Jonker Buddies Flor de la Mar review

We've got another Malaysian pomade to be reviewed today. Jonker Buddies, from Malacca, are a mainly a pomade distributor. However just like the folks from Anarki Pomade who made Espresso Pomade, Jonker Buddies also have their own signature in-house product. This is Flor de la Mar; a firm to heavy holding unorthodox water-based pomade. This very product has gone through several iterations of formulas and packaging since it's birth and Hanaffi was generous enough to send me one. I've never tried any of it's previous versions but nonetheless, we shall have a look at what it has to offer now.

Packaging

Flor de la Mar comes in the Malaysian standard 3.5oz amber glass jar with a golden metal lid. The label design is very clean but the bronze foil that shows through the labels really amps up the sophistication in the overall packaging. Gives it a very nice touch. Lid features a graphic of a ship, printed on a clear sticker, that I feel gives the pomade it's identity and historical homage. I've also seen photos of how the older versions were packaged and labelled, and this one blows those ones away by a mile.

Scent

The scent of the pomade is supposed to replicate Aventus by Creed. I've never personally smelled the cologne myself, but I've read that it's a supposed to be a smokey pineapple-ish type scent. At least that's how the cologne smells like. For the pomade, what I get is this fresh, slightly fruity, but also musky smell. I can't verify how accurate it smells to the cologne, but it does smell pretty good. I find that it's a rather unique scent and it lasts a good portion of the day as well.

 

Application

With a small amount of pressure applied, the product scoops out no bother. Has a thick, creamy feel to it. Breaks down just as easy without much of a hassle. Goes into your hair with very little tugging or pulling, even in dry hair.

Slickness

Combing through the pomade is pretty easy. Has a slight bit of resistance to it without feeling unbearable. It's not a very slick or sticky pomade so I do find that it has some trouble keeping everything nice and tight.

Control

This pomade styles pretty effortlessly. Despite being advertised as a firm or heavy, it feels very lightweight in the hair which helps to provide a really good amount of volume and height. The dryness of the product results in my hair fighting me slightly, but the overall styling process isn't too bad at all.

Strength

Definitely more of a firm for me. The light weight of the product really helps to provide height and volume but the hold tends to fall slightly short, making the hair feel a tad bit loose and fragile. The product does set and firm up ever so slightly to help retain a lot that hold and volume.

Shine

Has a low to matte shine to it.

 

Durability

The dry nature nature and light-weight hold of the product does make it endure hot days with little to no issue. I do find that it's lack of density results in it falling out of shape under windy conditions. Another peculiar thing that I noted is that it loses even more slickness when restyled with a comb which makes strays and loose ends come out for me. It's still able to hold up most of it's shape and form, but finger combing throughout the day seems to suit it better.

Washability

One rinse is all you require to fully wash out the product. No shampoo, no buildup, no fuss.

Price-point

If bought directly from Jonker Buddies, it costs $14.86 SGD ($11.03 USD) including shipping to Singapore. Shipping costs may vary depending on where you're ordering it from, but it's still a pretty good price nonetheless.

Verdict

Even though I personally have not heard about much regarding Jonker Buddies and Flor de la Mar, I have seen several people say positive things about them. Going into this product, I was definitely keen to see how it worked for myself.

I'm impressed with how the pomade applies and styles. Scooping out and breaking it down is not only effortless, but also oddly satisfying with it's creamy consistency. It styles just as easily and I love how easy height and volume is attained with this product, even when applied into damp hair. The scent is not only pleasant, but also long lasting and everything washes out within one rinse. My main gripes would be about the dryness of the product and how it restyles after a few hours. The pomade not only lacks slickness, but also loses what little slickness it has throughout the day. This makes restyling a bit of a chore as I find myself fighting strays more than I'd like to.

Flor de la Mar is another UWB pomade that works well, but could definitely use some tweaking to push it a step further. At it's current state, I personally feel that it performs more like a matte paste rather than a pomade. Nonetheless, I can still see many people enjoying this product. A definite must-try for those who prefer dryer and matte-finish products. So all hands on deck, and set course towards getting yourself a jar of Jonker Buddies' Flor de la Mar.

Click here to visit Jonker Buddies on their Facebook page