What's new

Looking for a hair product..

I've never tried a hair tonic. Honestly I don't really even know what it is/does. But I know it's that green stuff on the counter at my barbershop!

I use a hair tonic like I would use any other hair styling product. I put it on before I comb my hair, and it more or less helps it stay in place.

The Lucky Tiger tonic has oil in it, and help my hair keep it's shape a bit better. It's not so much oil that my hair feels greasy, though. The problem is that in the summer, it causes bumps on my skin (I think it clogs my pores) since I sweat so much. I live in the city and walk everywhere, YMMV. The CP is not quite as good, but it does not cause bumps, so I use that when it is hot.

My guess is that living in Texas, you might want to try an oil-free tonic.
 
My personal experience has been that hair tonics without oil don't provide any hold whatsoever. I use a hair tonic every day and find that they make your scalp feel great and make your hair smell awesome. A tonic with oil or a brilliantine will give you a bit of hold but might make your hair look greasy. I use non-oil tonics and follow it up with a tiny dab of BrylCreem rubbed between my hands and then rubbed through my hair. I find that BrylCreem feels kind of greasy on your hands but once I rub it into my hair it leaves my hair really soft and manageable. Let it dry and then run a comb through it again and it looks great. Not greasy or oily at all. Then occasionally if I get my hair cut a wee bit too short it will still stick out on the sIdes a bit. Then I just touch it lightly with a minuscule amount of Hairgum Legend pomade.
 
My personal experience has been that hair tonics without oil don't provide any hold whatsoever. I use a hair tonic every day and find that they make your scalp feel great and make your hair smell awesome. A tonic with oil or a brilliantine will give you a bit of hold but might make your hair look greasy.

This probably depends on what type of hair you have. My hair is relatively thick and curly. I find that without oil, the tonic still lets me comb it to the position I want, and it will largely stay put. If your hair is thinner, it may not work as well.
 
I bought some brylcreem. It makes my hair soft, but my hair is so thick and coarse that I have to use other products with it to make it do anything. I have very wavy hair and I don't like to let it get too long or it looks unkempt and is unmanagable. I keep it a few inches long on top but tapered and short on the sides and back. I do like the way my hair feels with brylcreem. It's really soft. But I need something that can tame a lions mane I guess... I figure I'll probably have to shoot for something with wax in it.
 
I use the Jeri's Hair Tonic no oil type after getting out of the shower. Love the smell and the alcohol helps cut the oilyness. especially during the summer here in Texas. Doesn't really have much hold to it, just a little shine. Then after hair is dry, I apply a very small amount of the American Crew Pomade. It works great for a light texture. I have very short hair.

Almost out however and I think, I'll give the Brylcream or Groom and Clean a try.
 
FYI-The American Crew Pomade is around 15 dolars, but they have a two for one package at Target right now.
 
check out the pomade (and other offerings) from Imperial Barber Supply Co. Their pomade is top-notch and so is the aftershave spash!
 
Well if your looking for something under $10.00 Axe makes a decent pomade for that price point and you can usually find it at Walgreens or CVS in a variety of configurations (light hold, heavy hold etc.) . I bought a puck a year or two back and it was OK.

But American Crew IMO is the best, but it's usually over $10.00......
 
Just curious - why do you rule out a gel?

I used to use gel.... but the style I was going for required a very strong hold. I would buy the strongest holding gel I could find and use it but between the time I put the gel in my hair and it dried my hair would "stick up". Then the gel would be dry and unable to re-style very effectively. I could wet it down.... but the gel would re-dry with less hold. Basically, I couldn't find a gel with enough hold from the get-go for the style I was going after.... which is a short, tapered haircut parted to one side and slicked back. My hair is fine and thick.... when my barber cuts it he leaves it about 1-1/2" in length at the most on top and tapers it down to nearly nothing around my ears and neck. I went to using a pomade about a year ago and it's much better than gel. It does not dry and can be re-styled. The trick is to find something that will hold all day and give you the shine (or lack of shine) that you are after. I have been using Suave pomade which as a medium hold and medium shine.... but it does not hold up all day. I want a shiney look and it tends to look dry and dull around noon. I tried a pomade called Sportin' Waves (very cheap and available at CVS or Rite Aid), but it was almost too heavy and doesn't seem to rinse out as all. I've been using a combination of both lately. I'll put the Suave pomade in and work it down to the roots, comb my hair into place, then I take a snurdle of the Sportin' Waves and warm it up by rubbing it in the palm of my hand and then I'll "coat" the top layer of my hair with it by running my hands over my hair without working it in.... but spreading it evenly. Sometimes I'll take my military style boar bristle brush and skim the top to spread it around and style it a bit. With the Sportin' Waves, my hair stays shiney all day and holds really well. I imagine Sportin' Waves is similar to the Dax Wave and Groom.... although I've never used that.... but I've read where guys say that the Wave and Groom is hard to wash out which I've experienced with the Sportin' Waves. I'd like to switch to just using one product.... but I haven't found it yet. I just ordered 4-3 oz jars of American Crew Grooming Cream so I'll see how that goes. I was reluctant to try the American Crew product because of the price.... but I found a pretty good deal and by buying 4 of them I got a break on the shipping as well. Based on some of the comments I've read here, I may order some of the Dax Washable Wax in the silver tin as well and see how that works. It would definitely be a cheaper alternative to American Crew..... but if it doesn't last all day then it's not worth much to me anyway.

Ben
 
Ben, the Grooming Cream is a great product for that style. I get the same cut basically every 2 weeks- tight taper, super straight side part and leave top long enough to slick up and back. I use Groom and Clean, and when I need more hold I use Dax Green and Gold for hold, and mix in Royal Crown Pomade for shine
 
Ben, the Grooming Cream is a great product for that style. I get the same cut basically every 2 weeks- tight taper, super straight side part and leave top long enough to slick up and back. I use Groom and Clean, and when I need more hold I use Dax Green and Gold for hold, and mix in Royal Crown Pomade for shine

SlickMike, thanks for the tips. I actually have a tube of Groom & Clean in my cabinet. I like it and it works well but I don't wear it during the day to work because of the scent. Not that the scent is bad..... it's just strong and overpowers my cologne. I usually put in a little Groom & Clean in the evening after my shower at home before bed. Even then, depending on the aftershave I use (I shave in the evening), I might want to be able to smell my aftershave on me (say something like Alt Innsbruck) and I won't wear it then because of the smell. I just picked up some Dax Wave & Groom as well as some American Crew Pomade (I had $11.50 in CVS bucks to use so it got the American Crew down to a reasonable price). I've never used the American Crew Pomade before.... just off brands that claim to be very comparable. I must say that the American Crew Pomade is much easier to work with compared to the off brand (Trendstarter) I get at Rite Aid..... but the scent is very similar (not all that great IMHO). The Trendstarter takes more friction to heat it up and make it more workable. The Royal Crown Hair Dressing was right there on the shelf at Rite Aid today when I picked up the Dax Wave & Groom..... maybe I should give it a try. The American Crew Grooming Cream sounds like the product I want all in one..... high hold and high shine..... but it's so pricey. I wouldn't mind finding something as an alternative that's more economical.... even if it's a combination of using two products. Cary Grant used to use a combination of a pomade called Dixie Peach along with an application of brilliantine to acheive that blue/black slicked back sheen that was so debonair. If Cary Grant can go it then it's good enough for me :thumbup:. Although, I keep my hair quite a bit shorter than Cary Grant did. But I like the neat side part and some shine to my hair..... it makes my gray hairs look better if they're shiney I guess. Maybe I'll try the Royal Crown for some shine. Dax and Royal Crown products are definitely priced right. Thanks for the advice.... I'll be checking those products out.

Ben
 
+1 for American Crew. Ive used the pomade and the forming cream. I like the forming cream better. Its not as greasy and still provides a strong hold. You can find both at Target for around $10.00


I am currently using Matrix Molding Souffle. Its a medium hold cream I found at Target. Works really well and has no smell. It is around $20.00 but it last a long time.

 
Top Bottom