With all of the hair styling products for women out there, you might be led to believe that they are all there is to it when it comes to the hair care and styling industry. But there are as many products designed for hair styling for men as there are for women. You need to be able to distinguish the difference with each in order to achieve your desired hairstyle.
Clay
This is a relatively new classification for products designed for hair styling for men. And yet, it is also the fastest growing product in the market. This type of product can come in a wide range of consistencies such as thick and very creamy. Despite the difference in texture and consistency, one thing is true for all clay products for men: they have the same formulation.
Bentonite is the most common type of ingredient used for making hair clays for men, which is derived from volcanic ash weathering and therefore natural. This type of product is designed to make your hair fatter or increase in body, specifically to the individual hair strands. It is therefore the ideal product to use if you want to maintain structure of your hairstyle throughout the day. It is recommended if you want a hairstyle that requires ton of volume without weighing your hair down.
Pomade
In the topic of hair styling for men, pomade is one product that won’t be missing on the list. The use of pomades date back to the early 19th century. The fact that it is still being manufactured and used today speaks to its longevity.
Pomades are recommended for use if you want your hair to stay neat or be styled in a slick manner. It can also provide high shine for your hair, if that is what you want. Pomades are the product of choice for hair styling for men if you want to create hairstyles that can be achieved using a comb. Pomades differ from other hair styling products for men since it does not dry out easily so you can re-style your hair throughout the day. You can have a selection of pomades with medium to high shine depending on your personal preference.
Currently, there are two types of pomades in the market right now: oil-based and water-based. The oil-based pomades are the traditional option but most of the new ones are water-based.
Wax
When most people refer to styling wax for men, they think it’s synonymous to pomade. However, it is completely different and can achieve different styling results. Part of the reason why is because some parts of the world generally classify products suited for hair styling for men as one, rather than classifying them as pomades, waxes or gels. Hence, they are lumped into one category even though they can offer different styling purposes.
Waxes, though, are comparable to pomades in terms of the styling effect. But a styling wax offers a lighter hold. In terms of shine, they can offer medium to high shine but it does not hold as well as pomades do. They are therefore used for finishing touches such as classic side parts, ducktails or pompadour.
Gel
When in the topic of hair styling for men, it is safe to assume that every man has tried using a hair gel at least once in their life. It is the so-called ‘starter’ product for men who wish to style their hair. Gel is the go-to product if you want to stiffen up your hair. It is typically used for adding texture to the strands, molding and sculpting it to various desired hairstyles. It acts by coating the strand and then binding them together in order to maintain the style. Since they become rock hard (particularly if you choose a strong hold formula), it won’t give you the flexibility of re-styling your hair throughout the day.
When it comes to shopping for hair gels, experts recommend buying only from reputable brands and not the drugstore variety.
Abby
Abigail is a travel enthusiast who enjoys trying new foodie destinations. She graduated with a degree in Creative Writing and has worked as a web content writer since 2010. She enjoys writing about travel, lifestyle, beauty, hair care, and wellness.
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