Clay Doh Lite

Written by: Brianlam

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I’ve kept my distance from clays, just because of the types of things I heard when it comes to using clay properly:  the work they require and what not.  But after a trip to the Philippines, I happened to come across Bench/’s FiX Professional Hair product line. Now, I didn’t pick up some of the other waxes, seeing as I had enough Gatsby to last me a year or so, but I did notice that there were also some molding clays, so I decided to grab a few pots.

Aptly named “Clay Doh”, the FiX clay comes in two versions; the normal Clay Doh, and Clay Doh lite. I haven’t been back to the Philippines in a year so I’m not sure if there are any other variations, but this will be for the two I have now. I got them for about 350 pesos a piece (about $8USD), so it’s not too out of the way in terms of price. Anyway, boasting a hold of 5 out of 5 and a shine of 1, the clay doh is advertised for “Your Hairdo: Matte and Tousled. Defined and textured hairstyle in matte finish.” And I’m glad to say it delivers what it promises. The Clay Doh Lite is a modified version that is much easier to wash out than the normal Clay Doh at the cost of some hold strength but it doesn’t create too much of a problem.

First impressions

It is sporting a “vibrant” grey, much like the Grunge matte Gatsby, but I have found it provides even far less shine when used sparingly. Obviously since it is not a wax, it has a thicker texture. It’s very different to work with but more on that later. The smell is actually modeled after Bench/’s line of fragrances so its not horrible, but it is cologne after all, so it all depends on whether you can tolerate it and whatnot.

The Review

I have found that the clay is very versatile. In most cases it can be used alone with a hairspray application after, or used with a wax as an extra hold. Just like any clay, it does take some time to get used to, as not working it properly will cause saturation and clumps in certain situations and leaves somewhat of an oily residue. If you use too much you end up shinier, so use sparingly. I found that it doesn’t really provide that spiky look that some waxes give with first use so it does take some time getting used to. It works very well for providing hold for longer hair giving that more flowy look. And although the restyling won’t be so perfect, you can rework your hair for the most of the day, even with some water or sweat starting to wash it out. In short, it’s got the hold but it won’t make pointy spikes.

Washing out

Both do take a good shampooing to get out, with the Clay Doh Lite coming out easier. As long as you haven’t over saturated your hair it should be no problem.

For some final thoughts; it’s not for everyone. It’s got its ups and downs. I like using it on a daily basis just because I’ve gotten the hang of using it without too much trouble. It provides the control you would want to shape with that gritty matte finish. Not the greatest clay out there, but it does its job.

Pros:	Cons:
Matte finish if not over saturated	Really thick compared to waxes
Very versatile once you get the hang of it	Doesn’t provide that super spiky hold
Decent hold for a clay	Can turn shiny if used too much
Pretty cheap	Can be somewhat of a pain to washout
Got that Bench/ fragrance goodness	Has an oily texture once you work it in so people might not be a fan of that

Written by Josh Magno