Ziggy Supply Sang Nila Cream Pomade review

Grand Classic Grooming E85 Natural Race Blend review

The product we're reviewing today hails all the way from the land down under. From newcomers, Grand Classic Grooming, Jay and the team was generous to send in their E85 Natural Race Blend. This take on a classic medium hold oil based pomade has a twist to it as the brewers have sourced out synthetic beeswax as a vegan-friendly substitute. Enough chit chat, let's speed away to the actual review.

Packaging

The E85 comes in a black 3.5 oz metal tin with a screw top lid. The bold yellow label features white pinstripes across it with the brand and product name clearly presented. You'll find more details of the product on the back of the tin such as ingredients, performance breakdown and further information. A rather simplistic design approach, but it still looks well-presented nonetheless and the race car motif gives it a unique identity.

Scent

To make things simple, the scent breakdown is a smokey tobacco and citrus with woody basenotes. I personally get a strong woody tobacco smell that's slightly sweet which I do quite enjoy. Although not an overbearing scent, it definitely makes its presence throughout the day.

 

Application

Scooping out the product requires some effort, but it doesn't take much to get a nice amount out. Breaking down it down might be met with a few wax beads separating, but just keep working it till everything breaks down into a smooth buttery grease. It applies into the hair with practically no tug and pull. I would suggest applying it into dry hair in order to achieve as much hold as possible.

Slickness

This pomade is able to provide a really nice amount of slickness. It's not overly greasy, but still definitely slick and sticky enough to keep control of your strays and comb down more stubborn areas.

Control

You can get a fair amount of control using this pomade. It has a medium weight which allows for a good amount of height and volume but will still provide some backbone structure to it. It's more suited for moderate hairstyles, so don't expect to get a lot of height from it.

Strength

The hold is slightly on the lighter side of a medium, but still really nice overall. Has enough strength to keep the style in place in temperate conditions.

Shine

Provides a nice medium shine.

 

Durability

Being a slicker and lighter medium, it's not going to fair against hot weather incredibly well. It will put up a fight and you will still be able to recomb and restyle without issue. Just don't expect things to sit nice and pretty if you're walking around and sweating all day long.

Washability

Washing it all out will require about 2-3 shampoo washes. It does leave behind a slightly oily buildup.

Price-point

Including shipping, it costs $41.60 SGD ($30.94 USD). Obviously not the cheapest option out there, but a fair price overall.

Verdict

Grand Classic Grooming is a pretty interesting brand. I really do think that their motor sport theme gives them some uniqueness, and I like how they try to support other Australian businesses when it comes to sourcing out their ingredients.

As far as the E85 goes, I think it's a great medium hold pomade. The synthetic beeswax gives it this odd, frothyness that breaks down nice, slick and smooth. Applies like an absolute dream and has a great balance of hold and control to support multitude of hairstyles. As mentioned earlier, it's definitely on the lighter side of a medium which also leads it to lack slightly in the endurance department. I've also tried to let it buildup over a few days to see if the overall performance gets better, but I find that the improvement is pretty minimal overall.

At the end of the day, Grand Classic Grooming's E85 is a solid choice for a medium hold oil based pomade. It's a great vegan-friendly option and has the characteristics of a good medium. If you're willing to show some support to these boys down under, definitely give Grand Classic Grooming's E85 Natural Race Blend a shot. It'll be sure to get your motor running.

Click here to visit Grand Classic Grooming on their online store

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Lockhart's Anti-Gravity Matte Paste review

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Orien't Clay Pomade review

Today's review will be of another Orien't product. In case you need some catching up, Orien't is a Taiwanese company with several salon-style products. We've had a look at their Texture Paste a couple of weeks ago but today, we're taking a closer look at the Clay Pomade; a water-based clay that promises a strong hold. Without further ado, let's dive in

Packaging

As seen previously, the Clay Pomade comes in the familiar box. The designs are consistently the same but with colours that correspond with the Clay Pomade's. Once again, you also get that little folded card with instructions on how to use the product.

The clay itself comes in a 3.5 oz glass jar, labelled on the front with ingredients and instructions printed on the other side. Just a very well-made packaging and presentation that really elevates the vibe.

Scent

According to the company, the Clay Pomade has a citrus bergamot scent. It's a fairly subtle, fresh citrusy smell that's pleasant. Whether or not you like the scent, it will go mostly unnoticed once it's in the hair.

 

Application

It doesn't take much to scoop out this thick yet slightly creamy clay. Breaking it down is fairly smooth, feeling more grippy and dry the more it breaks down. Goes into the hair with expected tug and pull, so do go in with caution. Apply in smaller amounts and work more in if needed.

Texture

Being a dry clay, it comes with no surprise that it isn't very slick. It keeps most of my hair under control while allowing a decent amount of texture in the style. Strays and flyaways are to be expected when using this clay.

Control

As mentioned earlier, you get pretty good control with this clay. Height and volume is easily attained and I find that it allows my hair to be styled with fairly little resistance.

Strength

Described to be a strong hold, which I say is quite true. Call it somewhere between a medium and a firm if you're boiling down to specifics. Basically, you're gonna get more than enough hold for it to keep your hair in place for a good portion of the day.

Shine

Leaves one of the most matte finishes I've seen in a clay.

 

Durability

The clay bears plenty of similarities to it's brother, Texture Paste. Has a similar lightweight control and dry finish that has little to no issue lasting long hours and high heat. Touching up and even restyling can be expected depending on the weather conditions, but it's not hard to style it back in place. Most of the hold is retained throughout the day and it stays nice and pliable.

Washability

This clay is also described to be water-soluble, which I think isn't entirely accurate. While most of it does rinse out, I still do find a small bit of buildup left. One shampoo wash should get you covered though.

Price-point

Just like the Texture Paste, this clay will cost $44.07 SGD ($33.40 USD) including shipping. I've mentioned in the other review of how even though the price is steep, it can be justified when compared to other salon-style products. Especially when you boil it down to quality and quantity.

Verdict

As mentioned in my previous Orien't product review, this is a brand that really intrigues me. The sharp packaging and branding really gives you a sense of elegance and sophistication, but does that impression carry through within the products themselves?

The Clay Pomade, in particular, is a rather interesting product to me. When seen as a clay, I think it performs and behaves just like any standard clay should. It provides many of the qualities that majority of users look for in a clay; a solid hold and matte finish. What I think sets this clay apart from the others is if you used it as a dry shampoo. This wasn't something that the brand has told me to do and it's something that I stumbled upon in my own observations while testing this clay. And while you can also tell me that majority of clays can be used in that sense; to give unwashed hair a slight lift and clean feel, what made me try it out with this clay in particular is one of the ingredients in the product. One of the highlighted ingredients is Diatomaceous Earth, which is supposed to absorb excess sweat on your hair and scalp. Sounds fairly straightforward but when I tried it out on really greasy buildup, I felt that it performed admirably. It gave the buildup a nice cleaner feel, brought down a lot of that shine and depending on how much buildup you're working with, can be washed out a little bit easier with the help of some shampoo.

All in all, I like how this clay can serve a dual purpose. As a styling product on it's own, I find that it's fairly average at best (especially since I find it hard to really be impressed by clays). I do find that it also makes an excellent companion when used with the Texture Paste as a pre-styler and the Clay Pomade as a finishing product. If you're a fan of clays, especially dryer ones, this might be worth looking into.

Click here to visit Orien't on their online store

Leo Pomade Volumizing Matte Clay review

The Singaporean homebrewer community is really small. I've already mentioned that multiple times by now. About a month ago, I was contacted by one that I've seen from time to time, but not worked with before. Farhan from Leo Pomade Co. reached out to me to be a part of their tutorial video for a brand new product they had (which you can watch here) and after said shoot, they kindly handed me a jar of it to use and review. Here is their Volumizing Matte Clay; a water-based clay featuring a strong hold. Without further hesitation, let's get into it.

Packaging

The Volumizing Matte Clay comes in a 3.5 oz clear plastic jar with an aluminium screw top lid. The label designs are very clean with purple accents throughout. All the information is displayed clearly and has a pleasant look overall.

Scent

Described as a peppermint berry scent, and it's pretty much what you get. Smells very prominently of berries with a tinge of minty freshness and I find it to be really pleasant. It's also a rather strong and long-lasting scent as well, so do keep that in mind if berry scents aren't your thing.

 

Application

The product scoops out easily, feeling really smooth and creamy. It breaks down just the same and goes into the hair with plenty of grip. Turns dry almost immediately once it spreads into the hair, so I do recommend applying in smaller amounts or into damp/towel dried hair.

Texture

You get a pretty good amount of texture with this clay. Especially once it turns dryer in your hair, you can really achieve some decent texture. Slickness and stickiness is definitely one thing it lacks, which does become an issue for me when it comes to controlling my cowlick and strays, but could be a plus point for some of you.

Control

Height and volume is easily achieved with this clay. Whether I applied this in dry or damp hair, it still gives me great results either way. Styling with it isn't a hassle and I can easily get a nice, loose look without much to it.

Strength

A strong hold is truly what you get. It's not too lightweight either so it does a good job of staying where it needs to be. Touching up and restyling isn't necessarily needed much throughout the day, but can be done if required.

Shine

Definitely provides a nice matte finish. 

 

Durability

The endurance you get with this clay is fairly decent. As mentioned earlier, there's hardly any touching up or restyling required when you use this product (depending on weather conditions of course). It's really easy to push or comb your hair back into place and you don't lose much of the hold that you get.

Washability

One rinse gets pretty much everything out, leaving your hair feeling nice and conditioned.

Price-point

The Volumizing Matte Clay costs $38 SGD ($28.79 USD) without shipping. Shipping for locals is free and they have a flat-rate international shipping fee of $12.35 SGD ($9.35 USD) with tracking. A bit pricier than most products, even for us Singaporean, but a fair price for the quality.

Verdict

Leo Pomade Co. has always been in my "to-try list" ever since I first heard about them. They went a little under the radar due to family commitments, but it's nice to see Farhan back in the game and adding new products into their catalogue.

After trying their Volumizing Matte Clay a few times, I can say that I do enjoy using it. Has a really effortless scoop out and break down, styles easily, endures the day and weather well, has a pleasant scent and it washes out without hassle. I like the fact that I can use this in damp hair straight, in blowdried hair as a pre-styler, post-styler or both, and all will give me good end results. I find it to be a really fuss-free clay that's really user-friendly. I do wish it wasn't as thick and dry in the hair and is able to be combed better, but it's not too big of an issue.

At the end of the day, I am ecstatic to be able to use another locally made product. It brings a certain level of pride knowing that this clay was made in the lion city. It's definitely worth checking out if you're looking for a clay that's easy to use. Let Leo Pomade's Volumizing Matte Clay tame your mane.

Click here to visit Leo Pomade Co. on their online store

Orien't Texture Paste review

I was recently contacted by Shan from Orien't to do a review on their product line. Even though targeted towards the salon community, the products from this Taiwan-based company aren't only handcrafted but also features natural and well-sourced ingredients as well. Without further ado, I bring you their Texture Paste in all it's glory.

Packaging

The Texture Paste comes in a nice box with all the necessary information across the faces. It's all very clear, well-designed and looks of nice quality. It even has the product name printed across the inner faces of the box which looks much nicer and detailed compared to just being left plain. Inside the box, you'll be met with a little card with a simple infographic on the instructions.

As for the product itself, it comes in a beautiful 3.5 oz glass jar with a screw top lid. You get a label of the product name on the face of the jar and the ingredients and instructions are printed on the other side of the jar itself. Even the company logo is printed on the lid. The overall presentation with Orien't products are breathtakingly detailed and definitely brings a certain level of class to them.

Scent

The product scents aren't stated on their site so I had to ask them specifically what it was (cause I couldn't make it out myself either). According to them, it is a floral and herbal scent which I feel is pretty accurate. It's a very nice, smooth scent with a slight spicy bite to it and I do find it to be pleasant. It's also very subtle and inoffensive so you'll hardly notice it once it's in the hair.

 

Application

Scooping out the product requires minimal effort. It has a thick consistency but breaking it down will be met with a smooth and creamy paste. It applies into the hair with a lot of grip and dryness, a surprise considering how creamy it broke down, so I do highly recommend applying in small amounts.

Texture

Texture is literally in the product name. However, I feel that the texture provided by this product is still on a finer level. Not the greatest amount, but I still feel it's enough for what it is.

Control

Styling with this matte paste is fairly straightforward. Seeing how it's a dryer product, your fingers and wider-teethed combs will be your best friends to style with this product. It provides very nice looser styles and can give a good amount of volume as well.

Strength

Advertised as a medium hold, which deems to be fairly true. The hold may not be incredible, but it's definitely more than enough to style with. It keeps the hair pretty well in place throughout the day and can easily be pushed back into place if needed.

Shine

Provides a matte finish with pretty much zero shine.

 

Durability

This matte paste feels really lightweight in the hair. Even though it has a medium hold, I still find it to last throughout the day really well. I don't find it falling out of place as often as I thought and it's very easy to restyle if needed.

Washability

Stated to be water-soluble, which is true for most occasions, though there are days where I found it needing one wash with shampoo at most. Still really easy to wash out overall.

Price-point

Based on their online store, the product will cost $44.07 SGD ($33.40 USD) including shipping. I'm not sure if it's a flat shipping rate throughout all the other countries as well and I know it's a hefty price to begin with. But considering how it's mainly catered towards the salon community and people are paying an average price of $30 SGD ($22.73 USD) for a 2 oz jar of white-label crap, I think the price is justifiable.

Verdict

I was very interested to give these products a go from the very beginning. Not only are these my first time trying Taiwanese products, but the company and their ideologies as a whole simply intrigued me.

I will be completely frank regarding the Texture Paste. It actually took me a while to get used to using the product, and for one simple (and rather silly) reason. You really can't use a lot of this product at once. Once again, really silly, but it's a habit that I have seeing how I mostly use pomades and it's something that I tend to do with other products as well. When used too much, the Texture Paste can get really thick, unbearable in the hair and just feels like a hot, dry mess. However when used just the right amount, it is an absolutely pleasant experience. I've found that one small scoop as a pre-styler (yes, it works as a pre-styler) and another small scoop as post-styling really works well. It provides a really good amount of hold and volume that lasts all day long, feels lightweight and you can easily run your fingers through your hair to restyle if needed. Another disclaimer that I've found while testing the product is that the results aren't as great when used in towel dried or damp hair alone without any blowdrying involved. Basically, use it in dry hair completely or like how I mentioned earlier on for optimum results.

To wrap things up, I do like this product. I know I went through a lot but that's simply because I've found that this matte paste works best when used with specific methods. I think it's a really nice product that not only appeals to the salon community, but to the homebrewed users as well. If you're a fan of loose, volumised looks, the Orien't Texture Paste is one worth trying.

Click here to visit Orien't on their online store