Products for long hair??

Hi,
I am probably the worst person for choosing hair products...& I was wondering if there were any products out there for toning down thick, long hair(a little bit passed my ear lobes). I normally use L`oreal spray gel (it`s lighter than regular gel)...but I feel like I have to put so much in it to tone it down, that it just ends up hard and crunchy anyway. I just want a product that won`t feel hard & sticky, but will also keep my hair in place. Are there any products out there that I can use...so that I can move my hands through smooth hair without feeling that hard, sticky substance??
Any help would be appreciated...
Thanks,
~Andrew~