Then there is the hold. If you’re after a super strong, super long hold, this is not the clay for you. It lasts reasonably long – and stands up to humidity and moisture (so you can feel secure at the gym), but it’s not a 24-hour hold. And, we can’t say it’s anything more than medium. While ROUGH.RIDER is an excellent hair clay, it’s hard to wash out. It’s not the oil that’s the problem, it’s the grittiness that’s left on your hair. Hold. You’ll usually get a medium hold, though it does range from low to high, depending on the product you choose. Generally speaking, your hair won’t be able to withstand a day in a hat or strong winds.

You’ve seen hair clays at work on Daniel Radcliffe in recent days (and perhaps his informal style should define the clay ideal), but it’s also a George Clooney sort of a look, and we’ve seen Colin Farrell make the most of hair clays as well. Basically – the go-to when you want to appear approachable and carefree. What types of hair can make the most of hair clay? Clays are almost ridiculously expensive. And, while there are other products that offer a matte finish, there aren’t any that add texture and volume as well as a decent hold. Clays really take the cake for that combination. Most have medium to strong hold, though some hold like gel– but without the shine. Clay for hair offers a matte finish (with the odd exception here and there). And, most work into your hair much the way as a wax. In general, you would reach for your clay when you want a messy bed head style or a brush-up style. It doesn’t do bad with low pompadours (though you may not find the level of hold or shine you want – at least not one that lasts throughout the day). Waxes are better for serious pompadours if that’s what you want.

Claymation is Hanz de Fuko’s most popular hair styling product. Claymation is a clay-wax hybrid. So, it’ll have a semi-matte finish.

Despite the relatively small number of hair clays on the market, the competition is fierce. And yet, this Baxter of California Clay Pomade easily made its way to the top of our list. Okay, it is a hybrid clay, but it performs so stunningly well that we had no choice but to give it serious honors.Remember that finishing or styling with a hairdryer will increase the volume you get using a clay – and it will increase the hold slightly. Overall, this clay is simply amazing, but it’s maybe not a bad idea to get the negatives out of the way first. Wavy hair. Some say you should pass the hair clay by – simply because waves and curls tend to look their healthiest when they have a sheen to them. The matte finish of clay isn’t going to give you that – but it generally looks fantastic on guys pursuing the bed head look with medium-length waves.

If you want a formal hairstyle with a high shine, use a wax or pomade. Otherwise, clay is your best option. Considering this is especially for guys with fine and thinning hair, you shouldn’t expect it to be super strong. That said, it’s definitely more than a medium, and you still get plenty of flexibility with it. If you are working with truly fine hair, then expect a strong hold, but not a weighted one.Hanz de Fuko Claymation Hanz de Fuko Claymation offers a high hold while nourishing your hair with natural ingredients. Photo courtesy of Hanz de Fuko.

Don’t opt for this productif you’re after a strong, all day hold. It’s not that type of clay. But if you want a light to medium hold that gets you through the day, this is brilliant. As a side benefit, clay is the best choice if you have oily hair because it neutralizes the oil. It’s also great if you have thin hair because it’ll give your hair a fuller appearance. Kinky hair. You don’t need any help adding volume as your tight curls do it for you. And, you’ve probably noticed that your hair appears a little on the dry side naturally – so you don’t want the matte finish you’ll get from a clay. If you need the hold, opt for a pomade, but a styling cream is likely to be your best bet.You don’t need much at all. Most men are going to get the look they want with a pea or dime-sized amount of product. A little does go a long way, and you don’t want to end up with super poofy hair. (Okay, if you want super poofy hair, and we’re not judging, we would suggest an actual volumizer – they exist.) Smooth Viking Hair Styling Clay Smooth Viking Styling Clay is a very popular hair clay because it’s cheap and offers a powerful hold. Photo courtesy of Smooth Viking.