A water-based, hydrating vitamin B5 infused gel pomade that combines the best properties of gels and pomades to create a new hybrid styling medium.
Highlights:
- Water Based
- Medium to Strong Hold
- Hydrating Vitamin B5 Infused
- Dries Into / Hardens
- No Melting / No Flaking
- Adds Volume
- Rinses Clean and Easy
- Net Weight: 12oz
How It Works
Let me introduce you to Imperial Gel Pomade. Based on its description, one could expect a mix of pomade qualities crossed with the ease of a gel. This product claims to provide a pompadour with a stronger hold than their pomade, no flaking, and the ease of use similar to gels.
Imperial Gel Pomade is indeed a water-based, hydrating vitamin B5 infused gel pomade that combines the best properties of gels and pomades to create a new hybrid styling medium. It goes in light and smooth and offers a sculptable precision that will dry into the hair and harden for an all day, stay-in-place hold. The strength of the hold is determined by the amount of product used and the amount of water in your hair during application.
Imperial Gel Pomade works well as a base. Some users mix or “cocktail” this product along with the Fiber Grease or Classic Pomade for precise holds on the sides or to add volume with a light blow dry. Imperial Gel Pomade is especially good for finer hair as it will thicken and enhance volume and will also enhance curls if crunched into your hair. And again, as in all of Imperial’s finishing products, it’s water-reactivatable and conveniently rinses out.
The product is packaged quite nicely and comes in a large 12-ounce jar. And believe you me, you are not going to be using a lot of it so this thing is gonna last you for a very long time.It is certainly a great bang for your buck. The jar is a lovely and solid clear plastic that has an aluminum top.
Our Experience
The Scent
The moment you open it up, you will notice straight away that it has the classic Imperial scent to it. As some may describe it, the products smell like a sweet, fresh aloe vera product.
The Application
I’m pretty sure that everybody who reads this has utilized a gel of some sort in the past, so just think of applying something with the consistency of jam into your hair. However, just as a side note here, do be sure to apply it to your hair when it is damp. Unlike other alternative cheap gels out there, this particular product actually dries relatively quickly compared to other gels. Using this pomade with moderately damp hair is gonna make the end outcome not only easier but better as well.
The Styling
When it comes to timing, you might anticipate that it would take some time to style with this kind of product. Because, as you know, it is a gel after all. One may think that it would have too little hold to style with straight away. But this is actually incorrect. The ‘pomade’ aspect of Imperial Gel provides you with a hold to work with, and given the fact that it dries quickly, it allows you to have more hold as you style, which helps very well indeed.
While it isn’t perfect, it is better than you might expect it to be. Obviously, you should keep from touching your hair the moment everything starts setting in. But it isn’t so bad. It permits your sides to puff out a little bit — just like what occurs when one uses a lot of oil-based products.
The gel is strong, but the kind of hold it offers is not overkill like other alternative heavy water-based products. Probably the best way that a person may describe it is that it offers a lot of hold, but it does possess a maximum limit that keeps you from ‘over-styling’. Another thing that you may notice is that surprisingly you will get good control out of it.
Conclusion
The Imperial Gel Pomade may pleasantly surprise you. Not to say that this thing isn’t a gel because it certainly is. You will get the crunch and stuff like that. However honestly speaking, it is better than plenty water-based products out there on the market nowadays.
If this is going to give me the crunchies and another alternative water-based pomade is going to give me the crunchies as well, why should a person pay more for this product and go through the hassle of applying their thick goop?
I’d highly recommend giving this product a try at the very least, so that you may consider re-examining your own personal comparison scale for water-based pomades and then judging how you like or dislike this product.
See It In Action
Busting out our demonstration video from a long time ago. Check it out!