Gel, Wax or Pomade: Which Hair Styling Product Is Best for You?

Nowadays, more men are becoming more conscious of grooming. In terms of hairstyles, men already have a lot to choose from. They can even change their hairstyle every day!

Most hairstyles require hair styling products to keep it on fleek throughout the day. There are now a lot of hair styling product types on the market that you may find yourself scratching your head as you try to choose one. To make the quest even more challenging, each of those hair styling products come in different types, too.

For instance, you can get Cantu maximum hold styling gel, then there’s also the Cantu extra hold edge stay gel. Hair waxes and pomades also have different variants.

In this post, we’ll take a look at the top three most commonly used hair styling products for men today: gel, wax, and pomade. By knowing what each of them can do, you’ll be able to know which product you should buy and use depending on the hairstyles you often don.

Hair Gel

Gel is a classic hair styling product. It is known for giving one a “wet” look, which is often regarded as old-school. It is the ultimate product for men who are hoping for an all-day style hold. It also makes hair styling a breeze, as you no longer have to dry your hair before applying it. Gel is also easy to remove from the hair, as it is often water-based.

With strong hold comes some downsides, though. Some may find the strong hold a bit too much, which can be considered one of gel’s downsides. Aside from that, hair gel tends to leave white flakes, particularly when you haven’t washed your hair thoroughly of products.

To avoid having those white flakes, you should make sure that you thoroughly wash and rinse your hair. Then, you should apply just the right amount of gel onto your hair, especially if you have thin hair. After all, you can add later as needed. Gel is best used on unruly hair that is harder to style.

Hair Wax

Most hair waxes available on the market are made with beeswax. As a result, they offer a medium to strong hold. Unlike hair gel, they do not have shine and leave a matte finish. Although wax can keep a hairstyle intact for the most part, it doesn’t harden the hair as gel does. However, wax can feel heavier or thicker than gel. On the upside, it can give hair the right volume without making it feel rough.

Take note that wax is more difficult to wash out than gel or water-based pomade because, you guessed it, it’s made out of wax. If your hair tends to become greasy by the middle of the day, hair wax can absorb the oil. However, this will mean that your hair wax will lose some of its holding power.

Hair wax is best for faux hawks, spiky hair, quiff, and French crop, among other modern hairstyles for men. It is also best applied to dry hair.

Hair Pomade

man with nice hair in lake

Pomade is somewhat a hybrid of wax and gel. It offers a strong but flexible hold. It also leaves a finish that is in-between matte and high shine. Unlike wax but similar to gel, pomade is often water-based. Because of this, it doesn’t totally dry up and a pomade-styled hair doesn’t stiffen. As a result, you can choose to restyle your hair later in the day.

There are also oil-based pomades. These are a good option if you want to have more shine. Take note, though, that oil-based pomade is harder to wash out than gel or water-based pomade.

To use pomade, make sure you properly wash your hair. Then, towel-dry it until it’s damp. Scoop a little amount of pomade, spread it on your palms, then smooth it through your hair until you get your desired style.

Pomade is best used to achieve styles such as quiff, pompadour, comb over, slicked back, and side part.

Your Hair Says A Lot About You

Indeed, the way you present yourself matters a lot. Your hair, for one, can say a lot about you. With hair styling products, you can achieve any hairstyle that best represents you.