Pomade, Clay, Paste, Cream, or Powder: Which One to Use

The right product depends on your hair and the look you want. Here is what each one does.

Matte clay

• Hold: medium to high
• Shine: none
• Best for: textured crops, messy quiffs, and side-swept fringes
• How to use: rub a pea-sized amount between your palms until it’s warm, then work it through dry or towel-dried hair from the roots to the ends.

Clay absorbs oil and adds some thickness, so it helps both fine and thick hair.

Water-based pomade

• Hold: medium to firm
• Shine: medium to high
• Best for: side parts, slick backs, and pompadours
• How to use: apply to damp hair for more shine or dry hair for more hold. Use a fine-tooth comb to set the part.

Water-based pomade washes out with water, unlike the oil-based pomades of the 1950s.

Styling paste

• Hold: medium
• Shine: low
• Best for: everyday short and medium cuts
• Hair types: all of them

Paste is the most forgiving. You can restyle it during the day without flaking or stiffness.

Styling cream

• Hold: light
• Shine: natural
• Best for: longer hair, waves, and curls

Cream controls frizz without making the hair stiff, which helps in dry Arizona weather.

Texture powder and sea salt spray

• Texture powder: sprinkle on the roots for lift and grip with no grease. It works well on crops and quiffs.
• Sea salt spray: spray on damp hair before blow-drying for volume and grit.

Three rules

1. Start small. A dime-sized amount is enough. You can add more.
2. Warm it up. Rub it between your palms first so it spreads evenly.
3. Start at the roots. Work it in from back to front. If you only coat the ends, the style collapses.

Not sure what to buy? Ask your barber to try a product in your hair and show you how to apply it.