The Return of Mr. G! His review of the new Suave Styling Paste and Pomade for Men

I often get asked if Mr. G will return to this blog (he's reviewed various men's products in the past with often comical results). For the past few weeks, he's been working furiously on this review of some of the new hair products for men that were recently sent to me from Suave. (In fact, I haven't seen him work this hard on something since he wrote his thesis for grad school. I'm kidding of course, but he did spend a lot of time on this!)

Today I'd like to proudly announce that Mr. G is back, and if you liked his past reviews, I don't think he'll disappoint you this time around!

For those of you new to the reviews of Mr. G, he's my longtime boyfriend and in addition to being my guinea pig for various men's grooming products, he's also a college professor. For the purposes of this review, let me tell you a little bit about his hair: he is caucasian and his hair is fine in texture but it's of medium thickness. His hair is short (which you'll soon read about) and it has a tendency to get oily within a day of washing it. It's not color-treated and he NEVER uses heat styling.

Take it away, Mr. G!

When G told me that Suave was releasing a new line of men’s hairstyling products, I was relieved. Here’s why: about three months ago, I received a haircut and I regretted it immediately. All I wanted was a short trim around the back to halt an oncoming mullet and the barber buzzed everything but the top. It was the exact opposite of what I wanted! I ended up with a white boy's version of a Kid Cut (from Kid n’ Play); long straight hair on top with really short sides. In a fit of frustration and protest, I buzzed my head. I hated doing this, and needless to say, G didn’t like it either.   

Now, it is getting to the point where I don’t know what to do. The Monchhichi Effect* is kickin’ in big time and I’ve reconciled with the fact that I need to use some kind of hair product. As most of you know by now, I don’t like using such things, but I’m stuck in an either/or proposition. Either I let my inner Monchhichi’s freak flag fly, or I tame that beast by applying some kind of pomade or paste. So, I decided for the latter since a short and stocky Monchhichi with a beard is a sight to be unseen. (Images of small children crying and questioning looks from my students come to mind here.)

*(If you're unfamiliar with Monchhichi, it was a popular cartoon series in the early 1980s with a corresponding collection of children's dolls.--G.)

 source: unknown

 Monchhichi doll

Mr G's hair, sans styling product

In a strange cosmological praxis of luck (the universe and I are usually never in congruity), G told me that Suave had released a new line of hair styling products for men at the exact time I needed to do something with my hair. The best part about this is that I had used Suave pomade back in the day. It was one of the only products that I actually looked for when shopping for grooming items. However, at that time, it had been discontinued for some reason shortly after I began using it. It was probably because I liked it. But, I suppose the universe and I are on good terms at the moment because it’s back, and I’m very happy.

I’m happy because the Monchhichi fiasco has been nipped in the bud and both the Suave Styling Paste and the Suave Styling Pomade are doing a great job. Here’s the low-down.

Suave Styling Paste (Medium Hold/Matte Finish)

retail: around $3, 1.75 oz

The paste is great for a messy look and the hold holds. It also doesn’t have that funky film that eventually slides down your face late in the day, turning your forehead into a slick-sticky surface much like those glue pads used for catching mice in the garage. A little goes a long way and it stays in your hair. The packaging says medium hold, but it’s strong without getting crispy or brittle, which is great. It also says it’s a matte finish, but it has some shine. However, I added a tiny bit of water when I applied it, so that could have caused the slight shiny effect. No biggie though. Another huge plus about this paste is that it washes out very easily. Some other pastes have a sticky or waxy residue that remains in your hair after a washing, which pisses me off. Do I really need an acetone-based shampoo? Not with this paste. It washes out very easily and that makes me happy.       

Suave Styling Pomade (Medium Hold/Medium Shine)

retail: around $3, 1.75 oz

The pomade behaves very similarly to the paste, but the hold is, naturally, a little weaker. The biggest difference is the pomade has a shine (as the packaging correctly indicates), but it’s not too shiny. Some pomades leave a shine like a chromed-out bumper on a 57 Chevy Bel Air. Some guys like that and they can rock it, but I can’t. So, I don’t like it. That’s why I like this pomade. The shine turns into a matte over time. I like my hair to look like a foggy bumper on a 79 Ford Pinto. It has character. But, I’ve noticed that if you want to keep the shine later in the day, all you have to do is add some water. It weakens the hold some, but that’s OK by me. Also, this pomade doesn’t have that greasy feel that some others do, which is pleasant. There’s some stickiness to it once it dries, but I’d take some slight stickiness over greasy any day. And although it can get sticky, it still remains pliable, which is a huge plus.

My Suggestions

I suggest you use the paste if your hair is short and the pomade if it’s long, but it’s ultimately up to what you are trying to do. Although they have similarities, I can see how they do different things for different kinds of hair. The good news is that they’re inexpensive. So, if one doesn’t work for you, it won’t break the bank to try the other.

As most men will tell you, shopping for this kind of stuff is a pain. We don’t like doing it, but when we do, we want it to be simple and easy. You’ll want to ask G about this, but I think you can get these products almost anywhere. It can’t get any easier than that!

  

Thanks so much, Mr. G, for this quite insightful review!

I hope you or your boyfriend, husband, partner, roommate, brother, etc. find Mr's G's review helpful. And Mr. G's right--I've spotted this new collection at Target, Rite Aid, and various grocery stores so far, so I'm pretty sure you'll be able to find it just about anywhere that sells Suave products.

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.