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One of the best strong hold matte finish hair products.

November 10, 2010 By Joe | Heads up: Buying via our links may result in us getting a commission. Also, we take your privacy rights seriously. Head here to learn more.

Strong Hold, Matte Finish:  Alterna Hair Concrete – $19.00

So you’re the type that wants a good amount of control over how your hair will look for the entire day, but the last thing you want is a shined up pomade finish.  Styling creams do an okay job, but don’t offer enough hold.  It seems like if you want a stronger hold with a cream you have to apply when your hair is more on the wet side, and that’s when their glue like texture keeps your hair looking wet and a bit crusty.

Enter Alterna’s Hair Concrete.  The name might cause visions of a stiff helmet-head finish, but that’s not what you get at all.  What you do end up getting is one of the few dry feeling, matte-finish hair products that has unusually superior hold.

It’s not really a wax, and it’s not a cream either.  When you emulsify it in your hands it gets extremely light feeling.  Use a small amount with almost completely dry hair, start at the back of your head and move forward.  Push your hair against the grain a few times to get even distribution, and then finish off how you want it to look.

Done.  It’s a dry finish, has incredible hold, and has almost no weight because you don’t have to use that much to get the desired effect.  Made in the USA, comes in recycled and recyclable packaging, all natural ingredients.
.

Super strong hold and you don't have to use much at all. Around $20.

Filed Under: Grooming Tagged With: Alterna, hair, hair product, low shine high hold hair product, matte finish hair product review

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Comments

  1. ishakir says

    November 10, 2010 at 8:15 AM

    Where can this be purchased? Any major stores carry this or is it online only?

  2. Crestfallen says

    November 10, 2010 at 8:16 AM

    Nearly $10 cheaper off , with S&H.

  3. Joe says

    November 10, 2010 at 8:22 AM

    @ishakir + Cresftfallen = I get mine through my stylist. And it’s about $20 there. That deal that Crestfallen found… I’m honestly surprised (and questioning?) how Buy.com has Alterna so cheap. They don’t seem to discount much… but I say go for it if you’ve purchased from Buy before.

  4. Greg K. says

    November 10, 2010 at 12:13 PM

    Call me an old man, but I recently tried Vitalis ($4.99 at the local Wegman’s) and it does the trick quite nicely if you’re looking for a little less hold than this stuff. It really does keep your hair looking healthy and helps if your hair dries out a lot after showering. I had previously been using American Crew’s “Fiber,” and one of the major advantages, particularly in colder months, is that you don’t have to emulsify Vitalis since it’s already liquid.

    Apparently you’re not supposed to smoke until your hair has dried, though. Sometimes I live on the wild side, and I have yet to pull a Michael Jackson.

  5. Skinny Vinny says

    November 10, 2010 at 12:50 PM

    @ Greg K: Call me an old man as well (I’m 35 and will be 36 in December) as I am a Brylcreem user. Tried Vitalis, didn’t have enough hold for me. Gave up the d-bag hair gels years ago and never looked back. Brylcreem gives hold without the stiffness and stickiness of gel. Doesn’t cost $19 either.

  6. derek says

    November 10, 2010 at 1:25 PM

    20 bucks is worth it when the stuff lasts 2+ months, as it does with me. I usually use Fiber, but it smells like wax and cardboard, so maybe i’ll give this stuff a shot.

  7. Dave says

    November 10, 2010 at 2:37 PM

    What’s it smell like though? I can’t stand the chemical scent of most hair products. I still haven’t found anything better then American Crew Tea Tree Firm Hold Cream.

  8. Bryan says

    November 10, 2010 at 2:45 PM

    I use Crew Fiber too, and can also attest that it is worth the cost. I bought my last container of it back at the end of summer and im no where near half way through. I use it every day.

  9. Joe says

    November 10, 2010 at 3:15 PM

    @Derek and Dave: All of these non-cream / fiber/concrete waxes won’t smell the freshest in the world. But this one doesn’t smell like chemicals at all. I think more along the lines of… I dunno… fresh clay? But as soon as you rub it between your hands the smell is gone. Kinda out-doorsy?

  10. Manny says

    November 11, 2010 at 10:45 PM

    If you have coarse dry hair such as mine that does not receive much oil from the scalp, be attentive in what these products do to your hair. I had been using clay, wax, etc and in MY case it made my hair look awful, wavy and dried, which was weird lol.

    Anyways what I learned is, since I coarse dry hair, short, and dull I need a product that is soft and brings a slight sheen to it already. No recommendations of products from me just saying to experiment and analyze. I find that if add a bit of oil to my hair not the root and I use a boar’s hair brush I can style it and give it some sheen ( which is what most of you probably have naturally) ;P

  11. andy says

    November 12, 2010 at 8:00 AM

    Sticky Rice is where it’s at.

    http://www.cibuinternational.com/sticky_rice.htm

    I use it everyday, smells great, a little bit goes a long way. One container has been going for 4 months. I have medium length hair.

    Cosmeticians can get this stuff for 50% off too, so ask your barber to hook it up.

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