The best pomades came from France originally and were popular in traditional American barber shops, when a man’s hair was expected to shine like patent leather and stay firmly in its place! It dropped out of use when the 1960’s hit, hairstyles became long and flowing, and neatly pomaded hair was ridiculed! Since then, we’ve gone through a number of interesting hair trends for men, but what we have now is more creative and diverse than ever before. And to underpin the imaginative new haircuts, something was needed that supported height and shape, without drying or damaging the hair, and offered a range of different finishes.
Enter the newly-formulated and undoubtedly best pomades for men, which allow strong hold to be blended with pliable texture. These are the best pomades, because they don’t contain the scalp-clogging Bear-fat and Lard that were the main ingredients of the original pomades! Modern pomades offer a range of different ‘holds’ based on a water-based formula, which can be easily rinsed away. Natural ingredients like beeswax, hemp seed oil, tea-tree oil and essential oils are becoming available and very popular. This focused review of the top 10 best pomades on the market, will help you find the best pomades for your individual grooming needs!
10. ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS – Dipbrow Pomade – Chocolate
It’s not only women who need to pay more attention to eye-brow grooming right now! Men who care about a well-groomed appearance can also use this smudge-free, creamy formula. A practical product, the formula is a waterproof, brown-tinted pomade that’s ideal for defining and shaping eyebrows. It just glides on and adheres well to your brows, for a very natural look.
This is one of the best pomades for women and men who need a little more definition on their face. Eyebrows that are going grey or growing ‘wild’ do make us look older. That’s why this little pot of tinted ‘eyebrow magic’ is one of the best pomades for men who always like to look their best!
9. Suavecito Pomade Original Hold
This lightly scented hair pomade has a creamy texture and is easy to apply and comb-in to all types of thick hair. Users with thick hair say they like this product because it gives a solid finish, but it doesn’t leave a crunchy texture like a gel. Like all the best pomades, this styling aid helps create a wide range of hairstyles.
And its light fragrance is suitable for daily wear. It’s rated among the best pomades for thick hair and testers said it keeps hair in place all day. It leaves hair with a moderate shine and is water-soluble, making it easy to wash out.
8. Baxter of California Clay Pomade
This product was given an award for Best Pomades for Men – Best Hair Wax, by the prestigious style magazine Details in 2012. It has a strong hold to keep thick hair under control and allows you to separate, define and mold hair. The hair texture stays pliable and the finish is totally matte.
It contains some natural ingredients, like beeswax and clay, and keeps hair in place all day after you’ve styled. The finish you get isn’t crunchy like gel produces, so you can re-style hair easily. Testers said it works great and you only need to use a pea-sized blob!
7. Layrite Deluxe Original Pomade
Layrite Original is marketed as a product which holds as strongly as a wax, but washes out easily, like a gel. It’s recommended for slicked backs, DA’s, flat-tops, parts, high pumps, businessman styles and extreme styles like spiky Mohawks.
It should work equally well with fine and very thick, coarse hair types. Our tester said this gives a strong, lasting hold without being too stiff or greasy and it’s very easy to wash out. The subtle, vanilla scent is just right and you only need to apply a small amount to get the style of your choice!
6. Imperial Classic Pomade
Perfect pomades for thick hair! Imperial is offered as a Classic Pomade with ‘industrial strength hold’, so this is one of the best pomades for men with thick, coarse hair. This is another water-based hair pomade and leaves a semi-sheen finish, that’s between matte and gelled shine.
You can also adjust the hold factor by diluting the strength of the pomade, so if you applied it on wet hair, you’d get a lighter hold. Our tester had pretty thick hair and it laid down his hair straightaway and when he got caught in the rain later on, his hair didn’t budge. Some users said this is one of the best pomades for a stiff hold.
5. American Crew POMADE FOR HOLD AND SHINE
A great pomades for curly hair! Here’s one of the best pomades for men who like natural ingredients! American Crew is one of the few pomades that publishes a list of ingredients, in this case they include: Ginseng Root, Lanolin, Castor Beans. This is a medium-hold styling product, which users said isn’t greasy or too crisp.
Testers said it works well on straight or curly hair, gives a light hold without feeling stiff and leaves hair with a nice shine. The light fragrance is also ‘natural’ and subtle. This is one of the best pomades for women who like to run their fingers through your hair!
4. Common Wealth Fix Matte Wax Hair Pomade With Cashew Oil Fiber Hold Paste Gel Molding Shaping Styling Cream
This is one of the best pomades for men who like to keep their dry/normal hair well-nourished by natural proteins. The product contains soy and wheat proteins, to moisturize and re-structure damaged hair. There’s also cashew oil antioxidant to protect hair from air-pollution.
This pomade is recommended for a matte finish with good hold and a pliable finish. Users say they like it because its natural ingredients don’t damage their hair, and the scent is light. The hold was judged ‘pretty good’ and it doesn’t make hair greasy, which is a benefit over other matte pomades!
3. Strong Hold Pomade for Men – Best Hair Styling Formula for Maximum Hold and High Shine – Perfect for Straight, Thick and Curly Hair
Viking’s Strong Hold Pomade is a popular water-based styling aid you can use on all types of hair. It leaves a good shine on hair for a slick, well-groomed finish. For light hold, apply it to wet hair before styling and for maximum hold use it on dry hair.
There’s a touch of retro about Viking’s marketing with a lot of emphasis on looking ‘dapper’, which suggests it’s popular with middle-aged men, not just ‘dudes’. It’s strong enough for a boy’s Mohawk, according to one tester, but don’t use too much or the hair will look white! This pomade also available at walmart.
2. Layrite Superhold Pomade
If you’re looking for a great pomade for natural hair, try this one! Layrite Superhold is one of the best pomades for thick hair and it promises to keep even the curliest and thickest hair in place all day. It’s a water-based styling aid that’s designed to hold like a wax, but wash out easily.
Our tester with African-American 4C hair says this is a powerful pomade and he definitely recommends it for controlling a lot of hair. It’s good for getting a slicked back style on thick, straight Asian hair, too. Users say it’s not super-shiny, but it’s one of the best pomades for serious, lasting hold! This is a great pomades for fine hair.
1. Jovinno Premium Natural Hair Styling Pomade – Medium/Strong Hold, Non-Greasy – Water Soluble 5oz! Made in France
The No. 1 spot in our Top 10 Best Pomades on the Market goes to all-natural Jovinno. We all tried out this pomade and can recommend it for all ethnic hair types. You get a medium hold with a flexible finish, and it’s also good for short spiky styling.
Jovinno is one of the best pomade for men, (and women with short hairstyles), who don’t want harmful chemicals in their hair products. Jovinno always publishes the full list of natural ingredients in its marketing blurb. And it does such a great job on hair that although it’s more expensive, users love this pomade!
