Pomade vs. Clay vs. Wax: A Barber's Guide to Men's Hair Products
Pomade, clay, wax, paste, cream or sea salt spray? Moe's Barbershop in Erin, Ontario explains which men's hair product suits your cut and how to apply it properly.
You walked out of the barbershop looking sharp. Two days later, you can’t get it to sit the same way. Nine times out of ten, the issue isn’t the cut — it’s the product (or how much of it you’re using).
Here’s the quick guide we give clients at Moe’s Barbershop.
The two questions that matter
Every hair product comes down to two things:
- Hold — how firmly it keeps your hair in place (light, medium, strong)
- Shine — how much it reflects light (matte, natural, high shine)
Choose those first, and the right product becomes obvious.
The main products, explained
Matte clay
Hold: medium to strong · Shine: matte
The most versatile product in the shop. Clay adds texture and thickness with a natural, “nothing in my hair” look. Perfect for textured crops, messy styles and thinning hair.
Pomade
Hold: light to strong · Shine: medium to high
The classic choice for slick-backs, pompadours and side parts. Water-based pomades wash out easily; oil-based ones offer more hold but take more effort to remove.
Wax
Hold: medium · Shine: low to medium
A flexible, re-workable hold that’s great for spiky or piecey looks. You can restyle it through the day.
Paste
Hold: medium · Shine: low to medium
Somewhere between a clay and a pomade. A solid everyday option for short to medium cuts.
Cream
Hold: light · Shine: natural
Ideal for longer hair, curls and waves. Adds control and fights frizz without making hair stiff. (See our curly hair guide.)
Sea salt spray
Hold: light · Shine: matte
A pre-styler that adds volume and grit. Spray into damp hair, blow-dry, then finish with clay.
Match the product to your cut
| Your cut | Try |
|---|---|
| Textured crop | Matte clay or paste |
| Skin fade with length on top | Clay or pomade |
| Side part / slick-back | Pomade |
| Curly or wavy top | Cream |
| Thinning hair | Matte clay or sea salt spray |
| Short crew cut | Light paste, or nothing at all |
How to apply it properly
- Start small. A fingertip-sized amount is plenty. You can always add more.
- Warm it up. Rub it between your palms until it’s almost invisible.
- Back to front. Work it in from the back of your head forward so the front doesn’t get overloaded.
- Roots first, then shape. Get product down to the roots for support, then style the ends.
- Keep it off the sides of a fade. Product on a fresh skin fade just looks greasy. Focus on the top.
Ask in the chair
At the end of your cut, ask us to show you how we’d style it and which product we’d use. It’s the easiest way to recreate the look at home.
Book your next cut at Moe’s Barbershop, 99 Trafalgar Rd, Erin, Ontario.
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