The Best Men's Hair Pastes

If you need very high hold to keep your hair high, or to keep it laying flat, then you need a men's hair paste. In this review of the best men's hair pastes, I will give you some ideas of which ones will be best to use for what kind of look you are going for as well as your type of hair.

American Crew Fiber		High Hold Light Shine	Rating: 4 Stars	$	3 Ounces
Redken Maneuver Work Wax		High Hold Matte Finish	Rating: 4.5 Stars	$$	3.4 Ounces
Aveda Men's PureFormace		High Hold Matte Finish	Rating: 4 Stars	$$$	2.6 Ounces
18.21 Man Made Hair Paste		Medium Hold Light Shine	Rating: 4.4 Stars	$$	2 Ounces
18.21 Man Made Clay		Strong Hold Matte Finish	Rating: 4.3 Stars	$$	2 Ounces
Lock Stock and Barrel Ruck Putty		Medium Hold Matte Finish	Rating: 4 Stars	$	3.53 Ounces
Fatboy Hair Putty		Medium Hold Matte Finish	Rating: 4 Stars	$	2.6 Ounces
John Masters Organics Sculpting Clay		Medium Hold Light Shine	Rating: 3 Stars	$$	2.12 Ounces

If you have a men's hairstyle that requires some hold, but you don't want it to be shiny, then try one of these men's hair pastes.  You used to need a hair wax to get the same high hold with a matte finish, but waxes are really bad for your hair and scalp and really impossible to wash out.

A few years ago many men's hair products started making hair pastes or putties to get the same result.  Now you can have a hairstyle that will last the whole day without falling flat. Without damaging your hair and scalp.  And will easily wash out.

Some of these hair pastes and putties will actually benefit your hair by using ingredients that will repair hair or nourish the hair.

I am confident recommending them since we have actually used them, but if you have a favorite not on the list, then make sure to let me know and I will see what it is all about.

1-American Crew Fiber

 

Once again, here I am plugging American Crew.

It's easy to apply and washes out without needing a special shampoo.  Your hands may take a few minutes to wash afterwards, though. It's just that it is a thick paste. It will not leave your hair looking or feeling greasy.

It does a great job of keeping your hairstyle in place while out and about with a matte finish for a natural look.  If you have short hair and want that messy look that will last all day, this is perfect for that.

All you need is a little dime sized bit that you rub into your palms really well. Then just scrunch through your hair. Fiber is great at separation, which means that it doesn't clump up your hair. It works through your hair very well.

If you wet your hands first or your hair is towel dried and still slightly wet, then you will get a little bit of shine from the fiber.

All in all it is a consistent product that you can't really say too many negatives about. It's definitely a best seller in our shop for hair pastes.

 

2-Maneuver Work Wax Unisex Wax by Redken

I have a bit of nostalgia for Redken products as it was the primary product for sale at my parents barbershop.  But I wouldn’t recommend it if it didn’t work well.

It has a high hold and matte finish while still washing out well.  I don't even like calling it a wax even though that is how it is advertised.  Definitely do not think of it as being like a hair wax of old. It is more like a paste or thick cream than any kind of hair wax. Unlike a wax, it is able to be reworked.

For styles that need some high performance product, but don't want to be weighed down, then you really could use this paste. It isn't easy to make a high hold hair paste that is still lightweight, but Redken found a way. Because of this, it can be used on medium length hair, too.

It is so easy to apply thanks to it's consistency. And it really coats all the individual hairs well to avoid those lumps so common with cheap hair pastes.

 

3-Aveda Mens Pure-Formance Grooming Clay

This is definitely a pricy hair clay.

But for good reason.

It not only works spectacularly well by holding your hair in place, but it is incredibly light for a clay.  It goes on light and smells pretty good, too.

A little goes a long way with this one, so even though you are spending more, you will get a lot of use out of one jar.

So, what is the difference between hair paste and a clay?

Clays are just like a paste, some are thick, some are creamy, but they all have some variation of a clay as an ingredient.  But, some clays are very fine and actually make the paste very creamy in texture.  Also, some clays nourish the hair.

What you're left with after applying this is a lightweight product that give very high hold. If your hair is shorter to medium, it works great at maintaining your style throughout the day. Reworking is easy. Just move your hair around with your fingers. You don't even need to wet your hands first.

You only need a little bit. Using too much will actually make it difficult to use in addition to wasting it. Just give yourself a few extra seconds of rubbing it in and your style will thank you for it.

The scent is rather spicy, in a warm and rich way. Some compare it to patchouli, but I never really felt that it was the same. It's unique anyway.

4-18.21 Man Made Hair Paste

You may have read my review of 18.21 pomade here. If you have, or have already heard of their products, then you would know how addicted I am to the scent they use.  It smells of sweet pipe tobacco.

It literally smells like an old-timey smoke shop when you apply it!

18.21 hair paste doesn't just smell nice, though, it works really well.  It lasts all day long with a very high hold but leaving your hair looking natural with it's low shine finish.

It is slightly creamy in texture so it is very easy to apply. Working it into your hair only takes a few seconds and the hold will last all day. Particularly if you have a blow dried style.

Reworking it is easy. Just wet your palms and rub your hair around.

The fact that this product is all natural is a big plus in my book. I love using all natural grooming products.

If you love that sweet tobacco sent of this hair product then you should check out their cologne!

5-18.21 Man Made Clay

As opposed to the 18.21 hair paste, this one is a clay, so it works a little differently than the other.  It is a bit of a higher hold than the paste and has a matte finish rather than a light shine.

This clay is great for those with fine or thin hair that need a lightweight product that won't weight the hair down, but still gives a very strong hold. Your hair will look and feel natural. It won't look like you are using any hair product and will feel natural to the touch. It won't make your hair hard or crunchy.

Being all natural is also a big factor in my book.

Still the same great sweet tobacco scent that they use for all of their hair products.  This one has a matte finish also, but it leaves your hair looking a little different.  If you are going for the messy look, then you will like this 18.21 hair clay.  The clay they use in this helps to absorb excess oil, so if you have very oily hair, this comes highly recommended.

As I mentioned earlier, they also make an incredible cologne with a sweet tobacco scent.

6-Lock Stock and Barrel Ruck Matte Putty

A little of this putty goes a long way, so no need to apply too much.

It does contain alcohol, which gave me pause to recommend it since alcohol can damage your hair.  Since you don't need to use too much, it shouldn't be a problem.  Here are some shampoos that I recommend that help rebuild hair when you use products with alcohol.

Lock Stock and Barrel works great with short hair especially if you like to spike it up. You won't need to wet it to keep it lasting. It should be good for the whole day.

Thin hair loves this stuff as it adds volume, making your hair look thicker and fuller.

7-Fatboy Perfect Hair Putty

I love how this men's hair putty works, especially the texture that it gives your hair. But, again like the Lock Stock and Barrel above, it does contain alcohol.  However, it is not a primary ingredient.

Use this with short hair and you will get extremely good hold, that even works well when it is humid. It doesn't leave your hair dry as most products that contain alcohol do.  In fact, it leaves your hair feeling soft even with that high hold it provides.

It is easy to apply since it is rather creamy. You don't need to use much because it goes on so easy. With some thicker pastes, so much of it is left on your hands after you put it in that it gets wasted.

8-John Master's Organic Sculpting Clay

This all organic men's sculpting clay from John Masters is a product you can feel great about using.

It contains essential oils that are easily absorbed by your hair by combining with the different clays it uses.  Your hair will be healthier for using it than if you don't. It detoxifies your hair and hydrates it. The 3 different types of clays will remove the grease from your hair, separate your hair to give it texture and soften all at the same time.

It's perfect for people who have naturally dry hair.  If your hair is usually oily, this can come across as being greasy.  Your hair is left feeling soft but still gives a great hold.

I love to promote all natural and organic hair products. Especially when they are really good for your hair. And doubly so if it smells as great as John Masters Organics products do!

Final Thoughts on the Best Men's Hair Paste

There are a lot of men's hair products to choose from these days.  I know how hard it can be to find the right one.  You won't go wrong my trying any of the pastes that I have listed for you here.

Make sure you share this review of the best men's hair pastes by clicking on the social media links to the left.  I'm sure you have a friend that needs to get his hair under control! Make sure he sees this!