Arcadian Grooming Matte Paste Mens Hair Styling Cream Heavy Hold Vegan Cruelty Free

I was using American Crew Defining Paste for years, and I wanted to find an alternative with more natural and beneficial ingredients. I went down the rabbit hole of trying all the relevant products (Firsthand Supply, O'douds, Shear Revival) and this is the one that finally had everything I was looking for. I'll compare to Shear Revival products, as they were the runner up:Hold - has an actual firm hold, where my hair feels slightly stiff when dried, but still flexible/soft enough to run fingers through and reshape if needed. This was a notch better than Shear Revival Northern LightsWashout - easily washes out with just water, when I had to shampoo my hair with other products that offered the same hold, ex. Shear Revival American GardensIngredients - made with natural ingredients, omitting excessive chemicals. This was on par with Shear Revival with no sacrificesScent - has a natural and light citrus/woodsy smell. Nothing crazy, which I like, and very similar to Shear Revival products. Not strong at all so you wont smell it long after application.Finish - has a natural matte finish (almost satin) which I love. A lot of the "matte" prodcuts left my hair looking dry, dull, and almost unhealthy.

Pretty good product over all and washes out nice. The hold is good in the beginning but after a full day of school it may not be as strong but can still provide a decent hold. The greasiness can definitely be seen if you put too much and wont give you the hold you might look for. Put a finger sized amount for a good hold and non greasy feel and look. Scent is nothing to worry about as it has a woody and kind of citrusy smell. The scent you definitely won't smell some time after applying which I like.

The product is very good. Holds well and you don't need a lot. However, the scent is too powerful and it reminds me of a mosquito candle. I would give more stars, but the page description is incorrect and the smell is too strong and not very pleasant.