The 15 Best Hair Waxes To Set Your Strands For Good

Pomade may get most of the attention in the men’s hairstyling world, but there are plenty of reasons to use hair wax. You wake up with an especially extreme bed head and you need to wrangle your wig into place quickly, for instance. Or say you’re going to a wedding and you need your hair to stay locked in place all day. Perhaps you favor a more artfully disheveled hairstyle that needs a textured, piecey look? It could also be as simple as taming a cowlick or keeping your hair out of your face. In all those scenarios, a wax is going to do a much better job than pomade or any other hair product for that matter.

Hair wax should always be in your hairstyling arsenal, especially if you have short hair. Just like the name suggests, these products generally include actual wax, like beeswax, that locks onto hair and helps it keep its shape.

Traditionally, hair waxes are oil-based, which means they do their job for longer than similar water-based products. “Hair wax is best used when doing tightly styled looks when you’re not really leaving much room for error,” says celebrity men’s groomer Melissa DeZarate. “While it’s definitely restyleable compared to a gel, it’s meant to lock in the look for a long time.”

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Most traditional waxes are best for short, medium-weight hair. Think classic side parts, says DeZarate, or to create definition and texture in messier styles. Old school waxes are thick and, well, waxy—and there is still a use for those depending on the look you’re going for—but new versions of hair wax have upgraded to make them more versatile. Some incorporate moisturizing ingredients and a little less hold to make them more appropriate for longer, more natural-looking styles. Others, like spray wax, have addressed user error. “Spray waxes can be especially helpful when creating definition without overusing the product and completely weighing hair down,” she advises.

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These lightweight hair waxes are not only easier to apply but are appropriate for a larger variety of hair textures and weights. A good rule of thumb: the longer your hair, the lighter wax you want to use. And one word of caution: start with a little bit and gradually work your way up. If you put too much in, you can’t do much to remove it except getting back in the shower.

So, is hair wax right for you? Probably. But how do you pick the best hair wax for your hair? Consider what kind of hair you have, what style you’re going for, and read this list. There’s a hair wax here for everyone.