Equate

Men Pomade

Styler / Paste, medium-hold

Styler
paste
Sulfate-free
Silicone-free
Protein-free

Size3 fl oz

Price$4.92 Good valueseen at one store · 3 oz

Price / oz$1.64/ozat 3 oz

Where to buy2 stores · $4.92–4.92

Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.

Scent:

The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Factor Your profile Fit

Best for hair types All types Not in your profile

Moisture level Moderate Not in your profile

Hold (as stated) Medium Not in your profile

Slip / detangling Moderate Not in your profile

Weight on hair Medium Not in your profile

Fragrance Present Not in your profile

Protein None Not in your profile

Silicone / wax buildup High Not in your profile

Clarifying wash needed Moderate Not in your profile

Parabens / preservatives Present Not in your profile

Show all 22 factors we check

The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.

Essential oils None listed Not in your profile

Fast-drying alcohol None Not in your profile

Vegan / cruelty-free Not yet verified Not in your profile

Animal-derived ingredients Not yet verified Not in your profile

Aerosol can Pump or tube Not in your profile

Needs heat to set Not determined Not in your profile

Heavy humectants Not heavy Not in your profile

Hard-water defence None Not in your profile

UV filter None listed Not in your profile

Ingredient list 22 ingredientsAbout average Not in your profile

Price tier Value Not in your profile

Where to buy it Grocery / massOne channel Not in your profile

The consultation builds your hair profile, checks every factor in this table against it, and tells you where this product fits or what to use instead.

Start your consultation

$49 once, with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates. Nothing renews, and you never have to buy a product.

Lower cost than most pastes

$1.64/oz at 3 oz, less than 97% of the 197 pastes , which mostly run $4.92–11.75/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added

Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front

Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones

Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together

Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list

Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent

Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them

Picking it up locallywe’ve only seen it sold in one channel

Whether this hold suits you depends on your density, porosity and how long your style needs to last. The consultation works that out.

What the formula actually does

Read from the label, not the marketing

Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.

Hold (as stated) Medium

A medium hold, as stated by the brand.

Hold system Synthetic polymer

Synthetic hold polymers, the firmest kind of hold.

Cast risk Unlikely

Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely.

Weight on the hair Medium

Middle of the range: noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.

Oil absorption None

No absorbent powders or starches.

Oils and butters Present, lower down

Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch.

Fast-drying alcohol None

No fast-drying alcohol in the list.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.

Fragrance Present

Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.

from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.

Ingredients that matter

The ingredients that change a decision

The workhorse ingredients, plus anything lower down that changes a decision. The chips name what an ingredient does. They are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.

Ingredient	What it does	Why it matters	Chip
WaterWater (Aqua)	solvent	The base everything else is dissolved in	Neutral
Peg-25 Hydrogenated Castor Oil	solubilizer	Keeps oils dissolved in water	Stabilizes
Oleth-10	emulsifier	Keeps oil and water mixed	Stabilizes
Ceteareth-20	emulsifier	Keeps oil and water mixed	Stabilizes
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate	emulsifier	Keeps oil and water mixed	Softens
Lanolin	sealant	Seals moisture in	Buildup
PVP	film former	Lays down the film that holds a shape	Holds
Glycerin	humectant	Pulls water into the hair	Moisturizes
FragranceFragrance (Parfum)	fragrance	The scent	Fragrance

What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. No protein: a moisture formula, not a repair one. Fragrance is on the label.

Full ingredient list (22)

In the US, ingredients above 1% are listed from most to least. Below 1% they can appear in any order. Each note keeps three things apart: what the ingredient generally does, its role in this type of product, and what its position can tell you.

1 Water · Water (Aqua)

General function
The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
2 Peg-25 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

General function
An ethoxylated castor-oil derivative. It dissolves fragrance and oils into a water-based formula, which is what keeps a clear liquid from separating.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
3 Oleth-10

General function
An emulsifier used to disperse oils and fragrance.

Leading ingredient
Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- emulsifier
- solubilizer
4 Ceteareth-20

General function
An emulsifier that holds oil and water together in a conditioner or cream.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- emulsifier
5 PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate

General function
A coconut-derived emulsifier that softens a cleanser and reduces the stripped feeling.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- emulsifier
- emollient
6 Lanolin

General function
A sheep-wool wax that seals moisture in strongly. Rich, effective, and not vegan.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

May suitMaximum-hold styling
A wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.
- sealant
- emollient
- wax
7 PVP

General function
A classic hairspray polymer. It gives firm hold but attracts moisture, so humidity can soften the set.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

May suitMaximum-hold styling
Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines
Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.

May not suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
The film takes up water from the air. The patent work that produced the VP/VA copolymers describes a PVP film turning sticky after time in a humid atmosphere, and being dependable only where humidity is low — so hold and feel both move with the weather.

PubChem
- film former
- polymer
8 Glycerin

General function
Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.

Supporting ingredient
Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair
High-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
Binds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
Water moves both ways. Measured across concentrations, glycerin solutions give water up in some conditions and take it from the air in others. What it does for you depends on how much of it is there and on the air around it.

Scientific Reports
- humectant
9 Isododecane

General function
A fast-evaporating carrier that lets oils and polymers spread thinly, then leaves nothing behind.

Secondary ingredient
Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

PubChem
- solvent
- emollient
▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
10 Aminomethyl Propanol

General function
A base used in trace amounts to neutralise acidic hold polymers so they thicken and set properly.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

DependsFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
pH adjusters are how a formula is brought to a chosen acidity, and an acidic formula keeps the cuticle lying flatter than an alkaline one. Which way this one moves the pH depends on the formula, and the finished pH is not on the label.

PubChem
- pH adjuster
11 Benzoic Acid
- preservative
12 Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil

General function
A light oil that softens without much residue.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair
Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
- oil
- emollient
13 Citric Acid

General function
Used to bring the product to a slightly acidic pH, which helps the cuticle lie flat. It is almost always near the end of the list.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines
Holds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
The acid side of pH adjustment, and the reason it matters is measured: alkaline formulas raise the fibre's surface negative charge, increase friction between strands and lift the scales, while lower-pH ones do the reverse.

May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair
Where a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.

International Journal of Trichology
- pH adjuster
- hard-water chelator
14 Diazolidinyl Urea
- formaldehyde releaser
- preservative
15 Diisopropyl Dimer Dilinoleate

General function
A fatty ester. Esters give slip and a smooth after-feel; lighter ones read dry and silky, heavier ones read rich.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitFine or easily flattened hair
A light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.

May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair
Spreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.

PubChem
- light ester
- emollient
16 Fragrance · Fragrance (Parfum)

General function
An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines
Declared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
17 Hydroxypropyl Bisstearyldimonium Chloride
- conditioning agent
18 Panax Ginseng Root Extract
- botanical extract
19 Peg-90m
- emulsifier
20 Propylene Glycol

General function
A small humectant and solvent that keeps formulas stable and helps active ingredients spread.

Estimated lower-concentration zone
It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

May suitFine or easily flattened hair
Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it adds less weight than oils or butters do.

May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair
A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair
A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.

PubChem
- humectant
- solvent
21 Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
- botanical extract
22 Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract
- botanical extract

What the whole list adds up to

5 emulsifiers
5 emollients
3 solvents
3 botanical extracts
2 solubilizers
2 humectants
2 pH adjusters
2 preservatives
1 sealant
1 wax
1 film former
1 polymer
1 oil
1 hard-water chelator

Ingredient list captured 2026-10-03. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 3 oz

Seen at $4.92 1 store · checked Oct 7

Good value under $10 Under $3.33/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $10 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $17 at this size.

Show the price ladder

Price for 3 ozlower is better

Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store

Walmart
$4.92

3 oz · $1.64/oz

Oct 7Lowest per oz

Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.

How we work this out

3 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
Seen at $4.92 is the price we have observed for the 3 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
Good value under $10 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $3.33/oz; at 3 oz that is $10. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
About $17 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 3 oz.

Formula

Formula score

10 of 10

It carries the working systems a paste needs and still sits in the lower part of the price range for pastes per ounce.

How the score is counted

Costs less per ounce than 97% of the 197 pastes we’ve priced
Covers 6 of the 6 things a paste should do
Value tier, sold at Grocery / mass
Value tier

A hold systemThe polymer, gum, or wax that holds the shape.3 pts
Softeners alongside the holdWhat keeps a film flexible instead of brittle.2 pts
No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.2 pts
A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
A humidity claim with a mechanismThe claim has a film former or silicone behind it.1 pt
Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score measures completeness for the job: a weighted share of the systems this product type is usually built around that we find in this list. It does not rate how well the product works or its quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job

Formulas that do the same things (cleanse, condition, coat or hold) for less per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy them can still differ.

American CrewClosest function Whip $7.90/oz $6.26/oz more

Protein-free
Curly method
Rich

Function: Water-binding (humectants)
Weight on the hair
Also: Masstige tier

Compare

Wella ProfessionalsLowest cost per oz Eimi Smooth Flowing Form $6.80/oz $5.16/oz more

Protein-free
Curly method
Silicone-free

· Close function

Function: Film formers
Slip and detangling
Also: Masstige tier
3.4 oz bottle

Compare

American CrewClose function Pomade - 3.0 oz $10.66/oz $9.02/oz more

Protein-free
Curly method
Silicone-free

Function: Slip and detangling
Fast-drying alcohol
Also: Masstige tier

Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These products do a similar job. We haven’t matched them to you. Find the one that fits your hair, routine and budget

Final decision

Should you buy it?

A solid pick for the hair it suits

Best user

Hair that stiffens on protein who want a protein-free formula and moisture that stays in

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, anyone stretching time between washes, or anyone who wants to pick it up locally

Best alternative if not

Nothing in our library matches it closely at a lower price.

We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.

Claims check

What the brand says, and what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We mark a claim supported, partly supported or conflicting only when the ingredient list speaks to it. Everything else stays "stated by the brand". That isn’t a criticism: most claims can’t be checked from a label.

SupportedBacked by ingredients

Partly supportedSome supporting logic

Stated by brandNo clear evidence

Potential conflictFormula works against claim

Medium hold

Synthetic hold polymers are present.

Lanolin
PVP

Supported

Structure that lasts the day.

High shine

The formula carries a recognised shine system — silicone, oil, or light ester.

Lanolin
Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil
Diisopropyl Dimer Dilinoleate

Supported

Reflects light for visible shine.

How to read this

We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula, not at the marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.

Reviewers

What people report

Themes that come up again and again in sourced reviews, written by our researchers in their own words. We don’t store or scrape star ratings.

Reviewers describe manageable, flexible styling; one wanted stronger hold.

Most relevant first ten exact item-ID reviews; support: James, Natalie, Oliver

Finish varies by user: several report shine or a non-greasy look, while another reports greasy hair by the end of the day.

Most relevant first ten exact item-ID reviews; support: Natalie, Jason, MakerMom, Shabana

Fragrance is divisive, with both pleasant-scent reports and requests for a different scent.

Most relevant first ten exact item-ID reviews; support: James, Natalie, Oliver, MakerMom

How this page was made

Everything above comes from our researched product record: identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated prices and review themes our researchers wrote in their own words. No part of this page is written by hand for one product.
The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
3 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 2 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-10-04.
Ingredient references are linked for 7 of 11 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are general formulation guidance. They aren’t a verdict on the finished product or on you.
We haven’t tested this product in a lab, and we don’t physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list. Claims about how it behaves are labelled as the brand's.
Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are what we saw on the dates shown and can change.
Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
Formula readings: derivation v23. Record last updated 2026-10-04.

Men Pomade

Is this right for you?

Read from the label, not the marketing

The ingredients that change a decision

What the whole list adds up to

Should you buy it?

What the brand says, and what the formula shows

What people report

More from Equate

How this page was made

Hair Care Consultation