When you’re dealing with day three or four hair that’s veering on lifeless but isn’t quite ready for a wash, one of the most reliable hairstyles you can go with is the one and only slicked-back bun. There’s a reason celebrities like Sofia Richie-Grainge and Bella Hadid have been spotted sporting slicked buns and ponytails in recent years; they’re sleek, polished, and effortlessly chic, no matter how greasy your hair might secretly be.
However, these styles can be deceivingly challenging to accomplish—who knew how difficult it was to wrangle your hair into such a simple updo? If you’ve tried smoothing your hair back with a variety of hair gels, pomades, and strong-hold hairsprays but haven’t had any real success, it might be time to try a hair wax stick.
According to Jennifer Korab, a celebrity hairstylist and colorist, these wax sticks “create hold and separation to the hair. Also, [wax sticks] create texture,” she says. When used in combination with a hair brush, these deodorant-like balms grip and smooth the hair, taming flyaways and bestowing deep hydration and shine. Because they come in stick-form, they’re easy to apply hands-free, unlike most gels and pomades. Plus many of them deliver hair-loving ingredients like castor seed oil and beeswax to keep your locks healthy and happy.
Our picks for the best hair wax sticks of 2024
All in all, these hair products are designed to make your life a whole lot easier. After reading through dozens of customer reviews, scrolling through countless TikToks, and consulting the above expert, we’ve landed on the below as the 11 best hair wax sticks you can get your hands on in 2024.
Best Celeb Favorite
Nexxus Slick Stick Strong Hold Hair Wax
Now 33% Off
Pros
Protective formula
Cons
- Can leave a little residue
A favorite of Sofia Richie, poster child for the slicked-backed bun, this Nexxus wax styler has a pleasant smell and firm hold, helping you mimic Richie’s style at home. The star of this composition is Nexxus’s own StyleProtect Technology, which arms the hair with heat protection should you need an extra layer of reinforcement.
Key ingredients: StyleProtect Technology
Size: 2.57 fl oz
Amazon rating: 4.1/5 stars
An ELLE editor says: “I used this styling stick once and never gave my other wax stylers another look. This styler has a faint, rosy scent that masks the smell hot tools leave behind. Plus, the hold is strong enough for my natural hair and flyaways on wigs and extensions.”—Nerisha Penrose, ELLE.com beauty commerce editor
Pros
- Vegan ingredients
- Protects strands
Cons
- Relatively small amount of product
Emi Jay, a hair accessories brand with a long list of celebrity fans, launched its first styling product last year to much acclaim. The formula is full of nourishing ingredients like castor seed oil, murumuru butter, and vitamin E, which keep the scalp and strands hydrated all day long. Some even use it as a brow pomade of sorts, applying a tiny amount with a spoolie or the edge of their fingers to sculpt their eyebrows.
Key ingredients: Castor seed oil, sunflower seed wax, murumuru butter, vitamin E
Size: 1 oz
An Emi Jay reviewer says: “I received my Angelstick, and it is the best slick hair product I have ever used. I have probably tried every single product on the market and have never found one that does the job but also doesn’t make my hair oily or rock hard. This product is amazing! Thank you so much. Emi Jay for life!”
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Pros
- Hydrating
Cons
- Can leave a whitecast on dark hair
Get unruly hairs in line with this soft-hold wax stick. Instead of pasting hairs down, this hydrating formula gently molds hair, making it great for taming flyaways, cleaning up up-dos, or styling wigs. Beauty influencer Lyss Mia, says this “hair wax stick is so easy [to use] that I bring it everywhere I go.”
Key ingredients: Beeswax, avocado oil, and castor oil
Size: 2.7 fl oz
Amazon rating: 4.3/5 stars
An Amazon reviewer says: “The Samnyte Hair Wax Stick comes in a sleek and user-friendly design. The stick format is portable and mess-free, making it easy to apply directly to your hair without the need for additional tools. It doesn’t leave the hair feeling dry or brittle, which is a common issue with some styling products. It’s also relatively easy to wash out, requiring just a regular shampoo to remove any residue.”
Pros
Cons
- May be too heavy for fine hair types
Think of this balm as a vacation for overworked, stressed-out hair. When your strands have been through enough, use this product to either rehydrate your hair, create a slicked-back style, or as an overnight hair mask.
Key ingredients: Coconut oil, castor oil, seed oil, fragrance
Size: 2.0 fl oz
Ulta rating: 4.3/5 stars
An Ulta reviewer says: “I haven’t tried anything like this before, so I was skeptical, but it surprised me. My hair is color-treated and I have been getting my hair professionally done for three years, so it is dry, mostly at the ends. I like the convenience of having it in a solid form because I can take it on the go—it also makes it easy to apply. The scent is very light and pleasant. I also like it to tame my flyaways. After I wash it out, my hair does feel silky and smooth.”
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Pros
- Strong hold
Cons
- Can look greasy
Are you tired of flyaways and frizz? Just run this stick over your style for an instant upgrade, as it can reduce your styling time from ten minutes to thirty seconds. TikToker Arielle Lorre posted a viral video claiming this under-$25 hair wax is way better than heavy-duty professional-grade versions. We’d have to agree, and so does celebrity hairstylist and colorist Jennifer Korab. “TIGI Bed Head Wax stick is my favorite. It has a great hold and adds shine and texture to the hair,” she says.
Key ingredients: Beeswax, Japan wax, castor oil
Size: 2.57 oz
Ulta rating: 4.1/5 stars
An Ulta reviewer says: “Love this hair stick. I workout and like to pull my hair up and not have little hairs falling down. This stick takes care of that and goes on super smooth!”
Pros
- Medium hold
- Adds shine
Cons
- Small amount of product
Use this pomade stick to smooth out any flyaways or pesky baby hairs and sweep your hair back into a sleek style with ease. Your strands will also love the nutrient-rich ingredients featured in the formula, including castor oil for moisturization and jojoba esters to give your mane extra shine.
Key ingredients: Castor seed oil, candelilla wax,
jojoba esters
Size: .5 oz
Amazon rating: 4.4/5 stars
An Amazon reviewer says: “The perfect broken hair tamer for girlies who bleach/highlight their hair. I have lots of broken hairs at my part from postpartum, blow drying and curling my hair every four days, and getting my hair highlighted at the salon every six weeks. To say the least, my hair takes a solid hit. This product works perfectly to tame the hairs that stick straight up without having to use hairspray. Plus it doesn’t weigh it down or make it crunchy.”
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Best Overall
She Is Bomb Hair Wax Stick
Now 28% Off
Pros
- Super strong hold
Cons
- Some dislike the scent
If you want your style to stay put, this wax stick won’t disappoint. Packed in this small tube is a nourishing formula infused with castor oil to hydrate dry or damaged hair, so when you wash it out, your strands are healthier than before.
Key ingredients: Castor oil, beeswax, fruit wax
Size: 2.7 fl oz
Amazon rating: 4.6/5 stars
An Amazon reviewer says: “Good stuff! Perfect for edges and giving natural hair tack with a silk press. Sometimes my hair is so silky when straightened; it’s hard to wrap without it falling.”
Best for Shine
Mermade Hair Hair Styling Wax Stick
Now 20% Off
Pros
- Super lightweight
- Not greasy
Cons
- Some say it’s not great for thick hair
This wax stick from Mermade Hair hits all the right notes, including smoothing texture, maintaining a strong grip, and imparting shine. Unlike many others, this formula is super lightweight and smells divine. It’s moisturizing, hydrating, and easy to wash out.
Key ingredients: Paraffin, jojoba oil, rosa rugosa flower oil
Size: 2.7 fl oz
Mermade Hair rating: 4.4/5 stars
A Mermade Hair reviewer says: “This wax stick is not like other cheap ones on the market. The bottle is super luxurious, the freshly washed hair scent is divine and it adds just the right amount of hold and shine. I warm it up in my hands if I need it to be softer. I think it will last a while too.”
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Pros
- Impressive shade range
Cons
- Color can transfer
Styling thinning edges doesn’t always need to end in defeat. Here’s a wax stick that effortlessly sleeks the hair and comes in a range of colors to camouflage any thin areas along your hairline. Let’s face it: excessive buns can cause tension to the perimeter. Create an unclockable pony or bun with this “fixer” and be on your merry way.
Key ingredients: Castor oil, biotin, shea butter,
Size: 2.7 fl oz
Amazon rating: 4/5 stars
An Amazon reviewer said: “When I do a slick back, I hate having my baby neck hair and flyaways come out. This wax stick gave me the clean and sleek bun that I wanted.”
Pros
- Firm hold
Cons
- Can make hair feel greasy with back-to-back use
During YouTube’s heyday, when everyone wanted to be either a beauty or hair guru, this wax stick could be found in just about every hair tutorial for sleek styles across textures. Truly, it’s versatility is its biggest appeal. Formulated with castor seed oil for extra cushion, this wax stick holds unruly flyaways in place without stiffening the hair.
Key ingredients: Castor seed oil
Size: 2.6 fl oz
Amazon rating: 4.4/5 stars
An Amazon reviewer said: “This is an honest review. I like this product. I’m a fan of this company they never fail. They never dropped the ball. The products are great and definitely worth the money. I love this product because I can use it for my ponytails and I don’t need any gel. It holds everything together; a little bit goes along way. If you’re heavy-handed and you use too much, your hair will become very greasy. Definitely worth the price.”
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Pros
- Smells nice
- Argan oil is nourishing
Cons
- Can be difficult to wash out
This wax stick is small but mighty and known to provide a strong, slick hold through extremely humid climates for up to 48 hours. It’s heavy-duty, smells nice, and is super easy to apply. Reviewers rave about how great it is under wigs or to lock in flyaways on unruly hair.
Key ingredients: Beeswax, paraffin wax, argan oil, microcrystalline wax, fragrance
Size: 2.65 oz
The Frontal Queen rating: 5/5 stars
The Frontal Queen reviewer says: “Where have you been all my life! I am very picky when it comes to what I use on my wigs, but whew, Chile! The frontal queen said, wig, lay down, and stay down! And it did just that I’ll be ordering again this week. I never wanna be without this product ever again.”
What ingredients should you look for and why?
Like any hair product, ingredients matter, especially when the primary function you’re looking for is firmness. When it comes to wax sticks, Jennifer Korab suggests looking for formulas with nourishing ingredients. “I would look for oils in the wax stick, as they add moisture, shine, and condition the hair. I would also look for waxes, as some have stronger holds than others,” she explains.
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How do you know which ones have great hold?
Product labels always specify the type of firmness the wax stick offers. Korab says to look closely to determine what formulas are “described as firm hold, maximum hold, and [look at] the ingredients.” Firm hold wax sticks offer a decent amount of strength, while maximum hold formulas can keep hair in tact longer.
Why Trust ELLE Beauty
As a leading publisher of fashion, lifestyle, and beauty content, ELLE.com is committed to highlighting the best products in various categories by personally testing the latest and most innovative products, interviewing countless experts, and vetting customer-loved items. For this piece, ELLE.com editors and contributors consulted hair experts to find the best wax stick formulas for sleek styles.
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Vanessa Powell
Vanessa is an established editor, stylist and shopping expert covering all things style, gear and wellness. She lives in Los Angeles and is passionate about sharing innovative products, tips and trends for people and the planet.
Carol Lee
Associate E-Commerce Writer
Carol Lee is the Associate E-Commerce Writer at ELLE.com, where she covers all things beauty and personal care. Before joining the team, she was an editor at Food Network Magazine and HGTV Magazine and ran the beauty section at The Pioneer Woman. Carol received her bachelor’s degree in Journalism from New York University and was one of the first customers to visit Glossier’s flagship store in New York’s Soho neighborhood. Over the years, she’s tested countless makeup, hair, and skin care products, and written hundreds of articles covering the beauty space, from pieces about the trendiest launches to roundups of the best products on the market. As a Korean-American, she grew up in a sea of Korean makeup and skin care products and is a bona fide expert on the ever-expanding world of K-beauty, helping lead our coverage. Additionally, she’s also always on the hunt for the perfect lipstick and watches the same few comfort sitcoms (Frasier, Cheers, Seinfeld, New Girl, etc.) over and over again.
