By Marisol Reyes, senior stylist at Sølvi Salon
I get asked about Davines Curl Gel Oil almost every week behind the chair, usually by a client who spotted the bottle on our shelf and got curious about the name. After months of using it on clients in the studio and on my own hair at home, here is my real, first-hand review. Just what I have actually seen on heads of hair in Boise.
What it actually is
The name throws people off, so let me clear it up first. Davines Curl Gel Oil is not a styling gel and it is not a heavy oil. Davines lists it as a weightless softener, and that lines up with how I use it: a finishing product that smooths, softens, and adds shine without leaving any greasy weight behind. It works across hair types, from the finest baby-fine strands to thick, coarse texture, which is part of why I keep reaching for it on such a wide range of clients. You can read the same positioning on our Curl Gel Oil product page.
The hero ingredient is roucou oil, a plant oil Davines describes as rich in antioxidants. That is what gives this product its real job. It tames flyaways and frizz and leaves an antioxidant finish that keeps hair looking calm and polished. There is also a light signature scent that lingers through the day without being loud about it.
Why it earns its spot on our shelf
Boise is dry. Our high desert climate pulls moisture out of hair fast, and by mid-July that shows up as frizz, static, and dull strands by early afternoon. I see it constantly in the chair at our downtown studio at 104 S Capitol Blvd. One client of mine, a teacher with fine wavy hair, came in last summer frustrated that her waves looked fluffy and dry within an hour of leaving the house. Heavy oils flattened her hair and made it greasy by noon. I worked a dime-sized amount of Curl Gel Oil through her damp waves before she left, and when she came back for her next color appointment she told me her hair held its shine into the evening for the first time all season, without going limp. That is the result I keep seeing on fine textures.
It also layers well with a styling routine instead of fighting it. You can use it daily or just a couple of times a week, and it sits fine over most of the other Davines products we carry. If frizz is your main fight in our climate, it pairs nicely with the wash-day routine I walk through in why Boise stylists reach for Love Curl Shampoo.
How we use it in the studio
The application is genuinely simple. Work a small amount through clean, damp hair, comb it through to spread it evenly, then style as usual. The most common mistake I see is people using too much. Start with less than you think you need. A little goes a long way, and you can always add more.
For my wavy and curly clients, I scrunch it in on damp hair before air drying or diffusing. For straighter textures, I run a tiny bit through mid-lengths and ends as a finishing step after blow drying. If you want a deeper walk-through of how I tailor products to your hair, that is exactly what we do during a consultation. You can see everything we offer on our services page.
The drawback worth knowing
Here is where the review has to be straight with you. If you are buying this expecting a curl gel that gives structure, hold, or that defined, crunchy cast, you will be disappointed. Despite the name, it does not provide hold. It is a softener and a frizz tamer, not a product that builds or locks in a shape. Clients with tight curls who want serious definition and grip will need an actual styling gel or curl cream alongside it, or instead of it.
So who is it not for? Anyone whose main goal is hold and sculpted definition. Who is it for? People who want softer, shinier, calmer hair with frizz under control. Knowing the difference up front saves you the letdown.
Our verdict
At $34.00, Davines Curl Gel Oil is a product I genuinely use and recommend, as long as you know what you are buying. As a weightless softener that fights Boise frizz and adds real shine, it delivers. As a hold product, it is not built for that, and I would never pretend otherwise. For most of my clients who want their hair to look healthier and smoother through a dry Idaho summer, it earns its keep.
You can grab it on our Curl Gel Oil product page, or come see us and let us match it to your hair in person. Book an appointment at Sølvi Salon and I will show you exactly how to use it for your texture.