With a consumer market saturated with hair products, it’s hard for a man to know what is best to maintain his hairstyle. From greasy waxes to super-hold gels, it’s enough to have us asking our barber’s for Vin Diesel’s haircut. So here’s our rundown to check if you’re using the right product for your hair type, and to ensure that you keep your particular upper style looking slick.
Pomade
Pomade is an old-school style hair product that was responsible for some of your father’s bold looks. It can be petrolatum-based (and won’t wash out with water), or water-based (much more simple to remove). Modern pomades are less sticky than their ancestors, and range from light-medium to light-hard hold and are used for slicking, defining and grouping together hair, be it straight, wavy or cruelly independent. Uppercut Deluxe Pomade is a water-based product that hits hard with a strong hold and wet shine, perfect for high pompadours, side parts or slick-backed sides.
Wax
Wax is a lightweight and versatile product perfect for every style, from the untameable mane to meticulous slick. And due to its pliable makeup, restyles are a definite possibility, allowing for effortless image transformations between work and play.
But wax isn’t for all hair types, and will work better in straight and wavy hair than curly, where it is likely to clump. If you’re not sure where to start, try Uppercut Deluxe Featherweight, a lighter wax with plenty of hold that’s perfect for messy yet textured styles with a dry finish.
Clay
Styling clay is known for its ability to grip short or long hair effortlessly and enable bold and slick shapes with ease. And it’s versatile, working for short textured looks or longer styles where precision and a controlling firm hold is key.
Styling Cream
An almost zero-hold conditioning hair product, styling cream adds shine and substance to your hair without changing its natural look. Best suited for thick, curly or coarse hair, creams moisturise and dry or damp hair to give flexibility and strength, control frizz and pave the way for a less rigid dapper style.
Gel
Chances are that the first product to ever hit your hair was a gel in your formative years. Intended to be applied to wet hair, gel will bestow upon you a shaped, wet-shined hold. Available in strengths from light to strong, it’s a general product for more simple styles.
Beard Balm and Oil
It would be ungentlemanly to forget the products intended to care for and style the lower aspects of a man’s head of hair. Beard balm (a leave in conditioner) and beard oil are essential for a healthy beard, and help soften and condition a beard, preventing it from getting too wiry. They’ll also penetrate the bushy layers to moisturise the skin underneath, preventing bearddruff, and allow for a more easily styled beard and moustache.