The Blue Ribbon is awarded to the best grooming products of all time (and we have tested 10K+). This artisanal, all-natural wax serves both style and scalp.
Allow me to uh, wax poetic about Church California for a minute, before I get into my rave review for this hair styler. This indie darling came out of nowhere about half a decade back, popped up out of a humble (but oh-so-cool) barbershop in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley district.
All of their formulas are natural, but not in the misleading sense. “Natural” is not even something I seek out in my personal regimen, because so many brands and products have learned the marketing jargon to make a fake play (plus, hey, synthetics work great!). But when a brand really has a spine and stick to its ethos, and still makes products that compete in the grand arena—in Church’s case, getting tons of grooming awards from GQ, Esquire, Men’s Journal, Robb Report and more all the while—well, then I gotta tip my hat.
Even their skincare bottles and hair styler vessels are made of hefty glass, and they look beautiful on your sink ledge (especially because Church nails the branding game). Their all-natch and fully compostable deodorant is a new favorite of my partner’s and Church raised the bar on waterless shampoo + conditioner bars the past couple years too.
Seriously, everything they touch is gold. Which brings me, at last, to this product here. The gold-hued Sun Wax. One of three launch stylers from Church, alongside the spongy Coastal Creme and gripping Volcanic Clay. It really is difficult to pick a favorite there, but I do yield to the Sun Wax, because it is my favorite in its category of high hold stylers (particularly for short hair).
Church California Sun Wax Pomade Hair Styler
Buy on: Church California
Why I Love Church California Sun Wax Pomade
I have medium-long hair right now, but it’s getting chopped down next week, and I cannot wat to use this stuff again.
For that definition, lift, and natural sheen, Church uses a blend of 45 active plant-based ingredients. (Seriously.) That includes waxes (candelilla, carnauba, sunflower, mimosa), plus oils and extracts (jojoba, shea butter, aloe, olive, castor, more) along with scalp-purifying bentonite clay. It’s strong, but ultimately water-based—so it rinses easily and never leaves residue behind.
What sets it apart, though, is how alive it feels. Geranium, frankincense, and lemon essential oils lend it their scent, a subtle, herbal-citrus aroma. It’s congenial and clean, but a little wild—just like the ingredients that have been sourced.
My favorite hair wax, bar none. Never too sticky, always terrific at giving me the lift at my roots, the choppy definition, or even the taming down of strays where needed. (It’s terrific if you need to tame down poofy corners of my hair as I grow it out between awkward stages… Also perfect in beard and mustache hairs, plus, the smallest dab can even tame fuzzy eyebrows.
How to Use Church California Sun Wax Pomade
Scoop a pea-sized amount and warm it fully between your palms until it softens. (You can always use more product, so start small.) I also like to just emulsify it on my finger tips uniformly if i really want to target and lift my roots in a short style.
Work it evenly through clean, dry hair. Target the roots if you need lift; that’s where you will get the most control over the styling. If you hit the ends of your strands, you could just weigh things down (unless that’s also what you intend to achieve… then go for it.)
After the wax is applied, shape everything into place. Again, simply using fingers should suffice as wax doesn’t usually agree with combs. Reapply in smaller amounts as needed, and in your beard, sideburns, or eyebrows to tame strays. The finish stays reworkable, too, never rigid.
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Check out more of the Best Grooming Products Ever — all the current Blue Ribbon winners.
Or watch this video featuring the first 10 winners: