VO5: A Little Nostalgia, A Lot of Good Hair

Why I'm revisiting one of the first haircare brands I ever used, and why sometimes the products we've known for years deserve a second look. There are certain products that instantly take you back to a particular time in your life. A fragrance, an aftershave, a pair of trainers, or in my case, a little tub of VO5 Rework Putty.

I can't remember exactly how old I was when I first started using it, but I do remember that it was the very first hair styling product I ever owned. Long before I understood anything about hair texture, volume, matte finishes or the difference between a clay and a putty, there was VO5.

Back then, my entire haircare routine consisted of putting a little too much product in my hands, rubbing them together and hoping for the best. Usually in front of the bathroom mirror, probably spending far longer getting ready than I'd ever admit.

And yet, here I am, all these years later, talking about the very same brand. There's something rather nice about that.

Have We Become Too Obsessed With What's New?

Working in men's fashion, grooming and lifestyle means I'm fortunate enough to discover new products regularly. There's always another brand launching, another innovative formula, another beautifully designed product promising to change the way we look after ourselves. And don't get me wrong, I love discovering something new. It's a huge part of what I do. But I also think we've developed a habit of overlooking brands simply because they've been around for years.

Perhaps it's familiarity. Perhaps it's the packaging we've walked past hundreds of times in Boots or Superdrug. Or perhaps, somewhere along the way, we've started associating a higher price tag and an unfamiliar name with a better product.

VO5 is one of those brands that has been a familiar presence in British bathrooms for decades. It's accessible, affordable and, for many of us, probably responsible for some of our earliest attempts at styling our hair. There's a certain irony in spending years discovering new grooming products only to find yourself returning to something you started with. So I thought it was time to revisit VO5, particularly three of its men's styling products: Thickening Powder, Matt Clay and, of course, Rework Putty.

VO5 Thickening Powder: A Little Extra Volume

As I've got older, I've become far more interested in how my hair looks naturally rather than trying to force it into a particular style. My hair is naturally quite wavy and can be on the dry side, so finding the right balance between texture, volume and hold isn't always straightforward. I want something that makes my hair look better without making it obvious that I've spent time styling it.

The idea behind a thickening powder is relatively simple. Rather than weighing the hair down with a cream or wax, it helps create lift and texture, particularly around the roots. For anyone with finer hair, or simply looking to create the appearance of a little more fullness, it's certainly a useful product to have in the bathroom cabinet.

VO5 Matt Clay: For That Effortless, Textured Finish

VO5 Matt Clay is aimed at creating texture and definition without the shiny finish associated with traditional gels and some waxes. And for me, that's exactly the direction men's hairstyling has moved in.

A matte finish tends to feel more relaxed and understated. It's particularly suited to shorter, textured hairstyles where you want a bit of control without losing that natural appearance.

With my own wavy hair, I tend to be cautious with clay products because too much can make already dry hair feel a little stiff. But used sparingly, and worked through the hair rather than plastered over the top, a clay can be a really useful styling option.

VO5 Rework Putty: Where It All Began

And then there's Rework Putty. The product that prompted this entire trip down memory lane. I find it quite funny thinking about how seriously we used to take our hair when we were younger. The amount of time spent in front of a mirror, trying to recreate whatever hairstyle was fashionable at the time.

What appeals to me about a reworkable putty is the flexibility. Rather than creating a rigid, fixed hairstyle, it's designed to give you the freedom to reshape and adjust your hair throughout the day. These days, life is a little different. Between work, travelling, being a dad and everything else, I'm not particularly interested in checking my hair every half an hour. I want it to look good, feel relatively natural and survive whatever the day throws at me.

Giving VO5 Another Look

What started as a look at three men's styling products has ended up being something of a nostalgic reflection. Thickening Powder, Matt Clay and Rework Putty all offer slightly different approaches to styling, depending on your hair type and the finish you're after.

But beyond the individual products, what I really like is the idea of giving an established brand another chance. Because somewhere between chasing the newest launches and discovering the latest grooming trends, I think we occasionally forget about the products that got us started.

And for me, that was VO5 Rework Putty.

I'm not suggesting we all go back to the hairstyles we had twenty years ago. Some things are definitely better left in the past. But the products? Perhaps a few of them deserve to come along with us.