With so many hair products out there, its hard to know which one is best for you. When it comes to hair styling products, you might be used to reaching for hair sprays, gels and creams, but perhaps you’ve overlooked pomades.

Pomades are one of the oldest hair products used by folks way back in the 18th century!

When pomades first appeared, they were an oil-based product used by upper class gentlemen to avoid frizz and to lock their hairstyles in place—mainly their wigs. And yes, hairstyles have come a long way from the 18th century, but pomades have remained as one of the go-to products to style hair.

Today, thanks to technology, pomades are not all made from oil or with the same ingredients as they once were. We also have both men and women using a daily pomade hair product like our Highland Glacial Clay Pomade for their hair styles.

You might be wondering, with so many different types of pomades on the market, which one is best for you and how do you pick?

Highland Style is here to help guide you when choosing the best type of pomade for your hair.

What are Pomades Used For?

Pomades are a styling product dating back to the 1800s—some say they were used even in ancient Egypt! Pomades are versatile hair styling products, used for styles that require light to strong holds.

Originally pomades were oil-based, and if you’ve ever used an oil-based product you know they are hard to wash out. If you don’t wash your hair before bed, you’ll have residue all over your pillow cases—not ideal.

Fortunately, we now have different bases used for pomades and each has its place in your hair product collection.

Different Types of Pomades on the Market

Water-based

As the name says, these pomades are made of water. Water-based pomades tend to be very easy to use and spread into the hair. While water-based pomades can hold your hair in place day, they will not have the same strong hold as oil-based. However, you will be able to wash these out of your hair fairly quickly unlike oil-based pomades.

TOP TIP: Highland Glacial Clay Pomade doesn't use water for a special reason. Our pomade is not water-based on purpose because it has no petrochemicals or harmful preservatives.

Oil-based

As mentioned earlier, way back in the day pomades were primarily oil-based. Oil-based pomade offer strong hold keeping your hair in place all day—these will also add lots of shine to the hair. Oil-based pomades, however, are very hard to wash out of the hair and will require multiple hair washes which might lead to drying up your scalp and hair.

Wax-based

These pomades tent to result in a lighter hold making your hair easy to restyle and manipulate throughout the day. Think of that tousled natural hair look we love to see, wax-based pomade are best to achieve softer looks but can also be layered into the hair to achieve a medium hold. Since these pomades are wax-based, these will give your hair a soft matte finish appearance.

Clay-based

These pomades are with kaolin clay or bentonite clay. They are great if you have fine and straight hair and want a matte finish to your hair. If you have short hair, these are also great to add some texture and volume to your hair. They will give you a light to medium hold depending on how much product you use.

Who Should be Using a Pomade?

Pomades can be used by anyone with any hair type.

Pomades are versatile product that can help you achieve any hairstyle you desire, from that sleek back high ponytail look we see so often on the red carpet to natural wavy hair if you’re going for an effortless style.

Our Glacial Clay Pomade is also a great product to use daily.

Since Highland Glacial Clay pomade is made from just 9 natural ingredients, our pomade will help enhance your hair’s health. Using high quality natural ingredients like jojoba oil, shea butter, vitamin and other essential oil, our Glacial Clay Pomade, will give your hair a nice dose of moisture and vitamins.

Are Pomades Good for Your Hair?

Depending on the type of pomade you use, pomades can have great benefits for your hair.

Using a all-natural pomade like our Glacial Clay Pomade is a great option if you’re interested in your hair’s overall health.


The benefits of using a natural pomade is it moisturizes the hair from within while styling it. Our product are also cruelty-free so you can feel as good as your hair will.

Pomades can also be a great alternative for those who are looking for a gel-like hold, but don’t want to deal with the flakiness that gel can cause to the hair or the hardening of the hair.

A good pomade will control frizz and keep stubborn hairs in place all day.

What are the cons when using certain pomades?

There are some things to consider depending on the type of pomade you opt for.

Oil-based pomade are known for being very hard to wash out. You might wash your hair a couple times and still have product in your hair which will cause product built-up. Built-up will eventually make your hair feel heavy, look greasy and lay flat without any volume. Oil-based pomades can also transfer to your clothing and bedding leaving behind stains. This is a minor inconvenience for some, but still something to consider before using an oil-based pomade.

Water-based pomades are a great alternative but you should keep in mind that water-based pomade can act like gels which will harden your hair. If you like running your fingers through your hair and don’t want that stiff feeling, then stay away from water-based pomades.

Wax-based pomades are excellent, but they will not offer the same shine as oil and water-based pomades. You will still get a natural shine, but if you’re looking for a glossy almost wet look, a wax-based product will not give you that.

Clay-based can be drying if the right ingredients are not combined into the formulate. To counteract the drying effect, we have added essential oils to our ingredients to promote moisture. So, when you use our Glacial Clay Pomade, you will actually be moisturizing your hair.

Tips When Using Hair Pomades

1. Do not apply too much

Start with a pea-sized amount and layer more product as you see fit. If you start with too much, it will be hard to spread the product into your hair.

2. Rub the pomade into the palms of your hands

When I first used a pomade, I made the mistake of not rubbing the product into my hands and just plopped it straight onto my hair. It was impossible to spread and I thought pomades must be the worst hair product ever. I wasn’t giving up though, after all, I had just spend my money on a brand new hair product. I did a little bit of research and realized I had to warm the product up with the heat from my hands. So make sure you emulsify the product and spread it from the center of your hand towards your finger tips and then apply.

3. Coat all the hair evenly

You want to make you are distributing the product through all your hair evenly. Run your fingers through all the hair and don’t forget the back of your head!

4. For longer hold, add heat

Heat is not necessary, but if you have a long day ahead or want to make sure your hair stays locked in place, a little heat can seal the deal.