When choosing a pomade, there are dozens of popular brands and styles from which to choose.
The best pomades cost $20-$40 a tub, or even more, so making the right choice can both save you money as well as give you maximum styling potential.
To save you time and money, we’ve taken a detailed look at the range of Reuzel pomades, sifted through pages of customer feedback reviews, and summarised the different features and benefits of each pomade.
Read on for a detailed guide to help you choose the best product (or products) for your style.
About Reuzel Pomades
Reuzel pomades are a major player in the market. The creators of Reuzel are both barbers, and are passionate about the perfect haircut, classic hairstyles, rock ‘n roll culture and creating products that people can trust.
In addition to feedback from our experienced barbers and the products we use and sell in our own Brisbane barbershop, Peaky Barbers, we also researched customer reviews for detailed and real reports on how the products perform.
There were plenty of benefits of Reuzel pomades that customers love including:
Outstanding all-day strength
Great scents and fragrances
Unsurpassed pliable hold
Easy to rework hair after styling
A no-dry formula that keeps from flaking
Controls the curliest, thickest, most unruly hair
Easy rinse out water-soluble pomades
Restylability for both oil-based and water-soluble pomades.
Read on while we summarise the Reuzel pomade range, or skip to how to choose the Reuzel pomade for you.
Reuzel’s pomade range:
REUZEL GREEN POMADE GREASE - Medium Hold, Medium Shine, Oil Based
A pomade for all the coolest barbershop classics, this grease is long-lasting and is recyclable throughout the day. Reviews confirm a great fragrance with a slight peppermint undertone. Being a medium hold it's great for creating a softer look. Or, for the more extreme styles that demand a heavy hold, cocktail the Green Grease with the Pink Grease or Blue Pomade.
For the authentic “greaser” look, you’ll need the super-strong Reuzel Pink Grease. Want a high pompadour but have unruly hair or a cowlick. It’s no problem for the Rezuel Pink Grease. With crazy hold like this beginners might struggle with the more complicated styles, but those with the skill and determination will be rewarded with a defined style and no loose hairs.
Switching gears now, the no/low shine matte pomades give your hair a more natural look, without being too slick or too wet. Start by using the Clay Matte pomade in moderation, gradually applying thin layers, and you’ll be able to form your desired style with loads of volume. Being a medium hold pomade, you might like to finish with a strong hold pomade or a spritz of hairspray to keep everything in place. The fragrance is subtle vanilla mint and gets mixed reviews, some love it and others are not so keen, so maybe take a whiff before you buy just in case.
Another pomade for a natural look, the Reuzel Fibre pomade is a hit with people with thick dense hair. Offering both volume and control to seemingly untamable hair, this “pliable hold” pomade can be reshaped throughout the day. For strong hold that creates a natural style and is easy to wash out, this is the pomade for you.
Need an even stronger hold to tame long, thick, or unruly hair? A little Reuzel Extreme Hold Pomade is easy to apply for a high hold and a matte finish. Or apply more, in layers, to firmly keep your hair in place while still being a natural-looking style. The general consensus is that the Reuzel Grey smells great and is one of the most popular in the Reuzel range.
The next two Reuzel pomades, Reuzel Red and Reuzel Blue, offer a high shine similar to the Pink and Green Grease but wash out easier than their oil-based counterparts. The Reuzel Red has no worries keeping thick and wavy hair under control without being stiff and rigid.
Compared to the Reuzel Red which has a softer finish that you can run your fingers through, the Reuzel Blue yields a stronger hold but with a more dry rigid finish like a gel. Being water-soluble however, a wet comb is all you need to adjust your hair throughout the day. Like some other pomades in the range, the butterscotch-scented fragrance has mixed reviews ranging from pleasant and perfect to strong and “smelling like candy”, so you might like to give it a smell-test before buying a tin.
How to choose which Reuzel pomade is best for you?
So, how do you choose? First, let's break down the different features and applications of pomades.
Style
Start with the purpose, e.g. what style do you want? A pompadour, or a more relaxed casual look. Everyday convenience or extreme style. Once you have this starting point, you will more easily be able to choose between the following product features.
It’s also worth noting, if you’re struggling to get that movie-star hairstyle, many of the most iconic styles seen in movies, photos and magazines probably used a cocktail of two or more products. The classic pompadour, for example, might start with a grooming tonic and a blow-dry, followed by medium hold pomade and finish with a high hold grease for extra control and shine.
Oil-based or Water-Soluble
The Reuzel pomade range includes two oil-based pomades and five water-soluble pomades, altogether offering a range of shine and holds.
Oil-based pomades
Considered more “traditional” or “orthodox”, oil-based pomades give a sleek “greaser” style. Many people consider them better for your hair because they don’t strip it of its natural oils, and because beeswax is used in the Reuzel Green and Pink it encourages moisture retention in your hair. Pomades are revered for their shine, hold strength, and re-shapability throughout the day. The trade-off is many are hard to wash out, although Reuzel’s formula includes Tea Tree Oil which makes it easier to wash out than traditional greases, but it’s still longer lasting than a water-soluble pomade.
Water-soluble pomades
Most pomades you’ll see today will be water-soluble, meaning they wash out easily in water. They are far more practical for everyday use and come in both high and matte, and a range of hold strengths. Many also are easily restyled throughout the day with the help of a wet comb to reactivate the pomade. If you’re after everyday convenience, a water-soluble pomade is a great option.
Matte vs. Shine
Matte or low-shine products produce a more natural-looking style. They also come in holds ranging from medium hold for more flowing styles to extreme hold to steadfastly hold everything in place. In contrast, medium and high shine products help simulate the classic “greaser” styles, and can add a sleek and suave “Mad Men” feel to your style.
Hold-strength
Reuzel pomades range from medium hold to high hold. High hold pomades can be used to create the highest pomps and all-day wearability, but are also useful for straightening curly hair or men with thicker hair.
Lighter hold products are the most “natural” looking and may be most suitable for men with thinner hair, with medium hold products providing a compromise between the two. Of course, high-hold prod used in moderation can act a bit like a medium hold product.
It’s also worth noting that many product reviews of high hold/shine products report the hold/shine is less than they expected, so keep this in mind and judge for yourself.
How to get the most out of your Reuzel pomade:
Not getting the results you want from your pomade? Try these tips:
Emulsify in palms before applying to hair. Put simply, you will need to apply product to your palms, and then rub your palms together to heat the pomade and evenly distribute it on your hands. You’ll know it's ready when you can no longer see the pomade, but you can still feel it on your hands. This is how pomades are meant to be applied, and if you’re skipping this crucial step you probably won’t get the experience or style you want.
Layer your pomade by applying a small to moderate amount of pomade multiple times, instead of one large scoop of pomade at once.
Combine similar products together in a pomade cocktail. For example, use a moderate hold product for the roots and a stronger hold product for the front to improve the hold of your pompadour. For maximum hold, apply Reuzel Grey (extreme hold, matte finish) at the roots and Reuzel Pink Grease (strong hold, medium shine) or Blue Pomade (strong hold, high shine) to the front hairline.
Need more help with Reuzel products? Experienced barbers will be able to help guide you with the right products, haircut and styling tips. Or check out the Reuzel website for more information.