Axe Whatever Messy Look Paste 2.64-Ounce Jars (Pack of 3)

been using this a few years now.... Ive got thick, very hard to style hair... gels paste it down too much and look odd, cremes and mousse dont seem to provide enough hold without using tons of product and overpoweringly smelling up the place... most 'pastes' are closer to cremes than they infer and dont do the job..pros:-'whatever' paste is firm but doesn't dry / mat hair down awkwardly...-it's great for short to medium hairstyles and gives a nice textured look- it doesn't clog your pores thus promoting hair loss..- its applied best to slightly damp hair and gives a non glossy finish where people arent quite sure you are using product- even in large amounts it has a unique, nice, but not overpowering scentIve used a million pastes and this is the only one Ive ever had that was reliable for results and look regardless of how long ago I got my hair cut... great product--------------------------------------------------------------EDIT:I saw a lot of criticism of this product on the internet for hair loss and thought I should comment. I've been using it at least 4.5 years and have had zero hair loss. Also, there aren't a lot of pastes that work well with guys that have wiry / hair that needs a very firm hold, and this product does that, so I don't like the idea of throwing it away on a web rumor.I think it highly unlikely that this paste is actually causing loss through an ingredient.... maybe a few people have a wild allergy that kills follicles with a mystery ingredient on the list, but with modern cosmetics testing.... that's very unlikelyThat said, I would point out two things as this is somewhat of a unique product: it is, without a doubt, the heaviest paste hair product I have ever seen... very very thick, literally almost like clay... as such, that means:First, it can cause hair loss that is due to pilot error and is not the fault of the product..... such a thick paste will clog hair follicles, start tiny bacterial infections and acne that kills follicles easily causing permanent loss... it's been clinically proven about a million times... so it is a really bad idea to use it as an all over paste to do slick backs / coat the entire length of your hair because you are then letting it get all the way down to your scalp... it sits on your scalp and over time that will cause a monster problemSecond, using such a thick product on the wrong hair type will create the illusion of thinning hair.... this product is really for use on very thick hair to do things like spiking, texturizing the outside of your doo, etc. If you are using it on hair that is not VERY thick, it basically pastes the hair together, reduces volume and suddenly makes it really easy to see down to your scalp... making it look like you lost 1/3 of your hair overnightSo, my suggestions?- if you have blond or red hair or brown / black hair that is not very substantial, this probably is waaaaay too thick a product- if you see complete hairs with a white follicle on the end coming out.... that's a solid rocket booster emergency and you need to talk to your Doc... follicle comes out ... it's a permanent loss....- while genetics play a huge role... an equally huge issue is keeping your scalp clean... I'm allergic to many things, so I've gotta take a lot of showers, I wash my hair with shampoo (like wal mart / equate generic head n shoulders) that leaves my scalp squeaky clean at least once a day, usually twice... I'm 50ish (fxcking sigh) and have the roughly same thickness and hairline I had at 20- ideally figure out hairstyles where products never touch your scalp.... it can he hard to do, but it's worth it...I'm not saying my system is perfect, and YMMV, but it's worked great for me for 30 years....gl to all

All my husband uses

This order is just what I expected, no complaints

It has a strong hold and makes my thin hair look a bit thicker. I use it either free-hand or with a comb to slick my hair, varying the fineness of the slick by adding varying amount of water. When my hair was thicker (5 years or so ago), I used to use this to get a really good raised, messy look.About it being bad for the hair. I've heard that it strips oils and the exterior of the hair shaft. I suspect that's bunk, but there might be something to it if the ingredients have been shown to do that. I think my hair has thinned naturally and not by this product. I haven't really looked into whether the ingredients do this, though.For those with oily, acne-prone skin, it's a bit of a must to wash this out at the end of the day. Your pillow will get sticky and you'll develop zits on the forehead. (Just a warning, there.) I just wash it off at the end of the day with some shampoo. I think it might even come out with just water (if washed thoroughly), but I use shampoo to make sure.Lastly, if you leave it without the top on, the top layer (maybe, 3 mm or so) will oxidize fairly quickly (maybe in about 8 hours--a day at school or work). This does change the quality of the product, in that it has to be heated up with the palms more (pre-use) and worked in more. I think the oxidation might increase the hold, though. Your mileage might vary with that, though. I wouldn't intentionally leave it with the cap off. Also, if you leave the cap off for too long (maybe over a weekend) the oxidation will penetrate deeper and even all the way to the bottom.

Update: I purchased three more tins of the gel, thinking that perhaps I received a bad batch the first time. While the gel doesn’t small as good as the first tin I ever bough, the chemical smell has disappeared and now it’s mostly a neutral scent. The holding power is good, and the paste seems to be a little thicker than the last batch. Hopefully Axe has their formula figured out now. I’ve changed my previous 2 stars to 4 stars for the quality hold and no chemical smell.My first purchase was a single tin from a retail store. I liked it so much that I bought a 3-pack from Amazon. There is a definite change in the formula.The packaging is the same amount as the tin, but it's a plastic container now, which doesn't bother me. The formula seems to take hold a little quicker for me, but it does appear that I need to use a little more. I don't think the difference I use is that noticeable, but . Of course, over time that makes a difference in the amount used.My biggest problem is the smell. The first (metal) tin I bought had a nice, light scent that was pleasant to smell when you got close to it. THIS batch smells totally like chemicals. I can't tell any significant perfume whatsoever; it smells like it just came out of the laboratory and into the package.I wish I hadn't bought a 3-pack because I feel cheated. The change in the smell from pleasant to chemicals makes me regret that I bought so much of the stuff.