Men buy hair products in a strange way.
Nice tub.
Smells good.
Says strong hold.
That’ll do.
Then three days later they are wondering why their fine hair looks flatter, their thick hair refuses to move, or their slick back has somehow become a dry hedge.
Clay.
Wax.
Paste.
Putty.
Fibre.
Crème.
Gum.
Pomade.
Sea salt.
Primer.
Spray.
The industry has become very good at inventing nouns.
Unfortunately, it has been less successful at explaining what any of them actually do.
They are not different names for the same gunk.
They solve different problems.
The trick is not choosing the product first.
Choose the result.
Then choose the product that gets you there.
Much easier.
Start With Your Hair
Before buying anything, forget the packaging.
Look at your head.
Is your hair fine or thick?
Straight, wavy or curly?
Short or long?
Dry or oily?
Do you want volume?
Texture?
Shine?
Movement?
Or do you simply need the bloody thing to stay where you put it?
That tells you more than most labels ever will.
Because a £25 product designed for somebody else’s hair is still the wrong product.
Hair comes first.
Product comes second.
Always.
Clay: Texture, Grip and Matte Control
Clay generally lives in the world of texture.
Dryer finish.
Separation.
Grip.
Movement.
Modern crops.
Messier styles.
Hair that looks styled without looking polished to death.
Hairbond’s answer is Distorter Clay.
Distorter gives medium, flexible hold with a matte finish. It is designed to create texture and separation without making the hair stiff or crunchy.
This makes sense for:
Textured crops.
Choppy layers.
Messier fringes.
Thick or coarse hair that needs separation.
Modern styles where the hair should still move.
Distorter is not trying to polish every strand into military formation.
It is designed to make hair look better after you’ve slightly messed it up.
There is skill in that.
Wax and Toffee: Control Without Concrete
Wax sits somewhere different.
It is usually about control and pliability.
More movement than a hard-setting product.
More definition.
Less dryness than a traditional clay.
This is where Hairbond Shaper Toffee earns its place.
Shaper gives firm but flexible control, allowing shape and movement without the greasy feel associated with heavier traditional waxes.
It works particularly well when you want:
Cleaner styling.
Sweep backs.
Classic cuts.
Longer layers that need guidance.
Side parts.
Controlled fringes.
Shape without stiffness.
Shaper isn’t trying to create the driest finish in Britain.
It is trying to make hair behave.
Different job.
Paste and Putty: When You Need Authority
Paste and putty generally move towards control.
The stronger versions are useful when hair is stubborn, thick, difficult or simply has other plans.
This is the territory of Hairbond Forger Professional Hair Putty.
Forger was developed for maximum hold with a dry, natural matte finish. It grips hair firmly rather than relying on wet shine or stiffness.
That gives Forger a very clear job.
If Distorter says:
Let’s create some texture.
Forger says:
You’re staying there.
Use it when you need:
Serious matte control.
Thicker stubborn hair.
Sharper shapes.
Strong quiffs.
Short styles requiring precision.
Hair that normally starts negotiating its release around lunchtime.
There is no point giving somebody with naturally obedient hair a sledgehammer.
But some hair needs one.
That is Forger.
Fibre: Thickness, Texture and Structure
Fibre is personal for me.
Because Hairbond Super Fibre came from my own hair.
By 2020, my hair was receding.
I didn’t need somebody to explain thinning hair to me.
I owned a mirror.
I wanted my hair to look thicker.
The problem with many heavy products was obvious.
They could hold the hair.
But holding hair and making it look fuller are not the same thing.
Heavy product can pull fine hair down.
Grease can separate it.
Shine can expose more scalp.
The harder you try to hide the problem, the more obvious you can make it.
So we developed Super.
It took nearly two years.
We brought in a specialist hair-product chemist.
The brief was uncompromising.
Water-based.
No parabens.
No sulphates.
Keratin added.
No expense spared.
And above everything else:
It had to work.
Super also had a bigger role.
Moulder and Mattifier had been two of Hairbond’s strongest products.
When they had to leave the range, I did not want two rushed replacements filling empty spaces.
I wanted to take what we’d learned and move forward.
Super became that product.
The current formulation is positioned around strong control, texture and a fuller, thicker-looking matte finish.
If your problem is:
Fine hair.
Thinning hair.
A receding hairline.
Flat hair.
A quiff collapsing.
Hair that needs substance rather than shine.
Super deserves a look.
It doesn’t grow hair.
Let’s not start selling unicorns.
It helps you make more of the hair you have.
That is a much more useful promise.
Crème: When Hair Needs Less Fighting
Not every hairstyle needs maximum hold.
That is something the industry occasionally forgets.
Hair got longer again.
Curtains returned.
Curls returned.
Natural movement returned.
People stopped wanting every haircut to resemble a freshly laid patio.
That is why we created Hairbond Drifter Professional Hair Crème.
Drifter is deliberately lighter.
Soft hold.
Natural shine.
Movement.
It is designed to enhance hair rather than dominate it.
Think:
Longer hair.
Curls.
Waves.
Curtains.
Loose sweep backs.
Natural texture.
Styles where movement is the point.
Putting maximum-hold matte putty through every haircut because it is your strongest product would be ridiculous.
Sometimes the best styling product is the one you can barely tell is there.
That is Drifter’s job.
Gum: Definition With Movement
Then there is Vector Professional Hair Gum.
Vector sits between rigid control and very soft styling.
It offers medium, reworkable hold with controlled structure and natural movement. Our professional feedback has also placed it in the more defined, flexible and visibly shinier part of the Hairbond range.
That gives it a different purpose again.
Vector makes sense when you want:
Definition.
Cleaner separation.
Medium control.
Reworkability.
Some visible finish.
Hair that remains touchable.
It is particularly useful when completely matte isn’t what you want.
There is nothing wrong with shine.
There is only wrong shine on the wrong hairstyle.
Pomade: Know When Hairbond Isn’t the Obvious Answer
This is important.
Hairbond doesn’t need to win every category.
If somebody wants an old-school, very slick, high-shine pompadour, a dedicated pomade might genuinely be the better product.
Good.
Say so.
Professional advice becomes worthless when every question magically ends with:
Buy our product.
Pomade is brilliant for polished styles.
Hard side parts.
Slick backs.
Classic barber shapes.
Shine.
Clean lines.
Hairbond’s answer is not to pretend Distorter is secretly a pomade.
It isn’t.
Within Hairbond, Vector is the closer choice when visible definition and shine are wanted.
Shaper works when you want controlled, flexible grooming.
Drifter works when you want softer natural shine.
Different degrees.
Different results.
That honesty makes the whole range easier to understand.
But Styling Doesn’t Start With the Finishing Product
This is where most men’s product guides get it wrong.
They start with the tub.
A good stylist often starts before that.
The final product shouldn’t be expected to create the entire hairstyle.
It should finish what the haircut, preparation and blow-drying have already built.
That is why Hairbond now makes more sense viewed as a system.
Hairbond Wonder: Prepare the Hair First
Wonder Professional Hair Primer is the preparation stage.
It is a lightweight 7-in-1 primer designed to help prepare and manage the hair before styling, including detangling and smoothing; Hairbond also positions it where heat protection and a cleaner styling base are needed.
That makes Wonder especially useful for:
Longer hair.
Dry hair.
Hair that tangles.
Hair being blow-dried.
Styles requiring a smoother starting point.
Think of it like preparing a wall before you paint it.
You can own the world’s most expensive paint.
If the wall underneath is a mess, good luck.
Sea Salt Spray: Build the Architecture
Then comes Hairbond Texturiser Sea Salt Spray.
This is one of the most useful products in the range because it can build the hairstyle before the finishing product ever arrives.
Sea Salt Spray adds lightweight volume, grit, texture and separation. It can be applied before blow-drying to create root lift and structure without the weight of a heavy wax.
It is excellent for:
Flat hair.
Fine hair.
Waves.
Curtains.
Shags.
Messier styles.
Longer hair.
Hair requiring lift before styling.
This is especially important for fine hair.
If you want thickness, don’t begin by throwing half a tub of product at your scalp.
Start with architecture.
Sea Salt creates grit.
The hairdryer creates lift.
Then the finishing product creates structure.
That is a system.
Super + Sea Salt: My Thickness System
For fine or thinning hair, this is probably the Hairbond combination I understand best.
Sea Salt Spray first.
Build lift.
Dry the hair into shape.
Then use a small amount of Super Fibre.
Sea Salt builds the scaffolding.
Super provides the structure.
We have written about that combination before because it makes much more sense than simply using more and more heavy product.
The goal isn’t more product.
The goal is more visible hair.
Those are not the same thing.
Distorter + Sea Salt: Texture Without
Weight
For modern textured styles:
Sea Salt Spray first.
Blow-dry.
Then Distorter.
That combination works because the first product creates the lift and grit while the second defines the pieces and adds matte control.
Good for:
Textured crops.
Shags.
Mullets.
Messier fringes.
Wavy hair.
Styles that should look slightly imperfect.
Perfect hair can look strangely lifeless.
Sometimes imperfection needs professional help.
Wonder + Drifter: Longer Hair
For longer hair, I would go in almost the opposite direction.
Wonder first.
Prepare.
Smooth.
Make the hair manageable.
Then Drifter.
Soft control.
Movement.
Natural finish.
Don’t use a heavyweight finishing product just because you can.
If the haircut is supposed to move, let the thing move.
Wonder + Vector: Polished Without Rigid
If the goal is cleaner and more controlled:
Wonder to prepare.
Vector to define.
This gives a more deliberate finish while still allowing the hair to remain reworkable.
It works for styles where you want somebody to notice the haircut.
Not necessarily the product.
That’s usually a good sign.
Forger: When Nothing Else Is Strong Enough
Some hair will not listen.
Fine.
Bring Forger.
Forger should not be recommended because it is new.
It should be recommended because the customer genuinely needs high hold and a dry finish.
That might mean:
Heavy thick hair.
A powerful quiff.
Short stubborn sections.
Hair exposed to long days.
A style requiring precision.
Use the strongest product because you need the strongest product.
Not because the word maximum makes you feel important.
Dimensions: Finish the Job
Sometimes you’ve created the right style and simply want it to stay there.
That is where Hairbond Dimensions Professional Hair Spray fits.
Dimensions is designed particularly for fine or lightweight hair, giving strong, lasting hold while adding volume and texture without simply loading the hair with more wax.
This is your final whistle.
Build the style.
Shape the style.
Then lock it where needed.
Not everywhere.
Hair isn’t a crime scene.
Rejuvenator: Sometimes the Problem Isn’t Styling
There is another uncomfortable truth.
Sometimes your styling product isn’t the problem.
Your hair is.
Dry.
Damaged.
Tangling.
Loaded with old product.
Punished by heat.
No styling paste is going to magically make unhealthy hair behave perfectly.
Hairbond Rejuvenator Lightweight Conditioner is designed to nourish and detangle without heavy weight, with particular suitability for fine or normal hair; Hairbond also positions it around damage from heat and product build-up.
That’s part of styling too.
Good condition gives you better material to work with.
A barber can make a brilliant suit.
He still needs cloth.
And Yes, The Tools Matter
Men will spend £25 on styling product and then attack their hair with a brush they found in a hotel in 2014.
Equipment matters.
The Hairbond QuiffMaker Brush is designed around lift, structure and volume, particularly where the hairstyle needs elevation during blow-drying.
The Hairbond Professional Comb Set covers preparation and finishing, from detangling and product distribution through to finer definition.
Again:
The product does not do everything.
Technique matters.
Tools matter.
Heat matters.
The haircut matters most.
Sorry, marketing department.
The Hairbond System
So forget the category jargon for a moment.
Here is the whole thing in plain English:
Hair needs conditioning or detangling: Rejuvenator.
Hair needs preparation before styling: Wonder.
Hair needs volume and grit: Texturiser Sea Salt Spray.
Hair needs soft movement and natural shine: Drifter.
Hair needs flexible everyday definition: Vector.
Hair needs clean, firm but flexible control: Shaper Toffee.
Hair needs matte texture and separation: Distorter Clay.
Hair needs thickness, structure and stronger matte control: Super Fibre.
Hair needs maximum dry matte authority: Forger Putty.
Hair needs the finished shape held in place: Dimensions Hair Spray.
Hair needs lift during blow-drying: QuiffMaker.
Hair needs precision and distribution: Professional Comb Set.
That’s Hairbond.
Not twelve products trying to win the same argument.
Twelve different jobs.
Fine Hair
Fine hair needs less weight.
Start with Wonder if the hair needs preparation.
Use Sea Salt Spray for lift.
Blow-dry properly.
Then use Super Fibre sparingly for texture and structure.
Dimensions can add extra final support if required.
Do not drown fine hair in wax.
Fine hair doesn’t have the squad depth.
Receding or Thinning Hair
This is personal territory.
Don’t chase shine.
Don’t flatten the hair.
Don’t create hard comb lines that expose the scalp.
Build lift.
Create texture.
Keep the finish natural.
Sea Salt Spray plus Super Fibre is where I would start.
That is essentially why I made Super in the first place.
Thick Hair
Thick hair has the opposite problem.
There is plenty of material.
Now you need authority.
Distorter if you want matte texture and separation.
Shaper if you want cleaner flexible control.
Forger if it simply refuses to cooperate.
The strongest answer depends on the finish.
Longer Hair
Do less.
This is where men often destroy a good haircut.
Wonder to prepare.
Drifter for softness and movement.
Vector where you need more visible definition.
Shaper where the outer layers need stronger guidance.
Stop before it looks like you’re wearing the product.
Curly and Wavy Hair
Do not kill what makes the hair interesting.
Wonder can help prepare.
Sea Salt can exaggerate natural texture.
Drifter suits softer curl and movement.
Distorter can define sections where a more textured matte finish is wanted.
The curl is doing half the work already.
Let it.
Slicker and Cleaner Styles
If you want very traditional high shine, use a proper pomade.
Hairbond doesn’t need to lie to you.
For a more contemporary version:
Wonder prepares.
Vector provides definition and visible finish.
Shaper provides controlled shaping.
Dimensions finishes where extra hold is required.
Cleaner.
Sharper.
Still movable.
The Biggest Mistake Men Make
Buying according to strength.
Strong must be better.
No.
A Ferrari has more power than a bicycle.
It is still a terrible way to ride down a canal towpath.
The best product is not the strongest product.
It is the product that solves your problem while interfering with the hair as little as possible.
That is professional styling.
Don’t Choose the Tub
Hair products are tools.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
A clay isn’t automatically better than a fibre.
A fibre isn’t automatically better than a crème.
A putty isn’t automatically better because it holds harder.
And Hairbond isn’t better because every Hairbond product supposedly works for everyone.
That would be nonsense.
The range works because the products don’t all do the same thing.
Distorter has a job.
Super has a job.
Shaper has a job.
Drifter has a job.
Vector has a job.
Forger has a job.
Wonder, Sea Salt, Dimensions and Rejuvenator have jobs too.
Once you understand that, buying hair product becomes much easier.
Look at your hair.
Look at the haircut.
Decide what is missing.
Lift.
Thickness.
Texture.
Movement.
Definition.
Shine.
Control.
Then solve that problem.
Don’t choose the tub.
Choose the result.
Everything else is just packaging.