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10 best men's hair products for every style, from clays to sprays
We've found sculpting solutions for all manner of manes
We are hardly strangers to a sculpted hairstyle; in fact, the odd man out is the one with nothing going on. Just look at celebrity staples like Timothee Chalamet, Brad Pitt or Harry Styles; each are known for their unmistakable mane, whether it’s a second-day bedhead vibe or sleekly styled for the red carpet. Despite the cliched expression that a smile is the first thing you see, we’d argue that hair is a big part of first impressions. It’s that important.
A good styling product is what can make a man’s do, able to control, sculpt, tame and bolster all manners of hair. Long gone are days of being limited by gels, clays and waxes. These days fixes come in all forms, with creams, mousses, pastes and sprays each catering to different styles.
Lacklustre locks that crave volume? Shake out some mousse. Too many flyaways? Give cream a go. Want a quick fix? Spray is the solution.
After months of keeping our manes in check with a range of products to try, these are the products – classic and contemporary – that hold court for any coiffure.
You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Larry King velvet texture clay
It’s no surprise that the winning product in our roundup comes from a man who has styled the hair of countless male celebrities. With his signature bed head-but-better aesthetic and utilitarian approach, Larry King’s velvet texture clay is every bit as easy and efficacious as the man himself. A non-greasy, matte finish makes it look as if nothing is even in your barnet while the soft, warm scent of cedarwood banishes any memory of the sterile smell we get from other styling products.
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Hershesons almost everything cream
When Luke Hersheson named this the “everything cream”, he wasn’t kidding. The cream is a multi-tasking maverick, sorting everything from unwanted flyaways to giving your locks a natural bounce. If you are a wet-your-hair and go kind of guy, run a coin sized amount of this through your barnet and watch it come to life.
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Malin + Goetz hair pomade
A classic pomade made from natural beeswax and a nice blend of ingredients (think meadow foam seed, cannabis sativa seed and soybean), this easy-to-use product is ideal for lacklustre hair that needs a little more nourishment and a lot more shine. If it’s an Instagram-level gloss you are after, this is it. Don’t let that frighten you though; the pomade is perfect if you suffer from a dry scalp or colour your hair, replacing oil that can often be stripped out from processes such as dyeing.
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Hanz De Fuko gravity paste
Hanz De Fuko has become the industry heavyweight when it comes to men’s hairstyling, offering five versions of a wax that cater to all hair types. The best, and certainly the most effective, is a water-based paste that has a little more body and a lot less weight than traditional waxes. Aptly named “gravity wax” for its ability to hold your hair in place while not compromising on natural movement, the formula is rubbery, easy to use and best of all, it smells like vanilla.
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Josh Wood tinted dry shampoo
Dry shampoo is normally something men shy away from as it elicits confusion, but the concept is quite simple; they are meant to minimise the appearance of greasy hair and uplift lacklustre roots, giving your locks bed head body and texture (the good kind). Josh Wood has cleverly infused its eponymous dry shampoo with a tint of colour, restoring roots that may have faded or hiding greys that one may not want. Definitely a must for the greying man who isn’t ready to give up their colour quite yet.
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Harry’s sculpting gel
Harry’s has long been a go-to for shaving solutions, with a subscription service that's as easy as it is efficacious (seriously, the razors are great). Adding to its hassle-free hair options, the new styling gel is ideal for giving a super-slick, fixed finish to any style. Unlike other gels it isn’t too glossy (aka obvious), giving you a natural-looking polish that is perfect for everyday use.
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Horace wax pomade
Made from kaolin clay and sapote butter, Horace delivers one of the few natural waxes on the market that holds its own against the ever-favoured synthetic formulas. If your hair runs on the dry side and can get brittle with pastes or waxes, give this a go; the formula also contains glycerin to hydrate any damaged or dehydrated strands. A winner if you are looking for an easy, day-to-day styling solution.
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Baxter of California clay effect style spray
A styling spray is often a great solution for frizzy, thin hair as they don’t contain any of the weight you often find in gels but offer a matte finish and decent hold to keep everything in place. Packed with natural oils to nourish and antioxidants to strengthen, Baxter’s version is one of the few that actually keeps your style in good shape. Apply to damp hair and work your hands through it to get a natural definition and enviable texture.
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Virtue volumising mousse
Waxes, pomades, clays and gels can all be a little heavy for thinning hair and challenging if you want that coveted bounce. This is where mousse comes in; adding body and a natural-looking thickness to your locks without the weight of traditional styling products. Opt for this one from Virtue which is infused with a keratin protein complex to strengthen and repair a brittle barnet.
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Fudge Matte hed mouldable
Fudge has been a staple in men’s toiletry bags for years. It was the haircare brand of the Naughties and its cult-favourite line has seen a recent revamp to suit modern hair needs. A dry wax-clay hybrid, it's great for adding texture and achieving that second-day bed head look; perfect for that effortless, je ne sais quoi sensibility.
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The verdict: Men’s hairstyling products
The market has really moved on when it comes to styling products; it isn’t just your father's gels that reign supreme anymore, but the new-wave, niche products that have revamped a tired industry. There are plenty of new formulas to try out here, but our favourite classic choice is Larry King’s velvet texture clay for effortless styling.
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