In Urban Oak, we are always excited and appreciative to have these hardworking homebrewers who constantly innovate to serve the market better. The Flagship Pomade is probably one of the earliest homebrewers around and has partnered with other brands to produce unique hair styling products. In the past, we have reviewed the Blackship Water Based Pomade, which was one of our favourite unorthodox pomades.
Recently, Flagship Pomade has pulled off a unique line of products which is based on the seasonality. Knowing that the weather conditions are different for each season, they have crafted one product for each season to meet the different hairstyling needs. This also means that each of these Flagship Pomade’s products is only available for a period of time (based on the season). Ladies and Gentlemen, without further ado, may I present you the full review of the Flagship Pomade Four Seasons.
FLAGSHIP FOUR SEASONS – Polar Conditioning cream
Scent:
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- Top– Bergamot, Mandarin, Juniper Berry, Peppermint
- Mid– Green Tea, Black Currant
- Base– Galbanum, Musk, Sandalwood, Petitgrain
Type: Oil-Based Cream
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Texture: From the looks of it, it has a “wet” texture. Unlike Hongkonghomebrew Styling Cream, the Polar Conditioning Cream has a thicker and creamier texture. As expected, you can feel it’s oily and sticky when breaking it down on your hand. Breaking it down was very easy.
[youtube=://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-znBdlrBiQ&w=640&h=480]
Restyleability: very easy with either finger or comb
Hold: The Polar Conditioning Cream is a low medium hold product. I would say it is designed to give you some control yet a natural look
Shine: Medium-High Shine. This will give you quite a slick look.
Washability: One or two shampoo wash and one conditioner cycle
Hair Types: This product is suitable for most hair types, anything from fine to thick hair types.
Ingredient: Water (Aqua), Lanolin, PEG 40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 80, Shea (Butyrospermum Parkii) Butter, Hempseed Oil, Rice Bran (Oryza Sativa) Wax, Candelilla (Euphorbia Antisyphilitica) Wax, Jojoba (Simmondsia Chinensis) Oil, Kaolin, Cocoa (Theobroma Cacao) Butter, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Fragrance, Aloe Extract
Aloe Extract, Lanolin, Shea Butter, Hempseed Oil, Jojoba Oil, and Cocoa Butter protect, condition, and rejuvenate hair and scalp. Kaolin Clay cleanses and fortifies, provides additional hold, and reduces shine.
Availability: Annually available from December 1st to February 28th.
Overall Performance of Polar Conditioning Cream
Hold Power: ★★☆☆☆
Shine: ★★★★☆
Endurance: ★★★☆☆
Washability: ★★☆☆☆
Flagship Four Seasons – Equinox Oil Based Clay
Flagship Pomade Four Season: Equinox Oil Based Clay
As spring arrives, one can notice that the heat will start to increase and the breeze could be inconsistent. Here, the Equinox Oild Based Clay is introduced to give you a good firm hold with a matte finish. On top of this, it is meant to provide you with more texture to play with.
Scent
- Top – Lemon, Lime, Lavender
- Middle – Clove, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Nutmeg, Black Cardamon
- Base – Vetiver, Musk, Sandalwood, Amber
Texture: It could be quite challenging to scoop the Equinox Oil Based Clay. Use your back finger to dig deep and lift it up. The consistency reminds me slightly on Kevin Murphy’s Rough Rider Clay. It’s quite a tough nut to scoop it out but breaking it down on your palm is fairly easy. It does feel a bit dry and slight “powedery”.
[youtube=://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c075K2lD7jw&w=640&h=480]
Application: I have applied it on blow-dried hair. You will experience some tugging during the application. But this can be easily avoided if you use the Black Water Conditioning Cream. For a short hair like mine, I have used around 2 – 3 coin size scoop.
Volume: Provides some good volume especially when blow dried or used with Black Water Conditioning Cream.
Restyleability: Some tugging, you might need a comb for easier restyling.
Hold: The Equinox Oil Based Clay has better hold than the Polar Conditioning Cream. It also endured longer. Overall, this is a strong hold product
Shine: Medium-Low. You will still able to notice some shine surprisingly.
Washability: At least two shampoo wash
Hair Types: This is not a heavy product. So, it works perfectly for fine to thick hair.
Ingredients: Lanolin, PEG 40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Kaolin, Shea (Butyrospermum Parkii) Butter, Bentonite, Rice Bran (Oryza Sativa) Wax, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Candelilla Wax, Sea Clay, Fragrance
Ingredient Highlights: Lanolin and Shea Butter to condition and protect hair. Kaolin, Bentonite, and Dead Sea Clay fortify and cleanse hair and scalp.
Availability: Annually available from March 1st to May 31st
Overall Performance of Equinox Oil Based Clay
Hold Power: ★★★★★
Shine: ★★☆☆☆
Endurance: ★★★☆☆
Washability: ★☆☆☆☆
FLAGSHIP FOUR SEASONS – SOLSTICE HEAVY PASTE
With the heavy heat in summer, the Solstice Heavy Paste is designed to withstand the heat and humidity. Besides having a firm hold, it gives some good volume and restyleability.
Scent: Best Scent among the four. It has a little sweet and citrusy scent and not overpowering
- Top – Bergamot, Lime, Coconut, Mandarin, Valencia Orange, Mint, Geranium
- Middle – Hibiscus, Jasmine, Ginger and Ylang Ylang, Clove
- Base – Musk, Black Sandalwood, Oud Wood, Amber, Mahogany, Tonka
Texture: This is a thick paste product. It has a less creamy feel. When scooping out from the jar, there’s some effort required and when breaking it down, it did require some effort as well. Naturally, it has is more solid rather than a paste. You can tell it’s a much thicker paste as compared to some more lightweight products like Orien’t Texture Matte Paste.
[youtube=://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABhTD1z0LP8&w=640&h=480]
Application: Scoop a small amount of the Solstice Heavy Paste and apply from roots to tips in blowdried or towel-dried hair. Add more as needed for desired hold. You will experience some tugging during the application. A comb would be helpful.
Volume: Provides some good volume however it does deflate during the second half of the day.
Restyleability: a slight tugging, but still able to style with finger or comb
Hold: The hold was quite firm overall. However, it did not last towards the end of the day starting from the 6-hour mark. Overall, the Solstice Heavy Paste is a medium-strong product
Shine: Medium Low
Washability: One Shampoo wash does the job
Hair Types: For fine hair, use lesser of this product as it will weigh down your hair. For medium to thick, don’t be afraid to be generous with it.
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Coconut Oil, Kaolin, Hydrogenated Castor (Ricinus Communis) Oil, PEG 40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Shea (Butyrospermum Parkii) Butter, Jojoba (Butyrospermum Parkii) Oil, Polysorbate 80, Candelilla (Euphorbia Antisyphilitica) Wax, Rice Bran (Oryza Sativa) Wax, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Fragrance, Aloe Extract.
Ingredient benefits: Aloe Extract, Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, and Jojoba Oil all work to moisturize, condition, and repair the hair. Kaolin Clay once again fortifies with vitamins and minerals, while cleansing the scalp and hair follicles.
Availability: Annually available from June 1st to Aug 31st
Overall Performance of Flagship Pomade Solstice Heavy Paste
Hold Power: ★★★★☆
Shine: ★★☆☆☆
Endurance: ★★★☆☆
Washability: ★★★★☆
FLAGSHIP pomade FOUR SEASONS – The Void Matte Paste
Flagship Pomade Four Season: The Void Matte Paste
Scent: A very acquired scent. With the use of Frankincense and Incense, these is our least favourite scent among the four. Even after a hair wash, it still stays for a while.
- Top – Frankincense, Incense, Resin, Neroli
- Middle – Oud, Champa, Cinnamon
- Base – Sandalwood, Musk, Vanilla, Chypre Accord
Texture: A very lightweight airy paste. Very soft and easy to break down when spreading over on the palm.
Application: I would the application was very easy, very little tugging. I did with a blow-dried hair and spreading them from my roots to the tip was pretty quick. Among the four, this is the easiest to style with.
[youtube=://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh323kJVAhI&w=640&h=480]
Flagship Pomade Four Season: The Void Matte Paste
Volume: Does give some volume when styled with hairdryer, but not as much as Solstice Heavy Paste.
Restyleability: Very easy with finger combing
Hold: I would say this is quite comparable with the Equinox Hair Clay. In fact, I have took it further with a gym session (air-conditioned) but still sweat pretty much. Boy, it does hold pretty well after restyling with my finer
Shine: Medium Low
Washability: Just water. But the scent still lingers.
Hair Types: Definitely for those with thin and medium-thick hair type. For thicker hair stypes, do use together with Black Water Pre/Post Styling Cream.
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Coconut Oil, Kaolin, Hydrogenated Castor (Ricinus Communis) Oil, PEG 40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Shea (Butyrospermum Parkii) Butter, Jojoba (Butyrospermum Parkii) Oil, Polysorbate 80, Candelilla (Euphorbia Antisyphilitica) Wax, Rice Bran (Oryza Sativa) Wax, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Fragrance, Aloe Extract.
Ingredient: Aloe Extract to moisturize hair and repair scalp. Rice Bran Oil to rejuvenate hair. Kaolin Clay, Bentonite Clay, and Activated Charcoal to cleanse hair and scalp and fortify with vitamins and minerals.
Availability: Annually available from September 1st to November 30th
In short, this product has great hold and endurance. Totally love it in terms of performance. The scent, however, is not to my liking. How I wished that I could marry the scent of Solstice Heavy Paste to the Void Matte Paste Performance.
Overall Performance of The Void Matte Paste
Hold Power: ★★★★★
Shine: ★★☆☆☆
Endurance: ★★★★★
Washability: ★★★★☆
Black Water Pre & Post Styling Cream
Many of you would be interested to find out how does the Black Water Pre & Post Styling Cream fit into the application Four Season line.
Well, my friend, I would say this is a must-have pre style or even as your post style. Before I share my reasons here’s a quick rundown of the feature of this product
Texture: Wet and Creamy. After application, it does leave some sticky feeling that can be easily washed off, and in terms of dryness, it’s very little and close to none. It resembles like a light cream product that somehow holding on to your hair.
Application: It comes in a pump bottle. Pumping it out was fairly easy. Apply on damp hair then blow dry with hot or cold air. With hot air, you able to form some shape to according to your style. Very easy to apply since it has a wet & creamy texture. Not sticky at all. After styling with any product, you can use it as a finishing touch to give a more firm hold and shape.
[youtube=://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P5f0nhAqCg&w=640&h=480]
Hold: Boy, it really does give a boost to whatever product your are using. Itself, it has already some hold to give some shape or even a natural relax style.
Volume: It does give a better lift especially if you use it with the Solstice Matte Paste or Equinox Oil Based Clay.
Washability: Just water will do the job
Fragrance Notes: Mahogany, Oakmoss, Teakwood, and Neroli
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Kaolin, Hydrogenated Castor (Ricinus Communis) Oil, PEG 40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Rice Bran (Oryza Sativa) Oil, Polysorbate 80, Polyethylene, PVP, Phenoxyethanol, Activate Charcoal, Aloe Extract, Sodium Polyacrylate, Fragrance, Sorbic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol.
In summary, you gotta have this in your grooming routine. Giving any product that extra boost of volume, texture and hold. Combined with its easy application, I have been using it always every day. If not, it could be easily used for your lazy days with natural style.
Overall, this was a great experience to test all 5 different products. Personal favourite would be the Solstice due to its scent and moderate performance.
Best performing ones with great hold and endurance have to go to both The Equinox Oil Based Clay and The Void’s matte paste.
Best Natural Style will have to be the Polar Conditioning Cream to give you the effortless look.
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