Imperial Barber Products was built on a straightforward premise: make products that perform the way a barber needs them to, using the best cosmetic-grade ingredients available, and test everything on real clients before it goes anywhere near a shelf. With a combined 30 years of barbershop experience across three of the world's most style-conscious cities, the Imperial team knows what works - and Gel Pomade is one of their most versatile answers to that question.
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Hold: Strong (8/10)
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Finish: High Shine (8/10)
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Base: Water-based (water-soluble with shampoo)
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Scent: Fragrance-free
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Best For: All hair types and styles; particularly good for fine or thinning hair, curly hair, and anyone using it as a base layer under Classic, Fiber, or Blacktop Pomade
Gel Pomade is Imperial's hybrid - the product that sits between a traditional gel and a water-based pomade and borrows the best from both. It goes on light and smooth like a pomade, distributes evenly without clumping, and then dries into the hair rather than over it, hardening for an all-day, stay-in-place hold that neither a standard gel nor a standard pomade can fully replicate on its own. Panthenol (Vitamin B5) is the hero ingredient here - it penetrates the hair shaft and scalp to strengthen follicles, add thickness, and retain moisture, which makes this particularly effective for fine or thinning hair that needs both volume and hold. PVP and VP/VA Copolymer work together as the firming agents that give the formula its precision and structure, while Sorbitol, a sugar-based humectant, keeps the hair hydrated underneath the hold so it doesn't feel dry or brittle. It also functions exceptionally well as a base layer - apply a small amount, style, and blow dry, then finish with Classic, Fiber, or Blacktop on top for a hold and volume combination that neither product achieves alone. One note on washout: because Gel Pomade hardens into the hair rather than over it, shampoo makes removal significantly easier than water alone, especially when used in combination with other products.
Who's It For
Gel Pomade is for anyone who wants strong, precise hold with high shine and doesn't want the weight or residue of a traditional gel. It works across all hair types but is particularly well suited to fine or thinning hair where the volumising and thickening properties of Panthenol make a visible difference, and to curly hair where scrunching it in while damp enhances and defines curl pattern. It's also the product for anyone who cocktails - if you want more hold, more volume, or more precision from your Classic, Fiber, or Blacktop Pomade, Gel Pomade as a base layer is how you get there. For a lighter hold with less structure, the Freeform Cream is worth considering. For strong hold without the shine, Classic Pomade is the better standalone option.
Key Benefits
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Strong, precise hold (8/10) that dries into the hair rather than over it, creating a hardened structure that stays in place all day without flaking, melting, or losing shape.
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Panthenol (Vitamin B5) penetrates the hair shaft and root to strengthen follicles, retain moisture, and add genuine thickness and density - making this one of the best options in the Imperial range for fine or thinning hair.
- PVP and VP/VA Copolymer work together as dual firming agents, building a precise, sculptable hold structure that delivers definition and control throughout the day.
- Sorbitol, a sugar-derived humectant, draws moisture into the hair and keeps it there, preventing the dry or brittle feeling that conventional gels often cause after the hold sets.
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High shine (8/10) finish delivers a polished, wet-look result that holds its intensity from application through to the end of the day.
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Exceptional base-layer product - apply a small amount, style, and blow dry before adding Classic, Fiber, or Blacktop on top for significantly more hold, volume, and precision than either product delivers alone.
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Enhances and defines curl pattern when scrunched into damp hair and allowed to set - a cleaner, lighter alternative to traditional curl creams or heavy curl gels.
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Goes in light and smooth, distributing evenly without clumping or dragging, and dries significantly faster than other Imperial styling products.
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Water-reactivatable for mid-day restyling - a few drops of water softens the hold and allows reshaping without reapplying.
- Water-based formula washes out with shampoo - because it hardens into the hair rather than over it, shampoo is recommended over water alone, especially when used with other products.
- Vegan-friendly, paraben-free, and not tested on animals.
How To Use
Apply to towel-dried damp hair for best results - Gel Pomade dries faster than other Imperial products, so dry hair is not recommended as it won't distribute evenly. Scoop out one knuckle's worth, work between your palms, and apply from roots to ends, then comb or finger-style into your desired shape. For curly hair, scrunch into damp hair and allow to air dry for defined, frizz-free curls. To use as a base layer, apply a small amount to damp hair, style, and blow dry until fully set, then apply your finishing pomade on top and style as usual - this approach adds significant volume and hold that neither product achieves on its own. Wash out with shampoo rather than water alone for easier removal, particularly when layered with other products.
Why MASC Recommends This
Gel Pomade is the product that changes how you use everything else in the Imperial lineup. On its own it's a strong, high-shine hybrid that handles most hair types and styles with ease - but its real value is as a base layer that unlocks more hold, more volume, and more precision from Classic, Fiber, or Blacktop than any of those products deliver solo. If you've been using Classic and wishing it had more volume, or Fiber and wanting more staying power, Gel Pomade as a base is the answer you've been looking for. For fine or thinning hair in particular, the Panthenol-driven thickening and volumising benefits make this one of the more purposeful products in the range.
