Who Is Elijah Review: The Best Matt Clay and Cologne for Men 2026

Most men’s grooming brands that claim a barbershop origin are doing so as brand mythology. Who Is Elijah is one of the few where the origin story is literal: the brand grew out of actual barbershop practice in Australia, where the formulas were developed for professional use and later made available direct to consumers.

This Who Is Elijah review covers the full product ecosystem — the hair styling range (Matt Clay, Semi Paste, Volume Powder, Sea Salt Texturizer, Beard Oil), the fragrance line (Trafalgar, Trust The Weatherman, By Any Means), and whether either side of this brand lives up to its premium pricing.

For the focused deep-dive on Matt Clay, see the Who Is Elijah Matt Clay review. For context on where this clay sits against the broader market, see the best men’s hair clay guide.

Brand Background: Barbershop Roots, Direct-to-Consumer Build

Who Is Elijah originated from a barbershop environment — the products were developed for professional use, optimized for the techniques barbershop professionals use, and later made available direct to consumers. This origin affects the formula approach: the products are designed for results rather than shelf appeal.

The brand operates from Australia and ships internationally. Their product line is deliberately concise: five styling products, three fragrances, two hair care products (shampoo and conditioner), beard oil, and a discovery fragrance set. No filler SKUs, no seasonal lineup churn.

The Styling Range: What Each Product Does

Matt Clay (€28, 50g)

The brand’s flagship product. “Matt finish + pliable hold” is the core promise, and it’s accurate. Matt Clay gives:

Strong but workable hold — not rigid, not floppy. Styles hold through the day but can be reshaped with your hands.
Zero shine. True matte finish — the hair looks natural, not product-coated.
No crunch. This is where most matte products fail. Many gel-based matte products achieve their finish by setting the hair, which produces a stiff texture. Matt Clay stays flexible.
Clean removal. Washes out with one shampoo.

Best suited for: textured cuts, taper fades, quiffs, natural-movement styles. Not ideal for high-shine looks (pompadours, slick-backs) or very fine hair that gets weighed down.

Semi Paste (€28, 50g)

Low sheen, light hold. Semi Paste is the lowest-intensity styling product in the range — it adds definition without much hold and produces a slight, natural-looking sheen rather than the full matte finish of the clay.

Best for: loose, effortless styles on medium to long hair. Men who want to take the edge off air-dried hair without committing to a full styling product. Layering with Matt Clay for a medium-hold result.

Volume Powder (€28, 20g)

“Extra body + very matte finish.” Volume Powder is a dry powder — you work it through dry hair for texture and lift, without the weight of a wet product. It’s the most technical product in the range: most men don’t know what to do with a styling powder the first time they use it.

Used correctly, it’s exceptional for fine hair — it creates volume and texture that wet products destroy. The 20g size looks small (and is smaller than the other products at the same price) but a little goes a very long way — a pinch between fingers is a full application.

Sea Salt Texturizer (€28, 100ml)

Body builder with soft hold. A spray-format salt-based texturizer that adds wave, grip, and grit to damp hair. Best for natural hair types that hold wave, or for men who want to enhance their natural texture rather than impose a style.

Different use case from the other products: this is applied to damp hair before other products, or used alone for very casual texturing. Not a day-long hold product.

Beard Oil (€31, 30ml)

“Tame + condition.” The most universally useful product in the range for men with any beard length. Good beard oil does two things: softens coarse beard hair and conditions the skin under the beard to prevent dryness and irritation.

Who Is Elijah’s Beard Oil uses a plant-based oil blend that absorbs without leaving grease. At €31 for 30ml it’s premium-priced for beard oil, but the formula quality is appropriate to the positioning.

The Fragrances: Trafalgar, Trust The Weatherman, By Any Means

Who Is Elijah’s fragrance line launched later than the styling products and has become equally central to the brand identity. All three are 50ml, all priced at €110.

Trafalgar

Named after the famous London square and battle. The scent profile is rich and warm — from initial reviews, the opening is fresh and slightly aquatic, drying down to woody, amber-influenced base notes. It’s a versatile fragrance that works in formal and casual contexts.

At €110/50ml, Trafalgar positions at the premium independent fragrance tier — comparable to brands like Byredo or Maison Margiela Replica in pricing, if not in industry recognition. For buyers who want to move away from mainstream designer fragrances to something more distinctive, this price point is typical for quality independent labels.

Trust The Weatherman

The most conversational name in the lineup. The profile is reportedly different from Trafalgar — brighter, more contemporary, with a more casual wearability. Good for everyday use.

By Any Means

The newest addition to the fragrance lineup (at time of writing). Less information is available on the specific scent profile compared to the established Trafalgar and Trust The Weatherman.

The Discovery Set is the sensible way to evaluate all three before committing to a full bottle — a set of sample vials at a significantly lower price point than purchasing three 50ml bottles blind.

What Works Across the Who Is Elijah Range

Matt Clay is genuinely differentiated. In a category full of styling products that claim “matte hold” but deliver either shine or crunch, Matt Clay delivers what it promises. The combination of workable hold, true matte finish, and non-crunchy texture puts it at the top of the daily-wear clay category.

Product focus is a feature, not a limitation. The range is small because every product has a defined use case. There’s no duplication, no products that overlap confusingly. Men who have struggled with choosing between 20 similar-looking styling products will find the Who Is Elijah lineup unusually easy to navigate.

Consistent quality across the range. The pricing (€28 to €31 for styling, €110 for fragrance) is premium, and the formula quality justifies it. This is not a brand where you buy the flagship product and find the rest of the range is filler.

What Could Be Better

Price. At €28 per 50g of styling product, Who Is Elijah is significantly more expensive than mid-tier brands (American Crew, Layrite, Baxter of California). The formula quality justifies the premium, but it’s a real premium.

Limited availability. The brand ships internationally but is not available through major beauty retailers in most markets. Discovery is driven by word of mouth and online communities — there’s no easy “see it in a store and try it” pathway.

Fragrance sampling requires purchasing the Discovery Set. There’s no single-vial option for individual fragrances without buying the full set.

Final Assessment

Who Is Elijah is one of the best men’s grooming brands for buyers who prioritize formula quality over price per gram. The barbershop origin is real, not marketing — the products perform the way professional-use formulas are designed to perform.

Matt Clay is the clear starting point. If it works for your hair type (it will for most — it’s designed for versatile daily use), the rest of the range rewards further investment. If you’re also interested in fragrance, the Discovery Set is the sensible entry point before a €110 commitment.

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