The best pomade for men isn’t necessarily going to yield a high hold and high shine. Yes, that’s what we envision when we think of traditional pomade — think “Mad Men” and “Grease” — but pomade over the years has grown a spectrum of its own when it comes to how much hold and how much shine.
There are limitations on this, of course: The best men’s pomade should have the same target effect as those of the past, in being able to slick or sweep medium hair and hold it in place. With exceptions, most will provide some level of shine. The hold will always be touchable but may range from low to high, just never crunchy.
These days, “pomade” has also become a blanket term to encompass “men’s hair products.” Many brands use it without any remote similarities to the slick, shiny pomades we envision when we hear the word. Some brands even have hybrid products that produce similar effects, with a twist. Some of those are featured below, but more or less, the best pomades for men are all somewhat close to the traditional recipe.
Of the ten terrific ones featured below, none strays so far from the original idea that it doesn’t deserve the word “pomade” on its label. But even better, the below roster offers a range of options to consumers, so that every guy can find a pomade that suits his needs. Besides, some guys want swept or slicked over hair, but they also want no resemblance to the “Mad Men” or “Grease” eras of the past.
Here, then, are ten of the best pomades for men.
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Blind Barber 90 Proof Pomade
Blind Barber 90 Proof Pomade
Alright, so the first pomade out the gate breaks a little from form. Blind Barber’s terrific, high-hold recipe delivers a matte finish, though it does allow for a bit of healthy, natural shine. And here is something interesting: It’s formulated with hops (as in, the stuff that makes beer), like many of the brand’s products. As it turns out, hops infuse the hair with protein and help prevent dandruff.
Imperial Barber Classic Pomade
Imperial Barber Classic Pomade
Extra-high hold, low shine, is the result of applying Imperial’s “barber-grade” classic pomade to towel-dried hair. This brand itself is really an ode to the classic barbershop vibe, and all of its products deliver on their promise. This pomade is also easily reactivated with a wet comb, should its wearer want to reset it in a different direction.
Baxter of California Hard Water Pomade
Baxter of California Hard Water Pomade
High hold, high shine. Among Baxter of California’s many excellent hairstylers, its Hard Water Pomade provides a very traditional pomade experience. However, it can also be applied to clean, nearly dry hair for a more piecey, less defined style with slightly less hold and less shine. If that’s not satisfying, simply run wet hands through the hair and comb it into place for a more typical result.
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Murdock London Vintage Pomade
Murdock London Vintage Pomade
There’s nothing more proper than a high hold, medium-to-high shine slickness from a London-based barbershop, especially when that shop calls the product “Vintage Pomade.” And that’s exactly what Murdock London’s product provides: The slickness, the shine, the hold, the quintessential, the perfection.
BluMaan Styling Mask Pomade
BluMaan Styling Mask Pomade
Balance is BluMaan’s strength amongst the competition: Its pomade provides a low but natural shine, a weightless and buoyant control as well as high hold. It’s more ideal for volumized, slicked back looks, like pompadours or more natural-looking coifs (as opposed to tightly combed and polished businessman styles).
American Crew Cream Pomade
American Crew Cream Pomade
While American Crew also makes a terrific traditional pomade, its Cream Pomade formula is also notable. It delivers a low-shine, light-hold finish (like a cream, of course), but still keeps hairstyles tamed to the wearer’s liking. It’s moisturizing for the hair, tames frizz and is a more natural-looking alternative to the pomades of the past.
Malin+Goetz Hair Pomade
Malin+Goetz Hair Pomade
A creamy pomade that delivers high hold with a natural, low-shine finish. Malin+Goetz’s recipe uses natural beeswax for a hydrating, healthy application that won’t weigh down hair or suffocate the scalp. It’s lightweight on application and won’t stick or run throughout the day. Plus, it delivers day-long hold on whichever style the wearer hopes to achieve, be it voluminous, taut, textured or not.
Hanz de Fuko Modify Pomade
Hanz de Fuko Modify Pomade
A versatile styler that delivers medium hold and high shine when applied the traditional way — that is, to clean and towel-dried hair. However, if the wearer doesn’t want a slick, smooth finish, he can also apply Modify Pomade to clean, dry hair for a more textured look with natural shine. It’s made of good stuff too, like castor seed oil to fortify hair follicles, shea butter to hydrate hair and restore scalp health, as well as honeysuckle flower to shield hair from heat and chemical damage.
Jack Black Wax Pomade
Jack Black Wax Pomade
Jack Black’s Wax Pomade provides a medium, re-workable hold and a low-shine, natural finish. This one is more ideal for short and ‘newly medium’ hairstyles since the waxy formula also allows for more texture and definition. Because of its density and touchable control, it’s also a terrific mustache and beard tamer, keeping strays in check and nourishing thick hairs into a bendable, stylable state.
BYRD Classic Pomade
BYRD Classic Pomade
BYRD’s pomade gives a high-hold, medium-shine finish — as traditional as they come. “Hard parts and retro looks” is the brand’s promise, and this pomade falls nothing short of that. A favorite brand among the SoCal, beach-dwelling crowd, BYRD’s Classic Pomade gives laidback guys an excuse to turn up the notch now and again, if they cut their hair short enough for the occasion. (Though it expertly tames back strays and flyaways on longer styles, too.)