PRODUCTS TO GET THE LOOK AND CONTROL YOU WANT There is a huge variety of hair products available to help style and control a man’s hair whether he has short, long, curly, straight, frizzy, thick, fine, natural or colored hair.
Here’s a guide to help you understand the differences between the products and help you select the best ones for your hair.
- HAIR CREAMS & LOTIONS – Good for thickening and styling hair with moderate to strong control. Help control static, frizzy, and fly-away hair. Hair looks natural and feels soft. Good on all types and lengths of hair. Hair creams are usually white. The most famous hair cream is Brylcreem which originated in the 1920s.
- HAIR GEL – Gels have a jelly-like consistency and come in a variety of strengths to create light to heavy holds of the shape and style you want. Gels are water-based so they are easy to wash out of your hair. Some gels create a natural and matte-look while others create a wet and shiny-look. Gels stiffen your hair and can make it feel hard and rigid. A good gel will moisturize and condition your hair.
- HAIR POMADE – Hair pomades are soft semi-solid products. Used to create the classic shiny and greasy look of the 1950’s and 60’s (think Elvis who had long, thick hair or Mad Men where the style is short). The shine will usually last all day. Pomades effectively hold and shape your hair style. Also, good for creating the popular “messy” look if you have short to medium length hair.
Originally, pomades were made from petroleum based oils but now other ingredients are included such as mineral oil and wax. Traditional pomades can be difficult to wash out of your hair and sometimes require repeated shampooing. Newer pomades are water based and easier to wash out of your hair.
Pomades differ from one another in the amount of stiffness they create in your hair, the degree of shine in your hair, and scent. If you just use a very small amount of pomade, you can create a light hold which looks natural without making the hair look overly shiny or greasy. Pomades condition your hair and do not dry your hair as much as a traditional hair wax or hair gel. Brilliantine is an example of a lighter style of pomade which leaves your hair manageable, shiny without looking greasy, and natural looking.
- HAIR WAX - Hair waxes are fairly solid products made primarily from some type of wax such as Beeswax, Carnauba Wax, Castor Wax, Lanolin or Emulsifying Wax. Used to help control, hold and style the hair. Hair waxes can be applied to either wet or dry hair but it’s easier to apply on dry. To make it easier to work with the wax, it’s often softened by warming some up in the palm of your hand with your fingers and then applying to your hair. Good for creating spike hair styles. There are now many variations of waxes often referred to as putty, whip, styling paste, or pomade. Waxes can come in different formats such as Solid Wax, Gel Wax or Cream Wax.
- CLAYS & PASTES – These are typically variations of gels, waxes and pomades. Hair clays and pastes create a glossy or shiny look but leave the hair feeling soft. They typically do not hold hair in place as well as a gel. These products are too heavy for fine and thin hair. Good for controlling thick and unruly hair. Paste is very good for short styles.
PRODUCT SUGGESTIONS BY HAIR TYPE -
Short to Medium Hair - Try gels, pomades, pastes or waxes.
- Medium to Long Hair – Try gels. Avoid waxes because it is too much work to distribute the wax evenly throughout your hair.
- Fine, Thinning Hair – Try creams & lotions. Avoid gels, pomades, waxes, clays and pastes.
- Thick Hair – Try creams and lotions, waxes, clays and pastes.
- Wavy, Curly Hair - Try gels.
- Static, Frizzy, & Fly-Away Hair - Try creams and lotions.
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