Hairstyling products go back as far as the ancient Egyptians where men would style their hair with a fatty type of hair gel. In recent times more refined products have been invented which create different styling effects dependant on the hairstyle or look.
Mass produced hair products came about in the 1920’s with the invention of Brylcream which became the market leader among hair styling products in both the U.K. and the U.S. In 1948, Chase Products became the first company to package hair spray. Hair spray became very popular in the 1950s due to its ability to keep hair in place and prevent hair from falling out of a styled look. These days the range of products is vast from pomades and putties to salt sprays and serums. Here we take a look at some of the main options available these days and how best they will work for you and your style.
Fibre
Fibre gives you high hold with a matte finish, and should be applied to clean, dry hair. It’s ideal for textured, messy styles on guys with short and medium hair.
Serums
The most popular serums are on-greasy and help to control your hair without weighing it down. This formulation uses a blend of different oils to protect your hair from humidity while smoothing dry ends. If you’ve got curly hair, this could be your new go-to.
Hair Cream
Hair creams are great for dry, curly, longer, or thinning hair and for ensuring you can still run your fingers through your hair. They help to moisturise and sometimes even nourish the hair and scalp. If you tend to wash your hair a lot then hair creams will help lock in moisture and nutrients a bit like wearing a conditioner all day.
Pomade
Pomades can be dated back as far as the 18th century and were originally used as an ointment. Derived from the French word pomade meaning ‘ointment’ they later became a hair product. Pomade is a male hair styling product that creates a shiny, firm, long lasting hold. Pomades usually have a high amount of shine and are best to use with a comb (to avoid the clumpy-hair look!). The work well with the pompadour look and give flexibility to change styles easily by combing through.
Clay
Clay works well on all hair textures and lengths but particularly well on messy choppy looks that require more texture. Clay tends to be more matt and less greasy and is great for absorbing excess oil for a voluminous, textured look with zero shine.
Wax
Wax is similar to a pomade but its main ingredient is beeswax and combines the shine of the pomade with the hold and flexibility of the clay. Shorter to medium-length hair and all hair types.
The results are a medium hold, shine, and flexibility with either slight shine or a semi-matte finish and is perfect for shorter to medium length hairstyles.
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