Matte Paste for Fine Hair: Black Red vs Uppercut vs Filthy Muk
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If you have fine or thin hair, you already know the problem: most styling products either don't hold, or they hold by weighing your hair down until it looks flat, greasy and thinner than it is. A good matte paste fixes that. It gives texture and lift with no shine, so hair looks fuller.
Three products come up again and again in Australian barbershops when people ask for a matte look: Uppercut Deluxe Matte Pomade, Muk Filthy Muk Styling Paste and our own Black Red Sea Salt Paste. Here's how they compare on the facts.
The quick comparison
| Black Red Sea Salt Paste | Uppercut Deluxe Matte Pomade | Muk Filthy Muk Styling Paste | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 120ml | 100g | 95g |
| Price* | $19.90 | $33.99 | $29.95 |
| Cost per 10g/ml | about $1.66 | about $3.40 | about $3.15 |
| Hold | Medium | Medium | Firm |
| Finish | Matte, zero shine | Matte, no shine | Matte, flexible |
*Uppercut Deluxe and Muk prices as listed at Oz Hair & Beauty on 23 October 2026. Black Red price as listed at blackred.com.au on the same date. Prices change, so check the retailer for the current price. Paste is sold by volume (ml) or weight (g), so cost per 10g/ml is a close guide rather than an exact like-for-like figure. Hold and finish for other brands are as described in Australian retailer listings.
Uppercut Deluxe Matte Pomade
Uppercut is one of the best-known barber brands to come out of Australia, and Matte Pomade is a well-known choice for a medium-hold, no-shine finish. At $33.99 for 100g, it sits at the premium end of matte styling products.
Muk Filthy Muk Styling Paste
Filthy Muk is another Australian favourite. It has a firmer hold than the other two, and retailers describe it as suited to fine, short and thinning hair. If you need your style locked in for a long day, the firmer hold is a genuine advantage.
Black Red Sea Salt Paste
Our Sea Salt Paste was built for a fully matte, zero-shine finish with a medium hold. Sea salt adds natural grit for separation and volume, and the formula is lightweight, so it doesn't flatten fine hair. It's vegan and cruelty-free, and it comes in a 120ml tub for $19.90, about half the cost per 10g/ml of the other two.
One of our customers with very thin hair told us that after many products left his hair heavy and greasy, this one felt so light it was almost like it wasn't there, while still giving texture, hold and volume with a very matte finish.
Which one should you choose?
- Choose Filthy Muk if firm hold is your top priority.
- Choose Uppercut Matte Pomade if you want a well-known medium-hold classic.
- Choose Black Red Sea Salt Paste if you want a lightweight, fully matte medium hold at about half the cost per 10g/ml.
How to style fine hair with a matte paste
- Start with towel-dried or dry hair. A quick blow-dry upwards at the roots adds lift before any product goes in.
- Use less than you think. A fingertip amount is enough for short fine hair.
- Rub the paste between your palms until it's warm and almost invisible.
- Work it in from the back to the front, roots first, then pinch the ends for texture.
- Add a touch more only where you need extra hold.
Try it at your barber
Black Red is used and stocked by barbershops across Australia. Ask your barber to style you with it, or find a stockist near you. You can also shop Sea Salt Paste and the rest of the Sea Salt Range online, with free AU shipping on orders over $50.
Uppercut Deluxe and Muk are trademarks of their respective owners. Black Red is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by either brand.