Gatsby Perfect Hold Medium Hard

First Impressions:

Not much to say that Weesee didn't in his review of Perfect Hold Hard. The container is deceptively large for the amount of product inside (60 grams), but at least it looks really cool. The smell is one of the best parts: it doesn't have that fake plastic smell that many products do. The fragrance may come off strongly straight from the container, but it fades into the background nicely once it's in your hair.

The Review:

To be honest, I was kind of disappointed with this one. I found the wax to be much too thin to do much. It seemed to do a lot of things half-heartedly: some texture, but not much; some hold, but not much. It's definitely not a replacement for any of the Moving Rubbers. This wax does wash out pretty easily, and feels quite light in your hair.

It does have a redeeming quality, though. I see the Perfect Hold Wax line as the successor to the old Gatsby wax that came in Blue, Red, and Black. Those ones were quite a bit stickier and didn't smell as good, but what both lines have in common is that you can use them on damp hair and then blow dry to shape your hair. For the Medium Hold wax, at least, you can use it to volumize and shape, and then use a stiffer product to add definition and texture. Or you could just use this wax for a gentler, more wind-swept look.

Complimenting Hair Products:

I'd suggest the Bedhead Texturizing Paste or a similar product--something light that won't defeat the purpose of using this light wax. A light misting with hairspray will help your hair last the day, but again, over-saturating makes this product pointless.

Hold : 4
Control: 5
Smell : 10
Washing off: 10
Ease of use: 6

Gatsby Brown

Where to find Gatsby in Richmond, BC:

Osaka supermarket at Yaohan no longer carries Gatsby moving rubber products.

There's a beauty boutique at Aberdeen on the first floor that carries the full line of Gatsby hair products as well as spray deodorant and hair dye. However, a regular size 80g jar of moving rubber costs $19.99. However, they also carry the new technical design clay (the small black jar) that is the size of a travel size Gatsby but also at $19.99. And newest of all is brown Gatsby, which comes in a 15 gram jar at $12.99. This stuff is just used to touch up your hair and it leaves a brown tint to your hair (DIY highlights). I haven't actually used it myself, though. I'll wait and see if I can get it cheaper in LA.

Gatsby Moving Rubber

First, just a correction to make: Garnier Fructis wax costs $6.99 at London Drugs, moving it into the pricier range (and thus less recommended).

So, Gatsby Moving Rubber is the most popular Asian hair product for guys, and with good reason.

The Fab: Mine cost about $7-8 each, and at 80 grams, you're getting more product for your money than most other brands. And it's made in Japan, which means you're getting quality product, too.

The websites for Hong Kong and Japan have numerous instructional videos that good for both beginners and experienced stylists.

It comes in a variety of colours/styles that are each suited for different length hair and looks.

The Drab: In Vancouver, I haven't seen Gatsby for less than $17. In Los Angeles, I bought Yellow Gatsby at a supermarket in Little Tokyo for $7.49. If you buy it in Hong Kong, it comes out around $7 Canadian (depending on the exchange rate). Moving Rubber can be hard to find in North America, and costly even if you do... Most people get friends to bring it back from vacations to either HK/China or Japan.

Also, the websites are in Chinese and Japanese, and the videos are in Japanese, which can be a problem for some.

It comes in so many colours that you may be tempted to collect them all, which can drain your wallet.

Pink (Spiky Edge) is the most commonly used because most guys keep their hair within the length range of Japanese short (which seems closer to medium for non-Asians). This is the strongest and thickest Moving Rubber, which makes it useful for straight-up spikes. If you use a lot (aka too much) you can make medium hair stand up straight, though I don't know why you would want to. If you have longer hair, Pink will still work, but it won't be the best choice for your hair.

Purple (Wild Shake) is a slightly thinner version of Pink--it has a strong hold that is meant for longer hair (not long, just longer). Instead of straight-up spikes you'll have sideways spikes.

Green (Air Rise) is meant for medium length hair. You won't get much in terms of spikes, but it will give hair volume and texture, which is great especially for those with thin hair. Don't waste it on short hair though, since you won't get as much out of it as you would with Pink.

Conclusion: Obviously, I highly recommend Moving Rubber for every guy. You have to be careful to get the right type for your hair, though: which is why I collect them. There are other colours, too: orange (for medium-long hair), grey, yellow, and black (which is rare and hard to find). I haven't tried these ones yet, though, so if anyone has anything to share about them just e-mail me.

Gatsby Styling Wax

Hard Fiber Type.

This stuff is probably my favourite non-moving rubber hair product. I actually haven't it for sale in North America--my friend bought it for me in China from the Gatsby store just outside of Hong Kong. It's a very versatile product for a variety of styles.

The Fab: Costs about $5 for 80 grams, making this one of the most cost-effective products.

This wax is quite sticky, which means it can provide strong and lasting hold. Also, it feels wet, which means it works on damp hair while all other waxes and putties will only work on dry hair.

The Drab: While most other male hair products have a fruit fragrance this one has more of a hair salon smell, which may or may not be what you want/like.

Also, it's not exactly readily available, since Gatsby is more focused on its Moving Rubber line of products.

Conclusion: If you find it, buy it. It's just so useful, you'll only regret it if you don't buy it. The fact that it works on damp hair alone makes it completely worth it. Blowdrying wet hair with wax in it allows you to maximize volume as if you were using mousse. But, you can then use more wax after drying to touch-up and define, which means you're only using one type of product in your hair (mixing products = mixing scents, which sometimes turns out badly and can make your hair feel greasier/heavier)

My recommendation for usage:

1. Apply to damp hair and form into desired shape.

2. Blowdry gently. At this point, you may be satisfied with the result and you can stop here. Or you can keep going.

3. Use more wax and apply normally to create definition.

This stuff works for girls, too, if you want to do curls. If you have naturally curly hair or it's permed, put some wax through your hair (just the lower half, not through the roots) and blowdry while curling your hair around your fingers (or use rollers or something). The heat and wax will work together to strengthen your curls while still making them look gentle.