10 Best Hair Pastes For Men

When it comes to styling products, hair paste is a popular choice for men who want control, texture and dimension. Styling paste is a versatile men’s hair product that offers a versatile hold and matte finish, providing you volume and texture when molding different hairstyles. The best hair paste has been engineered to be pliable and flexible, making it easy to work with, and delivers a low shine look for a naturally fuller style. Whether you have short or long hair, there are several good paste products to consider.

Some men will want a matte hair paste for a natural textured look, while others may prefer a medium to strong hold molding paste for control and definition. With so many different brands on the market, it can be a challenge choosing the right paste.

To help you find the right products, we’ve compiled a list of the best hair pastes for men. From American Crew to Cremo, explore these top-rated styling paste products to get a stylish textured men’s hairstyle!

10 Best Hair Pastes 2023

American Crew Defining Paste

American Crew Defining Paste is one of the most popular men’s hair products on the market and can deliver the hold and texture needed to style loose and relaxed hairstyles.

The beeswax in this paste provides a matte finish to hair with low shine and a pliable, medium hold. This product can be used on all hair lengths, but it performs best with short- and medium-length hair.

It should be applied to damp or dry hair and worked through with your fingers to create the style you want. This hair paste is enriched with lanolin and several nourishing oils, but it’s completely water-soluble and won’t leave a greasy residue or flakes.

The product has a minimal amount of added fragrance, and its mild scent is mostly derived from its botanical ingredients and oils.

This hair paste holds up all day and can be restyled by finger-combing. From work to the gym to going out at night, American Crew’s Paste will keep your hair groomed and effortlessly styled.

Cremo Premium Barber Hair Styling Thickening Paste

If you’re looking to add texture and volume to your short or fine hair, Cremo Premium Barber Hair Styling Thickening Paste is the hair paste to try. This grooming product is part of Cremo’s Barber Grade line that’s formulated to capture the creative perfection of a professional barber.

Out of the container, this hair paste is sticky, but once it’s warmed in your palms, it’s easy to apply. When dried, the product has a strong hold and low shine and gives hair a fuller appearance. A defining feature of this paste is that it leaves hair touchable with no sticky residue.

Ingredients include lanolin wax and beeswax for holding power, castor oil and other humectants for moisturizing, and emulsifiers for building up volume. This hair paste has a slight, clean scent and is barely detectable when dry.

Cremo Thickening Paste strengthens and thickens fine hair so you can style all the most popular modern men’s hairstyles.

Pacino’s Matte Hair Paste

Pacinos Matte Hair Paste is a high-quality styling product for guys who have straight, wavy or curly hair at any length. This hair paste is a barber-grade option that will offer control, definition and volume for a textured natural look, taking your hairstyle to the next level.

The paste works best on towel-dried or blown-dried hair. A fingertip smear is all it takes to run this water-soluble paste through hair. Once applied and you’ve shaped the style and volume you want, use a blow dryer at low heat to finish styling.

The product gives a medium to strong hold with no shine for a totally natural look. Your hairstyle stays put all day and can be re-textured for a nighttime look. It doesn’t flake like a pomade, nor does it clump like hair clay.

This paste gets its holding power from lanolin wax and naturally occurring carnauba wax. A primary ingredient is kaolin clay, which cleanses hair of excess oil and improves its elasticity. This hair product does have a clean scent that dissipates as it dries.

For a top-rated product that will let you create any classic or modern hairstyle, add Pacino’s Matte Paste to your arsenal of styling tools.

Got2b Phenomenal Molding Paste

Got2b Phenomenal Molding Paste is recommended for thick, wavy or straight hair and is geared towards men who prefer a more classically groomed look.

This hair product has a looser consistency than other pastes and delivers a low to medium hold with a low shine. It can be applied to damp or dry hair and worked through with a comb, brush, or just fingertips. When the paste dries, hair feels smooth and soft.

This paste formula has several natural oils that make it easy to run through hair and add suppleness. Carnauba wax and the mineral wax ozokerite stabilize the ingredients and strengthen the product’s hold.

The product does have a scent that’s described as woodsy and masculine. It’s not overpowering, but it will still be present after the paste has dried.

Whether you want an elegant or edgy look, Got2b’s Molding Paste will let you express your attitude with style.

Axe Hair Paste

Axe Hair Paste is an all-purpose styling product that can be used to create and shape any hairstyle, especially tousled and messy styles.

The company has changed this hair paste formula from a hard, clay-like consistency to a smooth, creamy consistency. This new version is now much easier to evenly distribute through hair.

The product has a medium hold with a natural matte finish. Axe recommends that it’s best for short or medium-length hair wet or dry, but it’s good for styling towel-dried long hair.

The paste can be worked through with fingertips for a tousled look or combed or brushed for a more groomed look.

The fragrance is composed of citrus, coconut, and botanicals, and unlike other hair pastes, it is phthalate-free. The paste’s scent is mild and fresh, and when dry, it’s undetectable.

With a light and flexible hold that won’t stiffen, Axe Hair Paste has been designed to help guys get voluminous textured styles that can be reworked and shaped throughout the day.

Old Spice Styling Paste

Old Spice Styling Paste is a top-rated hair product for guys who need control and volume with a natural finish. This matte molding paste is great for styling short to medium-length straight, thick or wavy hairstyles.

The hair paste has a creamy, whipped consistency that isn’t sticky and easy to apply. The product adds texture and definition to damp hair with a medium hold. Made to hold all day, this styling paste is versatile and can be reactivated and reshaped by applying a little water.

This hair paste is a compound of mineral oil and three different waxes that work to spread the product to every strand of hair. It has the brand’s familiar aftershave fragrance that smells great without being overwhelming to the senses.

Affordable and highly recommended for men who want to look barber-groomed with minimal effort, you can’t go wrong investing in Old Spice’s Styling Paste.

Sun Bum Sonny’s Original Surf Paste

For beachy styles and cool surfer hairstyles, consider styling your hair with Sun Bum Sonny’s Original Surf Paste. This product has a low to medium hold with a matte finish and is intended for short to medium hair.

It works best when applied and worked through with fingertips on wet hair. This hair paste adds extra grip and texture so it can be artfully shaped into a fresh-out-of-the-ocean look.

Sun Bum is an ecologically minded company, and so this plant-based hair paste is paraben-free, cruelty-free, and hypoallergenic. One of the product’s primary ingredients is kokum seed butter, an antioxidant that strengthens and thickens hair. This product is formulated with natural oils, extracts, kelp, black charcoal, and black Hawaiian sea salt, which gives the paste a gritty feel. It also has UV protection to help prevent sun damage. With a naturally-derived banana and coconut fragrance, this paste smells beachy and tropical, making it an excellent styling product for beachy casual styles.

If you’re looking to maintain a healthy and stylish look, Sun Bum Sonny’s Paste is a great product worth using.

18.21 Man Made Hair Paste

18.21 Man Made Hair Paste is a light styling product that’s been designed to shape and mold all hair types, including wavy and curly hair. It can be applied to wet or dry hair and has a medium hold with a satin sheen finish.

With a slick texture that will easily run through your hair, this paste can be combed through for a well-groomed hairstyle, spread throughout for a looser look, or blown dry for a soft, natural appearance.

Its paraben-free formula is designed to moisturize and smooth out frizz and add volume to thinning hair. 18.21 is famous for its proprietary scent in all the company’s grooming products. The hair paste’s masculine “sweet tobacco” fragrance is a blend of pipe tobacco and whiskey barrel.

18.21 Man Made Paste is a luxury hair product that will help you achieve long-lasting hairstyles that look and feel good.

Aveda Men Thickening Paste

Aveda Men Thickening Paste is a potent combination of botanicals and oils that will make your hair look and feel nicer. The company is world-renown for manufacturing all-natural hair products that are vegan and cruelty-free.

This hair paste offers a versatile light to medium hold with a matte finish for a textured style. This styling product can minimize frizz, revitalize dull hair, enhance volume and provide a fuller look.

Made from plant products and non-petroleum minerals, the recipe consists of seed oils and root extracts that work to thicken and protect individual hair strands. Four of the exotic extract ingredients also stimulate hair growth.

With no added artificial fragrance, this thickening paste comes with a great light scent composed of spearmint, vetiver and lavender.

With a single application, Aveda’s Paste will maximize volume and flow for a thicker hairstyle you’ll love.

Victory Super-Dry Hair Paste

Created by barbers, Victory Super-Dry Hair Paste is an oil-free styling product that offers a medium hold and a matte finish, making it an excellent tool for all hair types and lengths. Victory markets its products to “rough and ready” men who want their wild manes groomed like a gentleman’s.

This ultra-lightweight, non-greasy hair paste is intended to be used in small amounts as you style. Apply a little more for a longer, uplifted hairstyle, and a little less for the perfectly arranged messy look.

A trio of waxes – lanolin, beeswax, and carnauba – gives excellent holding power to this product. Most hair pastes have at least one oil in the mix for smooth application. Victory Super-Dry replaces oil with several chemical ingredients that do the same job.

With a masculine scent, the company describes this texturizing paste as having a “log cabin” smell, which translates to woodsy or piney. If you prefer a light rugged natural fragrance, you’ll love the pleasant earthy scent.

If you need an easy-to-use texturizing product, Victory’s Super-Dry Paste will help you achieve your style and look effortlessly cool.

What Is Hair Paste?

Hair paste is a men’s styling product that can add control, texture and volume to help you create all the best hairstyles regardless of length or type. Paste is used to create any hairstyle that needs body and control. Most hair pastes are made with lanolin wax or beeswax, and come in a semi-solid state that is easy to use and spread.

These types of products need to be warmed between hands before applying to damp or towel-dried hair. Generally, styling pastes are water-soluble and come with a smooth, creamy consistency that make them easy to apply to both dry and damp hair.

How To Use Hair Paste

When styling your hair, you’ll want to use a pea-sized portion and warm it up by rubbing the paste between your palms until it’s evenly distributed. Your hair length will determine the amount of hair paste you’ll need to apply to your hair. For short or medium-length hair, start with a small amount and use more as necessary for longer hair.

Start by running the paste throughout your hair, spreading it all over to coat your strands. Experts recommend applying styling products from back to front, but guys should do what is comfortable for them. For a casual and loose look, use your hands and fingers to style your hair. For an elegant groomed look, consider a brush or comb to create your hairstyle.

Once you’ve achieved your desired look, you can blow dry it for a softer and more textured natural finish. Applying low heat with your hair dryer will also ensure an all-day hold.

How To Choose The Best Hair Paste

Hold

Most hair pastes are medium to high or strong hold styling products. These types of pastes are great for styling short or medium-length styles that require structure, definition and volume. A strong hair paste will keep your hair in place throughout the day and can be reactivated with water while delivering body and lift.

Styling pastes with a low hold may be called “flexible” or “pliable”, and are perfect for looser, relaxed men’s hairstyles. A flexible hair paste lets you reshape your hair throughout the day and will provide natural flow and movement.

Texture

Texture paste features a low shine or matte finish for a thicker, natural look. These types of products can be great for men with thinning hair or those who prefer a fuller feel.

Textured hairstyles have been distinctly separated and layered for a less-structured look and leverage your hair’s natural shine. The best paste products will help define these textured layers and boost volume, allowing you to style your hair to create your favorite look.

A few hair pastes have a glossy finish, but most have a low shine or matte finish. If you’re going for an artfully tousled matte look, stick with a hair paste that’s specifically labeled as a matte finish.

Scent

Almost all hair pastes have a scent. Some men prefer a mild, clean fragrance that doesn’t clash with cologne and dissipates during the day. For guys who don’t want to be overwhelmed by fragrance, American Crew and Aveda make top-rated paste products that are lightly scented with botanicals, extracts, and herbs.

Some men may like paste with a great smell such as a distinctive sweet or musky scent that’s fragrant like cologne. Victory Super-Dry and 18.21 Man Made offer distinct masculine scents worth trying.