Every man should have styling products suited for his unique hair type in his grooming arsenal. Much like skincare or beard care, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to men’s haircare: It varies immensely depending on each individual’s hair type, texture, and preferred style.
No matter what your go-to hair look is, using even just one or two styling products can help keep your strands looking their best. And that’s especially true when it comes to men’s hair, as guys’ styles often tend to be a bit more structural and sleek. But with so many styling options, from hair gels to pomades to putties, it can be challenging to know where to start. Thankfully, you have us.
We’ve compiled a guide to Kiehl’s best hair products for men to help simplify your haircare routine. Ahead, discover our best styling products for men, as well as learn how to use them.
Best Hair Gel: Grooming Solutions Clean Hold Styling Gel
Use It For: All-Day Hold
If your go-to style is more “sleek” than “slept in,” a gel can help keep your hair looking neat and well-groomed. We recommend Grooming Solutions Clean Hold Styling Gel, which firmly holds styles in place while adding a hint of healthy-looking shine. It’s formulated with a blend of aromatic essential oils, including cedarwood and sandalwood essential oils, to impart strands with a clean, woodsy fragrance. This lightweight formula is suitable for all hair types, even fine hair, and doesn’t leave a greasy or flaky finish.
To use it, rub a small amount through damp or dry hair and style as usual for all-day hold with natural-looking shine.
Kiehl’s Expert Tip: Make sure your hair is clean and hydrated before applying any styling product. You can find our lineup of unisex shampoos and conditioners here.
Best Hair Putty: Grooming Solutions Texturizing Clay
Use It For: Low-Maintenance Hairstyles
Hair paste—sometimes referred to as putty or clay—is a type of thick styling cream specifically designed for messy, textured hair looks. Our Grooming Solutions Texturizing Clay is formulated with beeswax and Moroccan lava clay to add lightweight volume and texture with a long-lasting, medium hold. It also contains fragrant cedarwood, eucalyptus, and sandalwood essential oils for a woodsy yet clean aroma. This lightweight formula is suitable for all hair types and adds body without a heavy feel.
To use it, apply a pea-sized amount through damp or dry hair. Comb through strands with your fingers for a low-maintenance, matte hair look that lasts all day.
Best Hair Cream: Creme with Silk Groom
Use It For: Soft, Shiny Hair
If your mane is dry, damaged, or frizzy, it’s important to invest in a haircare product that not only fixes the visible issues, but also restores your hair’s health. We recommend our best-selling Creme with Silk Groom, which features a blend of nourishing ingredients, including jojoba oil and hydrolyzed wheat protein, to smooth and condition your hair. This unique, non-greasy hair styling cream adds lustrous shine and improves manageability while smoothing strands for a healthy-looking finish.
Unlike a gel or putty, this hair cream won’t hold styles in place; rather, its main purpose is to add shine and soften strands. To use it, work a small amount through damp hair and dry as usual. If you have thin or fine hair, skip applying it to your roots to avoid buildup or a weighed-down feel.
Kiehl’s Expert Tip: If you’re not sure how much product to use, start with a little. You can always add more, but if you add too much, the only way to remove it is by washing your hair.
Best Hair Wax: Stylist Series Creative Cream Wax
Use It For: Styling Thick Hair
Styling thick hair requires finding products strong enough to rise to the occasion. We recommend Stylist Series Creative Cream Wax, a hair pomade explicitly formulated for medium to coarse strands.
This unique formula contains antioxidant vitamin E and sunflower oil to strengthen and add vitality to dull, lifeless strands. It also has silk powders to absorb excess oil from your scalp and roots. We recommend this heavy-duty styling product to help sculpt and shape more structural hairstyles. It provides ultra-long-lasting hold without a greasy feel for superior control that lasts all day (and night).
To use it, rub a small amount between palms, then work through damp hair to create your look. You can also apply it to dry strands for extra hold and definition without flaking or buildup.
Best Hair Serum: Silk Groom Serum
Best For: Taming Frizz
If you have frizzy, unmanageable hair, reach for a smoothing hair product formulated with emollient botanical oils, like Silk Groom Serum. This top-rated hair serum contains a blend of rich yet lightweight oils, including sesame and sunflower oils, as well as antioxidant vitamin E to smooth and protect damaged strands. It helps tame frizz and smooth dry ends for a soft and silky-smooth finish. It’s also ultra-lightweight and won’t weigh down your mane.
How you use this depends, at least partially, on your hair type and desired style. For sleek, shiny strands, apply a small amount to damp hair and work through from roots to ends. Dry naturally or with a hairdryer for a sleek, smooth finish. Alternatively, you can apply it directly onto dry, damaged strands to control flyaways and tame split ends.
