Clay or Wax? | Which Is the Best Hair Product for You?

Having good hair is easy these days. A nice, manicured mane is a sign that you have a fine sense of fashion. With a huge selection of hair products available, it may be tough to choose. There are so many options in hair products for styling and texturizing alone.

You may have your eye particularly on hair wax or hair clay. Both these types of products are popular and easy to find. The question is, what’s the difference between them? Also, which of these is the best product for your hair?

You want answers to these questions without having to spend a lot of money experimenting with products, right?

Let’s take a look at hair clay and hair wax, and compare them for how they work on different types of hair.

What is Hair Wax?

While pomades were classic hair styling products for men and women with short hair, the most popular hair product today is hair wax. If you run a survey of styling products on the shelf of your local drug store or beauty store, you’ll find most feature wax as a major ingredient. Waxes are also quite ancient as hair styling products. And as you may have guessed, natural wax or beeswax is typically taken from honeycombs. It’s the same kind as hair removal wax that comes with a waxing kit.

Oil-based and water-based

Wax is mixed with some fat or oil to improve the dull look that wax alone gives hair. Look at the product label and you’ll find your wax product will usually have some kind of oil like olive oil, coconut oil etc. These oils also add moisture and shine to your hair. Some types of pomades that are water-based can also be called hair wax.

What’s great about wax is that unlike gel or mousse, it doesn’t harden. You get a dynamic hairstyle with wax that stays for longer. Wax is easy to apply, and if your style gets messed up before it should, you can always scrunch, pinch and twist your hair to get the setting back again. Wax won’t flake if it is of good quality.

Waxes usually smell good, and you can choose between woody scents, bubble gum smells and more.

Is Hair Wax Right for Your Hair?

Depending on the type of wax you use, and the type of effect you’re looking for, hair wax may be right for you. Wax gives your hair a medium or medium-hard hold. Your hair will get a very natural finish with a medium shine.

What’s great about wax is that it is good for all kinds of hair, thick hair, thin hair, short hair or long hair. If you have sensitive skin, you don’t have to worry about your skin reacting to the neutral wax. Simply apply it in the morning before leaving the house, and wash off your hands. Wax will help you get that messy hair look, spikes, and other dynamic styles.

Soft wax

Soft wax has the texture of cream, something like a post wax lotion. Soft wax is used to control texture and fizziness. If you have a lot of curly hair and a lot of loose curls, and want lightweight styling with a little hold, a soft wax will give you a natural look.  

Hard wax

Hard wax is available in the form of pastes, mid or fibre. It’s great for all types of hair, thick or thin. It will obviously have a higher hold than soft wax. It can make your hair shiny and it’s easier to wash out than hair clay. This is the perfect wax for a better hold.

Shampoo your hair to clean out wax. Be careful of product build-up and make sure to wash your hair often if you use wax regularly.

What is Hair Clay?

Hair clay is slowly growing in popularity as a hair product for men, so it’s still relatively difficult to find. You’ll find it’s also called moulding clay. A good quality clay product will have real clay in it, usually in the form of a very thick paste that is nearly solid. Look in the ingredients and you’ll see something called bentonite. This is nothing but the clay that is finding a variety of edible and inedible uses.

Is Hair Clay Right for Your Hair?

Hair clay is quite like hair wax. It is good for taming the unruliest hair and make it behave. This means clay is good for you if your hair has a rough texture. If you don’t want shine in your hair and want to control awkward hair, this is the product for you.

It has a medium or medium loose hold, so it’s not great for hair that already has a tendency to be flat. Clays have a subtle smell, and are relatively expensive.

In a Nutshell…

If you’re looking for a versatile product that works for all hair types and adds a subtle shine to your hair, go for wax.

If you want natural looking hair that won’t cause a build-up and won’t give you a shiny look, go for clay.

A product with a combination of wax and clay will be able to tame the toughest manes!