Vent: Old timer told me to use hair gel instead of pomade and I listened

A retired barber at the shop said gel works just as good for slick backs and costs half the price. I tried it on a client last Thursday and within an hour his hair was a stiff, flaky mess. Had to re-wash and re-style him for free. Has anyone else ran into advice from the older guys that just doesn't hold up anymore?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_pat24d ago

works just as good for slick backs" - nah, that's a pretty bold claim. Gel and pomade are totally different beasts in my experience. Gel dries hard and can flake, pomade stays workable and shiny. Maybe his technique was fine back in the day but products have changed a lot. I'd take that advice with a grain of salt.

susana6624d ago

Yeah "works just as good for slick backs" is total nonsense @the_pat. I mean gel has its place for like spiking up a mohawk or something but for a slick back? That's asking for trouble. The flaking is the WORST part because by the end of the day it looks like the guy has dandruff or something. Plus gel gets all crusty and stiff where pomade actually lets the hair move a little. That old timer probably hasn't touched a bottle of gel in 30 years and doesn't realize how much the formulas have changed.