Styling Cream for Men: Light Control for Longer and Wavy Hair
Styling cream is the lightest of the common men’s hair products: a soft, lotion-like formula that gives a little hold, tames frizz and adds a natural sheen without making hair stiff or obviously “done”. It suits hair with some length to it, roughly anything from about four centimetres upwards, and it is especially good on wavy and loosely curly hair, where it groups the waves and calms the fluff. It is the wrong choice if you want height, a sharp quiff or a style that survives wind on Archway Road at full strength. For those you need clay, paste or pomade. For relaxed, touchable hair that still looks deliberate, cream is hard to beat.
What styling cream actually is
Most creams are an emulsion: water and oils held together, often with conditioning ingredients, light polymers for hold and sometimes a little wax. The water content is why they feel soft and spread easily, and why they wash out with ordinary shampoo. The oils and conditioners are why they add some shine and smooth the cuticle.
Compared with the other products you will see on a barber’s shelf:
| Product | Hold | Finish | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cream | Light | Natural to soft sheen | Longer, wavy or frizz-prone hair |
| Paste | Light to medium | Low shine | Textured short to medium cuts |
| Clay | Medium to strong | Matte | Volume and messy texture |
| Pomade | Medium to strong | Shiny | Slick, combed, classic styles |
If you want the full comparison, our guide to clay, wax, pomade and paste goes through each one.
Who styling cream suits
Wavy hair
Waves tend to separate and frizz as they dry, especially in damp London weather. A cream applied to damp hair coats each section lightly, so waves clump into defined pieces instead of a halo. This is the single best use for it.
Longer cuts and grow-outs
Once hair is long enough to fall over the ears or be swept back, heavy products weigh it down and look greasy by lunchtime. Cream keeps it in place loosely and lets it move. If you are growing your hair, it smooths the awkward middle stage.
Thick, coarse or dry hair
Coarse hair can look wiry and stand away from the head. The conditioning element of a cream softens it and helps it lie the way it was cut.
Who should skip it
Very fine or thin hair often goes flat under cream, because anything with oil and moisture adds weight. If you want more apparent thickness, a texture powder or a light sea salt spray usually does a better job. Very short cuts, such as a crop or a buzz, rarely need it at all.
How to apply styling cream properly
Most complaints about cream, that it does nothing or makes hair greasy, come down to application.
- Start with damp, not wet, hair. Towel dry until it is no longer dripping. Cream on soaking hair gets diluted and loses hold; on bone-dry hair it can sit on the surface.
- Use less than you think. For short to medium hair, a pea-sized amount. For shoulder-length or very thick hair, roughly a five-pence-piece amount. You can add more; you cannot easily take it away.
- Emulsify it. Rub it between your palms until it disappears and your hands look slightly glossy. Clumps of cream mean clumps in your hair.
- Work from the back and underneath. Run your fingers through from the nape and sides forward. The front gets what is left, which is usually all it needs.
- Shape with fingers, then leave it. For waves, scrunch gently upwards. For a swept-back look, rake through with fingers or a wide-tooth comb. Then let it air dry or use a dryer on low heat with a diffuser. Touching it while it dries causes frizz.
For a bit more control, some men layer a small amount of cream on damp hair and finish with a touch of paste or clay on the dry ends. That combination gives the softness of cream with a little extra grip where it is needed.
Common mistakes
- Too much product. The most common one. If your hair looks wet at midday, halve the amount.
- Applying only on top. The front gets loaded and the back stays fluffy. Start at the back.
- Expecting height. Cream will not hold a quiff. Use a pre-styler and a stronger product for that.
- Using it on a short, freshly cut style that needs definition. It can make a textured crop look limp. Paste or clay is the right tool.
- Not washing it out. Cream is water-friendly, but daily layers build up. A regular wash keeps it from dulling the hair.
Reading the label without being sold to
Product names tend to promise a lot. A few things are actually worth checking:
- Stated hold level. Most brands use a scale. For a cream, light to medium is the honest range.
- Shine level. “Natural” or “low shine” suits most office settings; “high shine” leans towards a polished look.
- Water-based. Nearly all creams are, which means easy washing. If a product calls itself a cream but feels greasy and resists shampoo, it is closer to a pomade.
- Fragrance. Worth smelling first if you also wear a scent. Strong product fragrance and aftershave rarely work well together.
Price does not track quality closely. A mid-range cream used properly beats an expensive one used carelessly.
The cut matters more than the product
Cream works with the shape it is given. On a cut with weight left in the right places, a small amount makes hair fall neatly. On a cut that is the same length all over, no product will give it a shape it does not have. For wavy hair in particular, the barber needs to see how your hair sits naturally, often dry, before deciding where to remove weight. Our post on haircuts for wavy hair goes into that.
At Highgate Cuts, every visit starts with an assessment: the barber looks at your hair and what you need, then makes recommendations, including how to style it at home and whether a cream is the right product for you. You can read about our scissor cuts, fades and beard work on the barber page.
Questions we get asked
Can I use styling cream every day?
Yes. It is one of the gentler products. Wash your hair often enough to avoid build-up. Using too much is the usual cause of that, and our guide to how much hair product to use helps you get the amount right.
Is styling cream the same as leave-in conditioner?
They are close cousins. A leave-in conditioner focuses on softness and moisture with almost no hold. A styling cream adds a little hold and definition on top of that.
Can I use cream on short hair?
You can, if you want a soft, slightly smoothed look on hair of four centimetres or so. On very short hair it does little.
Will cream help with frizz on a damp day?
It helps noticeably, especially applied to damp hair in the morning. It will not make hair fully rain-proof. If you are unsure which product suits your cut, mention it when you book at Highgate Cuts or browse the homepage. For prices, see the barber menu or email us.
Book with The Highgate House
Ready for a proper cut? Email us at [email protected] with the service and the day that suits you, and we will come back to you with times.
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The Highgate House, Archway Road, Highgate, London N6.
