I have been going to the same barber every two weeks for long enough that I trust his judgment on most things, and when he reached for the Uppercut Deluxe Clay Spray during a recent appointment and talked me through why he rates it, I listened. I bought a bottle before I left. That was almost a year ago and I have not looked back since.
What is it?
A styling spray which adds adds volume and texture to flat hair.
What Do I Think?
The best product recommendations tend to come from people who work with the thing in question every day. Not influencers, not algorithms, not a carefully targeted advertisement that has followed you around the internet for a fortnight. The person who actually has their hands in it, professionally, repeatedly, and knows from experience what works and what doesn’t. In my case, that person is my barber.
What Uppercut have done here is solve a specific problem that a lot of styling products create while attempting to solve a different one. Most products that add volume and texture do so at the cost of flexibility, leaving hair stiff, difficult to rework and, by mid-afternoon, looking like a decision you made in the morning that you can no longer adjust. This doesn’t do that. The liquid clay formula sprays into wet hair before drying, builds volume and adds natural looking texture, and then stays reworkable throughout the day. You can run your hands through it, reshape it, change your mind entirely, and it will cooperate. The hold is flexible rather than fixed, which means you control how much structure you want simply by adjusting how much product you use.
The finish is matte and it reads as natural rather than styled.
One last thing worth mentioning. It smells of mandarin, patchouli and spice, and the combination is exactly right. Warm, slightly woody, and precisely what a good barbershop smells like on a Saturday morning.
Would I recommend?
Yes. For anyone with mid to longer hair who wants volume without the shellacked look, this is well suited. I have dry hair and have found that it does not compound the problem, which is not something I can say about every styling product I have tried. It also rinses out cleanly and completely, which sounds like a low bar but is one that an impressive number of products fail to clear.
Brands Product Description
Uppercut Deluxe Clay Spray adds volume, texture and grit to flat hair, with a flexible hold that allows for natural movement. A simple all-in-one solution for building volume and adding gritty texture to relaxed styles. Clay Spray’s liquid formula won’t set stiff, remaining reworkable throughout the day. Featuring a fuss-free spray applicator to make styling easy; a few pumps and you’re good to go. Clay Spray offers a matte finish leaving the hair looking natural and free from product.
How I Use It
I apply to damp hair, then blow dry to style.
Would I Repurchase/Buy?
Yes. I’ve already repurchased my next one.
How Much?
£19.00 for 150ml. Lasts a very long time.
