Irrespective of whether you like the classic James Bond clean-cut look or the Elvis Presley signature pompadour, the best pomades for men can help you achieve those and every other hairstyle with ease. Drawing from our experience, unlike wax, sprays, and gels, a pomade will not dry out your hair or make them stiff. So don't worry about looking like a porcupine after using this product, as it provides a more flexible hold and is comparatively hydrating and gentle.

Sharing the benefits of pomades, our contributor Dr. Vinod Vij, Chief Plastic Surgeon & Founder - Clinique Aesthetica, says, “People use pomades because they provide a medium to strong hold for styling their hair while producing a natural and shiny finish. Pomades can be good for the hair's health when used in moderation, as long as the ingredients do not include any harsh chemicals that may damage or dry out your hair.”

Pomades come in different forms, such as water and oil-based. They also impart varying finishes from natural matte to glossy sheen and, of course, everything in between. And depending on your hair density, texture, and requirement, you can choose a low, medium, or high-hold pomade. By now, you would be feeling overwhelmed, so let us take it step-by-step. First, let us go over the top 15 pomades and the wonderful things they can do to your hair.

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  Editor’s Pick

  SUAVECITO Pomade Original Hold

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The Suavecito Pomade Original Hold is one of the most popular medium hold pomades for men. Having shown brilliant results on most hair types, you can use this product to create endless hairstyles like pompadour, slick back, etc. The users of this product especially love the water-soluble base, which means you can spruce up your hairstyle anytime during the day. It also imparts a medium shine and makes your hair appear thicker without stiffness or flaking. Furthermore, the creamy gel-like consistency makes it a cakewalk to comb the product into the hair.

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Long-lasting Formula

AMERICAN CREW Pomade

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Available at a price point in between the drugstore and high-end range, the American Crew pomade delivers a medium hold with a high shine. This water-based formula helps to control highly textured hair so you can create your favorite hairstyle every day. Plus, the lightweight formulation makes it very easy to use this gel. And, with ingredients like hydrogenated castor oil, lanolin wax, safflower seed oil, glycerin, etc., it infuses moisture into the hair. Based on our first hand experience, it does not make the hair crusty or crunchy and can be restyled with water during the course of the day.

3

Matte Finish

OLD SPICE Pomade with Beeswax

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Being a prominent men's brand, Old Spice continues its nostalgic scent legacy with its men’s pomade. Delivering a medium hold, this pomade works on various types and textures of hair. If you deal with frizzy or curly hair, it will help you achieve a natural groomed look. Moreover, made for those who prefer a "no-shine finish", this pomade can be used on both wet and damp hair for styling purposes. Besides, the beeswax enables long-lasting results while retaining moisture in the hair and not making it crunchy. To be noted, if you like clean-cut barbershop-quality results, this pomade is for you!

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Best for Thick Hair

BAXTER OF CALIFORNIA Clay Pomade

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Whether your hair texture is straight, wavy, curly, or coily, the Baxter Clay pomade will enable you to separate and define your locks, and create different hairstyles with ease. While it boasts a firm yet pliable hold, it will not weigh down your hair. It is also made up of kaolin and bentonite clay. These ingredients leave behind a natural, non-shiny, and non-greasy appearance. The beeswax further ensures a long-lasting strong hold, and the fennel oil in the formula helps maintain a healthy scalp. Note that it is slightly hard to wash out, but if that is a good or not-so-good feature, it is for you to decide!

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Best Nourishing Formula

VIKING REVOLUTION Extra Firm Hold Pomade

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Staying true to its name, the Viking Revolution Extra Firm Hold pomade is what you need for those creative hairdos to rock at a play, party, or concert. Ideal for thick, unruly hair, this high hold pomade contains castor oil that is believed to promote hair growth. It also sets quickly and does not flake out. And if you have a thick, long beard, don't worry! This pomade will help you keep every strand in place all day long. Adding to that, let us take a moment to appreciate its packaging — it screams a rowdy, determined, modern man!

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Best for All Ages

HIP PEAS Hair Balm

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The Hip Peas Hair Balm is among the best pomades for babies, toddlers, children, and adults with thin hair. It is a low-hold high-shine pomade made with natural ingredients. This styling wax also has a plant-based formula with ingredients, such as aloe leaf, lavender, comfrey, and blueberry. Plus, it is free from harmful toxins, such as parabens and sulfates. Adding to that, it is lightweight and has a mild pleasant scent. To note more, if you support brands that make effective and environmentally conscious products, this one will be our recommendation. 

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Most Creamy Formula

UPPERCUT DELUXE Matte Pomade

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Inspired by 1950s barber shops, the Uppercut Deluxe matte pomade boasts a strong to medium hold without stiffness. Plus, developed to deliver a natural matte finish, it is perfect for both, a traditional debonair and contemporary stylish man. The creamy consistency further makes it pleasant and easy to spread, and you can use it on both damp and dry hair, provided it is clean and freshly washed. You can also use this pomade on curly, wavy, and straight hair of any length to achieve salon-like results at home. Based on our observations, it is one of the best men's hair pomades for everyday use.

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Best for Curly Hair

CANTU Hair Dressing Pomade

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The perfect fit for curly, straight, and relaxed hair, the Cantu Hair Dressing pomade leaves your hair smelling like a tropical vacation. The formulation is creamy and thick, which helps to smooth frizz, tame flyaways, and define twists while softening the hair strands. It is also enriched with shea butter, an ingredient known for its hydration and moisture retention powers (1). Addedly, while working as a styling cream, it tackles dehydrated hair without clogging the hair follicles. This is indeed a good pomade for both men and women for everyday use. You can apply it over dry, damp, or wet hair with ease. 

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Best for Restyling

AXE Clean Cut Look Classic Pomade

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Say goodbye to unruly hair with the Axe Classic pomade. This is a cult favorite owing to its reasonable price and high performance. It will help you in creating a variety of structured styles, especially if you have short to mid-length hair. Besides, you can expect a medium hold and shiny finish after using this top men’s pomade. Furthermore, a small amount goes a long way, and the box will last you a decent time. We also like that it does not make the hair stiff, crunchy, or flaky but provides good control over the styling and restyling process. 

10

Best Packaging

CRVFT Gel Pomade

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Flaunting clean and elegant packaging that we are absolutely in love with, the CRVFT gel pomade delivers all-day hold without the crunch. This water-based pomade is a clear gel that keeps the hair looking fresh and polished and you can remove it easily at the end of the day. Long, short, curly, wavy, thick, thin, or straight – this high quality pomade works on all hair types and leaves behind a fresh aqua musk scent. Lastly, it is best for clean-cut looks, so if you are a 9 to 5 professional, this pomade should definitely be in your stash!

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SMOOTH VIKING Pomade

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Styling dry hair will no longer be a task, thanks to the Smooth Viking pomade. Casual, formal, classic, slick, or messy, you can create endless hairdos with this non-greasy pomade. It imparts a medium hold and high-shine finish, adding volume and texture to the hair. This pomade further contains hydrogenated castor oil that moisturizes the scalp and strands, making the hair smooth and manageable. The steareth-20 in the formula also aids with hydration and adds shine. All in all, it is easy to apply, effortless to remove, and keeps your hair smelling fresh all day. 

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CREMO Shine Pomade

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The Cremo Shine is a high-hold, high-shine pomade. It is ideal for longer and thicker hair, especially curls. If you suffer from frizzy and unruly hair, this gel will work like magic to give you salon-like smooth hair. Adding to that, while the results are long-lasting, you may want to use a little more product to set the hair. Besides, at this price point, it is one of the best men's pomades owing to its superior performance. Additionally, it comes in different variants if you prefer a matte finish, thickening effect, etc.

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BRICKELL MEN’S PRODUCTS Styling Clay Pomade

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Add texture and volume to your hair without that old-school "glue" effect with the Brickell Styling clay pomade. This gel offers a high hold that lasts a decent number of hours. The finish is also matte to soft-shine, depending on how much product you use. This pomade is composed of certified organic ingredients that are free from parabens and other toxins. Besides, the product includes bentonite clay for frizz control, and argan oil that helps to condition the hair and make it softer and smoother. The hydrolyzed protein, on the other hand, encourages strength and growth while nourishing the scalp. 

14

TEA TREE Grooming Pomade

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Tea Tree grooming pomade brings out the benefits of old-school grooming with a modern kick. This heavy pomade for men adds sheen and offers a flexible hold, ideal for molding hair and defining waves or curls. It also contains flexible resins and vegetable-based conditioners that soften the hair. Plus, the burst of cool mint, tea tree, and citrus refreshes, on the other hand, ensures your hair smells fresh all day long. To be noted, you can use this in conjunction with other hair products of the same range to combat various problems like frizz, dryness, etc. 

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BADGER Hair Pomade

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Rounding off our list with a bang, we have the Badger hair pomade, a hydrating, and softening hair styling product. This all-natural hair pomade is free from harmful toxins and artificial ingredients like parabens, GMOs, synthetic chemicals, etc. It is composed of a simple blend of botanical ingredients, such as babassu seed oil, beeswax, shea butter, sunflower seed oil, etc. These nourishing components help impart great shine to the hair while delivering a light to medium hold. To note more, this formula will especially suit extremely damaged, dry, and frizzy hair, as the oils will work to tame frizz and flyaways while adding moisture and life to your strands. 

And that completes the list of the 15 best pomades for men. Most of these are easy on the pocket and last a long time. So don’t shy away from investing in them if you want perfect-looking hair everyday. The next section covers important considerations while choosing the right pomade for your hair type.

Pomades are a better and more nuanced version of a gel. Therefore, it is ideal for regular, everyday use. Especially reached out for its flexible hold, pomades do not flatter the hair or make it hard. You can still restyle your hair and maneuver around using a little water after using a pomade. Plus, they come in a variety of finishes and strengths, suitable for different hair types. Now, without further ado, let us see how to choose the best pomade for men based on our personal expectations. 

Difference between Gels and Pomades

Discussing the differences between gel and hair pomades, our contributor Dr. Vij says,  “Pomades and gels have differences in their ingredients, texture, overall finish, and hold. Generally speaking, pomades are wax-based products which provide a medium to strong hold yet can be restyled without washing the product out. Gels, on the other hand, provide a strong hold with a more glossy finish and need to be washed out when restyling your hair.”

Product Formulation

Men's pomades are generally and widely available in two forms – oil-based and water-based. There is no best one of the two (it depends on many factors), but the latter is a newer invention and better in most parameters. 

Oil-based pomades are your traditional pomades that contain petroleum, paraffin, mineral oil, etc. They are water-resistant and harder to remove. Choose this when you have a long event to attend and need that extra long-lasting hold. They are also ideal for thick and coarse hair that is harder to style. 

Water-based pomades generally boast a gel consistency that is easier to work with and provides more pliability. To identify them, look for ‘water’ or ‘aqua’ as the main ingredient on the label. They are usually non-flaky and non-irritating with cleaner formulas that can be washed off effortlessly at the end of the day.

Hair Type And Length

Just like you use face moisturizers based on your skin type, choose a pomade based on your hair type for the best results. Those with curly hair can use oil-based, high-hold formulations that will define those bouncy locks while taming frizz. On the other hand, those with wavy hair can style them with medium-hold pomades that are lightweight and don't weigh down the hair. Same for straight hair folks, go for water-based non-greasy formulations that provide flexibility to maneuver around. You can ask your stylist or barber for the type of pomade they use on your freshly cut hair for styling and get one with the same or similar composition.  

Further, if you have short hair, look for pomades that can add some texture and volume. They should be easy to work with and offer a long-lasting hold. If you have long hair that is frizzy and textured, use smoothening water-based pomades for that hydration and moisture lock while styling the hair. 

The Hairstyle You Want

Your pomade purchasing decision can also be determined based on the hairdo you want to create and flaunt. Thus, a glossier finish pomade will be ideal for a hairstyle, such as a slick back. For a pompadour, while you may choose either of the finishes, the holding power of your pomade should be excellent.