Adore YOUR BEAUTY

Want to work a spiky 'do like Rihanna? Ready to roll out sporting carefree hair with well-placed definition? All you need is a great cut and one styling product top hairstylists never leave the salon without: A pomade.

First introduced to the hair industry for men who liked their hair slicked on the sides (think 1920s and 1960s), pomades have morphed from their greaser beginnings into sleek, lightweight, waxy formulas that define shape, provide shine, smooth frizz and tame edges. 

"Old pomades used to be made primarily out of petroleum jelly or mineral oil and were very heavy," says Dana Gibbs, owner of Dana's Loft in New York City. "Today's formulas have either a soy, paraffin, water or plant  base. This gives the user more control and provides more lightweight hold on the hair.

     Workable with all hair textures, pomades are one of the few styling products that require a minimum amount to effectively do its job. "They go a long way," continues Gibbs. "You only need to apply a dime-sized amount on dry or wet hair to get the look you want." But not all pomades are created equal.

The outcome and your hair's texture determine which type of pomade is better suited for you. If you want to define bangs or spiky directionals and your hair is medium to thick, then use a more waxy-based formula. If you want to straighten your naturally coarse hair with as little heat as possible, use a small amount of an oil-based formula prior to flat ironing hair. For naturally wavy, curly and fine hair, a water-based formula will provide hold and sheen without weighing down strands. Here we round up the 15 best pomades for every texture and type.

Alterna

Great on: Naturally curly, locked and relaxed textures

Best for: Delivering high-beam shine, smoothing away frizz and providing a light defining hold. $17.79, availabe at Beauty.com.

Pomade plus: Water-based formulas, like Alterna, provide light hold and are easier to rinse out.

Elasta Q. P.

Great on: All hair textures

Best for: Smoothing the hairline of relaxed and chemical-free hair textures. It applies like a gel, but provides sheen and slight hold without ever flaking or weighing the hair down. $3.89 at drugstores nationwide and at Sallybeauty.com.

Pomade plus: Easy to remove water-based formulas work great on damp or dry hair.

Great on: Natural and locked hair

Best for: Delivering sheen and smoothing frizz. Natural hair can tend to look dry, but with just a quarter-sized amount of pomade worked into the hair, from the root to ends, dry, non-shiny hair becomes a thing of the past. $6.49, available at SallyBeauty.com.

Pomade plus: Apply pomade on damp hair, braid or twist at night to achieve a healthy, natural sheen.

Great on: Natural and relaxed hair

Best for: Imparting shine and moisture. Made with natural butters, essential oils and vitamins A, D & E, this pomade's primary benefit is to replenish lost moisture from your natural or relaxed mane.

Pomade plus: Apply oil-based pomades on hair for prior to heat styling to get optimum sheen and moisture.

Great on: Natural and locked hair

Best for: Smoothing away frizz, giving locks luster and providing sheen. Made with natural oils, this pomade locks in moisture and shine on locks, and natural textures.

Pomade plus: Use a small amount of pomade during retwisting of locks to seal in moisture and sheen.

Great on: All lengths and textures

Best for: One of the first all-natural pomades to hit store shelves, this pomade became to go-to brand for grooming locks and twisting natural hair. But it also imparts shine on relaxed hair.

Pomade plus: To remove pomade build-up, use a cleansing or clarifying shampoo to strip away wax and oils.

Great on: Short to mid-length styles with medium to thick textures

Best for: Defining texture. With a waxy paste formulation, a small amount on your fingertips is all you need to transform a boring short cut into a fashionable must-have look. $16.99, available at Drugstore.com.

Pomade plus: To prevent hair from looking greasy, apply pomades using your fingers and never brush or comb pomade through hair.

Great on: All lengths and textures

Best for: Separating curls and providing sheen. Whether your hair is long or short, add a small amount of this pomade into the palm of your hands, rub together and twirl around curls for instant definition. $2.99, available at Ulta.com.

Pomade plus: Apply pomade on the ends of hair with fingertips and mold flicks and spikey cuts.

Great on: Short lengths

Best for: Providing lightweight hold. Made with a soy-based paraffin, this waxy pomade holds short, textured styles together. The best part for us is its delivery: twist the bottom and out comes just the right amount for application. $14, Danasloft.com.

Pomade plus: For a more carefree look, mold hair into the direction you want by rubbing into palms of hands and working hands into hair using a back and forth motion.

Great on: Short and mid-length textures

Best for: Defining texture in razor cuts. Take a dime-sized amount of paste and work into the hair on ends only. $26, available at Beauty.com.

Pomade plus: Use paste-pomades on dry, not damp hair.

Great on: Naturally curly and natural hair textures

Best for: Providing sheen and definition once hair has been styled. Made with rich, palm nut oil from the Rain forests in Central America, simply work this magic tool into hair using fingertips and go. $25, available at Beauty.com.

Pomade plus: Apply a small amount of pomade after curling hair to separate and define soft curls.

Great on: Naturally curly hair

Best for: Providing lightweight sheen. Work a small amount into damp hair and allow to air dry for long-lasting shine. $11.99, available at Mixedchicks.com.

Pomade plus: Applying pomade on damp hair helps to control frizz and better define curls.

Great on: All lengths and textures

Best for: Smoothing away flyaways and defining short textures. Made from shea butter, bergamot and ylang ylang, it delivers the perfect hold for spiky looks and keeps edges in tact. $24, available at Beauty.com.

Pomade plus: Use a small amount of pomade on humid or rainy days to keep the frizz away and define short styles.

Great on: Curly hair textures

Best for: Defining curl and removing frizz. With one dollop, you'll get your frizz under control during all weather changes. And because it goes on clear like a gel, you won’t get heavy product build-up. $26, available at Ouidad.com.

Pomade plus: For long, naturally curly manes, apply a small amount of water-based pomades from the root to the ends.