By Autumn Schiess, Owner and Lead Stylist at Sølvi Salon in downtown Boise.
One of the most common questions I get behind the chair at Sølvi is some version of "how do I make this look like it does when I leave the salon?" Nine times out of ten, the answer is not a fancier haircut. It is learning to use the right styling product the right way at home. My team and I reach for Forming Pomade constantly, and it is one of the easiest pro products to get the hang of once you know a few small things. Here is exactly how we use it, and how you can too.
What Forming Pomade Actually Is
Forming Pomade is a Davines styling product we stock at the studio, and it runs $36 a jar. It gives you a workable hold, the kind that holds up through a long Boise workday but still lets you push your hair around and reshape it later. That flexibility is the whole point. It is not a cement. It is a tool that lets you keep editing your look as the day goes on. The packaging is refillable too, which is a small thing that adds up if you go through a jar every couple of months.
How Much to Use (Start Smaller Than You Think)
This is the single biggest mistake I see. People scoop out a glob the size of a quarter and wonder why their hair feels heavy. Start with an amount about the size of a pea. You can always add more. Warm it between your palms first until it goes from a paste to almost a clear film. If it is still sitting in clumps on your fingers, it is not ready to go in your hair yet. That ten seconds of warming is what separates a clean finish from a greasy one.
Damp Hair vs. Dry Hair
You get two very different results depending on when you apply it. On damp, towel-dried hair, the pomade spreads further and gives you a softer, more natural shape that you can blow-dry into place. This is my go-to for fuller, lived-in looks. On dry hair, it grabs faster and gives you more definition and texture, which is great for piecey, separated finishes or for touching up a style that has gone flat by mid-afternoon. Try both and see which one your hair likes.
Working It Through
Once the product is warmed and emulsified in your palms, rake it through with your fingers from back to front rather than just patting it on top. You want it distributed through the mid-lengths and ends, not piled at the crown. For shorter cuts, use the pads of your fingers to push pieces into the shape you want. For longer hair, scrunch it into the ends to break things up. Then leave it alone. Constant fussing is what makes a style look overworked.
A Boise-Specific Tip
Our high-desert climate is dry, and that dryness changes how product behaves. In the winter especially, static and flyaways are a real problem here. A tiny bit of warmed pomade smoothed over the surface with flat palms tames those flyaways without weighing the hair down. In summer, when the heat picks up, lean toward applying on damp hair so you are not adding product on top of an already oily scalp. Small adjustments by season make a big difference in this part of Idaho.
Who It Is Not For
I will be honest. Forming Pomade is not the right pick for everyone. If you have very fine hair that goes limp easily, even a small amount can read as greasy by lunchtime, and you would be happier with a dry texture spray instead. If you want a stiff, all-day locked-in hold that does not move at all, this is the wrong product. Its strength is flexibility, not maximum hold. And at $36 it is a salon-grade investment, so if you only style your hair a few times a month, a smaller drugstore option might serve you fine.
Bring Your Questions to the Chair
The fastest way to learn any product is to have someone show you on your own hair. At your next appointment, ask your stylist to walk you through it. We are happy to demo the warming, the amount, and the application so you can recreate it at home. You can meet the people behind the chair on our stylist team page, see everything we offer on our services page, and when you are ready, book an appointment online. Stop by the studio at 104 S Capitol Blvd in downtown Boise and we will get you set up with the right finish for your hair.