Men\'s Hair Products: What They Do, When to Use Them, and How to Recommend the Right One

Most men who walk into a barbershop do not know what category of product they need. They know they want their hair to "look like that" and they may be using whatever they bought at the drugstore, which may be wrong for their hair type or their style. A barber who explains product categories and applies the right product at the end of the service produces a client who understands what they have and how to use it, which produces a client who rebooking to maintain the style you created.

The Main Categories

Pomade. Available oil-based or water-based. Oil-based pomades provide shine, pliability, and hold; they do not wash out easily and build up with daily use without washing. Water-based pomades offer similar hold and shine but wash out easily. Best for: high-shine styles (slick backs, classic combed styles, wet looks), medium-thick hair that holds shape well. Not ideal for: fine hair (can weigh it down), low-shine or matte looks.

Clay. High-hold, matte finish, light to medium weight. Clay thickens the appearance of fine hair and provides strong hold without the shine that pomade creates. Best for: textured crops, messy styles, disconnected fades, clients who want strong hold without looking "done." Not ideal for: smooth, high-shine styles or very coarse hair that needs hydration.

Wax. Similar to pomade in finish (can range from low to high shine), with a stiffer initial texture that softens with hand warmth. Provides strong hold and definition. Best for: styles that need structure and separation (spiky looks, quiffs, defined individual sections). Not ideal for: natural or smooth styles that should not look defined.

Cream. Light hold, low to no shine, moisturizing. Provides natural movement and texture without stiffness or shine. Best for: natural styles, wave patterns, low-maintenance clients who want casual texture rather than defined hold. Not ideal for: styles that require strong hold or where shine is part of the look.

Mousse and spray. Lightweight volumizers, typically applied to wet or damp hair before blow-drying. They do not hold on their own but add body and assist the blow-dry in creating volume. Best for: pompadours, quiffs, blowouts, any style where volume is the goal rather than definition.

Making the Recommendation

Apply the product at the end of the service. Showing is faster than explaining. Tell the client what you used and why: "This is a matte clay, it gives you hold without the shine and works well with your texture." Then sell it from the shelf. A client who knows exactly what product was used and why, and saw the result, is far more likely to purchase than a client sent to the shelf to figure it out alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between pomade, wax, and clay?

Pomade (oil or water-based) produces shine and pliability, best for smooth, high-shine styles. Clay provides strong hold with a matte finish and adds body to fine hair, best for textured or matte looks. Wax sits between the two in terms of finish and provides definition and separation with firm hold, best for structured styles. The main variables to match to the client are hold level (light, medium, strong), finish (matte, low shine, high shine), and whether the product should add weight or lift.