My hair is always a mess. I get it cut every few months and rely on hair products to tame the mess between cuts, so it passes as some kind of style. It’s not particularly short, so I need something with a decent hold.
My first impression of the Superdrug Styling Putty (£1.99, 75ml) was that it was quite oily and had a strong but not unpleasant smell. After being applied to wet hair it seemed to mould easily but gave little actual hold. It dried quite quickly and gave a separated kind of texture, which isn’t really what I’m after.
The Murdock Matt Putty (£14, 100ml) had a grainy texture that was preferable to Superdrug’s offering, and a nicer smell. It gave a firm hold, but it wasn’t firm enough for me. The texture was good and it was easy to reshape throughout the day, but this is probably better for people with hair that’s shorter than mine.
Although the smell and texture of the Paul Mitchell Flexible Style Lab Elastic Shaping Paste (£17.25, 50ml) reminded me of PVA glue from school, I liked everything else about it. It gave a strong hold that could be reworked if needed, the texture was nice and it had a bit of shine.
Bumble and bumble’s SumoTech (£23, 50ml) was my favourite. It gave a great hold and the texture was similar to using a wax together with a paste, which is my usual routine. It had a subtle, natural smell. This will be my new go-to, but I’d use it with the Paul Mitchell if I needed extra hold or shine.
• Next week: Sylviane Degunst on foot creams
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