Written by Menswear Style in Hair on the 16th November 2020

Mainstay men’s grooming brand Uppercut Deluxe is set to launch the newest addition to its styling range, Clay. The Australian born brand is no stranger to the market with its products found in Barbershops all over the world. We caught up with Uppercut Deluxe founder and owner of Bare Bones Barbershop, Steve Purcell, to learn more about this exciting product and to talk about the styles it can create. The result is a dense product that offers strong, yet workable hold, paired with a natural, matte finish that can be used in a variety of styles.

“Our original Matte Clay has been a staple in the Barbershop for over 10 years. I’ve always loved the original product, but there were parts of it that I knew we could make better. Working with our chemists, we’ve been able to make use of new tech and some really cool ingredients to create a new product that is really like nothing else on the market. Clay products are typically very hard to apply and remove from the hair, we are thrilled with this new formulation, it’s my new favourite in the range,” says Steve Purcell.

FADED AND TEXTURED BED HAIR 

There’s a bunch of different things you could call this style, but pretty much everyone who comes into the shop asking for it just calls it Bed Hair. This style has got tonnes of texture, volume and can be worn anywhere – the bar or in the office. It’s best suited to guys who have a bit of natural wave or curl in their hair, but pretty much anyone can rock their own variation of it. Pairing bed hair with a fade is a really good way to keep yourself looking put together and like you’ve put some effort into getting ready. If you don’t like your hair too tight on the sides, I’d recommend still keeping it short – like a 3 blade – this will make it easier to style without looking too out of control. Styling this is all about controlling the chaos – you want to enhance the natural movement of your hair, not dominate it. Clay is the perfect product for this look, it’ll add control to the flow of your hair but keep a dry finish.

TEXTURED POMP 

Pompadour’s are without a doubt one of my favourite styles to cut. It’s always a challenge but when it all comes together it’s really satisfying. This is a great style for guys who have straighter hair and aren’t scared of a little work to get it looking good. As a style, Pomp’s don’t seem to be losing popularity at all, it’s just how they are finished. Traditionally, guys would use a Pomade to add lots of control and shine, but now guys are wanting a more natural look. When we developed this Clay, making sure it had enough hold to get the pomp to sit in place but still be reworkable, was a huge thing for me.

FEATHERED MULLET  

Mullet’s have become HUGE in the past year. They used to be so cringey and were normally finished with really heavy lines, but now we’re seeing some really nice mullets with really natural finishes. Feathering is a technique that was big back in the early 2000s – it creates lots of texture and leaves the hair looking grown out and not as sharp. If someone comes in wanting a more fashionable mullet, I’ll pretty much feather the entire cut. Then when I style it, I’ll use the new Clay or even a bit of Styling Powder to accentuate the texture and flair out the back.

FADED THROWBACK 

Throwbacks are another one of my favourite styles – they are a mix of modern and classic, totally timeless. A throwback is pretty much a slick back, but the hair isn’t slammed down into place, it’s worn a bit more casual and loose. We get a lot of guys coming into the shop wanting a throwback but not wanting to use a hairdryer and wanting a no product finish. This is a really big thing to ask for and is pretty impossible because not many people’s hair will sit naturally for a throwback, so you either need to blow dry it or use a product that will set into place. This was a big inspiration for me when we started workshopping Clay. I wanted to make a product that made it possible to rock a throwback by quickly rubbing some product into your hair, give it a quick comb and then be able to walk out the door. Since our new Clay has a balance of wax and water-based ingredients, it has enough weight in it to hold the hair in place, even if it is for a dramatic style like a throwback.

HOW TO USE HAIR CLAY  

Start with Dry Hair – If you’re wanting to achieve a ‘no product’ look, it’s really important to dry your hair thoroughly before styling. Having dry hair allows the product to work exactly as it was designed to. 

Spread it thoroughly across your hands – A big mistake guys make is not spreading the product across their hands properly. To avoid getting clumps of product in your hair, vigorously warm the product in your hands before applying it to your hair. 

Cover from root to tip – This applies to any type of hair but is even more important if you have longer hair. You want to make sure you’ve got even coverage, this will make it much easier to style and control. 

Rake, Pinch and Pull – Clay is designed to create texture. To get the most out of this, first, rake your hands through your hair, then pinch at sections to create ‘pieces’ then finally pull these pieces into place. 

uppercutdeluxe.com

A lesson on how to use hair clay along with hairstyle trends from Uppercut Deluxe's Steve Purcell, featuring the feathered mullet, textured pomp, and faded bed hair.