American Crew Men's Hair Molding Clay (OLD VERSION), Like Hair Gel with High Hold with Medium Shine, 3 Oz (Pack of 1)

I've been using this molding clay for a while and it works great for my hair. It gives a strong hold with a nice matte finish, so my hair stays in place without looking greasy or shiny. The scent is light and not too noticeable, which I like. It can feel a bit sticky when applying, and it takes some effort to wash out completely, but overall it does the job well. Definitely a solid choice if you want a clean, natural look that lasts all day.

Before going any further, I should inform you all of a neat little trick: needing a pair of leather shoes polished for a career fair, I began looking for some product I might have handy and could use. As it turns out, beeswax is a great natural shoe shine, and there's a lot of beeswax in this product. I gave it a go, and I am amazed with the results. So, if you're in a pinch... For hair, it'd say its a great product. I have natural red hair and its really hard to get a product to look natural with the ginge, but this is damn near close. the hold is outstanding, it makes it through 8 hour days without any volume loss. I wish the shine was less (American crew advertises it as their least shiny product), but this complaint might stem from my hair color instead of the product itself. Would recommend the AC brand, but molding clay isn't a perfect fit for everyone. I'd recommend looking through their website at the products to find the right one for you.

I don't know why folks seem to hate on this product because of it being "hard to wash out" - I personally didn't have a problem. I bought Fiber and Molding Clay in my quest to tame that which is my flaming stallion of a mane. Note: I am South Asian by ethnicity and thus have thick, very hard to manage/hold hair, my hair is approx 3-4inch on top and slightly less on sides and back. Smell: Isn't the greatest but whatever, can't really smell it once it's applied anyway. It's a natural smell, maybe slightly citrusy Hold: I think this is pretty much as strong of a hold that American Crew offers (from my limited experience). I bought Fiber on a recommendation but found its hold to be weak (esp for my hair) and the super matte finish was cool, but since my hair is poofy I needed to keep it with a slight shine in order to kill some of the ridiculous volume. The hold is pretty good, but any "twist and pull spikes" I make will not maintain the whole day, I've found only hairspray or gel will hold that sort of style. Probably the best hold American Crew offers, though I haven't tried Pomade. Shine: There is a medium shine, definitely not as much as hairspray, and moreso than American Crew Fiber. Really depends on how much you put in your hair, but I find the shine a perfect level. Consistency: It's a bit weird in consistency, doesnt plop out of the container as easily as Fiber. I usually use about a "dime-size" dab on my finger, emulsify, and brush through my hair. If you don't emulsify and spread, I could see it adding a lot of weight to your hair and not properly holding shape as well as being concentrated and "greasy" looking in whatever part receives the most product. Easy to Wash Out? Yes, didn't have problems. Need to use soap to get off your hands though. Overall: At first I disliked it because I thought it was too greasy without enough hold, but I slightly wet my hair and used a dime-size amount (more than I was using initially), and it creates a decent hold, good shine, and plasticity that works for my difficult hair.

I recommend this for slightly long and messy straight hair. I bought three American Crew products : Molding clay, Foaming cream and Fiber. All three reviews are following, Smell : (foaming)cream>(molding)clay>fiber Hold : fiber>clay>cream Shine : clay>cream>fiber creaminess : cream>clay>fiber lasting : clay>fiber>cream I like clay, and feel it is the best for my hair. It is enough hold, sufficient amount of shine, easy to use and long-lasting. Just one thing you need to care about this product is that you need to wash at least two time when you are rinsing and remove this clay. It is sticky, and gonna take time to remove completely. This characteristic is totally different from other two products, so if you really care about this and you do not want to takes time to wash your hair, I don't recommend this to buy. However it is really good product, I am really satisfied.

This is an OK product. Many people are giving it worse reviews as they are not buying it for the reasons it is good for. If you are looking for a messy, textured, or spiked hairstyle, do not buy this. While this product does say "high hold", this is not a gel like product. There is one hairstyle this works really well with and that is a sleek side part or a side part with slight pompadour lift at the front. There is definitely shine to it, but it is not as shiny as a pomade. Applying this product makes you hair clump together, which is great for hair styles like a side part... something not related to messy/textured look. I wouldnt recommend this for short hair or long hair. This works best with short-medium hair. Another thing to mention is that this does not wash off easily. This can be good because you would not need to apply as much after your shower, and you get a better hold. Speaking of hold, it was a pretty good hold, but you have to let it sit and "harden" for a few minutes. Its doesn't harden like a gel, but it does stay in place and it is re-workable.

I have been using this for several years now, and I've yet to find something that matches with it. It holds well and doesn't just wash out. It also doesn't get crispy like gel. It's a pretty strong hold, so don't use it with fine hair. It does wash out pretty easily with shampoo and water. The shine is minimal, but it is there. It's more of a shimmer or satin kind of look, so not over-the-top shiny like some pomades, but not completely matte, either. One thing to keep in mind when you apply it is that you need your hair to be pretty wet, but not soaked, and essentially style your hair with water first, then apply the product. It doesn't take a lot, which is nice since it isn't exactly cheap (though it's far from high-end expensive). It is pretty easy to comb through when styling. It is oil based, so it will eventually stain fabric like pillow cases if you don't wash it out before you go to bed. Again, it does wash out pretty easily with warm water and shampoo (as any oil based product does). Overall, I think it is a great product that does what it should. Personally I like the smell of it, but I don't think it's a selling point.

This is great hair product. I have used AC Fiber in the past and tride this for something different. I like it a lot. It is a little easier to get out of the container, and spread evenly on your hair. It has a slightly more greasy hand to it (before application). As a result I find this product a lot easier to apply to dry hair. And ultimately that is what I use this for. If my hair has some moisture in it still from showering, Fiber is my go to, but when I apply mid day, or later on after showering, this is my go to. Some reviewers noted that this product was very difficult to washout. Maybe it is because I bathe regularly, or because I am particularly good at shampooing my own hair, but I did not find this product at all difficult to wash out of my hair. It does not behave like petroleum jelly, anyone who says it does is an idiot.

I am a long-time user of American Crew products. When I was in college and the "wet" look was in, I would use American Crew Firm Hold Gel. As I've gotten older and the styles have changed, I switched to American Crew Fiber for a more natural look. I used Fiber for several years but I didn't think the hold was strong enough; I would have to use it in pretty wet hair to get a strong hold, which would result in more sheen than I like. Enter American Crew Molding Clay. I thought I would give this a try after reading reviews, and I like the performance much better than the Fiber. Despite its billing as "medium" shine to Fiber's "low" shine, I've found that this product actually gives a more matte look than Fiber along with a stronger hold. Because the hold is so strong with the Molding Clay, I can apply it to much drier hair while still getting a strong hold. I've found with any hair product the amount of shine you get is directly proportional to how wet your hair is when you put the product in, regardless of what level of "shininess" the product bills itself as having. I apply about a dime-sized amount of this to towel-dried hair (my hair is about 1" long on top and 1/2" on the sides) and style in a fairly messy/textured way on top. Once my hair fully dries I have a completely matte look with a very strong hold that I can remold throughout the day if I like. It also makes my hair very soft to the touch, and doesn't get remotely hard or greasy. The only negative about this product (and the reason it is getting 4 stars instead of 5) is that it is a little difficult to wash out. This is because it is petroleum-based and not water-based like many pomades. I find that I have to do a double-shampoo with American Crew Daily Shampoo every day to completely rinse this out. I don't think this is a huge deal, but it is something to be aware of. The only product I've found that gives as strong of a hold as Molding Clay while also being easy to wash out is Sumotech, which costs over $20 for 1.5 oz. Molding Clay is around $10 for 3 oz, so the reduced expense is worth a little extra shampooing time every day (for me).