I would call this a "gentle gel". It checks off the big three for me. 1) It's very light and doesn't weigh my hair down. 2) It doesn't harden and 3) It doesn't flake or cause itch. I have natural curls and use this on my hair while wet in order to keep them moist. Once it's dry, it leaves my hair soft to the touch and non-sticky. With it being gentle, of course, I don't imagine it would have very strong holding properties, so if your hairstyle requires a hard freeze, maybe look elsewhere.