Product Review- Layrite Natural Matte Cream
Layrite Natural Matte Cream
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Reviewed at 4.6 out of 5 Stars (7392 Total Reviews/Ratings) on Amazon. I have personally used this one on my own hair for months now and I find it does the trick of giving me enough hold throughout the day for however I want to style my hair. However, is hold the only thing that matters for hairstyling products?
Simple Review
Pros:
Smooth application through hair
Perfect hold for natural styles
Washes out with just water
Cons:
Scent can be too strong
May irritate the scalp due to fragrance or inclusion of paraffin
Long Review
My Experience
I've tried a couple of products throughout the years, and I find that I tend to gravitate toward hairstyling creams as my go-to products. We've all heard of waxes, pastes, and clays, and to be honest, these terms can be quite confusing for the everyday shopper. So what makes creams so different? I find that creams are a softer product that can be scooped out of the jar with ease, and run through the hair with very little pulling on the hair strands when applying. They tend to offer a medium hold, which means that my hair is given structure but still has the ability to move around and I can run my fingers through the hair without much friction.
I prefer these over wax-based products as they can feel very sticky and do not go through the hair as smoothly as the creams. A medium hold is also sufficient for my daily styling needs, as I don't require my hair to have a ton of gravity-defying volume and it helps keep things in place for natural styles. I often suggest hairstyling creams for guys with medium to long hair as well for these reasons, as the hold is enough to manage the hair without cementing it down and preventing any flow. So then what about the Layrite Natural Matte Cream specifically?
Positives
As I mentioned above, what I look for in a hair cream is ease of application and how it feels when putting it into my hair. I find this product is amazing for that as it has a buttery smooth consistency. I can apply this product to damp or dry hair with virtually no tugging and it is easy to get it evenly saturated in the hair. I prefer being able to add a styling product to the hair after blow-drying as I can already see the shape of the hair and just want to add a little something to keep it in place if needed. Also, keep in mind that adding a product to damp hair has its benefits but it also dilutes the hold of the product. If you want to maximize the effect of this product, then I suggest putting it in dry.
This product has a vanilla scent to it, which I find is quite nice but a bit strong as well. I will catch a whiff of it throughout the day, so I know the smell really sticks to the hair. This could be a good or bad thing depending on your tolerance for fragrances, and I know some workplaces will have policies against strong smells.
The hold is exactly what I am looking for from a cream, as it feels sturdy and flexible and allows me to rework it throughout the day. I find it quite versatile as it can keep in place more structured styles, like a side-part, or more carefree and loose styles, like a messy fringe. High-volume styles that fight against gravity (such as a pompadour) could also use this product, though it would have more of a loose and messy finish to it. If you really want to keep everything in place, then you'd want a really high-hold product.
Another thing I really like about this product is that it washes out effortlessly with just water. Most water-based products will do this, so it isn't anything unique to this one product but it is still a nice benefit to not feel any residue in the hair after washing with water. This means you don't have to shampoo after every use, which helps keep your hair and scalp more balanced and healthy.
Negatives
As mentioned, the scent can be a hit or miss for me. It can be dominating and may conflict with other scents that you could be putting on for yourself. This is one of the main complaints from the 1&2-star reviews on Amazon (140 & 109 reviews/ratings, respectively) for this product. Additionally, some have found that the finish is not matte and appears greasy instead.
I find another issue that I have with the product is that after being applied to the hair, I don't enjoy the feeling of touching my hair. I am aware that is how most products work and will feel once applied and dried in the hair, but for a hairstyling cream, being able to run my hands through my hair and rework the style throughout the day is one of the reasons I gravitate towards them and this product just adds a stronger hold than expected. This may be an absolute positive for some who want that stiffer feeling to their style.
However, because of the feeling of it in my hair, I also tend to feel a bit of irritation on my scalp from it. It leaves my head feeling a bit itchy, and I am definitely not a fan of that. When I put a product in my hair, I want it to not be noticeable afterward and just act as a supporting player. This may be due to the strong fragrance I mentioned earlier, as I do have somewhat sensitive skin. Upon research into some of the ingredients, the Natural Matte Cream contains paraffin, which is a form of mineral oil that can also be the cause of skin irritation [1].
Looking further at the ingredients list, there is also the presence of petrolatum which is a byproduct of petroleum refining that can be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), a toxic chemical that is seen to be a possible carcinogen [2]. That is a bit concerning given how hair products are used almost daily, and that level of exposure can lead to health risks down the road.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG), however, gives the Layrite Natural Matte Cream a hazard score of 1 out of 10 (1 being low hazard and 10 being high hazard) [3]. This non-profit organization analyzes the composition of products and assesses different risk levels of individual ingredients, and will assign a score reflecting the overall hazard of that specific product. So with that in mind, the product seems to be safe to use!
How I would use this product
Follow my guide for blow-drying hair and apply a pea-sized amount of the Natural Matte Cream after for maximum hold that remains flexible throughout the day.
Summary
Overall, I think this product is great in terms of how smooth the application is, how strong the hold is, and how it can keep my hair in place all day long, as well as the ease of washing it out of the hair with just water. The issue I have with it is that the scent can be quite strong and the feeling of it in the hair can be irritating, especially on the scalp.
I would recommend this product to almost anyone for its solid hold and cream consistency. It is very much the ideal product for me. It has many positive reviews from verified purchases that love the product and seem to have no issue with it. Even my friends have used this product themselves and have rated it highly.
All that being said, I personally feel that I would not get the Natural Matte Cream again and I'd want a similar product that does not irritate my scalp as much. If you have sensitive skin, then I would recommend something with a lighter fragrance such as the VERB Forming Fiber, but if you don’t have that issue then the Natural Matte Cream is the way to go!
