The iron society – firm oil based pomade

THE COMPANY

The iron society brand consists of handcrafted pomades, done by barber Chris DeSanty from Oregon. It was a hyped one in the past and nowadays still a valuable pomade in my opinion.

Chris offers a medium and a firm oil based. There’s also a firm gel-type water based. He also brewed the VNM medium oil based (same formula as the medium with another scent). Last addition to the line was a clay.

More info – http://theironsociety.com/collections/all

Bonus: The iron society – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkS4dGT-SKU

POMADE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

I will be showcasing his firm oil based pomade which is petrolatum based. Comes in a 3 oz (85 g) amber glass jar. Labeling is gorgeous: very clean with a classic 30s vibe, solid, attractive; one of the most beautiful designs I know. I wanted it just for this packaging. Pomade itself has a pale yellow tint.

INGREDIENTS

White petrolatum, beeswax, lanolin, essential oils.

Basic, traditional formula made out of a few ingredients such as the 30s classics. I dig the use of essential oils instead of fragrance oils that we mostly see in petrolatum based pomades. Essential oils are all natural and less harsh for scalp/hair and often have therapeutic characteristics to nourish hair and skin.

SCENT

Described by the brewer as: ‘musky, masculine, with a hint of citrus.’ I detected a smoky and spicy odor, very manly and clean. Scent is not permeating, not abrasive in the jar or in the hair. Whiffs come by from time to time and these are well-balanced plus very agreeable. The scent matches its 30s labels perfectly. This scent is my favorite by far, it is amazing!

STYLING PROCESS

My hair: I’ve medium thick, wavy hair. I wear a side part with a contour.

My styling equipment: at the moment, I’m using a brush with wild boar hair, a Denman brush plus a wide tooth comb (detangler). Use a tangle teezer to avoid tug. During styling, I use brushes most. 

Application: to damp hair to ease the styling process. It also aids to straighten out my waves. 3 average licks is what I put in.

Scooping: top layer is a bit hard but once you push slightly, the product comes out easy. Layer beneath is much softer. That’s the normal story with firm(er) holds. The TIS pomade feels rather thick.

Breakdown: you get a sticky, waxy cream that’s not overly greasy. It feels great in the hands and predicts a good hold.

Working in: some grip but not painful or tedious. Disperses easily with a slight tension.

Slicking back: some resistance combing back with my Denman brush. TIS does not rip hairs out at all being a firm hold. Changing the hair’s direction to the side went well. Part: no issues.

Control: TIS provides you with some good control and keeps the hair together because of how sticky it is. Waxy it is but not overly. It offers a good wax-slickness ratio. My waves were tamed right away and even after some recombing they did not show through which is a big plus for me. My cowlick area is troublesome but my hair stayed in place rather quick. It kept down the sides well. Didn’t have to deal with flyaways. Hair did not tend to split.

SHINE

Low, natural shine, according to the brewer. For me: medium sheen, great for a stronger hold pomade. The shine did not fade out.

HOLD

Firm (strong) hold. To me: more of a firm on the lighter side but one with great results being a firm-heavy hold user.

ENDURANCE

Endured well despite being in rainy, very windy weather, temperatures around 50° F (10° C), a few walks, no strenuous physical chores. I noticed minor sagging, a few strays, no splits after walking through a storm with loads of rain! TIS pomade does a great job for sure.

RESTYLING

Restyled several times at the beginning and my waves remained under control which is a big plus in my book! Some wax formulas tend to break rather quick after a few touch ups. Just don’t fancy wavy hair. Did not need to restyle. Restyling test: no waving, no hairs sticking up, no saggy mane, hair looked as new again.

BUILD UP

Strong, waxy, manageable. Good build up properties to create higher styles.

WASH OUT

2-3 washes, not a difficult one. Type of shampoo, your hair type and the quantity that was in enacts the easiness of process as well.

SIMILAR POMADE(S)

• O’Douds heavy.
• The mail room barber, classic pomade.
• The mail room barber, Nolde forest.

Interested in oil based pomades only? You can join our ‘Oil Based Pomade Enthusiasts’ Facebook group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/OilBasedPomadeEnthusiasts/