A Decade of Barbering

Do you remember when I became a barber?

Roughly 11 years ago I brought everyone in the world of Pomade and Pompadours on my journey of becoming a barber. I had made a small handful of videos on my YouTube channel showcasing my barber school. Back in 2012 a ton of you followed that journey intently! I also had a lot of followers come to my barber school, as well as the first shop I had worked at in San Francisco. Do you know how good it felt when the other barbers and stylists took notice that I had a “fan” base? I was one of the only people who had no background in cutting hair, so I didn’t even have a handful of friends to give me any social proof of my barbering skills. By then, I had met so many people in that first year who were willing to come to San Francisco to get a haircut from me, and it was amazing. The feeling of support and community, the fellowship, and an unwarranted adoration from so many people were like no other.

Some people continued to support me as I took my barbering out of San Francisco and to Redwood City then Belmont; only about 20-25 minutes outside of San Francisco respectively, but too far for everyone to carry on with their support.

This level of risk was absolutely terrifying. Even though it wasn’t my choice (I got fired, heh,) the reality of starting over in an up-and-coming shop, in an area where I didn’t know the lay of the land, was truly the test of my wanting to be a barber. Having started my barbering career in a shop that was already established and had some world-renowned barbers occupying that space meant that I didn’t have to ‘earn’ my clientele, I was just fed them. This time around? It was all on me, and I had no idea if my reputation built in San Francisco carried any weight outside the 7 by 7 city…

The shop was Captain’s Sk8 & Cuts, where I was the first and only barber there. The owner (while his wife is a hairstylist) was anything but a barber. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing! He had a vision that I wanted to be a part of, but ultimately that same vision was the reason why I would no longer be a part of that shop. I only knew the San Francisco level of service (which at that time, was considered “elevated,”) and I never knew how to operate a first-come-first-served style of shop. I never even went to that kind of barbershop as a kid! Eventually, I imposed my style of barbering, which was more by-appointment-only, and I had built a reputation. In a short amount of time, the reputation started to grow and people heard about the shop, Saturdays in the barbershop really felt like Saturdays in the barbershop! Working 9 to 9, kicking back with pizza and beer at the end of the day, it was fun! It was an amazing experience to have built out a barbershop reputation from soup to nuts. My reach had actually expanded, and I had clients from even further coming out to support me! They sacrificed their time and money to become my clients, and I really grew to appreciate that level of patronage. Ultimately, I had to part ways with the shop because money became an issue (business model,) and had me second-guessing my career as a barber.

Eventually, I found my way to Belmont, where I worked out of an old-timey shop called Bushwackers; which ended up buying and rebranding Captain’s Sk8 & Cuts some years later.

Bushwackers was fast-paced, reputation, and patrons stemming from the 1970s, and probably still had some hair on the floor from that era. What’s not to love? The money was constantly coming in, as it had been an established shop in the neighborhood for quite some time, but that also meant it carried the same price tag from back then. $20 for over 20 years! This level of work was hard on the body, because – by design – you’re supposed to optimize your work and do 3 cuts an hour. That’s some good money! But the end result was something I couldn’t say I was proud of because it lacked something important to me that I’d come to realize later in my career: connection. I, again, imposed my methodology and made less money, but had come to enjoy the overall work environment and quality of life it provided. Though I made less money than the other barbers, I still maintained a healthy connection with my clients, which will serve me well down the line.

While working there, Chris (whom I met working in San Francisco,) had reached out as he was finally opening up his shop and had wanted me to join the team. This was huge! The barbers that helped shape my career in 2013 finally reunited in 2014! One year apart doesn’t seem like a lot of time, but so much happened in that time frame. So being able to pick up where we left off was exciting! Everything felt like it did back then. Exciting, new, and hopeful for a long and fruitful future.

Being part of the Dogpatch journey, not just the barbershop, but the community, was everything I had wanted. It had the taste of a community barbershop in Redwood City, felt as if we were building a legacy barbershop like Bushwackers, but still had the contemporary vibe of being in San Francisco. Man… This was it for me! Or, so I thought…

Throughout the years I thought the place and environment were what I was after. I thought I wanted heavy old barber chairs, maybe some subway tile backsplash, or some obnoxiously loud music. All of these can be components of a barbershop, for sure. But after some time I came to realize that a barbershop without its patrons is just a room full of chairs…

One thing I took away from the various locations and shops I’ve worked at was that I liked the connectivity I had built not only with the barbers but also with the patrons and clients of the shops. I’ve met so many people in such a short amount of time! I mean, how often do you get to interact with dozens of people a day, with various backgrounds and upbringings, and get to know them in a very intimate way? And then rinse, cycle, repeat this process day in and day out for a decade? The way I got to connect with people in that time has made me more understanding and empathetic in ways I couldn’t have imagined when I first embarked on this journey. Barbering is typically looked at as a results-driven industry; very transactional. I cut your hair, you give me money — that’s it. This is a very linear business and has been that way since the beginning of time. But for someone like me who has grown and learned other aspects about what it means to be a barber, I’ve started to outgrow that old way of business…

My clients started off as just that: Clients. As time progressed and my ability to communicate improved, what was proposed as just a simple exchange in value became more than that. The value became more than a haircut or a service. It became a level of connectivity no one expected to make. Even clients that I’ve only worked with for 5-6 haircuts understood the value I brought to the table. It was far different than any barber they’ve encountered in their lives. We’ve developed a friendship from what started off as a business transaction.

Not friendly like you are with your local barista or bartender (unless you’re a hardcore regular!) But friendly to the point where even when my clients had moved across the other side of the Bay Area in 2020, they still came all the way across the bridge to support me. They’ve converted everything else to their locality. From bread makers, dentists, and restaurants, but the one thing they’ve maintained on this side of the Bay Area was me — their barber. Most people wouldn’t support their barber when they increase their price, but to invest their time and money into maintaining their relationship with their barber on a recurring schedule? I’ve even had clients move out of California make a point to make an appointment with me, or come by the shop to catch up! That amount of support is something I’ll always share my gratitude towards.

The amount of impact a lowly barber could provide is something else!

Ultimately, I’ve made the extremely difficult decision to transition away from barbering…

Why? Why would I build up this story to tell about the relations I’ve built with barbering? Why would I throw those connections away? Why would I invest the last decade into a trade and just give up on it?

The answer is simple: I have to.

As unfortunate as it is, I’m in the phase of life where I need to begin providing value away from barbering and into another field. It sounds ridiculous, but that’s where I’m at in life. I know the value I provide and tried and true in the barbershop setting. I need to know if it’s truly valuable outside of it.

Believe me, it is tough to walk away from an amazing clientele base that professed their unparalleled support for me with this career change. Many of them admit that I was the “best” barber they’ve ever had. While I will contest that they’ve had better haircuts out there, the type of connection and comfort a lot of my clients got from sitting in my chair will go unchallenged. To be able to converse with any and all walks of life without quantifying their value to a dollar amount is extremely rare in the barbering world. Every seminar or course out there for barbers and hairstylist overlook the value proposition and place it on a simple metric of dollar and time. While that isn’t objectively wrong, I’ve learned to appreciate barbering outside of that, and that’s why I need to step away from it.

Being in this place of growth means I can’t be doing the same thing I’ve done for the last 10 years and expect a different outcome. If any of the changes I’ve experienced over the last decade has taught me anything, is that I can adapt and rise to the occasion. And seeing the value outside of the surface level is a valuable skill set in and of itself. But allowing others to also see that same value is unique.

What does the next step bring? I don’t know. All I know is I hope to utilize everything I’ve learned through this blog and becoming a barber, in whatever the next adventure brings.

Until the next time,

Pomp Hard

Continue the journey with me on TikTok!

Pomade Review: Admiral Supply Co.

First pomade review of the year!

Brett of Admiral hit me up back when I was ready to take the few steps away from barber school, test for my barber’s license, and step into a barber shop. And unfortunately, that frantic time frame meant I wasn’t able to get back to him! But, when a bit of free time opened up I shot him an email and with open arms sent out a jar of his pomade. This stuff came pretty quickly, considering he was shipping it up from San Diego. Now relocated back to San Francisco, I could only imagine how much quicker it would come to my doorstep! Or maybe met up at the bar? Who knows. But, without further adieu, let’s get to the pomade review!

A few pomade brands have taken to the glass jar packaging. In my opinion, it’s a real nice and classic touch. But, no other water-soluble brands have went in this direction…

Admiral comes in a nice amber glass jar with a silver tin lid. A clean and simple style of package can go a long way. And the fact that you can use these jars for something else after you’re done with the pomade? And chances are, you’ll have a few empty ones? Man… You can’t beat that!

The labeling on the jar is clean, simple, effective, and most of all… proper.

Seamlessly printed onto the jar, the white Laurel wreath and anchor logo is perfectly centered on the jar, as well as the ingredient list and barcode. To add a bit of color-flare to the mix, a red and white trim sticker is placed on top of the silver lid. Like other brands with similar packaging (but plastic,) the hint of red really makes the packaging pop.

Twisting off the lid, you get a nice whiff of coconut. Now, personally, I hate coconut… Don’t you dare place no damn Mounds in my Halloween candy sack! Fortunately, this stuff isn’t too pungent, so the aroma of coconut doesn’t bother me one bit, instead its subtleties is rather pleasant.

Sorry, no picture of the pomade in the tin, I got too excited to use it on a client!

Scooping this stuff out is different than most water-soluble pomades. Rather than feeling like a gel, this stuff comes out feeling really creamy. It may be the hint of beeswax in it, but to the touch this stuff feels really nice, and you can tell it’ll apply evenly and smoothly. But, how does that affect the hold?

I tried this stuff on several clients of varying hair textures and it held their pomps up with no problem! Take a look:

Alex

Ed

Both of these clients have very dense and straight hair. Alex’s hair is a bit thicker than Ed’s, so seeing how this stuff works for both of these guys is pretty cool. Remember, the density of your hair is going to make a huge difference in terms of what hairstyle will work for you… Of course, depending on your barber or stylist – they should be able to work their “magic” with your hair and help you achieve various looks depending on your desires…

In terms of wavy hair, I found that this stuff won’t get the hair the straightest, since it isn’t the heaviest water-soluble pomade around, but decent enough to style up a smooth pomp without the waves kicking left and right.

With or without blowdrying, you’ll be able to comb up a nice tall pomp or a lower-profiled side-part. The way this stuff holds and sticks together is real nice. Like I said, it has a creamy feel to it as you scoop it out, which applies to how it’ll hold the hairs together, even the little ones that like to stick out!

As most water-soluble pomades go, this stuff has very little to no sheen and does harden (especially with a lot of water in the hair.) But, I noticed it doesn’t get crunchy… Get the difference? The sitff-crunchiness of water-soluble pomades is definitely a turn-off for many, while the hardening can be easily excused. And by that, I mean that when you run your fingers through the hair after it hardens, the now “messed up” hair feels relatively soft and not crunchy… Makes sense? I hope so! I applied this stuff to myself with dampened hair and noticed that it didn’t stiffen like some other gel-type pomades did, but hard enough to give it a solid hold throughout the day without the worry of it splitting apart. Pretty nice, yeah?

This Admiral impressed me. With an overall clean and simple product, this stuff would definitely suit several shops and individuals. The packaging: as I said, is great. The scent: not overbearing like most coconut scented pomades. The pomade: light enough to work smooth finishes with thicker hair, yet, thick enough to hold up finer hair. The product as a whole: a great addition to any personal collection or shop looking to add some diversity (in terms of packaging as well as product type.)

Big thanks again to Brett for shooting me some of his dope pomade! Look forward to meeting you in the near future!

Until the next time, folks…

Pomp Hard!

Recent Haircuts.

Here’s a few more of my recent haircuts.

Click to continue reading.

Enjoy!

Video: Blowdrying a Pompadour.

Long time no updates and no videos!

Finally got some time to make a quick video, showing y’all how you can get a bigger and fuller pomp with a simple blowdry styling technique, all while using a light pomade! I’ve gotten several requests to do so, so why not? Hope y’all dig it!

Pomade Review: SCurl 360 Style Wave Control Pomade

Every time I’ve seen this pomade, I’ve seen it in its plastic container. And for me, I prefer the tins over the plastic containers. So, when I spotted a few of these metal tins, I knew I just had to pick them up. It didn’t help that my buddy Rusty showed me how this stuff works in his hair, which convinced me to look for this stuff. And by the way, his hair was lookin’ proper!

Disclaimer:

This post will include Affiliate Marketing links in which I may receive a small commission for qualifying purchases. Every link is linked to a product that I, myself, have purchased and used personally as well as professionally.

As I said, this is a product that you’ll usually find in the plastic container. But, if you happen to find it in the tin, why not pick it up? It’s readily available like Murray’s, so you should be able to find this stuff at a local grocery or drug store. Either way, both version of the containers are two-toned blue. It subtly sits on the shelf, but pops out amongst the rest of the products around it.

Opening it up is what discouraged me for the longest time, and chances are, discouraged most of you as well. When you look at it, you see a creamy lookin’ paste. Now, we all want that greasy shit- I would know, that’s what I dig! So when we come across stuff like this, it’s real easy to pass up. But, you’d be surprised when you actually scoop this stuff out!

As I said, you see a ‘creamy lookin’ paste.’ But, surprisingly, this stuff is the opposite of that.

Scooping it out, you’ll find that while the 360 Style is creamy, it’s far from a paste or typical hair cream. It is closer to a hair cream than a typical pomade, but it’s rather thick and somewhat greasy, as it has petrolatum as its main ingredient. The scent is pleasant, yet subtle, like a baby powder.

Now, if you’ve read the tin, it states that there’s no build-up. Which means, you gotta be attentive when applying this stuff. If you use more than needed, you’ll comb it right out and won’t be able to comb it back in. Trust me, I’ve wasted a good amount of this stuff, by using a tad too much! And you’ll definitely comb a lot more out, if your hair is too wet. So, apply a generous, yet, conservative amount to damp hair.

Combing the 360 Style is real nice, especially if you haven’t combed most of it out, from not applying it properly! It’s real easy to style with, like a nice medium weight pomade, yet, it holds in place like a gel-type pomade. While it does ‘harden’ a bit, it won’t harden as much as the usual gel-type pomades would. The tin states that it’s “non greasy,” which is true, but you still get a nice sheen from the product due to the petrolatum.

Now, it’s easy to pass up these types products, because they’re not “what greasers use.” But, just it’s because the pomade is ‘what “real” greasers use,’ doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll give you the best pomp in the world, or even a good pomp! Don’t believe me? Take a look:

Yes folks, this pomade is the one that did the trick. And no, I didn’t do a build up or use any other pomade with it. This picture was taken right after I put this stuff in for the very first time. So, save your “real greasers use this and that” argument for another day. Because the proof is in the pudding and this stuff works like a charm! And if it keeps my hair lookin’ this good, well, you can figure that out for yourself!

The tin also states that it “rinses out easily with water.” Key word being rinses. Meaning, you won’t wash this stuff right out with just water. Since it still has petrolatum in it, it will still take a good shampoo to wash it out. But don’t worry, it’s not something you’ll need to take olive oil to!

Overall, I gotta say… this pomade rocks. Big thanks to my buddy Rusty for introducing me to it. I really dig it and have already put a number of cats onto it. It styles really damn well, almost without fail. It was strong enough to control my waves, but wasn’t stiff to the point where my hair wouldn’t blend together. Plus, it’s cheap and readily available, how can you go wrong with that? This is definitely a pomade you cats should reconsider, the next time you walk into the ethnic section of your grocery stores.

Well, that’s all for now folks. We’ve got a few more store-bought pomades to review. And hopefully, they’ll build up a reputation, just like I know this stuff will! Until the next time.

Click the link below to purchase:

Luster 360 Style: https://amzn.to/32KTSTC
Luster 360 Style 2-pack: https://amzn.to/36zMXO4

Stay Greasy and Pomp Hard!

Pomade Review: Kustom Kreeps (True Fright)

Up next, is the last pomade from the Kustom Kreeps Pomade line, True Fright. To my surprise, this is one of the most anticipated pomades coming out of the Kustom Kreeps Pomade line. Being their lightest hold, I was sure that folks wanted to know more about the other two. But alas, this one got the most requests. (That’s not to say the others haven’t gotten their fair share of requests, but this one just had a few more!)

Again, amazing work from Nik Scarlett. Between the three, this one just happens to be my favorite. The grey face really stands out from the black and shades of red background. Any different color palette would’ve taken away from the design. So big ups to Nik for having good taste!

Opening it up, you get a pomade that looks like an orange slush… seriously. This stuff looks good enough to eat! And being backed with a root beer candy scent, it’s almost tempting!

Scooping it out, you might get the temptation to stick this stuff in your mouth, as the root beer scent becomes a bit more aromatic. To the touch, this stuff feels real greasy. And in the websites product description, it states that it’s similar to Brylcreem. But, how similar?

Imagine yourself (for whatever damned reason) being stranded in the desert, with a straw and a tin of this stuff. Yeah. You’d be goin’ to town!

Unfortunately, this stuff isn’t so much like Brylcreem. In comparison with the rest of the products, yes, considering this is their lightest offering. But in the hair product world, it’s far from it. Having a microcrystalline wax and petrolatum base, this pomade is considerably thicker and waxier than Brylcreem, which has a water and mineral oil base. And being waxier, means it doesn’t have the shine Brylcreem does, either.
Applying it is just like Monster Attack – easy. 

When I first applied this stuff, it went into my hair straight out of the shower. And as most of you know, that’s not something I usually do. To my surprise, it didn’t clump or streak whatsoever. Unlike most microcrystalline wax products, streaks are almost guaranteed when your hair is remotely wet.

Styling with this stuff is nice, probably my favorite out of the three. It’s a lot more malleable than Monster Attack, which allows you to style up real nicely. But, don’t expect to get a lot of hold. Afterall, this is their light hold! Unfortunately, since I haven’t had a haircut in nearly a month, my hair (sides and back) was too long for this stuff keep things real slick, but just enough to keep the hairstyle tidy.

While the shine pales in comparison to Brylcreem, it still has the most shine in the pomade line. But the shine is just not like other light pomades or hair dressings. Take a look:

Note: I used this stuff during the weeks before my haircut and a few days afterwards, and I got the best results post-haircut. But, I’m posting how this stuff styled my hair pre-haircut, to show how it works with hair that’s “too long” (in my opinion) for this stuff. 

Now, don’t expect this stuff to hold up in the heat, especially if you’re the type to go for height! But, if you like the ability to re-comb your products throughout the day, this stuff definitely allows you to do so, without sacrificing the initial styling shape of the hairstyle. And like the rest of the Kustom Kreeps Pomade line, this stuff transfers from your hair to whatever, especially in the heat. But I plan on revisiting this product in the winter time, to see how it holds in the cold. So don’t forget to check back then!

Overall, I really dig how this stuff styles- it didn’t control the waves in my hair, but it also didn’t over accentuate them. Now, personally, I wouldn’t suggest this pomade for cats with longer hair, it just doesn’t have enough hold to keep it all together. But, folks with shorter hair, it’s definitely worth checking out. It’ll hold the shorter hairs together nicely, while keepin’ things nice and slicked, just the way we like it, yeah?

Another big thanks to Calyn for giving me the chance to review the pomade line. It was a blast to use each and every one of em. I know I’ll blast through Death Grip this summer!

Again, it was a blast. Unfortunately, this just about wraps it up for the reviews for the Kustom Kreeps pomade. But, hopefully we’ll see more stuff from them in the future? Who knows. But until next time folks.

Stay Greasy and Pomp Hard!

Video: How To Comb A Sharp Part

Hey folks, I finally got around to making another video.

Todays video, is about combing a sharp part. When you see someone with a sharp part, you know they care about their hair and know what they’re doing. Most of the times, when you see someone with a part, it’s usually crooked and just a sloppy mess. Chances are, whenver you’ve seen them with a clean-sharp part, their barber or hairstylist probably did it for them!

Well, to make things easier, I’ll be giving you cats a few tips on how to get that clean part you’ve always wanted. Unfortunately, the combs I planned on using, weren’t in my bathroom. But, do not fret, I still gave you all a few different ways to get that part.

Hope y’all dig it!

Top 3 Ways To Wash Out Pomade.

When it comes to pomade, there’s a two way street: various ways of putting this shit in your hair and various ways of taking this shit out of your hair. Some are typical, many are funky. I mean funky! From vinegar and baking soda, to actual soda…yeah, everyone has their preference. You might use a family tradition or just need that state of mind of how your hair feels afterwards, regardless of product you use. Whatever method that’s out there, I’ve tried most of them. I’d say all, but I never tried peanut butter (because it’s the oils that breaks down the grease!) So, after many hours spent in the shower and money spent on random ingredients, here are my top 3 ways to washing out pomade!

3) Dax Removing Shampoo:

When it comes to “degreasing shampoos’” I’ve been very hesitant to try em out. Why? Because quite frankly, a lot of them do jack shit when washing out pomade! Many store bought shampoos are developed to wash out their own styling products, and most of those styling products don’t meet the expectations (FUCKIN GREASE) for the most of us. Fortunately, Dax Removing Shampoo is one of the few shampoos that actually cut the grease out and does it pretty damn well! I’ve only had to put this shampoo my hair twice (three times, at most) to thoroughly wash out a heavy pomade. And by thoroughly, I don’t mean any pomade residue left! Not too shabby! It’s definitely a treat to finally find a legitimate shampoo that gets the job done.

The reason this is number three, is because of the price and availability. Of course, you can buy it online, but not everyone likes to go that route, especially moi. Locally, it’s not that readily available – I’ve only came across 2-3 shops that had this shampoo and it was $10+/-. Since you won’t need to use heaping globs of it to wash your pomade out, and you probably won’t be using this on a day-to-day basis, having a bottle or two on hand will go a long way. So, if you do end up buying this, use it days you want to thoroughly wash your hair out, like the week you get a haircut or something. As it is, I don’t recommend washing your hair with a shampoo every day, anyways…

2) Suave’s Groom & Clean:

To the many people who suggested this stuff to me, I thank you. This is easily one of the best standalone products to cut the grease out. Not only does it cut out the grease, with ease, it’s also (first and foremost) a styling product, which surprisingly, styles really well.  It’s a greaseless, lightweight styling product, which will give you nice subtle pomps or killer slick backs. It’s also one of the few products that lets your hair effortlessly blend in. If you want a killer ducktail, try this stuff out! Not only are you cutting grease out of your hair, you’re also able to go out with your hair styled, all at the same time! Now you don’t have to be a hermit on your “off” days.

While I did say it’s one of the best standalone product to cut out pomade, it just barely falls short of being in the number one spot…

1) Olive Oil + Dish Soap.

[Do you really wanna see what kind of olive oil and dish soap I have? If so, go to Costco.]

Now, while the other products on the list make washing out pomade a breeze, there’s a very specific reason why this combo falls into the number one slot – everyone has it. When people scramble to find a can of soda to wash their hair, or say “fuck this peanut butter sandwich, I wanna wash my hair,” they look past some of the most basic components in their kitchen. I mean, look at your kitchen now, you know where your dish soap and olive oil is, don’t ya? While the oil in peanut butter will cut out grease, there’s no reason to opt. for a head of peanut butter, over a tablespoon of olive oil and a couple of lathers of dish soap. And no matter what people say, no, this shit ain’t bad for your hair! You ever see those commercials, where they use it to wash crude oil off of ducklings? If a baby duck won’t ruffle their feathers over dish soap, I’m pretty damn sure you’ll be alright using this stuff to degrease. *ba-dum-dum-TSH*

Well folks, there you have it, my top 3 ways to wash out pomade. I’ve heard em all and tried most of em, but don’t be afraid to share your ways with everyone, comment and share the wealth with others!

Until the next time, folks.

Pomp Hard!

Pomade Revew: Black Magic

This is one pomade that has always caught my eye, but I’ve been turned off by it’s plastic packaging. There’s something about having a nice tin, that really draws me to a pomade. So, as soon as I finally stumbled upon it in a tin, I just had to pick some up!

In my opinion, the simple color palette on this tin is really nice. The silver tin, with a black rimmed lid, black and white script, red strips, and a brass lip around the tin. If this isn’t a kickass color palette, then I don’t know what is! The brass lip and red strips really make this tin stand out from the rest, it’s just that nice! Unfortunately, most shops only stock the plastic contained version, so you won’t get that nice brass detail. But if tin designs aren’t your thing, then you’ll have nothing to worry about.

Opening it up, you see a rich, slightly golden pomade, with a very subtle powdery scent. Yeah, powdery scent. If only I had the actual fragrance names, I could stay away from using this description!

From the looks of it, it looked to be a heavy pomade – which is another reason why I was hesitant to pick it up. From my experience, a lot of these heavy pomades are really meant for black folks hair. It just works much better for their hair, than folks with straighter hair… that’s just the way it is. But to my surprise, this stuff was lighter than it looks.

Scooping it out, I saw that this stuff was a medium weight pomade, but a bit on the lighter end of the spectrum. On the lid, it says it’s a “Light Pomade,” but it’s still far from a hairdressing. Now, for the most part, I’ve had really good results with pomades of this consistency; malleable enough to style the product with ease, yet has enough hold to keep the sides down tight, and the pomp nice and bulbous. But running this stuff through, proved to be something different…

While still being in the medium weight range, applying and combing this stuff through, you don’t really get that much hold. It’s surprisingly lighter than I had thought it would be… Kind of a bummer. Not only did it not have too much hold, it also didn’t have that much sheen, which is something that most pomades of this weight range have.

Now, in the heat… this stuff… MELTS…  This is because shea butter pomades are a whole lot lighter than petrolatum based pomades, that don’t have shea butter as an ingredient. But still… with petrolatum as it’s main ingredient, you’d expect a bit more hold, yeah?

Overall, I can’t say I really dig this stuff, aside from the packaging. It’s not bad, but for my long, thick, and wavy hair, I need something with a bit more umph to it. But, that doesn’t mean it won’t work out for someone else. So you cats with the straight hair or considerably shorter hair,  this would definitely be one to check out – especially if you’re not in need of a whole lot of hold for height.

Well folks, that’s it for now. Until the next time!

POMP HARD!

Pomade Review: Hairgum USA’s ROAD Line.

Hairgum USA is one hair care company that knows their scents. Having loved the Coke scented Mr. Ducktail’s signature pomade, I knew that anything else from them was going to be just as good, if not better. Well, maybe not better… You just can’t beat a Coke scented pomade! As soon as I got the Road line in, my lady dove right in and smelt each and every one of em, and loved the scents. So fellas, if you want something that’ll draw the ladies in, this is definitely a line you’ll want to check out, and it’ll be fish-in-a-barrel from here on out!

Hairgum’s Road line is more so aimed towards the rockabilly world than anything. With three different scents: Coconut, Vanilla, and Tiare (floral,) each being just as amazing as the other, you’ve got your hands full when picking out a grease to draw in the babes. If the ladies haven’t complimented you on the smell of your hair, you’re doing something wrong!

The tins aren’t like the usual 1.3 oz, flat tins we’ve seen from Hairgum. Instead, we get a 3.5oz silver tin with white, black, and red lettering and detail; a color palette that I personally dig. The top of the lid is printed with a tachometer, making the Road line, a little bit more literal.

Each pomade is a different color, matching their specific scents respectively.

The consistency of the whole line seems to be virtually the same. The different scents only slightly change the texture of the individual products, but not enough to change properties of them. The vanilla has a greasier-creamy  feel, while the coconut has the classic Hairgum look and feel, and the tiare being a tad big lighter than the vanilla. Quite confusing, ain’t it?

The Road line is a tad lighter than the Mr. Ducktail edition, in terms of hold. I know that folks felt that the Mr. Ducktail was too light for them. Chances are, they had ordered the 1.3 oz tin and didn’t want to use all that much for their hair. Which is completely understandable. With these coming in a 3.5 oz, you won’t need to use it so sparingly. Trust me folks, I know it’s a total mindfuck when you see small containers and don’t want to use 1/3rd of it in one go.

Since they are lighter than the Mr. Ducktail line, expect to see some fly away hairs here and there. Don’t worry, it’s perfectly fine to see a few strands pop out. Remember, just because one guy says it’s “wrong,” doesn’t mean he’s right!

Styling wise, they all style the same. Unlike most products, which either make my hair straighter or more wavy, this stuff only slightly “relaxed” my hairs natural waves, allowing me to style with ease, without having to fight for some sort of control. I know there are a lot of folks that like to retain the natural waves in their hair, but haven’t been able to find a product that properly allows them to do so. 

Don’t worry, I put each and every one to use. Three pictures of myself is just way too much for one single post!

As you can tell with the sides, they have a nice flow to em. Some other products with the same medium weight range usually gives them the up & down waviness. Or whatever the term for that may be.

With Hairgum’s products, you won’t find the “wet look” with their products. But their pomades always have the right amount of sheen. Not too greasy, not too light, just right… (Trademark that? I’ll wait for the check in the mail… just kidding.)

Now to my surprise, considering these are a medium weight pomade, they held up really well in the heat. They did melt a bit on the top, but it was hardly noticeable, as I still retained a full, bulbous pomp, just lost a bit of height. The only real difference was the sides “fluffed” out a bit, rather than being slicked down tightly to my head. Which for me, is perfectly fine. But for others, it may be an issue, especially for those who don’t like to have to recomb during the day.

When it comes down to picking one specific pomade, from the Road line, it’ll depend on what you wanna smell like. I was gonna make a joke about what scents attracts what type of female… But we all know where that’ll lead…

Overall, this is definitely a great line from Hairgum USA. The bigger tins are definitely a sight to see, especially when you know you’ve got a great product inside. Now, if only we can get some of that Mr. Ducktail’s stuff in a similar sized tin… *winkwink*

As I mentioned earlier, this product is great for those who want a product that’ll allow them to work with their natural waves. It really is difficult finding a product to do that, especially ones that smell this good!

Big thanks again to Matthieu. Until the next time folks.

Pomp Hard!