Pomade FAQs: Straight Answers from the Barbershop

These are the questions barbers hear across the chair every week. Straight answers, no fluff.

Does pomade wash out?

Water-based pomade — which covers the entire Brosh range — washes out in one go with warm water and shampoo. No residue, no build-up. Funky Minty Shampoo does the job and leaves a cooling mint finish that's become a signature of the range. Oil-based pomade is a different story: expect several washes to fully clear it.

Can I use pomade every day?

Yes. Water-based pomade washes out clean, so daily use doesn't build up in the hair. The only habit worth keeping: wash properly at the end of the day rather than sleeping in product, and give your scalp the occasional product-free day if it runs sensitive.

Should I apply pomade to wet or dry hair?

Both work — they just give different results. This is the styling lever most people don't know they have.

• Dry hair gives maximum hold and maximum texture. The pomade isn't diluted, so it grips harder, and the finish reads more natural — more separation, less shine. Go dry for textured crops, matte clay styles, and the strongest possible grip.
• Towel-damp hair spreads the product more easily and lays the hair down sleeker. You get a smoother, glossier result — the classic slick-back and side-part territory — with a slightly softer feel, since the water dilutes the formula a touch. The comb glides cleaner through damp hair too, so lines come out sharper.
• Soaked hair is the mistake. Too much water dilutes a water-based pomade past the point of holding. Towel off first, always.

One product, two results: Original Hold worked through dry hair gives a textured, lower-shine finish; the same tin through damp hair gives a slicker, glossier one. Worth experimenting before deciding you need a different pomade.

Will it last the full day?

Yes — that's the brief Brosh pomades were built to. Set your style in the morning and it holds through a full day of work, weather, and helmets-off moments without going stiff. And here's the part oil-based formulas can't offer: if you want to refresh or change the style at any point, you don't need more product. Wet your hands, run them through, re-comb — the formula reactivates and the style resets. All-day hold, with a reset button when you want one.

If a style ever does drop early, it's almost always one of two things: the hair was too wet at application — see above — or fine hair needs a foundation. Base Spray before styling adds grip at the root and gives the pomade even more to hold onto.

Will pomade hold up in humidity?

Humidity is the test of any pomade, and it's where cheap formulas fail. Brosh pomades are built humidity-resistant — developed by Tokyo barbers working through Japanese summers, which match anything an Australian summer throws at you. The hold keeps its grip without going stiff or melting out.

What does Brosh pomade smell like?

The Original Hold carries a signature herbal aftershave scent — a proper barbershop fragrance, not a cologne trying too hard. It's one of the most common reasons customers come back. If fragrance isn't your thing or your skin reacts to it, Pomade Unscented is the same formula with no scent at all.

Is pomade bad for my hair?

No. Pomade styles the hair shaft; it doesn't affect growth. The genuine concerns are scalp-related and avoidable: wash water-based product out regularly, and if you have a sensitive scalp, go unscented — fragrance is the most common irritant in styling products.

Can I try it before committing to a full tin?

Yes. The core range comes in 40g minis — enough for a few weeks of real use, and the right way to test a finish before buying the full tin. They're also carry-on friendly for travel.

Which pomade should I start with?

That depends on your hair and the finish you want — gloss or matte, strong or flexible. We've covered the full range product by product in the Brosh pomade guide. Short answer: if you're unsure, start with the Original Hold.

All Brosh products are made in Japan to professional-grade standards. Shop the range at brosh.au.