Pomade, Clay, Paste or Cream? How to Pick Your Hair Styling Product (A Barber's Guide)

Every styling product on our shelf answers the same two questions: how strong should it hold, and how shiny should it look? That's the whole map. Once you place yourself on those two axes, hold and finish, choosing between pomade, clay, paste and cream stops being guesswork. Here's how our barbers walk clients through it at the chair, using the products we actually stock and use every day.

The 30-second answer

Pomade: shine and control for classic styles

Pomade is the product for deliberate, combed hairstyles: the side part, the pompadour, the slick back. It smooths the hair, keeps a visible comb line, and adds shine that reads polished rather than greasy on straight and wavy hair. Modern water-based pomades (like the Uppercut Deluxe Pomade) give firm hold but wash out with water alone, a real advantage over old-school oil-based formulas that cling for days.

How to use it: Start with a fingertip-sized amount on towel-dried or dry hair. Work it evenly from back to front, then comb into shape. Applying to slightly damp hair increases shine; dry hair mutes it.

Barber's tip: If your style collapses by afternoon, don't add more product: mist with water and re-comb. Water-based pomade reactivates with moisture.

Clay: matte texture and the fuller-hair trick

Clay is what most of our clients actually leave with. It gives a matte, natural finish with medium-to-strong hold. And the part men with fine hair should hear: it visibly thickens. The clays in the formula grip each strand and add body, which is why it's our default recommendation for fine or thinning hair and for textured modern cuts: crops, quiffs, anything with a fade. The Reuzel Matte Clay and Uppercut's matte range are the ones we reach for behind the chair.

How to use it: Less than you think: a pea-sized amount, warmed between your palms until it almost disappears, worked through dry hair from back to front. Push against the growth direction at the roots for lift, then set the shape with your fingers. Two thin layers always beat one thick scoop.

Paste: the flexible all-rounder

Paste (sometimes sold as texture paste or fibre) sits between clay and cream: medium hold, low shine, and its defining feature: it stays reworkable all day. Where pomade wants to be combed once and left alone, paste lets you restyle with your fingers at lunch. It's the right call for shorter textured styles and for anyone who wants their hair to look styled without looking finished. From our shelf: STMNT's styling range covers this territory well.

How to use it: Small amount, emulsified thoroughly in your palms, applied to dry or nearly-dry hair in a scrunching, separating motion rather than smoothing strokes. Build up in layers if you need more.

Cream: light control for longer hair and curls

Cream has the lightest hold and the most natural finish. It doesn't sculpt; it civilises: taming frizz, defining curls and waves, adding moisture and a soft low-shine look you can run your hands through. If you're growing your hair out, wear it longer on top, or have curly hair that turns crunchy with stronger products, cream is your product. It's also the gentlest option if your scalp dislikes waxier formulas.

How to use it: Work a small amount through damp or dry hair, mid-lengths to ends. For curls, apply to damp hair and let it air-dry or diffuse. Don't touch it while it dries.

Match the product to the haircut

The honest secret: the product matters less than the cut under it. A skin fade with a textured crop is designed for clay; a classic scissor cut with length is designed for pomade or cream. If you're fighting your hair every morning, the fix is usually in the chair, not in the jar: book a cut and tell your barber how much morning effort you're willing to spend. We'll cut for the routine you'll actually keep, and you can test any product from our shelf in the chair before buying, at Enge or Europaallee.

FAQ

What's the difference between pomade and clay?
Finish and effect: pomade gives shine and a smooth, combed look; clay gives a matte finish, texture, and visible volume. Hold overlaps: both come in medium and strong versions.

Which styling product is best for fine or thinning hair?
Clay. Its matte minerals grip fine strands and create visible thickness without weighing hair down. Avoid heavy shine products, which can make thin areas more visible.

Should I apply styling products to wet or dry hair?
Clay and paste: dry hair for maximum texture and hold. Pomade: towel-damp for more shine, dry for a matte-leaning look. Cream: either, and damp for curl definition.

How much product should I use?
A pea-sized amount, warmed between your palms until nearly invisible, then more only if needed. Over-application is the number-one styling mistake we see: it flattens volume and turns matte products greasy.

Do water-based products wash out?
Yes. Water-based pomades, clays and pastes rinse out with warm water and a normal wash. Oil-based pomades need several washes, which is why we mainly stock water-based formulas.

Not sure where your hair sits on the hold-and-shine map? Ask at your next appointment: book at Enge or Europaallee, or browse the full styling range with free shipping from CHF 59 and free pickup in both shops.