Forming cream is the most forgiving styling product a guy can own, and also the most misused. Too much of it, or the wrong application, and your hair looks greasy instead of styled. Here is what forming cream actually is, and the exact way we apply it in the shop.
What is forming cream?
Forming cream is a water based styling cream with flexible hold and a natural, low shine finish. Unlike pomade or gel, it does not lock hair into place. It shapes the style and lets it move, so you can restyle with your fingers during the day. Because it is water soluble, it rinses out completely in one wash and never leaves flakes.
MMIX Forming Cream was developed by working barbers to hold up in humidity, which is where most creams quit. Flexible hold, natural shine, washes out easy.
Who forming cream is for
- Guys with short to medium hair who want a defined but natural look
- Wavy or straight hair that needs shape, not volume
- Anyone tired of gels that flake or pomades that need two shampoos to remove
If your hair is very fine and falls flat, start with a texture base first and use cream as the finisher. More on that below.
How to apply forming cream, step by step
- Start with towel dried or dry hair. Slightly damp hair gives a cleaner, more polished finish. Dry hair gives a more matte, textured look.
- Use a dime sized amount. This is the step everyone gets wrong. Start small. You can always add more, but you cannot take it out.
- Emulsify it fully. Rub the cream between your palms and fingers until it disappears. If you can see white cream on your hands, keep rubbing.
- Work back to front. Apply through the back and sides first, then the top, so the front does not get overloaded.
- Shape with fingers, finish with a comb. Fingers for texture, a comb like the MMIX Refining Pocket Comb for a sharper, cleaner part.
The mistakes that ruin it
Too much product. A heavy hand is why guys think cream makes hair greasy. A dime covers a full head of short hair.
Applying to soaking wet hair. Water dilutes the hold. Towel dry first.
Skipping the emulsify step. Un-rubbed cream sits in clumps and shows white in the hair.
Layering for thin or flat hair
No single product does everything, and forming cream on its own will not add volume. If your hair runs flat, build the base first: spray MMIX Sea Salt Spray into damp hair and blow dry with root lift, or work MMIX Styling Powder through dry hair. Then use a small amount of forming cream on top to define the shape. Texture underneath, definition on top. That is the order barbers use.
Restyling during the day
This is where flexible hold earns its keep. Hat hair, wind, a long day at the desk: run damp fingers through your hair and reshape. The cream reactivates with a little water, no new product needed.
Questions about your hair type? Ask your barber at your next cut, or reach out through our contact page. This is the stuff we talk about all day.