touched. Punk sits at 10. Rockero sits at 9. Gamer sits at 8. Galan sits at 7. These numbers describe how rigid the dried gel stays on the head throughout the day. None of these ratings mean a product is better or worse than another. We use the same base across the line, and the number simply tracks the stiffness of the dried film.

What the gap feels like in the hair

A rating of 10 locks strands into place until you wash them. It sets hard to the touch and holds spikes upright against gravity. A rating of 7 leaves the hair with less surface tension. You can run fingers near the scalp without cracking the cast as easily as with a 10. The difference between 7 and 10 is the weight of the film on each hair strand. A higher number holds heavier styles higher off the scalp. A lower number leaves the hair feeling slightly lighter while keeping the shape you combed into it.

Why fine hair needs lower numbers

Short hair does not always need a 10. Fine hair strands can collapse under the weight of a heavy gel film, leaving flat spots on the scalp. Choosing a 7 or an 8 keeps fine strands standing without weighing them down. Thick hair strands can support the heavy cast of a 9 or a 10 without losing volume. If your hair is thin or sparse, a lower hold number gives you shape without gluing strands together into visible clumps. Match the number to the thickness of your individual strands.

Formats and reactivating the hold

Our formulas come in a 7.05 or 11.99 ounce squeeze bottle, a 9.52 ounce jar, and a 2.82 or 2.99 ounce mini. Retail packs come in counts of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, or 12 units. Every hold level washes out with plain tap water. If a style shifts during the day, wet your hands and smooth them over your head. Water softens the dried gel so you can reshape it with a comb. Once the water dries, the hold sets hard again at its original rating.

Pick the number that matches your hair thickness and the style you want. A higher digit means more stiffness, while a lower digit leaves the hair lighter. Water washes all of them away.