Stand in front of a shelf of pastes, clays and pomades and it's easy to just grab whatever's cheapest or has the coolest name. That's how most men end up with the wrong product for their hair, strong hold when they wanted texture, high shine when they wanted matte.
The right choice comes down to two questions: how much hold do you need, and what finish do you want? Here's how the range breaks down.
Start with finish: matte, semi-matte, or shine
This is the biggest fork in the road.
- Full matte, zero shine: Funky Head Matte Paste. A full matte, no-shine finish with light hold (2/5) and texture (3/5), the most natural-looking option in the range.
- Semi-matte, low shine: Clay Play. Gives a soft, satin-matte finish rather than a fully flat one, some depth to the look without gloss.
- High shine: Bull Blaster Pomade. A high-shine finish, ideal for slicked-back looks or defining curls on textured hair.
If you know you want a shine-free, natural look, that alone rules out pomade. If you're after a polished, groomed finish, paste and clay are off the table.
Then factor in hold
- Light hold (Funky Head): best if you want to rework your style through the day or you're after loose, undone texture rather than a fixed shape.
- Medium hold (Clay Play): Clay Play provides reliable everyday hold against wind and light moisture, normal daily activity and light sweating are fine, though heavy rain or intense sweating can soften the finish, though styles can usually be reshaped. A solid middle ground for most everyday styles.
- Strong hold (Bull Blaster Pomade): Delivers a strong hold, rated 4 out of 5, perfect for crafting timeless looks like slick-backs, pompadours, or sharp side parts, as well as more contemporary designs. The one to reach for when a style genuinely needs to stay put all day.
Match it to your hair type
- Fine or thin hair: lighter products like Funky Head add texture without weighing hair down.
- Thick or coarse hair: Clay Play or Bull Blaster Pomade have enough grip to actually control thicker strands.
- Curly or textured hair: Bull Blaster Pomade works especially well for defining curls on textured hair thanks to its water-based, non-greasy formula.
- Short-to-medium hair: all three work, but Funky Head and Clay Play are specifically built with this length range in mind.
Can you combine them?
Yes, this is a genuinely useful trick most men don't know. Clay Play works best used alongside other CrazyBull products, like the Bull Blaster Sea Salt Spray, so a common approach is salt spray first for texture on damp hair, followed by clay or paste once dry for hold. This gives you root-to-tip coverage instead of asking one product to do every job.
Quick decision guide
- Want natural, zero-shine texture you can rework all day? Funky Head
- Want everyday hold with a bit of low-shine depth? Clay Play
- Want a classic slicked, polished, high-shine look? Bull Blaster Pomade
To wrap it up
There's no single "best" styling product, only the right one for the finish, hold and hair type you're working with. Get those three questions answered first and the choice makes itself.