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The best hair products for men all do essentially the same thing: they get your hairstyle right where you want it, and they keep it there. But they don't all go about it in the same way. We like to think of all products existing on some sort of hair-styling matrix, with the two key factors being hold and shine. In other words, what kind of grip do you want your product to give you, if any at all? (Do you want a firm hold or a flexible hold?) And what level of matte or shiny do you want to achieve? (Do you want a matte finish or a shiny one?)
But then it gets even more complex. For example, what do some of the secondary products do, like hair oil and sea salt spray? How much texture and volume do you want to show? Also, does the product require you to apply it to dry hair, or to freshly towel-dried damp hair? (Doing this incorrectly might either render the product ineffective, or give you the opposite kind of hold, shine, texture, and volume that you're looking for.)
One more complexity is that many brands will make hybrid products, or alter the traditional characteristics of a specific type of product to their own liking. That’s a win for us, because it means we get more variety in the marketplace. But if you read these descriptions below for each kind of product, be sure the product you ultimately buy matches up. Some pastes provide higher hold than others. Some hairsprays are light while others are super gripping. Some “pomades” aren’t pomades at all.
So, in short, there is a lot to know about men's hair products, and how they play out for different lengths, densities, hair textures, and styling goals. But worry not: We’ll walk you through the best hair products for men from every category here–and let you know when and how to use each one.
Clay
What clay is for: Medium hold, low shine when applied dry; High hold, medium shine when applied damp.
Clay is a versatile styler. You’ll get lots of texture with clay (compared to paste, though it’ll also be less “touchable” than paste, too). This means it won’t feel as “re-workable”, like if you wear a winter hat and need to revive it after the hat comes off. So, pick clay if you know you aren’t going to disrupt the hair’s equilibrium throughout the day, but still want some choppiness and definition, or a pinch of lift and volume.
Fiber
What fiber is for: High hold, no shine—apply it to clean, dry hair.
Fiber is great for all hair types, but it is one of the best men’s products for thick hair especially; apply it to dry hair and it’ll texturize while locking everything into place. With most fiber products, you’ll get little or no shine; the result is like perfectly tousled bedhead. It’s comparable to clay, but provides more hold.
Fiber is better for short to medium styles. If you need a more comb-able product for long, thick hair, we suggest switching from fiber to clay, and applying it towel-dried.
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Cream
What cream is for: Light hold, light shine when applied to clean, dry hair; both increase to a light-medium level when applied to clean, damp hair.
If your hair is a few inches or longer, then keep a cream (or crème, if you're fancy) for the days you want feather-light, flowy style. Cream is a big upgrade from wearing nothing—it coaches everything into a specific direction, while providing a natural look without leaving excessive buildup.
Hair cream is effective at taming strays on longer styles, too. You can massage a small dab of cream in your fingers and then dust it over any flyaways. It can also keep your hair from ballooning, and prevent frizz. For longer hair, it’s often comparable to hair oil, but provides less shine.
Paste
What hair paste is for: Medium hold, light shine when applied dry; High hold and medium shine when applied damp.
Paste is an essential product for your bathroom vanity, even if it’s not your daily go-to. It adds texture and definition to short and medium styles, when applied dry. It also gives you “touchable”, controlled hair when applied to towel-dried hair, meaning your style won’t feel suffocated despite the paste’s all-day staying power. It’s extremely re-workable, too, in that a simple splash of water on your hands or a comb can reactivate the product and help restyle it into a post-work muss, versus the more corporate style you wore all day.
Paste is also one of the best men’s products for thinning hair: Apply a small amount to dry hair for a lightweight lift that doesn’t suffocate the follicles. It gives a nice impression of fullness.
Curl Cream
What curl cream is for: Definition and control of curls and waves, plus extra moisture and buoyancy. Apply to damp hair.
To keep waves and curls defined, you need moisture, moisture, moisture. But most people want it in a lightweight formula that allows hair to stay buoyant while also defining each hair’s geometry. Some curl creams are also targeted as leave-in conditioners or leave-in masks, since their density of nutrients is comparable to ultra-hydrating treatments. Nomenclature aside, make sure the product you use is loaded with the right proteins, oils, and extracts that promise to nourish and define your curls and waves (making up for the fact that your scalp’s natural oils can’t easily wind their way down each strand in order to do the job themselves).
Creams will also give you control over your curls and any frizzing, but only enough to make it feel effortless (and sometimes feel barely there). If you want something with more weight and shape control—better for shorter styles—then consider a hair balm instead.
Hair Balm
What hair balm is for: Similar to curl cream, it delivers extra moisture and control to curls and waves, with a heavier hold and higher shine. Also provides nourishing hold and healthy shine in straight, dry hair. Apply damp.
Hair balm is similar to curl cream for its ability to prevent curls from shrinking and for providing high doses of moisture to each strand. It’s typically a little heavier than curl cream, so it’s terrific for shorter curly styles that stay close to the dome, or even for nourishing the ends of curly hair to keep them hydrated and healthy. Sometimes it can double as a beard balm, too, and it even works well in straight hair that needs hydration and touchable but medium-high, lasting hold.
Wax
What wax is for: High hold, low to medium shine; apply to clean, dry hair.
Wax adds texture to short hair, and is the best product to use as that buzz grows out. (it can add the slightest of texture for a more intentional finish on barely-grown hair). Wax can also deliver strong hold to styles around one inch, but should be applied at the root (if applied to the entire hair, it will weigh everything down). If your hair is any longer than that, you’ll want to swap it out for something equally texturizing but less clumpy, like a fiber or clay.
Like cream, wax is also a good finishing coat on longer, frizzy hair, done by lightly running your wax-covered palms over top the finished style. Or, you can tuck strays into place by warming wax on your fingertips and gently grazing it over anything that pops out from the rest of the carefully put-together style.
Pomade
What traditional pomade is for: Medium to high hold, high shine; apply to damp hair.
The original slicked-back hair styler—think The Outsiders, Mad Men, and Grease. Hair pomade is more often more relaxed than a gel, which makes you look more relaxed, too. Some of them can deliver a high hold, however, so make sure to check the label.
If you’re going to use it as your daily styler, be conservative with the application. Anything too generous will make your hair look and feel greasy; if you’re not careful, then by day’s end it might seem like you’re wearing half the pomade on your brow.
It’s important to note that many brands use the word “pomade” to simply mean “product” these days. So if you see a “clay pomade” or a “wax pomade,” it’s going to carry far more qualities of the first word—if it carries any pomade qualities at all.
All that being said, we do love true pomades, but suggest considering saving them for special occasions or buttoned-up looks.
Gel
What gel is for: High hold, high shine; apply to damp hair.
They don’t make gels like they used to, and that’s a good thing. Gels aren’t liquid cement anymore, even if they are still giving you high hold and high shine. Still, styling gels are best kept as a reserve product—something for a really big look, or as a touch-up product for troublesome, poofy sections of the hair.
One good place is on the sides of your hair with a longer style, since sometimes the sides grow in with a more unruly texture than the rest. Lock those pesky hairs into place with gel, then stick with a lighter paste or pomade for the top.
Putty
What putty is for: Medium to high hold, little-to-no shine; both increase when added to damp hair vs. dry hair.
Sometimes called mud, putty is a midpoint between clay and fiber; apply it to towel-dried hair for sturdy hold and texture with a slight polish. (Clay also has high hold applied to damp hair, but has higher shine.) Putty is best as a choppy and light-catching styler in short hair, as an alternative to fiber (which gives no shine) and wax (which gives medium or high shine). Once the hair gets long enough to comb, we suggest switching to paste or clay.
Texturizing Spray
What texturizing spray is for: Volume, texture, and definition.
Whenever you visit the ocean, your hair dries into a perfectly effortless, photo-ready state, right? That’s the salt water absorbing excess grease and texturizing everything: Texturizing spray (often called salt spray) replicates this. It is one of the best products for men with wavy hair—that is, if they want to make those waves (or curls) as surfer-like as possible. It adds texture and definition to any style, and is also a great alternative to paste for fine hair; a simple spritz volumizes and maximizes whatever you're working with.
Hair Oil
What hair oil is for: Low hold, medium shine; smoothes hair, tames frizz.
Hair oil isn’t so much a styler as it is a polishing, shine-building, and hydrating agent. We like adding a drop to our clay, paste, cream, or fiber for a subtle sheen, since it helps the hair catch the light and seem textured and fuller, without making it look greasy or unwashed. Hair oil is also terrific in long styles as a tamer and nourisher, since the ends of your long hairs rarely get the same natural hydration from your scalp’s sebum production (this risks them getting split ends and being dry, brittle, and untamed). Hair oil can prevent or reverse all of that.
Most hair oils are a blend of nourishing ingredients (argan tend to play a prominent role) specifically targeted at the hair on your head. So avoid any oils that are solely targeted to beards, face, or body. If you’re going to grow your hair out, then get an oil, warm a few drops in your palms, and comb it through the strands every morning, especially targeting the ends. This will help prevent splitting and breakage, while adding a healthy, nourishing shine.
Hairspray
What hairspray is for: Extra control; degree of hold will vary.
Hairspray is the surefire way to keep your style in place, especially if you’ve opted for a lighter-weight product as your foundation. Rarely will you use hairspray on its own; instead, keep it around for especially hot or humid days, when the heat and sweat might otherwise compromise a style with a lot of volume.
You can get hairsprays with high hold, or with a lightweight hold that simply calms strays, and helps add just enough control that you aren’t touching your hair all day or worrying about the humidity.
Heat Protectant
What heat protectant is for: Pre-styling protection for use with blow dryers—it shields your hair from breakage and overdrying.
If you like to style your hair with a blow dryer, then you’ve probably noticed how much damage it can also cause the hair, particularly after daily/continued use. It frays, fries, and leads to breakage, despite all the good it does in helping achieve your style.
That’s where heat protectant comes in. It’s not technically a hair styler, but it’s a “pre-styler” that is imperative to spray and/or comb through the strands. It coats each hair cuticle with a defensive heat shield, locking in moisture, and thus minimizing the damage from the drying process. (A good ionic blow dryer will help heaps, too.)
Scalp Treatment
What scalp treatment is for: Calms scalp, nourishes hair follicles, plus helps prevent irritation and flaking.
Also not technically a hair styling product, but a scalp treatment helps promote balance and nourishment around the head, so that your hairs can grow uninhibited by things like irritation, flaking, dandruff, and more. So, it’s that dual promise of keeping hair growing healthy with no snowflakes on your shoulders.
