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The 11 Best Medium-Hold Hair Stylers for Men: Expert Picks for Everyday Control
Strong enough to hold a style all day, but light enough to prevent helmet head.
by Adam Hurly
Jun 12, 2025
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Medium-hold products will satisfy the majority of people. They ensure that hair stays situated all day without ever feeling helmet-like. I believe some (namely clay and paste) should be in every guy’s arsenal.
Remember, a hair paste or clay from one brand will provide different results from those of another brand—the same goes for all types of hair stylers. So, the below is the most common framework of medium-hold stylers, sorted in order of shine (starting with a total lack thereof).
MORE HAIR STYLER ARTICLES:
For Medium Hold, No Shine: Putty
Putty is often overlooked by most men, living in the shadow of other medium-holds like clay and paste. That’s likely because putty is only really ideal for shorter styles. Think of a putty-styled look as a touchable alternative to one with goopy hair wax. Apply putty dry.
TRY THESE:
Dear Charlie Uptight Matte Holding Putty: This putty strikes the perfect balance between control and flexibility, with juuuust enough grip to keep your style locked in place and looking effortlessly cool.
Fatboy Perfect Putty: The name says it all: this putty delivers reliable medium hold with a natural finish that works for everything from casual weekend looks to polished weekday styles, truly living up to its “perfect” billing.
Alternate option: Matte Pomade and Creams
Same grip as putty, plus the same shine-less finish.
TRY THESE:
Uppercut Matte Pomade: This matte pomade gives you that classic barbershop hold with a contemporary twist, perfect for guys who want structured styles without the old-school shine.
Brightside Textured Cream: This texturizing cream goes in more like a paste, and it has some serious texture-building power, ideal for naturally tousled styles or for taming down pesky flyaways.
For Medium Hold, Natural Shine: Clay
Clay is a brilliant product for textured styles of all lengths. It is best applied to dry hair, especially to keep its natural shine without going too glossy. Technically, clay can be applied wet if you want higher hold and a pinch more shine, but I’d sooner trust paste to achieve those results.
TRY THESE:
Highland Glacial Clay Pomade: One of Amazon’s best-selling clays (if not the best seller, by the time you’re reading this). And for great reason: touchable texture, impressive build, zero shine, incredible product.
Firsthand Clay Pomade: This formula grips without grabbing, creating definition that looks intentional but never overdone, with a matte finish that photographs beautifully under any lighting.
Blind Barber Bryce Harper Hair Clay: Developed with the baseball star’s demanding schedule in mind, this clay delivers all-day performance without the midday touch-ups. It’s engineered for guys who need their hair to look sharp from morning meetings to evening plans, no matter what the day throws at them.
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For Medium Hold, Medium Shine: Paste
Paste is up there with clay as the most versatile styler, since it works for just about all hair textures and lengths. However, whereas clay gives denser texture to hair styles, paste feels more light and touchable. It performs better with a wet application, and can be “reactivated” throughout the day by running a wet hand or comb through the strands. You can even restyle it from there, making paste perfect for transitioning from work hours to Happy Hour.
TRY THESE:
Head Gains Best Head Paste: Packed with ingredients that promote healthy, fuller hair, this volumizing and texturizing paste is a hair-defining phenom.
STMNT Shine Paste: STMNT did us all a favor by offering two pastes with differing finishes: This Shine Paste is exquisite for stylers that border on slicked-back but without so much wetness. The other (their Matte Paste) could rival the clays on this list, too—oh, and STMNT’s Dry Clay is worth a nod for medium-hold wear, too.
For Medium Hold, High Shine: Pomade
OK, no matter where “classic pomade” falls on my hold-and-shine spectrum, 100 brands are going to disagree with me. But to me, pomade should always be the slickest, shiniest of the bunch. (Nevermind that the industry feels the need to call every product “pomade” of late. Ignore that.).
TRY THESE:
American Crew Pomade: The reliable classic that’s been a barbershop staple for decades. With this all-time great pom, you get day-long hold with a luminous shine.
Daimon Barber Classic Pomade (oil based): Old-school meets new-school in this oil-based pomade that delivers traditional shine and medium hold while staying reworkable throughout the day. Think modernist with a flair for classic style.
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