It’s about time that all men fully understand different types of hair products and how to use them. After all, great looking hair requires a bit of effort. Here, “effort” really just means knowing what type of hair you have (Thick or thin? Straight or wavy?), what style you want (Put-together or effortlessly cool? Sleek or laidback?) and choosing a product or two that will get you there. From cream and gel to oils and pomades, here’s the master list of hair products every gentleman should be familiar with.

WAX
CONSISTENCY: Medium thickness, creamy, non-greasy

WHAT IT DOES: Wax has a high holding power with low to medium shine and is best for keeping hairstyles in place and restyling unruly strands of hair

WHEN TO PUT IT ON: Apply a dime-sized amount to damp or dry hair

IDEAL FOR WHAT TYPE(S) OF HAIR: Short hair (2-3 inches), straight or wavy hair

TRY: SACHAJUAN hair wax, $31 at mrporter.com

OIL
CONSISTENCY: Thin, smooth

WHAT IT DOES: Oil has a low hold and medium shine that works to hydrate and soften hair, tame stray hairs and polish off any look

WHEN TO PUT IT ON: Apply a small amount to fingertips and run fingers through dry or damp hair

IDEAL FOR WHAT TYPE(S) OF HAIR: Medium or long hair, straight to curly hair, dry or normal hair

TRY: Kiehl’s Magic elixir hair restructuring concentrate with rosemary leaf and avocado, $20 at Kiehl’s

POMADE

CONSISTENCY: Thick, gel-like

WHAT IT DOES: Pomade has a medium hold and high shine that delivers all-day control, dimension and shine like the dapper hairstyles on Mad Men

WHEN TO PUT IT ON: Rub a modest fingernail-sized amount between hands and apply to damp or dry hair.

IDEAL FOR WHAT TYPE(S) OF HAIR: Short to long hair, straight, wavy or curly hair

TRY: Baxter of California Hard Water pomade, $23 at baxterofcalifornia.com

FIBER
CONSISTENCY: Thick, wax-like

WHAT IT DOES: Fiber has a high hold with no shine that texturizes hair while locking everything into place for an effortlessly cool or “bedhead” look

WHEN TO PUT IT ON: Apply a small amount to clean, dry hair and sculpt with fingers

IDEAL FOR WHAT TYPE(S) OF HAIR: Normal or thick hair, short or medium hair

TRY: Imperial Barber Products Fiber pomade, $22 at imperialbarberproducts.com

CLAY
CONSISTENCY: Thick, smooth, creamy

WHAT IT DOES: When applied dry, clay has a medium hold and low shine. When applied damp, clay has a high hold and medium shine. It’s a versatile style aid that adds texture and sets hair in place for the entire day, meaning hair isn’t as “re-workable” throughout the day.

WHEN TO PUT IT ON: Spread a small amount into palms and apply evenly through dry or damp hair

IDEAL FOR WHAT TYPE(S) OF HAIR: Straight, wavy or curly hair, short or medium hair

TRY: V76 by Vaughn Texture Clay, $21 at Neiman Marcus

PASTE
CONSISTENCY: Thick, creamy

WHAT IT DOES: When applied dry, paste has a medium hold and light shine that adds texture and definition. When applied damp, it has a high hold and medium shine that adds volume to hair.

WHEN TO PUT IT ON: Warm a dime-sized amount between fingers and apply to damp or dry hair.

IDEAL FOR WHAT TYPE(S) OF HAIR: Short or medium hair, thin hair

TRY: Oribe Rough Luxury molding paste, $39 at Neiman Marcus

CREAM
CONSISTENCY: Low-medium thickness, creamy

WHAT IT DOES: Styling cream has a light hold and light shine that provides flexible control and flowy style

WHEN TO PUT IT ON: Apply a small dab of cream to dry or damp hair

IDEAL FOR WHAT TYPE(S) OF HAIR: Dry or normal hair, thick or wavy hair, medium or long hair

TRY: Jack Black Sleek Finish texture cream, $15 at Neiman Marcus

GEL
CONSISTENCY: Thick, solid, gel

WHAT IT DOES: Gel has a high hold and high shine creates a clean, polished finish that’s best for small touch-ups to avoid the stereotypical stiff, “crunchy” gel look

WHEN TO PUT IT ON: Apply a small dab of gel to towel-dried hair or use sparingly for touch-ups

IDEAL FOR WHAT TYPE(S) OF HAIR: Straight, wavy or curly hair, short to long hair

TRY: Bumble and Bumble Bb. Sumogel, $29 at Sephora

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

We called in a panel of hair experts to give the inside scoop on what products top hairstylists and barbers actually use on a daily basis to achieve a fresh, put-together look. Consider this your bite-sized private consultation with four of Hawai‘i’s top hair gurus.

Alan Vuong, owner of Salon Blanc (blancsalon.com), believes a reliable hair cream or spray is the key to well-groomed hair. “I always ensure that before any styling I have a foundation cream or spray. This procedure ... is the most important part of the look and will give my end result the hold, the height and stability for the style to last through the whole day. The two products I would recommend would be Kérastase L’incroyable Blowdry Crème and Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray,” Vuong says.

Jake Acedo (jakeacedo.com), hair stylist at The Foundry (foundrysalon.com), it all starts with a quality shampoo. “I’ll tell all my men clients this, the right shampoo will go a long way. First step would be my Densifique Bain Densité Homme shampoo from Kérastase and what I love about it is that this line is made for men, has a nice masculine scent to it and gets that nice squeaky clean feel,” Acedo says. “Next step after the shower is prepping my hair for style ... I spray R+Co Dallas Thickening Spray on my hair line and blow dry my hair ... no need for a brush—just with my fingers to save time ... After, I have two waxes that I love. One is from Shu Uemura, it’s called Clay Definer Rough Molding Pomade and it gives me a nice matte finish and enough hold to give me a more natural look. The other one is from ADH called DRY and it also gives me the same effect, although on days I feel like our humidity is really high, this product is best for our weather if you want a true matte look.”

Josh Valdez, lead barber at Mojo Barbershop’s (mojobarbershop.com) McCully location, says “great hair starts with a good haircut, but you need to use the right products and learn a bit of basic styling to create the look that you want.” As for which products he’s a fan of, he says, “I personally use Layrite Natural Matte Cream pomade along with a good grooming spray. The grooming spray is like a light hairspray that provides additional texture and hold to the hair. Any guy wanting to achieve a full volume look or a high messy pomp needs to also use a blow dryer for better lift. Then by adding a matte product, you get an all-day, workable hold without your hair weighed down. Great hair starts with a good haircut but you need to use the right products and learn a bit of basic styling to create the look that you want.”

Richie Miao, founder of DADA Salon (dadahawaii.com), puts his trust in R+Co’s Jackpot styling cream. “When applied to damp hair, this product is then blow-dried to help create shape and memory before applying a finishing final product such as a gel or hairspray,” Miao says. “Jackpot is the ideal foundation product for a clean polished look, making it my go-to product for both men and women.”