Old Barber Pomade review

For today, we're gonna review another product that was sent to me by Vintage Armor. However this one is a slightly more peculiar product, simply because it doesn't state that it's from Vintage Armor. If anything, it seems like this pomade is it's own brand. Here's the recently reformulated Old Barber. What was formerly a fairly standard unorthodox water-based pomade is now what Ikhwan, from Vintage Armor, calls a lotion water-based pomade. Without further ado, here's a closer look at the new Old Barber.

Packaging

Old Barber comes in a 3.5 oz clear glass jar. Something slightly different as we're always seeing amber glass jars from the Malaysian homebrewer community. Has a black aluminium lid and a matte white label across the jar. The logo design on the front gives it a really classic feel and the text around it is clean and simple. One thing I would've liked to see is the ingredients listed on the label. Another thing to note is that while mine doesn't have it, the newly reformulated pomade should bear a sticker on the lid that says 'Royale Scissor'.

Scent

The product has a classic root beer scent. While it is a pretty accurate scent, I noticed that when I first received the pomade the scent had a bit of a mediciney smell to it. I will admit, that put me off a tiny bit but it went away the more I dug into the product. It also smells better once it's in the hair, and it's a fairly strong scent as well. It mellows out throughout the day, but you'll notice the smell once more when you wash it out. This is definitely worth noting because if you're not a fan of root beer scents, you might not have a pleasant experience with this pomade.

 

Application

This is where the pomade gets interesting. It literally scoops out like a lotion. Has a really wet and light feel to it. Breaking it down is so easy that it feels like you're just spreading it in your hands. Goes into your hair really easily but it'll start to feel stickier and thicker as you're applying it.

Slickness

It's got enough slickness and stickiness to keep everything in place for the most part. It walks this awkward line of being kind of dry but also slightly slick and sticky at the same time. I can't say for sure if I like it, but it works for my hair and that's good enough for me.

Control

Styling with Old Barber is fairly simple. I'm able to achieve a decent hairstyle with a low to medium height pretty easily. I personally find that it styles better after it settles in your hair for a few hours. Once it gets a bit dryer, I find myself getting better height, shape and volume compared to the initial style.

Strength

Stated to be a firm but Ikhwan told me that some of his customers came back saying that it feels rather heavy for them. Personally, it seems more like a medium or a medium firm at best. It has a very soft, lightweight feel to it.

Shine

It gives off a low to medium sheen.

 

Durability

Seeing how it's a lighter and softer product, I was quite expecting it to feel more flimsy and need several restyles through the day. To my surprise, it holds up better than I expected. It easily withstands the heat, is able to retain most of it's height and even though it gets slightly dryer, it's still slick enough to style with. I do find some strays every now and then, but it's nothing major that would piss me off.

Washability

One rinse is pretty much all you need to wash it out. Simple.

Price-point

Old Barber would roughly cost $25 SGD ($18.33 USD) with shipping. International shipping costs will vary of course, depending on where you live.

Verdict

Old Barber is a rather peculiar product. It's runny consistency makes the application super smooth and easy, but at the same time it still gives you a decent amount of hold. The lightweight feel of the pomade helps with styling and it has a fair amount of stickiness to keep everything in check. Overall, I think it's a pretty good performing pomade.

I do wish it had a bit more hold. It definitely feels more like a medium rather than a firm, for me at least. I'd also prefer it to have a tiny bit more density just so that it'd feel sturdier in my hair. If it had a bit more all rounded strength, I think I'd like the product more. I also know most of you are probably wondering; "Isn't this a ripoff of Ace High's Original Pomade?". I can't fully say for sure as I've never tried the product, but I do believe the similarities are purely coincidental.

The newly reformulated Old Barber is definitely a pomade worth checking out. It easily stands out amongst it's peers and will perform wonderfully for many, especially for those with finer or shorter hair.  So get yourself a jar of Old Barber. It's one barber that will definitely keep your hair looking good.

Click here to visit Old Barber Pomade on their Facebook page