Polished hair that holds and still moves
A slick back, a sharp side part or a clean classic look only works if the hair stays in place and still looks like hair. Gel makes it shiny and hard. Pomade can look greasy and takes three washes to get out. Wax often flakes by the afternoon.
Avenue Man Sleek Finish Styling Cream is a men's styling cream built for exactly these looks. It gives medium to strong hold with a natural, clean finish, keeps flyaways down and leaves the hair soft enough to restyle with your fingers during the day.
Here's how to use this styling cream for men to get the look you want, and why it works differently from gels, pomades and pastes.
How to get a slick back or side part that lasts all day
The slicked-back look in the photo is what this slick back cream was made for. The hair stays smooth and in place from the forehead to the crown, with no hard, wet line.
- Towel-dry until the hair is damp.
- Squeeze out a small amount, rub it between your palms until it's warm and spread thin.
- Rake it through from the front hairline back to the crown, coating the roots and lengths evenly.
- Comb the hair back, or to the side for a side part. Use a fine comb for a sharp, polished line, or your fingers for a softer one.
- Blow-dry in the same direction on medium heat, then finish with a few seconds of cool air.
This is why it's one of the best styling creams for slick back hair: the hold is strong enough to keep the shape all day, but the hair still moves when you turn your head.
How to tame frizz and flyaways
Frizz and loose hairs ruin a polished look faster than anything. Sleek Finish Styling Cream locks in moisture on damp hair, smooths the cuticle and keeps flyaways down. It also resists humidity, so the hair doesn't puff up on a wet day.
- On damp hair: apply a small amount through the lengths before drying. This gives the most control.
- On dry hair, midday: rub a tiny amount between your fingertips and smooth it over the flyaways only. Too much on dry hair can look heavy.
- On fine or thinning hair: the soy protein and keratin in the formula help strengthen the hair, and the light texture doesn't flatten it.
How to protect your hair while you style it
Most men blow-dry their hair every morning and walk outside without any protection. Over time, heat and sun make hair dry and brittle, and the ends start to break.
Sleek Finish Styling Cream is a UV and thermal protectant. Apply it before you blow-dry, and it works as a light shield between your hair and the heat. Acai berry, Japanese herbal extracts and other antioxidants help protect the hair from everyday city stress, so it stays stronger and healthier over time.
How to style medium and long hair
This men's hair styling cream works especially well on medium-length and long hair, where gel and wax get heavy and stiff.
- Medium length, slicked back: spread it from roots to ends and comb back. The hair keeps its fullness instead of lying flat against the head.
- Medium length, textured: apply less, rough-dry with your fingers and twist a few pieces at the front. It works as a texture cream for men with a softer, more lived-in finish.
- Long hair worn down: smooth a small amount over the lengths to control frizz and keep the ends neat.
- Long hair tied back or braided: use it before tying the hair to keep the sides smooth and the flyaways down all day.
What makes Sleek Finish Styling Cream different
- Hold without the hard shell. Gel gives hold but dries stiff and shiny. This cream gives medium to strong hold and the hair stays soft and touchable.
- No grease, no buildup. Many pomades look oily and take several washes to remove. Sleek Finish is lightweight, non-greasy and rinses out easily.
- No flakes. Unlike many waxes and gels, it doesn't flake or leave white residue by the afternoon.
- Restyle any time. Style memory lets you rework the shape with your fingers during the day, without adding more product.
- Protects as it styles. UV and thermal protection, plus acai, soy protein, keratin and Japanese herbal extracts that strengthen the hair. Most styling creams only style.
- A cleaner formula. Free from parabens, sulfates, dyes, BPA and formaldehyde.
- One cream, three looks. Slick back, side part or textured. You don't need a separate gel, pomade and paste.
- A full 7 oz tube. Larger than many men's styling creams.
- Designed by a men's hairstylist in New York, for the cuts he does every day.
How to use it: the basic routine
- Start with damp hair. It locks in moisture and spreads most evenly on damp hair.
- Warm it up. Rub the cream between your palms until it's thin and even.
- Roots to ends. Work it through from the hairline back.
- Shape. Comb for a sleek look, fingers for a textured one.
- Dry. Blow-dry in the direction of the style, or let it air-dry for a softer finish.
| Hair length | Amount |
|---|---|
| Short | Pea-sized |
| Medium | Almond-sized |
| Long | Walnut-sized, added in two steps |
Start small and add more only if you need it. Too much makes the hair heavy.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best cream for a slick back?
A styling cream with medium to strong hold that doesn't turn hard or greasy. Sleek Finish Styling Cream holds the shape all day and keeps the hair soft.
Styling cream or pomade: which is better?
Pomade often looks wet and is hard to wash out. A styling cream gives a cleaner, more natural finish and rinses out easily.
Can I use styling cream on short hair?
Yes. Use a pea-sized amount and focus it on the top and front.
Does it work on thick or curly hair?
Yes. On thick hair it adds control; on curly hair it smooths frizz. Apply to damp hair for the best result.
Can I use it every day?
Yes. It's free from parabens and sulfates and won't leave buildup.
Do I need a heat protectant if I use this cream?
Sleek Finish Styling Cream already includes UV and thermal protection, so for everyday blow-drying it does both jobs.
Created by a men's hairstylist
Avenue Man was created by Sergio Slavnov, a men's hairstylist who specializes in medium-length and long men's hairstyles. His work has been featured in GQ, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Glamour and on Times Square billboards, and The Washington Post called him the "Manhattan Men's Hair Guru." Sleek Finish Styling Cream is the one he reaches for when a client wants a polished, slicked-back look that still moves.
More looks styled with Avenue Man are on Instagram at @avenue.man, and you can watch the full process on YouTube at www.youtube.com/@bestmenshaircutsandstyling.
