Palmers Soft Formula Shaping Wax Review

I've checked this out many times and the color and scent always seemed interesting, time to give it a shot.  Grabbed a can for 3$ so the price is fair, first thing you notice is the striking electric color it has.

Like they canned something from an old ghostbusters movie, looks like some hardcore grease.  The smell hits you and is really pleasant.. kind of like a fresh cupcake or cake batter, not too strong but a mellow warm scent that lingers nicely on your hairs.  If your kids eat play doh keep them away from this!! I was half tempted to take a scoop myself  

By looking at it and the fact it's a wax I was thinking it would be on the harder side, but digging in after you break the top it scoops out softly.  Hmm, I'm really a fan of the hardcore shit but I guess I should've known when the top says 'no hardening'.. thought they were talking about how hairspray makes your hairs crunchy type of hardening, oh well.  I put it in my palms and the smell opens up which is nice but it slicks out really soft and greasy which is good for getting it in but usually means it's going to make limp noodles of your hairstyle.

It goes in super easy and soft.. got it through all my hairs and brushed in nice and it actually had more tack than I was expecting.  Had a bit of trouble getting a clean part but it could've been my cut working against me.  The rest styled up ok, got halfway decent height on the front.. which again I wasn't expecting from a lightweight grease so that's cool.

Everything else went into place, but the back was kind of funky.  This stuff is one of those products that really likes to grip onto individual hairs then sometimes they stick up or fly to the side.. maybe I should've put less in the back though.

Can't really tell from the pics but it gave my hair a nice shine, not super gloss but just the right amount.  It really softens up your hair too the longer it sets.  That's cool if that's what you're going for but sucks for the hold factor.  I wouldn't trust this stuff to hold a style for longer than an hour maybe, or a quick walk outside and you might have helicopter head or those little spider looking things I got crawling on my crown there^^ 

 Overall I'd say it's not bad, but not really good.. at least for me I wouldn't use it daily or by itself.  Pros are the smell is great, adds nice shine for a top coat perhaps, makes your hair soft, styles good and has ok height/hold for a lightweight grease, doesn't really leave residue and washed out completely the next day.  If that's your thing or you like the softer/light grease products this could be a winner.  I think if your hair was really short it would be good just for some shine and the smell, plus if you've got curly hair it's supposed to give waves.. but for longer hair or bigger/taller styles this will probably droop down.  

I've been taking a small dab spread in my palms and rubbing it on my beard, works excellent for that.  If your beard is getting longer and you have those hairs sticking out like a birds nest, just rub some of this and it smooths it out and adds a slight sheen.  Plus it softens it up and makes it lay nicely but the big up is the smell!!  Makes your beard smell awesome and will have your girl or any other chick want to bury their face in your beard, I guarantee it!! Ha well for 3$ you can't really lose either way so if you want a great smelling top coat or some beard grease grab it if you see it.

Murray's Lucky 13 Royal Flush Shampoo Review

So much grease so little time..  Always putting pomade in, greasing up, waxing down, on the search for new cans, or trying blends of this and that together.. but sooner or later it all catches up!  Even when I wash my hair thoroughly, there's still residue caked in there.  You know what I mean, take a shower get out and you can style your hair, let it dry and half the time wouldn't even need to put much more grease on top cause it's already there.  Most of these pomades and products are designed to STAY PUT.  Back in the day people might not hop in the shower every day, let alone taking two or more.. and this grease was meant to keep their shit straight throughout the week so it's no wonder it lasts.  

Every once in awhile you need to let your hairs and scalp breathe, the yin and the yang, get your balance up.  Some people say once a week or every other, I say do what you want but it feels good to wipe the slate clean.  Especially if you're using different brands or types throughout the week it all mixes together like cement, wash it out!  

The Royal Flush here is a good place to start.  You might be able to grab it at your barber shop or order some online for about 10$.  A sound investment to counter all the grease you put in.  

Like it says to start dry I drizzled a good bit on top of my hair before I even stepped in the shower.  I let it sit for a minute or two then started to massage it through.. did that for about another minute then jumped in the shower.  Kind of let it do it's thing for another minute, then added a handful of water to work up a lather.  Worked that in, then did the same a couple more times.  Had it going in a thick soapy lather and worked it in real deep, then rinsed it out.  

After that I put in another decent amount, worked it in good and then let it set to permeate my hairs while I took my shower.  After about 5 minutes or so I washed it through with the water and rinsed it out completely.  The one big thing to notice while using it is the scent, it explodes while you're washing your hair and is really really good.  It's a warm clean smell that kind of radiates off your head even when you're done showering you'll smell it lingering nicely til the next time.  

Seems to do the trick pretty well, got most of the grease accumulation out of my hair.  I tried it a couple times, the most recent after using beeswax and copious amounts of dax all week to really test it out.  Now it didn't take everything out completely but I had a whole shitload of crap building up in there.  That and I don't think anything really takes everything out 100% no matter what you use.  For a flushing shampoo though it worked very good and I'd say it's well worth to have around. 

Usually on a heavy wash out I try to do it at night, then it seems if you wash and condition with your regular stuff in the morning your hair is brand new.  Maybe it's just me but when you put some pomade on clean hairs it seems to work a hell of a lot better than any other time.. so it's worth the wash out every now and then.

 Out of all the flushing/removing shampoos I've tried this one definitely smells head and shoulders above the rest hahaa, couldn't resist that one.  But really it is a nice one to have, works good in getting out most of the grease and smells awesome, what more do you need?    

Lucky 13 Products

Murray's Beeswax Review

Murray's Beeswax has been my #1 go to favorite product for awhile now.  I moved to Detroit about 7 years ago and it took me forever to find a good barber.. and when I finally did he put me on to this.  I always thought beeswax was for twisting dreads and locks when I was younger but you can do ANYTHING with this.. no matter what style your going for or what hair type you have this is the cure all can of grease hands down.  

First off you can find this anywhere from the grocery store to supply shops and it usually runs about 2-3$.. and in a world where everything's going up but my paycheck it's good to know some things stay grounded.  

Pop the top and you see that nice yellow wax just waiting for you to scoop it out.  Smells great, well.. like beeswax pretty much.  A nice uhh waxy pomade earthy kind of scent.

To me this has the perfect consistency.  Digging in you feel that it's hard so you know it's going to put your hairs into any kind of shape while holding great.  But it's not so hard that you think, oh shit this is going to be in for a week.  I'd say it's just the right notch down from the super heavyweights that are like cement, but definitely still in the strong category.  

Grab a dab and put it in your palm, then take just one fingertip and circle it around and you'll feel it soften up from the warmth of your hands.  Rub your hands together and slide it in.  Like anything try to start with a little first cause it can go a long way.  Even just a tiny dab can give great results if you don't want the super slick look.  Comb or brush it through your hairs to get it spread evenly then pop everything into place.  

Guaranteed every time!  Go for the slick rounded

the sharp stack

or add some more for the super sheen

Whatever you do or want to do with your hair the beeswax will put it there.  These are all short shots but when my hair was way longer I still used the Murray's every day..  If you're sporting a pomp or a big side part this is perfect.  If you've got really long hair you can add a dab of the Murray's Exelento or Hair Glo to soften it up for manageability and extra shine.  If you want matte put a little, shine add some more.. or it works with anything if you want to slick some top coat on there.    

Holds and restyles through anything.  You can work a 12 hour shift, walk through high winds, get rained on, then go on a date afterward and your hair is still looking good just comb it up real quick.  For me Murray's Beeswax has always been the one.. I'd give it five stars in every department.  Availability, price, smell, hold, shine, durability, and whatever else you can think of.. for 3$ this can is king.  A necessary staple in your arsenal if it's not there already grab it now!

Murray's Beeswax

Pinaud

You know that great smell you get walking out of the barber shop that lingers around the rest of the day?  Chicks dig it and it always makes me feel extra fresh.. but I always want to get it back after a shower or the next day.  

There's a couple things of course that fall into the equation, some of which even if you had everything at home still wouldn't give you exactly the same thing as the barber, but you can get pretty damn close.  Sometimes it's the Barbicide in the air, the hot neck lather, a secret mix of grease in your hair that your barber concocts behind your back, some witch hazel, after shave, powder, bay rum, and who knows what else, but when it all comes together it just works.  

The right after shave is a big component here.. and a long running staple is the Pinaud Clubman original.  I'll have to say I've smelled it at the store and thought it smelled like some old man shit and not even in a good way.. but I swear something happens after you slap it on and it hits your skin.  It's a sharp, clean scent.. not overly powerful but still something to be noticed.  Definitely a classic worth having and you can get it just about anywhere.. I grabbed mine for 6$.  I'll use it even if I didn't shave. 

Another huge piece of the puzzle is the right talc powder, again with the Pinaud being a barbershop stand by.  You can get a little one or this monster for 3-4$ and be set for life!  Ha, well at least for awhile.  Just tap a bit out and slap it around your face and neck after applying after shave and when the two mix together that's when the magic happens.  Grab some and you'll see what I'm talking about.  

Another helpful tool is a neck duster.. this is the big brush barbers keep in their back pocket, smock, or nearby somewhere close by.  You can grab a big one for around 6-8$ on the low end and well up from there depending on the hair type used and manufacturer.  I picked up the Diane brand el cheapo mini neck duster for 2$ and it does the trick quite nice.  Tap a small amount of talc in your palm, dip the tip of the brush in there and do your thing.  It's also supposed to help your skin after shaving a little bit, and I think helps avoid fresh shaved neck irritation when wearing collared shirts, especially the stiff ones or if you have to button up with a tie.

That's enough talk from me, you get the idea.. go pick some of this up and get that crisp fresh from the shop feeling whenever you want.

Murrays Lucky 13 Swagger Review

Been meaning to try this stuff for awhile now.. My barber always used to use it on me so I'd leave out smelling it all day which is enough to make you want to get some, I just never did til the other week when he hooked me up with a jar.  Now this is a way different type of product than anything I'm used to using, it's water based and a cream.  I'm not a gung ho pomade purist that adheres to some unspoken guidelines that I need to rock stiff cement like grease all the time; though I do of course, but a water base is nice to give your hairs a break every now and then.  I've had good and bad experiences with them, my concern would be with the hold and height though.  Same thing with the cream aspect, hold is usually looser and it can weigh your hairs down losing height and style.  But I try to keep an open mind going in.

Pop the top and you're hit with a strong coconut cream/shea butter scent that I like a whole lot.  Any chicks you cross paths with are going to notice you smell fresh clean and good with this in.  Plus it reminds me of that just left the barber shop smell so it's a winner.  This stuff is straight up donut cream filling by the looks and feel of it.  You can tell it's not a heavy cream just by glancing at it, this piques my concern but let's see what happens.  

Digging in I got what was expected, super light fluffy cream.. it would probably slide right off your fingers if you wait too long.  I put it in my palms and it's real smooth and slippery, exact opposite of any kind of hard waxy sticky product.  Put it in my hairs with no problem, it slides right in like a cream should.  Made my hairs all white at first and I thought oh shit? but rubbed it in and combed it through and everything was cool.  Got my style with no problem, even got my usual height which was cool cause I was half expecting this to droop my hair down.

Everything went right into place, styled up quick and easy..  For a cream you can really work the height pretty good.  It gave my hair a nice dry and natural look which is cool, something different than my usual super shiny greased up thing.  Only thing would be the hold isn't real tight if you have a long day or are going to be outside a lot it will probably blow around.  Not terrible though for the most part my hairs stayed in place.  I think maybe a small dab of beeswax in the palm with this would be perfect. 

I'd have to agree with what it says here, for such a light looking cream it does manage to be rich in your hair and it did give mine some texture with the natural look.

As a stand alone I really liked it more than I expected.  It goes in smooth, styles quick, holds well enough, and smells really good.  Main thing for me it gives my hair a different look which is cool to switch things up every now and then.  I bet if you're going for that messed up or spiky thing it would be good for that too.  Big up is the wash out being water based my hairs were singing praises that they could breath after using this for a couple days straight.  Feels good to get out of the shower and my hair isn't all gripped up from pomade residue.  So do yourself and your hairs a favor and grab some uhh swagger from Murray's Lucky 13 line, you can catch it around 10$ well worth to have in your cabinet.

http://www.lucky13murrays.com/

Kuza Beeswax Review

Always been a big fan of beeswax so when I see something new or different on the shelf I always pop the top and take a look.  Seems like there's a million different variations from creams to the water based edgewax.. sometimes you can tell it's one to leave behind, but this one looked like a winner so I grabbed a can for around 3$

Looks like a nice firm wax to me which is what I look for.  Smells like a no frills beeswax should, very reminiscent of the standard issue Murray's version and they both share the same three ingredients: wax, petro, and fragrance.  Already it seems a lot like my old stand by, not a bad thing.  

Scooping in it's solid enough, feels about right to me.. a bit hard to break the surface, but smooths out just a bit softer once you rub it in your palms.  I put it through my hairs without any snags, used just a tiny bit and then combed it through.  No problems so far, got my hairs in place quickly.

Looks a little rough around the edges, but I didn't get my top clipped in as close as usual so it's just the haircut

This was after rocking it for a few hours and a recomb.  I like to see how it's going to look after some time to give you a better feel for it.  Sometimes you can make anything look sweet right out of the can, but halfway through work or your day is when the true test comes into play.  Seemed to hold up ok, but I noticed it didn't feel really sticky, I like that shit that's going to grip your hairs together and hold them super tight throughout the day.  I mean it works enough, but I wouldn't put it in the super strong category.  So though it might look tight in the pictures, after walking in the wind or something things might get a little out of place.  

Worked good enough though, I like it overall.  Gave my hair a bit of a shine, nothing too glossy, and it held up well.  Price is right, smells good, goes in easy, and holds good too.  I've always been partial to the Murray's Beeswax, but I'd say this is the next best in line out of the different ones that I've tried.  I've only seen this at one supply shop and have never seen it before so I picket it up.  If you come across some and like beeswax products I'd say it's worth having in the arsenal.

Probably works great for locks and braids, or if your hair is thicker and or curlier than mine I bet it's real good.  Keep an eye out for it.

Dax Washable Hair Wax Review

I like the strong waxy products, always see this and have wanted to test it out for awhile now.  Grabbed some for 3.29 so the price is definitely good and with Dax you can expect a quality product.  I wondered if washable meant it came out easy or you could wash your hair and it would still be there.

Looks like I got my answer here.. strong hold, but easy to wash out?  Sounds to good to be true hahaa, but if anyone can do it I got faith in Dax.  

Popping the top you're met with a light, clean smell... smells just like shampoo to me.  Looks like some serious biz, I like that thick hard waxy look.. and digging in didn't disappoint.

It was super firm to scoop which is cool for me.. but it also had a softness to it once you get it out.  It butters up in your palms real easy.  Some hard core wax products are so tough/sticky/dry that they can rip you hairs out when you try to get it in thoroughly, but with the Dax here that's not the case.  You get a strong firm wax that slides in with ease.. and combs up quick.  I started with just a little dab and brushed it through evenly then added a bit more for extra height/hold.

Slicked up pretty good for me, everything popped into place.

You can see it doesn't have a whole lot of shine, almost gives it a slightly dry look.. which I don't mind.  Might do differently if your hair is darker though.  I got caught in a heavy rain storm and took these pics after that and a quick re comb, so it can stand the weather.  I would say it doesn't hold quite as tight as some other wax products but it does do a good job.  The Murray's Beeswax is my gold standard and I've really been stuck on the Dax High&Tight max hold and the Dax Green and Gold Wax has been my every day lately and that green and gold is some super serious shit.. that'll hold your hairs in place through a nuclear holocaust.  

I try to test new pomades with a clear conscious, but with this being a wax I can't help but compare it to what I regularly use.  That aside though it does do a nice job by itself.  It says works great for short hair and I would agree with that.. Probably would work good if your hair is longer too cause when you're rocking those big pomps sometimes the way its cut and having more hair/hair on the sides kind of helps to hold itself up.  

All in all a good product and definitely worth the price.  Smells fresh and clean, not too heavy in the scent department.. goes in smooth, slicks up nice, holds good even through a rainstorm.  Might as well grab some if you see it.  One thing to watch out for with Dax is they have a best used by date and sometimes if your hitting those dusty shelves at an old beauty supply store they might have a batch from a couple years ago..  The new stuff is all good til 2016 but I've got burnt before not looking and grabbed some cans that said best by 2011 real small and didn't realize til I got home.  So double check that date, pick some up if you see it or cruise over to

http://www.daxhaircare.com/store/dax-styling-waxes/hair-wax/

to get it direct.

S Curl 360

One of the new school classics here, this will give you waves if you got 'em, if not it still works as a good pomade.  I usually use beeswax or something strong, thick and heavy but that kind of product melts quick in the summer heat and will have the bees and bugs chasing after you..  Last summer I used this every day as an alternative.  The 360 is unlike any kind of product I've used, it's chemical makeup and consistency is just different but good.  First off this shit is crazy popular, you can get it anywhere from the grocery store and target to family dollar, pharmacies, beauty supply stores, mom and pop variety shops in the hood and the big liquor stores that carry everything from pizza and beer to cereal and socks.  So getting it is no problem and the price is right.. used to ring in at 2$ just about everywhere but it seems this year they lifted the price to around 2.50 which is still cheap so grab some.

Popping the top it looks like solidified lotion for your hair, smells super clean and light like a lotion or soap might smell.  Like I said I've never seen anything that looks like this except maybe Brylcreem but still that's in a different category altogether.  

Digging in the first time I really didn't know what to expect, it could go either way with something like this.. might end up being super light and greasy but I was glad to find it has some thickness to it.  Scooping it out it has a medium weight, more than I thought it would which is good.  Putting it in my palms I noticed a nice stickiness too which is another plus.  It's crazy looking at this cream like product that you would think would be light but rubbing it in your palms it somehow has a thick gripping feel to it.  Slides through your hairs with ease, just rub that shit through, comb it up and maybe add some more if you want.  

If you use a little less it won't be as shiny but the more you put in the more sheen you'll get.  When I first started using this my hair was a hell of a lot longer and I was slicking it back real big with a part and it was great for that but I used to keep a can with me to add more throughout the day.  If you have a lot of hair and you comb it often then you might end up combing out some of the 360 so add some more!  I noticed with shorter hair now the heavy dose application seemed to weigh my hairs down a bit but when I had long hair I had no problem getting height.  

kind of loose on top here

but if your hairs longer it will be better, or you can slick it tight with a comb

Overall it's a winner.  It's water based so like I said you might want to keep some on standby throughout the day whether combing or sweating with the heatwave's it might melt out of your hair but I think it's a great summer or anytime product.  Washes out super easy too which is good in the summer if you're out doing things outside, taking extra showers or swimming you know how quick the heavy pomades gunk up if your hairs getting soaked a couple times a day.  Good clean smell, adds some luster to your locks, makes them soft but still style able.. holds good too.  Not sure how S Curl did it, but I can say the claims on the can hold true for me- makes hair shiny and healthy looking, no build up cause it washes out clean every time soon as the water hits it, and the hold is good don't know if I'd call it firm but it works.  If you can rock waves this is supposed to be one of the best too, so keep brushing.  It's a staple in my cabinet, grab some today.   

Dax High & Tight Awesome Shine Review

The high&tight awesome hold has been one of my favorites lately so I had to try it's green counterpart here.  Grabbed some yesterday for 3.50$ so like all Dax products, the price is right.  One of the big ups of the high&tights to me is the smell and the awesome shine has the same scent as the awesome hold.  When I first caught a whiff I kind of thought it was like a musky old man cologne scent but it's really grown on me.  It is a bit muskier than most products but I dig it, if you see some take a whiff.  

Popping the top you see a blue green semi translucent glop of product staring back at you.. never know what you're gonna get when it looks like this.  

Digging in it's super light and greasy, the kind that wants to slide right off your finger.. it's got a little bit of strength but mostly lightweight grease here.  Hmm, I was hoping to get the best of both worlds with this one, thought it was going to be a heavyweight product like the awesome hold just with more shine factor, guess not.  Can't win'em all but too late to turn back now.  I put it in my palms and got a really thin layer of grease so it was super easy to slide through my hairs.  Got it evenly dispersed with no problem and combed it through.  The nice smell stays with it and I got my hairs in place quick and easy, but it's a real lightweight product.  

Although I got my style it wasn't super tight like I like it and the hold wasn't there as much, the front wanted to droop real bad.  Walking outside into the sun and heat made it sag a lot too.  You can kind of see the top wants to push forward and fall where stronger products usually hold my hairs straight back.  Did give it shine though you can't tell much from the pics, and it made my hair really soft too.  Being as it is a super shine product it does do what it says so I can't fault it for not being what I hoped.  

If you want a nice firm holder with a great smell check out the High&Tight awesome hold

http://theroostersden.blogspot.com/2013/05/dax-high-and-tight-review.html  

Using that first might've set the bar to high for it's green brother can here, as I was halfway expecting the same thickness of pomade.. but it's still a good product if you like a light dressing grease or if you've got thicker or curly hair that holds itself in place already this would be good for sheen and smell.  I'll probably mix a bit of both together and test that out, but for me I don't think I'll be using this by itself.  Still worth a shot if you like the lighter products and definitely for the smell.  Check it out if you see a can or grab a can of both types here

http://www.daxhaircare.com/store/dax-styling-waxes/high-tight-awesome-shine/