Born in Vancouver and built on a mission that most grooming brands ignore, Headgains set out to create styling products that actively work against hair loss while delivering the kind of performance you'd expect from a premium styler. Their proprietary HGPM (Headgains Preventative Maintenance) Formula - nine naturally derived, science-backed ingredients developed alongside leading chemists — sits at the core of every product in the range, targeting DHT, promoting scalp circulation, and strengthening existing hair mass every time you style.
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Hold: Natural/Flexible (5/10)
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Finish: Polished/Low Shine (4/10)
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Base: Water-based (water-soluble)
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Scent: Woody, aromatic, and slightly smoky with green undertones - the Headgains signature
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Best For: All hair types; short to medium lengths; slickbacks, side parts, and polished everyday styles where a clean, refined finish is the goal
Big Slick Pomade is Headgains' polish-first styler — the one built for anyone who wants a clean, refined look without the grease, crunch, or artificial wet appearance that plagues a lot of pomades in this finish category. The natural hold sits at a comfortable 5/10, giving hair enough structure to maintain a slicked-back or side-parted style throughout the day while remaining pliable and reworkable. Applied to dry hair it delivers texture and flexible hold; applied to damp hair it achieves that classic slick-back look with noticeably more control. Glycerin keeps the hair hydrated and workable rather than stiff, while Corn Starch absorbs excess oil at the scalp for a finish that stays clean and polished rather than progressively greasy as the day goes on. And underneath all of that, the full HGPM Formula is doing exactly what it does in the Best Head Paste - working across all three pillars of Prevent, Grow, and Maintain to support the hair you have while you style it.
Who's It For
Big Slick Pomade is for anyone who wants a polished, put-together finish without the downsides that usually come with it - no grease, no stiffness, no helmet head. It suits all hair types and works particularly well on short to medium lengths where a clean side part, slickback, or structured everyday style is the goal. Because the hold is natural and flexible rather than strong and structured, it's best suited to hair that already has some natural direction to work with. If you need more hold and a matte finish for textured or high-volume styles, the Headgains Best Head Paste is the better fit from the range.
Key Benefits
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Natural, flexible hold (5/10) that keeps styles looking intentional without rigidity - hair stays moveable and reworkable throughout the day without needing to reapply.
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Glycerin draws moisture into the hair and maintains it throughout the day, keeping strands soft, pliable, and easy to reshape rather than dry and brittle.
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Corn Starch absorbs excess scalp oil as the day goes on, keeping the finish consistently clean and polished rather than progressively greasy by mid-afternoon.
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Silica builds the appearance of thicker, fuller hair by adding body and volume at the strand level — a meaningful benefit for anyone styling thinning or fine hair daily.
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Panthenol (Vitamin B5) penetrates the hair shaft and root to strengthen follicles, soothe the scalp, and support hair thickening over time with consistent use.
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Rosemary Leaf Extract boosts blood circulation to the scalp, delivering more oxygen and nutrients directly to hair follicles to promote growth and reduce inflammation.
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Saw Palmetto Extract and Pumpkin Seed Oil target DHT - the hormone primarily responsible for male hair loss - by blocking the enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT, helping to slow loss at the source.
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Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) improves blood flow to the scalp, increasing hair density and thickness with regular, ongoing use.
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Green Tea Extract (Camellia Sinensis) and Salicylic Acid complete the DHT-targeting approach - Green Tea inhibits the conversion enzyme while Salicylic Acid reduces sebum, which carries concentrated DHT, keeping scalp conditions healthier overall.
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Polished, low-shine finish looks clean and deliberate without crossing into greasy or wet territory - professional enough for the office, relaxed enough for the weekend.
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Water-based formula rinses out cleanly with regular shampoo, no residue or buildup left behind.
How To Use
Scoop out one knuckle's worth and emulsify between your palms until the product is evenly distributed and slightly tacky. For texture and flexible hold, work through dry hair starting at the roots and distribute evenly through to the ends, then style with a comb or your fingers. For a cleaner slick-back look with more control, apply to towel-dried damp hair instead - the formula performs noticeably differently on wet hair, giving you that classic polished finish with higher hold. Blow dry after application for added volume and a more refined result.
Why MASC Recommends This
Big Slick Pomade fills a gap that a lot of guys have been looking to fill — a pomade that actually looks polished without the grease, crunch, or reapplication routine. The finish is clean and natural in a way that reads as intentional rather than overdone, and the flexible hold makes it practical for daily use across a wide range of styles and hair types. The fact that the HGPM Formula is working in the background every single day is what really separates this from a standard styling product — you're not just maintaining your look, you're actively maintaining your hair. For a Vancouver-made product at this price point, it's a genuinely compelling package.
