12 Hair Pastes to Achieve the Perfect Bedhead Hair (2025)

In the world of hairstyling, hair paste is the MVP. It’s one of those products that can do almost anything from subtly smoothing and taming frizz to locking your hair into a more defined style. Think of paste as a hybrid—it can have the hold of hair pomade, the texturizing ability of hair clay, and the natural finish of a styling cream. Basically, if you have all of those things in your medicine cabinet already, you could replace them all with just one jar of hair paste.

Because it’s heavier than your typical styling cream, a paste is ideal for short and medium-length hair. It usually adds a little grit and is best for creating textured, slightly disheveled looks—like a “just-rolled-out-of-bed” vibe or “just-got-back-from-the-beach” look. Paste, by default, delivers a smaller amount of shine than a traditional pomade (most of them are water-, not oil-, based) which leaves your hair with a natural look, even if you don’t opt for a completely matte version. That means the only thing it’s not great for is old-school, slicked-back looks.

Using a paste is easy: apply a small, dime-sized amount of product on wet hair for a little bit more hold or dry hair for more texture. Make sure to warm it up by rubbing it in the palm of your hands before applying it to avoid clumping. Most pastes are water-soluble, which means they’re easy to wash out with some shampoo and won’t leave your hair greasy but also can be restyled and reworked throughout the day without adding more to your hair. If you’ve ever noticed your hair drooping after a long day of work, then you know how important restyling can be.

But best of all, and the reason we love hair pastes so much, is that the texturizing effects can also add visual volume to fine or thinning hair. Unlike thicker products, which can weigh down fine hair and make it look thinner, hair paste creates height and volume, which can make your hair appear fuller. And it works on all hair textures, even curly hair.

So, if you’re stuck in a pomade wormhole and want to switch up your style with minimal effort, hair paste is your friend. As for which one to use, this list won’t let you down.

There’s a reason Sumotech has been a favorite product among hairstylists for years. Like the love child of a paste, cream and wax, it delivers the texture you want with a creamy, hydrating texture and a strong-ish, but still reworkable hold.

This medium-hold paste isn’t completely matte, but still gives your hair a natural finish with a little bit of shine (without leaving it looking greasy or oily). Use it to create a messy texture that you can still run your hands through.

There’s a little bit more hold to this paste compared with some others on this list, so keep this around for long days or photo-heavy events. Infused with aloe, it helps hydrate hair while it’s keeping your style in place.

The “satin finish” of this paste means it’s not completely matte, but it’s not shiny either—insead, it’s somewhere in the middle and leaves your hair looking healthy. The best part is that it has “memory” which means you can restyle your hair throughout the day without adding more product.

The best part of this hair paste is the classic 18.21 Man Made Sweet Tobacco scent, which actsas a fancy cologne for your hair that smells luxurious but won’t overwhelm everything else. The paste itself is medium hold, withhardly any shine. It's also water-soluble, so it washes out in a flash.

Ideally suited for medium-length hair, this hair paste contains beeswax, which gives it a stronger, yet still flexible hold. The matte finish makes it seem like all that texture and piecieness just comes naturally.

A lightweight paste like this, which comes out of a tube, is slightly heavier than a styling cream but creamier and with less hold than a gel. It’s ideal for more natural styles that don’t need to be completely locked in place and for thinner or fine hair that would get weighed down by a more viscous product.

Dry, matte hold pastes aren’t so great for curly hair, but this creamy paste is tailor-made for anyone with curly, coily or textured hair. It helps lock in curls and texture without making it crunchy like a gel and the creaminess delivers hydration to keep hair healthy.

The brand calls this paste “ultra-pliable” which means it has enough hold to keep your hair the way you set it, but won’t give you helmet head. It’s best for a roughed up, natural look like you just woke up but, like, in a good way.

You know how good your hair looks after spending a day at the beach? It’s mostly thanks to the salt, which gives your hair a gritty texture that’s hard to replicate. Well, this paste gets you that look every day, no beach required.

Use a little bit of this paste to smooth frizzy hair or a little bit more to really lock your hair into a cool, textured look. The more you add, the more control you get (in grooming speak, that’s what’s called “buildable”). But whatever you do, it gives your hair a healthy, natural finish.

If you haven’t realized by now that the point of using a paste is texture, let us remind you one more time: if you want texture, use a paste. This version is specifically designed to give you bedhead messiness that actually looks good and stays in place all day.