Best Wave Grease [2024 Review]

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Have you ever watched movies set in the 1950s and wondered how those actors achieved such elegant side parts or slick-backs. Or how the ladies were able to achieve such nice curly hair? The trick lied in using wave greases, especially pomade.

A good wave grease is a hair styling product that helps you create and maintain a variety of hair styles, including side parts, pompadours, undercuts, and curl 360 wave control, which look perfect on black hair.

The best wave grease works for men women alike, helping them keep their hair in place and in control all day long.

Our Best Wave Grease Reviews

Best for Coarse Hair: Cold Label Wolfin Pomade

The Cold Label Wolfin Pomade is a natural oild based balm made specifically for wolfin, with some of the most impressive results. I rate this as the best wave grease for coarse hair, for good reason.

Perhaps you have coarse hair or dry hair that’s difficult to maintain, and the moisturizers that you’ve tried don’t seem to work. It’s time to try the Cold Label. This oil based pomade is made of natural raw honey. And as you might already know, raw honey is good when it comes to moisture retention.

Apart from raw honey, the wave grease is East-African castor oil based, which is some of the best castor oil in the world. The oil nourishes your coarse hair and supports its growth.

If you’re going to use Wolfin, your hair had better be soft. But if it’s not, you don’t have to worry because finally you have something effective to make it soft. The wave grease is hemp seed oil based with shea butter, and coconut oil. Apart from nourishing your coarse hair further, these two ingredients are very efficient when it comes to softening coarse hair.

Besides, the oil based wave grease goes on beautifully and spreads uniformly. Even though the cream is castor oil based, its smell is not as bad as other wave grease and oild based pomades.

Highlighted Features

  • Composed of natural ingredients such as coconut oil
  • Made specially for wolfin
  • Has a good consistency and spreads evenly
  • Smell is not bad – more like shea butter

Suavecito Firme

If you’re looking for the best wave grease that will offer you almost the same benefits without the hassle of washing out, then you got to try the Suavecito Firme.

This means that in case your hair gets messed, combining in is a piece of cake. You just spray the hair with some water and use a comb to restore wet hair into shape.

Unlike traditional oil based pomade for waves, which needs multiple washes and special shampoo and conditioner or degreasers to remove, the styling pomade can be removed with water.

In fact, by just taking a shower, you’re able to remove all the grease without leaving a greasy feel or stains on your black hair.

As a strong hold pomade, the best wave grease works great for managing any wavy hairstyles out there that are difficult to manage. It works well for slick backs, pompadours, side parts, and other wavy styles.

And now about the appearance. The wave gel looks like fine tree resin. What is even more breathtaking is the smell. It’s so sweet and relaxing; you can open it just to smell the gel. That being said, some men might find the fragrance too strong.

Finally, it’s super easy to use. First, it comes in a frustration-free packing. And secondly, it goes on easily and gets dispersed uniformly. You cannot go wrong picking this one if you’re looking for the best wave pomade.

Highlighted Features

  • Strong hold
  • Easy to wash out as it is water-soluble
  • Goes on easily and spreads evenly
  • Nice fragrance
  • Allows easy hair combing

Suavecita Wave Pomade for Women

The first feature that makes Suavecita Wave Pomade so appropriate for women is the scent. Imagine a nice scent of sweet summer berries emanating from your hair.

Maybe your hair is thick and wavy and other conditioners don’t seem to work. If that’s the case, this is a lightweight gel that goes on seamlessly and spreads well.

What’s more, it has a strong hold. Thus, unlike other conditioners and gels that dry out and lose their moisturizing effect quickly, this one stays strong and provides the lock in moisture benefits for a long time.

Removing it is a cinch. Just one wash with water will get off all the pomade with no stains or grease left.

Highlighted Features

  • Smells like delicious summer berries
  • Lightweight
  • Shiny but not too much greasy
  • Easy to remove with water
  • Strong hold

As I Am Butter

Are you having trouble softening or moisturizing your coarse hair? Maybe you’ve tried different oil-based products like the Curl 360 wave control pomade or the Cantu shea butter cream pomade but nothing has managed to allow you to have natural and soft, shiny hair. In that case, I recommend you try the As I Am Butter.

One convenient thing about this wave butter is that it allows you to air dry your curly hair after conditioning it. The gel traps in lots of moisture. That way, your curly hair keeps looking nice and hydrated even days after application.

Due to its high effectiveness, the wave grease is able to reach the roots and revitalize them. With both the hairs and the roots being nourished, your hair looks tender and shiny in a whole new and fresh manner.

Have you ever used hair moisturizing products with a weird or even somewhat evil smell? You don’t have to put up with them anymore. The As I Am wave grease has a really sweet vanilla smell that you will love. And it’s not that strong smell that could make you uncomfortable; it’s just a light scent like the Cantu Shea Butter.

Still, the gel is not too heavy to the point of over-curling your hair when wolfing. It’s just at the right thick consistency and it works great. That being said, don’t apply too much; a little will be enough.

Highlighted Features:

  • Good moisturizer
  • Softens hair efficiently
  • Thick – just a little goes a long way
  • Sweet vanilla smell – scent isn’t uncomfortably strong

AXE Pomade Clean Cut

If you have short to mid-length hair, you don’t need a strong hold pomade like the 360 wave control pomade. Instead, what you need is a medium hold pomade. In that regard, you might want to see what the AXE Pomade Clean Cut.

As a medium hold pomade, the wave grease isn’t too creamy or non sticky. And it’s not stiff either. Think of it like a mold.

When you comb your hair sideways, the wave grease drips down after some time. And when you comb it up once more, the hair returns to its normal shape just as a mold. You only need a fingertip worth of wave cream pomade and your hair will look shiny and revitalized.

The best way to use it is to spray your hair with water, and then rub in the product. You will love that the cream is super easy to spread. Also, it disappears completely and holds beautifully especially if the hair is short.

The AXE Pomade Clean Cut also has its share of shortcomings. The current version is more concentrated, and the consistency is not as good as it used to be.

Highlighted Features

  • A little goes a long way
  • Easy to control
  • Smell is not bad
  • Non sticky

Suavecito Duo Bundle (Matte Pomade and Original Hold Variations)

Want to look handsome with little hassle? Try the Suavecito Duo Bundle. You get two containers – one for the matte pomade and the other for the original hold. With these, you can switch between a natural or slick look whenever you want.

The matte pomade is what you use when you want a natural look. It’s the ideal wave grease to add to your grooming kit for a variety of styles including retro, classic, and even modern.

This wave grease is non sticky and creamy and gives you a nice natural look. As you’ll see, the pomade has a good hold, and is able to last all day. Being water-soluble, the pomade is easy to remove.

This wave grease doesn’t work well with medium or long hair. It only works with short hair. After applying it, don’t run your fingers through your hair so you don’t you remove the application. The hold is not strong.

Highlighted Features

  • 2 varieties of pomade – original and matte hold
  • Easy to wash
  • Nice masculine scent

Sweet Jamila Shea Glaze

The Sweet Jamila Shea Glaze by Xotics is a special combination of essential oils and butter meant to offer you the most breathtaking moisturizing and nourishing properties especially when wolfing.

As a nourishment for hair, this oild based product helps solve issues such as hair breakage and loss, and damage resulting from sun exposure.

If this wave grease has one thing going for, it is the amazing versatility. Apart from using it on the hair, you can use it on other areas. If there are areas on your skin that are dry or chafed and in need of some moisturizing, the Sweet Jamila will be helpful.

The Sweet Jamila Shea Glaze is made of natural ingredients and is incorporated with tree oil, which fights dandruff with hemp seed oil, shea butter, and coconut oil which help deal with skin inflammatory condition and dermatitis, and a couple more helpful ingredients.

The only issue with this wave grease is that it softens easily, and that might make application a hassle. If it softens too much, try putting it in the refrigerator for a while and it will solidify once more.

Highlighted Features

  • All-natural hair product
  • Enhanced with hemp seed oil, tree oil, avocado oil and shea butter and other great natural ingredients
  • Versatile – works with a wide range of hairstyles
  • Supports hair growth and protects against damage

Jovinno Natural Premium Hair Styling Pomade

The Jovinno Natural Premium Hair Styling Waves Pomade is composed of natural ingredients such as marshmallow roots and calendula to treat your hair beautifully without exposing it to artificial chemicals.

The rosemary extract is an essential oil that promotes hair growth. Moreover, it prevents the growth of dandruff and keeps your hair from graying prematurely.

If you’ve been experiencing dry hair and scalp, and the discomfort that comes with it, then this cream will benefit you tremendously. It contains Omega 3 fatty acids, which solve all these issues, all while nourishing your dry hair and scalp. The Jovinno waves pomade contains calendula, which, apart from hydrating your scalp, boosts blood flow.

If you keep your hair too tied together, and you’re finding it hard to disentangle it, the marshmallow seeds in the wave grease will help you a lot. These contain slippery substances that will make your hair disentangle easily.

One negative thing about this waves pomade is that it has a slightly dry texture. Thus, before applying it, you might want to slightly dampen your hair. Just spray a little water and comb it out, then apply a fingertip amount (or more if you keep your hair long).

You will love the moisturizing effect and the fact that the waves pomade holds.

Highlighted Features

  • Made of natural ingredients
  • Good moisturizer
  • Disentangles hair
  • Fights dandruff
  • Not too greasy

WaveBuilder Cocoa Shea Butter

The WaveBuilder Cocoa Shea Butter is the best wave grease especially for that guy who wants something only slightly creamy and not too greasy for his 360 waves.

If you’re looking to create healthy 360 waves that look natural, the WaveBuilder Cocoa Shea wave butter will be very useful. It contains shea butter and natural cocoa, which work effectively when it comes to promoting healthy hair waves.

If you’ve tried different wave grease and pomades for maintaining 360 waves, you might have dealt with wave grease buildup. You know that greasy residue that is difficult to get off? Well, you don’t have to put up with it any longer. Shea butter is a non-greasy formula and will not leave residue when you wash it out.

Maybe you have coarse hair that won’t soften no matter what you use, products like shea butter or the wavebuilder natural wave pomade are effective at softening coarse hair. The coacoa butter smell is not all that great, but it’s not bad either.

Highlighted Features

  • Non-greasy formula
  • Easy to wash
  • Good moisturizer
  • Softens coarse hair
  • Works great with 360 waves, just like the wavebuilder natural wave pomade

WaveBuilder Brush In

Are you just getting started with 360 waves?

And are you looking for a non-complex wave grease that will make your 360 waves connect real nice without too much work or maintenance? Check out the WaveBuilder Brush In Wave Grease.

One of the reasons why this wave grease is so suitable for beginners is that it is a good deal. What’s more, this single bottle can last you up to 6 months if you use it keenly as recommended. Just a few drops are enough. Again, you don’t need to apply every day; a few days per week will be enough.

Unlike other products that need you to stand in the mirror for hours, this wave grease will produce results even with just a few minutes of brushing your hair and remain throughout the day.

If your hair is looking a little dry and tired, this is just the revitalizer you need. It contains moisturizing properties and will moisten and light up your hair in immediately. It’s not very greasy and will not lead to buildup on your hair.

Highlighted Features

  • Liquid wave creator
  • Non-greasy without residue
  • Nice moisturizer

How to Choose the Right Wave Grease

When looking for the best hair grease for 360 waves, there are a couple of things you need to ask; questions that will help you arrive at your ideal choice. Because you see, there are those products that will make your hair stiff and very firmly in place, there are those that will make it super greasy, and so on.

Best wave grease in different levels

So, here are a couple of questions that will help you select the right wave grease for your needs.

Comparing Wave Grease Features

Wave grease Scent Ingredients Sheen
Cold Wolfin Pomade Shea butter Organic Semi-gloss
Suavecito Firme Natural Organic Semi-gloss
Suavecita Pomade Summer berries Organic High-gloss
As I Am Butter Vanilla Organic Semi-gloss
AXE Pomade Natural Inorganic High-gloss
Suavecito Duo Bundle Natural Inorganic High-gloss
Sweet Jamila Shea butter Organic Semi-gloss
Jovinno Pomade Natural Inorganic High-gloss
WaveBuilder Butter Cocoa Organic Semi-gloss
Wavebuilder Brush In Natural Organic Semi-gloss

Hair Length

If you’ve ever used pomades, you likely already know that different hair grease products work for different hair types and hair lengths. Some pomades, especially those meant for 360 waves, work only with short hair types, while others work better with longer hair types.

In most cases, the stronger the hold, the more the suitability for long hair.

Best wave grease brand in levels

Smells

While castor oil is great for various hair benefits such as healthy growth, those products that contain this natural ingredient don’t have a very pleasant smell. The more the castor oil, the stronger the odor.

If you hate bad-smelling hair products, look for those with little to no castor oil like the Softsheen Carson Sportin Waves.

Other products are infused with sweet-smelling ingredients like tonka seeds, and these are ideal for those who love sweet-smelling hair products.

And for those who don’t like smells at all, odorless options like the SoftSheen Carson Sportin’ Waves or the Roller Coaster waves hair pomade are a great selection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is My Hair Hard to Control?

If you have lots of hair that won’t stay in one place, you need to watch the wave grease’s hold. A light-hold pomade won’t cut it. With such hair, you need the best wave grease with a strong hold to firmly contain your hair.

If your hair is easy to control, go for a light-hold wave grease. And if it is moderately controllable, a medium pomade will do.

What Level of Sheen Do I Need?

Most manufacturers (at least those of the products in the review above) declare the degree of sheen their products create. In that regard, look at the finish.

There are 3 types of finish – matte finish, which doesn’t shine at all, semi-gloss/semi-shine, and high-gloss, which creates lots of shine.

Is It Easy to Wash Hair Pomades?

This is one of the most critical questions people like to ask before buying hair pomade or the best wave grease. While strong hold pomades seem like a good idea, you got to realize that most of them aren’t so easy to remove.

If you want something that is easy to wash out with water, look for a water-based option that is medium hold or light hold. Many people don’t like products that leave residues or build-ups.

How To Properly Put On Your Wavecap

Final Word

When shopping for the best wave grease, ensure you consider the issues I talked about. If your hair is coarse and hard to maintain, get a pomade with a strong hold to keep it in place effectively. There are also medium and light-hold options, and I’ve included great alternatives in the review for you to choose.