6 Best Pomades for Thinning Hair 2024 for Styling Your Precious Strands
GQ RecommendsKeep your hair where you want it.By Timothy Beck WerthDecember 18, 2024Save this storySaveSave this storySaveAll products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.Looking for the best pomades for thinning hair can be tough: Yes, you want to style your hair, but you’re not exactly rich in strands.For guys with thinning hair—or even just fine hair—the best pomade will build volume and texture to give you a fuller look. It should also avoid any unnecessary damage to your hair, follicles, or scalp, which means forgoing stuff like sulfates, parabens, alcohol, and ingredients with hard-to-pronounce names. The best products for thinning hair often contain biotin as well, and several brands now make biotin-infused pomades that might be worth using, though biotin alone isn't enough to solve your baldness. After testing out nearly a dozen pomades over two months, I’m ready to render a verdict on the top picks for men with thin hair.The Best Pomade for Thinning Hair, at a Glance:Best Pomade for Thinning Hair, Overall: Highland Glacial Hair Clay Pomade, $28Best Pomade for Thinning Hair with Biotin: Keeps Thickening Pomade, $27Best Pomade for Thinning Hair for a Natural Look: W Medium-Hold Hair Pomade, $10Best Drugstore Pomade for Thinning Hair: Old Spice Thickening Pomade with Biotin, $11Best High-Hold Pomade for Thinning Hair: Reuzel Concrete Hold Matte Pomade, $22Best Pomade for Thinning Curly Hair: American Crew Cream Pomade, $20Best Pomade for Thinning Hair, Overall: Highland Glacial Hair Clay PomadeTimothy Beck WerthTimothy Beck WerthTimothy Beck WerthChevronChevronHighlandGlacial Hair Clay Pomade$28 Amazon$27 HighlandPros & ConsAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronProsLong-lasting holdSubtle styling lookMade from just nine natural ingredientsDoesn't weigh down hairNatural-looking finishConsDoesn't contain biotinType: Clay | Hold and Finish: Low hold, medium shine | Size: 2.1 oz | Key Ingredients: Beeswax, kaolin clay, glacial clay, Vitamin E | Fragrance: Pine, sandalwood, clayHighland is a Boulder, Colorado-based company, and its pomade is produced in Los Angeles with just nine ingredients. I think this American-made hair clay is the best pomade for thinning hair because it’s the best pomade, period. In terms of men’s hair styling, you’ll get the best results with thick hair. However, because the high-quality natural ingredients are gentle on your hair and scalp, it’s also a good match for thin-haired fellas. This pomade uses a combination of beeswax, vegetable glycerin, kaolin clay, and Canadian glacial clay—not to mention hair-nourishing ingredients like shea butter, jojoba oil, and vitamin E. With their powers combined, these natural ingredients offered a firm hold, fit for a pompadour, with a surprisingly natural effect.The hold was stronger than I expected for a “low hold” pomade, locking in my breezy part throughout the day while keeping my hair high and wavy. When I applied this before a three-hour jet ski adventure, I wasn’t expecting any hold to survive the salty (and pretty gross) waters of the Hudson River here in New York. I was shocked by how well my hair held even while the rest of me was covered in salt. If my part can survive an afternoon on a jet ski, your style will hold up for a long day at work, so don’t let the term “low hold” scare you off. While wearing this pomade, it never looked like I was wearing pomade, which is exactly the look I’m going for. This pomade was easy to apply, though some guys may not like the grittier texture of clay pomade.Best Pomade with Biotin for Thinning Hair: Keeps Thickening PomadeTimothy Beck WerthTimothy Beck WerthChevronChevronKeepsThickening Pomade$27 Amazon$27 KeepsPros & ConsAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronProsVery light fragranceLightweight textureEasy to applyNatural-looking results without shineConsNot ideal for thick hairType: Cream | Hold and Finish: Medium hold, matte finish | Size: 3 oz | Key Ingredients: Beeswax, biotin, green tea, saw palmetto, caffeine, | Fragrance: Sea breezeThat receding hairline giving you a fright? Hold onto those hairs, my guy. Men with thinning hair will probably be familiar with Keeps already, one of several subscription-based companies offering generic minoxidil and finasteride prescriptions. (Keeps is a popular alternative to Hims.) The brand also has robust a la carte offerings, and its Thickening Pomade is definitely one you’ll want to add to checkout. The pomade would have earned a spot on this list for its styling powers alone, but with biotin in the formula to support your hair follicles and support hair growth, it earns extra brownie points. (Biotin doesn’t stop or treat hair loss like prescription medications, but many hair loss physicians and dermatologists recommend it to support hair health.)Keeps’s Thickening Pomade packs a one-two punch. First, the ingredients—biotin, caffeine, saw palmetto, green tea—nourish your hair and scal
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Looking for the best pomades for thinning hair can be tough: Yes, you want to style your hair, but you’re not exactly rich in strands.
For guys with thinning hair—or even just fine hair—the best pomade will build volume and texture to give you a fuller look. It should also avoid any unnecessary damage to your hair, follicles, or scalp, which means forgoing stuff like sulfates, parabens, alcohol, and ingredients with hard-to-pronounce names. The best products for thinning hair often contain biotin as well, and several brands now make biotin-infused pomades that might be worth using, though biotin alone isn't enough to solve your baldness. After testing out nearly a dozen pomades over two months, I’m ready to render a verdict on the top picks for men with thin hair.
The Best Pomade for Thinning Hair, at a Glance:
- Best Pomade for Thinning Hair, Overall: Highland Glacial Hair Clay Pomade, $28
- Best Pomade for Thinning Hair with Biotin: Keeps Thickening Pomade, $27
- Best Pomade for Thinning Hair for a Natural Look: W Medium-Hold Hair Pomade, $10
- Best Drugstore Pomade for Thinning Hair: Old Spice Thickening Pomade with Biotin, $11
- Best High-Hold Pomade for Thinning Hair: Reuzel Concrete Hold Matte Pomade, $22
- Best Pomade for Thinning Curly Hair: American Crew Cream Pomade, $20
Best Pomade for Thinning Hair, Overall: Highland Glacial Hair Clay Pomade
- Timothy Beck Werth
- Timothy Beck Werth
- Timothy Beck Werth
Highland is a Boulder, Colorado-based company, and its pomade is produced in Los Angeles with just nine ingredients. I think this American-made hair clay is the best pomade for thinning hair because it’s the best pomade, period. In terms of men’s hair styling, you’ll get the best results with thick hair. However, because the high-quality natural ingredients are gentle on your hair and scalp, it’s also a good match for thin-haired fellas. This pomade uses a combination of beeswax, vegetable glycerin, kaolin clay, and Canadian glacial clay—not to mention hair-nourishing ingredients like shea butter, jojoba oil, and vitamin E. With their powers combined, these natural ingredients offered a firm hold, fit for a pompadour, with a surprisingly natural effect.
The hold was stronger than I expected for a “low hold” pomade, locking in my breezy part throughout the day while keeping my hair high and wavy. When I applied this before a three-hour jet ski adventure, I wasn’t expecting any hold to survive the salty (and pretty gross) waters of the Hudson River here in New York. I was shocked by how well my hair held even while the rest of me was covered in salt. If my part can survive an afternoon on a jet ski, your style will hold up for a long day at work, so don’t let the term “low hold” scare you off. While wearing this pomade, it never looked like I was wearing pomade, which is exactly the look I’m going for. This pomade was easy to apply, though some guys may not like the grittier texture of clay pomade.
Best Pomade with Biotin for Thinning Hair: Keeps Thickening Pomade
- Timothy Beck Werth
- Timothy Beck Werth
That receding hairline giving you a fright? Hold onto those hairs, my guy. Men with thinning hair will probably be familiar with Keeps already, one of several subscription-based companies offering generic minoxidil and finasteride prescriptions. (Keeps is a popular alternative to Hims.) The brand also has robust a la carte offerings, and its Thickening Pomade is definitely one you’ll want to add to checkout. The pomade would have earned a spot on this list for its styling powers alone, but with biotin in the formula to support your hair follicles and support hair growth, it earns extra brownie points. (Biotin doesn’t stop or treat hair loss like prescription medications, but many hair loss physicians and dermatologists recommend it to support hair health.)
Keeps’s Thickening Pomade packs a one-two punch. First, the ingredients—biotin, caffeine, saw palmetto, green tea—nourish your hair and scalp. Second, the pomade itself builds volume for a fuller, thicker look. The cream pomade is the most lightweight formula of all the products I tested, and it was particularly easy and satisfying to apply. It has an almost whipped cream-like texture, and a relatively natural finish compared to the average pomade.
The Drug Store Pick: Old Spice Thickening Pomade with Biotin
- Timothy Beck Werth
- Timothy Beck Werth
For men that prefer drug store classics to bougie DTC brands, Old Spice’s Thickening Pomade with Biotin still offers an upgrade over standard-issue hair styling products. Not only is the formula packed with biotin to support your hair and scalp health, but it’s also a volumizing product made specifically for guys who need some help holding up their hair. In my testing, I found this product added some natural curls and waves, which made my hair look a bit thicker than normal. It wasn’t a massive difference, but it was noticeable to me, at least.
This is a low-shine pomade, but I wouldn’t say it results in a purely natural look, either. If you aren’t interested in biotin products or can’t find this pomade in stock, I got nearly identical results from the standard Old Spice medium-hold pomade, which has a no-shine/matte finish. My hair looked a little wet with this product applied, and it created some curls and texture that made my strands look fuller.
Best High-Hold Pomade for Thinning Hair: Reuzel Concrete Hold Matte Pomade
Reuzel’s vegan, water-based pomade contains all-natural ingredients and is free of sulfates, parabens, and phthalates. (Heads up, the ingredients list also contains beeswax, which isn’t super vegan?) This concrete-hold, high-polish pomade was recently tested by GQ in-house grooming guru Adam Hurley, who had this to say: “I love Reuzel’s Concrete Hold Matte Pomade as a root-locking agent in medium-length styles, or if I want my hair to fall a certain direction all day but don't want the product weighing it down throughout the strands themselves. It's especially great in fine and thinning hair for this reason—if you want to build volume and definition without weighing things down.”
So, there you have it. If you need a strong-hold pomade for thinning hair, this is it. It’s got a vanilla-based fragrance, but not an overpowering one.
Best Pomade for Thinning Curly Hair: American Crew Cream Pomade
- Timothy Beck Werth
- Timothy Beck Werth
I was really excited to try American Crew pomade, which comes in a few varieties. In particular, I had high hopes for the brand’s gel-based Medium-Hold, High-Shine Pomade. But I preferred the brand’s Cream Pomade to the gel. Both versions made my hair look a little too wet, and after I applied, it was clear I was wearing hair products. Since I prefer a natural look, this won’t become my go-to pomade, but if you don’t mind a more structured, wet finish, this may be more to your liking.
While the brand describes this product as Light Hold, Low Shine, I have to disagree with the low-shine descriptor. Made for guys with curly hair, you can use this product to moisturize, control frizz, and keep your curls in place.
How To Use Pomade
For guys like me who are only reluctantly using hair product, pomade is a very beginner-friendly men’s hair styling product. Application couldn’t be simpler. You can apply to damp or dry hair, but I like to apply to damp hair (partly blow-dried) a few minutes after getting out of the shower. Next, take a nickel-sized amount of pomade and rub it evenly across your fingers and palms. Run your hands through your hair to achieve the desired style, moving from the roots to the tips. You can use a comb to style as well. You’ll want to adjust the amount of product you use based on hair type (straight hair, curly hair, etc.) and whether you have short hair or long hair.
How We Tested
When testing skin and hair products, GQ’s grooming experts use the products long enough to achieve the desired results. For skin care, that could be weeks to months, but it’s usually faster for hair care products like pomade. I tested nine different products in my search for a good pomade for thinning hair, and GQ regular Adam Hurley has tested dozens more over the years. For this guide, I selected pomades well-suited for thinning hair, guys with various stages of hair loss, and volumizing. A few popular pomades didn’t make the final cut.
About the Author: Timothy Beck Werth is an experienced journalist, editor, and grooming writer based in Brooklyn, New York. For GQ Recommends, Tim has tested and reviewed skincare products, beard care tools, and hair products. He’s also covered gadgets and smart home products for GQ, Gear Patrol, Mashable, The Daily Beast, and other publications. He was previously the Site Director of SPY.com, a men’s product review website. Tim splits his time between Brooklyn, NY and Charleston, SC. He recently finished writing his first novel and is seeking representation.
