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