Top 12 Hair Creams for Men – Give Your Hair The Freedom to Style

No matter your hair type or length, every man deserves to have a go-to hair cream to help create a barbershop look without the price. However, this can be difficult to do when you get suggestions from friends and family because no two hair types are alike.

Men’s hair care has made many advancements throughout the years. Starting with plain gel that felt like it was gluing your hair directly to your scalp, to creams, gels, sprays, and lotions for every type of hair, giving men more options for hairstyles than ever before.

Since there are so many different styling products out there that promise the best hold but may not do what they say, we decided to look at all the items on their market today and compile a list of the 12 best hair creams for men.

If you’re in a hurry, here’s a list of our recommended creams:

 

Hair Cream Vs. Hair Gel

Hair gel gives you a strong, stiff hold, keeping your beautiful locks… well, locked down. Helping you create and maintain a style that looks great until you wash it out.

Hair cream is for a more natural flexible look and gives your hair a natural smooth shine, texture, and movement, keeping it free-flowing while still being under control.

 Gels, pomades, and wax have always outsold hair creams in the past when keeping a sleek, stiff, or spiky look was the more popular dos to do. However, these days the bed head tousled look is making its way into the limelight, and men are starting to seek out the best creams they can find to get that look at keeping it throughout the entire day.

 

Best Hair Creams for Men

Each of these hair creams is made for a man’s hair, giving them the best shine, volume, and styles. We determined what creams made our list based on great reviews, amazing ingredients, and affordable prices (well, except our splurge item).

When looking for the perfect hair cream for your daily style, consider purchasing one of the 12 hair creams specifically made for you.

1. Paul Mitchell Clean Cut Styling Cream (Best Shaping Cream)

Paul Mitchell has always been a well-known and reputable hair care company. He and his team have created amazing products for many years, and each one is as good as the next. They have continued this trend with their men’s clean-cut styling cream.

Paul Mitchell’s shaping cream has a medium-strength hold and keeps your hair in place all day long without the rigid, stiff hold of a higher strength cream. It has amazing citrus and wildflower smell, giving you a fresh scent all day long.

It has conditioning ingredients that will soften your hair and keep it feeling soft even after washing it out. This cream is great for that rugged look.

Hair Types: All hair types

Hair Styles: Shine, smooth

Pros:

• Strong Hold
• Matte Finish
• Refreshing scent

Cons:

• Can “melt” in heat

 

2. Got2b Thickening Hair Styling Cream (Best Travel Cream)

For a department store hair cream, we have to hand it to this company. This product is great and at a very affordable price. The Got2b PhenoMENal product line is inspired by men, from the hair on their heads to their beards. You can get a great look with Got2b.

This styling cream is great for men with normal to thinning hair. This cream helps enhance the thickness of your hair while still keeping it in place. This product is great for on-the-go, with a quick dab and apply to freshen up your style throughout the day.

 Hair Types: Short hair, thin hair

Hair Styles: Groomed Style, Thick volume look

Pros:

• Affordable
• Enhances hair thickness
• Provides a natural sheen

Cons:

• Stronghold, cannot be styled after it starts to dry

 

3. Aveda Men Grooming Cream (Best Styling Cream)

If you are looking for a grooming cream that is not only great for your style but also good for your hair, this is an amazing product you should consider looking into. Not only do you get a nice all-day hold, but your hair is going to moisturize with this product as well.

This medium formula has a flexible hold, helping add some bounce and volume to your style. This styling cream helps moisturize and maintain a natural look. Add it to your morning routine and keep your style looking flawless all day long. Get that barbershop style of half the price.

This non-sticky formula is for thick hair, and it is a great smelling product that will get you the attention you deserve.

Hair types: All hair types, Ideal for thin hair

Hair Style: Flexible, not stiff

Pros:

• Non-sticky
• Great smell
• Provides natural shine
• Work on fine hair

Cons:

• A small amount of product in the container

 

4. American Crew Forming Cream (Best Hold)

Since 1994 American Crew has been assisting men and their barbers to get the perfect look and style for every man. This cream has been a go-to for salons and continues to be a number one choice for many.

This forming cream provides a medium flexible hold while giving your hair a sleek medium shine. It is an easy-to-use styling gel for hair of all types, giving the appearance of thicker hair with amazing texture.

If you are looking for a product that is easy to use and even easier to wash out, this is a product you should try out.

Hair Type: Works with all hair types

Hair Style: Defining, forming styles

Pros:

• Made for all hair lengths
• Easily comes off of hands into the hair
• Provides a Great clean shine

Cons:

• May have to re-style throughout the day
• Longer hair requires a lot of product

 

5. Sexy Hair Slept In Texture Cream (Best Bed Head Cream)

Sexy Hair products are for the wild side of a man who wants an untamable yet well-styled look. These products help men get past the slicked back do of the olden days, and keep a hairstyle that truly represents you.

Sexy Hair Slept in Texture cream is exactly as it sounds. It creates an amazing slept-in tousled look for men with a little length to their hair. This cream creates a great shin without overdoing it, and the feeling is natural and non-greasy.

If you love that just slept-in look, this cream is going to help keep that style for you all day long. Sexy hair provides an affordable cream that keeps your hair in place without weighing it down.

Hair Type: All Hair types (Ideal for short hair)

Hairstyle: Bedhead tousled, textured

Pros:

• Affordable
• Smells good
• Easy to rinse out

Cons:

• None

 

6. Layrite Natural Matte (Best Smell)

In 1999, a barber decided it was time to change how he styled his client’s hair. He wanted a product that would hold the hair in place like a pomade while still being easy enough to wash out like a gel. That’s when the Layrite haircare brand was born.

This Layrite Natural hair styling cream is a lightweight water-based product that offers a stronghold and a clean finish. It allows your hair to maintain its natural look and texture while giving it extra hold for styling. The best part about this product, it smells like cream soda. This product was infused with a touch of vanilla extract to make it a pleasant product you can enjoy using daily.

Hair Types: Fine to medium thick hair

Hair Styles: Flexible all-day hold

Pros:

• Great scent
• Water Soluble-Rinses out easily
• Natural ingredients

Cons:

• Pricy for the amount you get

 

7. Axe: Styling Cream (Best Budget Cream)

Axe hair care products have been a popular department store item for many years, especially with the younger crowd. With their many products and amazing smells, so it’s no wonder they have become such a large contributor to the men’s hair care line they are currently known for.

This styling cream is a great example of why this company is so well known. It provides a natural look with a light hold.  With this product a little goes a long way, meaning fewer trips to the store and more money in your pocket.   This cream is great for all hair lengths and textures with a pleasant natural scent that will keep you feeling fresh all day long.

Hair Types: All hair lengths and textures

Hairstyles: casual, natural

Pros:

• Tea-tree scent
• Only needs a small amount
• Affordable

Cons:

• Packaging can be messy, if jar tips it will spill

 

8. Brylcreem 3 in 1 (Best Bang for Your Buck)

Brylcreem’s company believes that the good ole fashion slicked back look is a timeless style that has never run its course. Because they believe in the look so much, they designed an entire product around helping to improve the look and remind men how great it is.

This cream is perfect for the busy man. After your shower, place a dime-sized portion of Brylcreem in your hand and comb through your hair using your fingers. That’s it! It is easy to use and offers great style, gorgeous shine, and all-day conditioning.

This product is alcohol-free, meaning your hair will never dry out feeling rough and tangled. What’s even better, it doesn’t leave a sticky mess or residue after use like other products tends to do.

Hair types– All hair types

Hairstyles– wet look, “old school”

Pros:

• 3 in 1 (Conditions, adds shine, holds style)
• Affordable
• Great packaging
• Small amount needed
• Adds body to fine hair

Cons:

• None

 

9. Baxter of California (Bes Luxury Cream)

Baxter of California was started in 1965, to help design an entire product line to help men find their style, look, and self-care regime. This included skin, hair, and shaving essentials allowing every man to pick his signature look.

Baxter of California designed the perfect hair cream to represent the state it is named after. It is a great product providing a sleek shine while holding your style with plenty of flexibility and keeping your natural texture.

Whether you are heading to the beach or spending the night out on the town this hair cream will keep you looking and smelling fresh all night long.

Hair Types best for this cream?

• Curly wavy hair
• Thick hair

Best style with this cream?

• Bed Head
• Tousled

Pros:

• Smells good
• Frizz control
• Needs a pea-sized amount
• Doesn’t weigh your hair down

Cons:

• Very Light hold

 

10. Smooth Viking Hair Cream  (Best Overall)

Smooth Viking hair care products are made by people who have fun with life while still taking their products and company as seriously as ever. This company is for those men out there who work hard and play harder, giving them a product that will keep them looking their best no matter the situation.

This Smooth Viking Hair Cream seriously is one of the better creams out there. This hair styling product can transform any hair type into something straight from the barber. With its flexible hold, you can restyle your hair throughout the day without it looking overly styled.

Viking hair cream is easy to use and affordable for any budget. Never waste time or money on another professional style or design again.

Hair Types: Frizzy, Curly, Thick, Thin, Straight

Hairstyles: Sculpting, keeping long hair straight

Pros:

• Shine-free, matte finish
• Long-lasting
• Fantastic advertising
• Stronghold
• Flexibility for easy restyle
• Washes out easily with no residue

Cons:

• None

 

11. Bumble and Bumble (Best Get up and Go)

Bumble and Bumble grooming products have the everyday man in mind. This product is for the busy life we have all come to know and dread when getting ready every morning. Luckily, this company found the perfect combination of ingredients to help put an end to morning stress.

Apply this cream to wet hair for a light flexible hold that will last all day long. Use as much as you need to style your hair before you go out and keep it with you throughout the day to add touch-ups as needed. With a low shine finish, this cream is perfect for the sleek look every man wants when getting ready to go out.

Types of hair: Ideal For Dry, Thick, Rough, And Lack-Of-Texture Hair

Ideal for style: Light quick style

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Easy to travel with
• Satiny low shine finish
• Delicate hold

Cons:

• Pricey
• Needs touched up often or combined with other products for a stronghold
• Little product per container

 

12. Botanic-Hearth Tea Tree Hair Cream (Best Natural Cream)

Botanic-Hearth has a long list of styling and skincare products. Their gels, creams, washes, etc, are designed for the barbershop look with a more natural smell and feel. This cream is for men who showcase their style without their hair feeling sticky or weighed down.

This Botanic-Hearth Tea Tree hair cream is formulated with fibers that separate and form each strand of hair, proving a stronghold and a great matte finish. Unlike other hair styling products, you will never have that build-up residue that makes your hair and hands sticky and gross, plus it is easy to wash out once your day is over.

Botanic-Hearth uses natural oils that provide nutrients to your hair while you style.

For hair: Short

Style: Flexible styles, great cream for after shower for a conditioned hold

Pros:

• Natural formula
• Long hold
• Not tested on animals
• Lightweight

Cons:

• A little more pricey than others of the same quality

 

How to Use Hair Cream

The styles you can obtain with good hair cream are endless. You can create your look just by sitting in front of the mirror with one of the products listed above and just play around until you find the perfect look for you.

Using and applying hair cream is easy and simple for anyone to do. Dab your finger into the container and get a small amount about the size of your fingertip.

Rub the cream around your palms, then using your hands and fingers, brush it through your hair. Ensure you focus on every strand of hair all over your head to get as much coverage as possible.

If you have long or thick hair, you may need to add more cream. It is also important to remember that you never want to add too much. Overdoing it can cause a mess and make your hair greasy.

 

Final Thought

For a great hairstyle without a restricting and crispy hold, trying out one of the hair creams listed above can change up the way you feel about your appearance every day. Each one of these products has unique components and ingredient mixes, giving you an amazing hold, great flexibility, and a refreshing look every day.