Hair clay and hair sticks both style your hair, but they do different jobs. Choose hair clay for volume, texture and a natural, piecey finish. Choose a hair stick for sleek styles, tidy buns and ponytails, and taming flyaways. Both of ours are natural, vegan, made in New Zealand and come in compostable paper packaging instead of a plastic tub.
Below, we compare the two side by side, explain how to use each, and help you work out which one suits your hair, or whether you'll want both.
Hair clay vs hair stick at a glance
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Hair clay |
Hair stick |
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Best for |
Volume, texture, messy and piecey styles |
Sleek styles, flyaways, buns, ponytails, part lines and baby hairs |
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Hold |
Light, natural hold |
Medium, buildable hold |
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Finish |
Natural, matte-look texture |
Smooth and polished, never crunchy |
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How you apply it |
Warm a little between your fingers, then work it through |
Glide the stick straight onto your hair |
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Hair types |
Short to mid-length styles, curls, thick or coarse hair |
Any length, especially long hair worn up |
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Wet or dry hair |
Damp or dry |
Damp or dry |
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Scent |
Soft vanilla |
Jojoba + Peppermint, or Patchouli + Bergamot |
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Key ingredients |
Kaolin clay, shea butter, organic jojoba oil, castor wax |
Rice wax, organic jojoba oil, shea butter, coconut oil |
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Packaging |
Compostable paper, plastic-free |
FSC-certified compostable paper tube, plastic-free |
What is hair clay?
Hair clay is a thick styling paste made with clay, which gives your hair grip and body without a wet or shiny look. It adds volume at the roots, separates strands for a textured finish and holds shape while still letting your hair move.
Slo Natural Hair Clay is made with kaolin clay and organic cornstarch for texture, shea butter and organic jojoba oil to condition, and castor wax for natural hold. It has a soft vanilla scent from natural fragrance and is at least 70% certified organic.
How to use hair clay
1. Take a small amount. A little goes a long way. You can always add more.
2. Warm it up. Rub it between your fingertips and palms until it softens. Natural clay is firmer than synthetic wax, especially on cold mornings, so give it a few seconds.
3. Work it through. Apply to damp or dry hair, starting at the roots for volume and working towards the ends.
4. Style. Use your fingers for a relaxed, textured look, scrunch for curls, or run a comb through for a neater finish.
What is a hair stick?
A hair stick is a solid styling wax in a push-up stick, like a deodorant or lip balm. Because you glide it straight onto your hair, it puts product exactly where you want it, which makes it ideal for smoothing flyaways, slicking back buns and ponytails, and neatening part lines and baby hairs.
Our Medium Hold Hair Stick is made with rice wax and organic jojoba oil, plus shea butter and coconut oil. It gives a flexible, buildable hold that keeps hair soft and touchable, with no crunch or residue, and it combs and washes out easily. Choose Jojoba + Peppermint or Patchouli + Bergamot, both scented with essential oils.
How to use a hair stick
1. Push up a little. Press the base of the paper tube to raise the stick slightly.
2. Glide it on. Sweep it over flyaways, along your hairline or down your part. For a sleek bun or ponytail, glide it over the top and sides before you tie your hair back.
3. Smooth it down. Use a brush, comb or your fingers to blend it in and set the shape.
4. Build as needed. Start with a light layer and add more for extra hold.
Which one should you choose?
Choose hair clay if you want more volume, natural texture or definition for curls, or you wear your hair short and like a tousled, lived-in look.
Choose a hair stick if you wear your hair up a lot, want a sleek bun or ponytail, or need to tame flyaways and frizz around your hairline.
Use both if you want texture and a tidy finish. Work clay through the lengths for body, then use the hair stick to smooth flyaways around your face. Need a refresh between washes? Add our Natural Texturising Powder & Dry Shampoo at the roots.
Why choose a natural hair styler?
Most hair waxes and gels come in plastic tubs and can contain petroleum-based ingredients and synthetic fragrance. Our stylers are made differently:
• Plant-based hold. Clay, rice wax and castor wax hold your style instead of petroleum.
• Nourishing oils. Organic jojoba oil and shea butter condition your hair while you wear them.
• Nothing nasty. Free from parabens, phthalates, petrolatum, SLS and synthetic fragrance.
• Vegan and cruelty-free. No beeswax or animal ingredients, made in New Zealand where animal testing for cosmetics is banned.
• Plastic-free. Compostable paper packaging you can tear up and add to your home compost. Find more easy swaps in our plastic-free bathroom guide.
Hair clay and hair stick FAQs
What's the difference between hair clay and hair wax?
Hair wax usually gives a smoother, shinier finish and a slicker hold. Hair clay contains clay, which absorbs a little oil and gives a matte-look, textured finish with more volume. A hair stick is a wax in stick form, designed for precise, sleek styling.
Is hair clay good for curly hair?
Yes. A small amount of clay worked through damp curls and scrunched in helps define them and control frizz without making them crunchy. Use a light hand so curls keep their bounce.
Will a hair stick make my hair greasy?
Not if you start small. Glide on a light layer and build up only where you need it. Our hair stick is made to leave hair soft and touchable, never greasy or crunchy.
Can I use a hair stick for school hair?
Yes. A hair stick is a quick way to smooth flyaways for school ponytails, buns and sports or dance hair. Ours is made with plant-based ingredients and no synthetic fragrance. As with any new product, try a small amount first.
Is hair clay for men or women?
Both. Hair clay suits anyone with short to mid-length hair who wants texture and volume, and many people with longer or curly hair use it for definition too.
How do I wash out natural hair clay or a hair stick?
Both wash out with your usual shampoo. If you have used a lot of product, shampoo twice.
Can I use them on wet hair?
Yes, both work on damp or dry hair. Damp hair gives a smoother, sleeker result, while dry hair gives more texture and grip.
Are Slo hair products vegan and plastic-free?
Yes. Our hair clay and hair sticks are vegan, cruelty-free and made in New Zealand, and both come in compostable paper packaging with no plastic.
How long does a hair clay or hair stick last?
Because you only need a small amount, one hair clay or hair stick usually lasts several months with regular use. Store it at room temperature, away from direct heat.
Find your Slo hair styler
Whether you want texture, sleekness or both, our natural stylers give you hold without plastic or petroleum. Try Slo Natural Hair Clay for volume and texture, or the Medium Hold Hair Stick in Jojoba + Peppermint or Patchouli + Bergamot for sleek styles and flyaways.
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