Tenax

Tenax is an Italian men's hair-styling brand based in Fiesole, near Florence, and made by Ludovico Martelli S.r.l., the family firm best known for the shaving brand Proraso. It was launched in 2017 as the group's first line dedicated to hair, extending a long barbershop tradition from shaving into styling products such as pomades, gel and shampoo [9]. The brand remains active, with a live online store and international distribution as of 2026 [3].

The name comes from the Latin tenax, meaning firm, holding and persistent — a reference to the hold the products are designed to give.

Tenax is owned and produced by Ludovico Martelli S.r.l., a Florentine grooming company that traces its history to 1908 [4]. That date, however, belongs to the parent company rather than to Tenax itself: independent editorial and retail sources place the launch of the Tenax brand in 2017, when Martelli entered the hair-styling market for the first time [9][10]. The German specialty retailer Der Gepflegte Mann describes Tenax as "an Italian hair care brand from the Proraso house," produced by a company "founded in 1908 in Florence."

According to the design studio Almagreal, which handled the brand's identity, "after the international success of Proraso, Ludovico Martelli makes its debut on the market with a line especially created for hair" [5]. The individual founders of the Tenax line are not publicly documented.

The brand sits within Ludovico Martelli S.r.l., the Florence-based company that also owns Proraso [7]. Wikipedia's entry for the parent group states that "Proraso is a personal care and grooming brand owned by the Italian company Ludovico Martelli srl." Martelli's registered office is at Via Faentina 169/12 in Fiesole, in the Florence area. In 2017 — the year Tenax launched — the group reported a turnover of 61 million euros, described as an all-time high [7].

Tenax presents itself under the tagline "Il grooming all'italiana," or Italian-style grooming. The company frames the line as drawing on "four generations in barbershops," and describes its products as "created by professionals, for professionals, to hold any style on any guy" [3]. The brand emphasises Italian craftsmanship, with products marked "Made in Italy" [8].

The visual identity, developed by Almagreal, is described by the studio as "a wise combination between hipster and vintage" [5] — a look aligned with the wider revival of classic barbershop pomades. The brand site positions the range as designed by professionals for hair-styling enthusiasts.

Tenax is a full men's hair-styling line rather than a single hero product. Its core range centres on water-based pomades in several finishes — including a Total Hold Extra Shine pomade, an Extra Strong Hold pomade and a matte version, each in 125 ml — alongside a high-shine hair gel and a menthol shampoo. Retailers also list variants such as a clay pomade and a sea salt spray.

The formulations are water-based and, according to the brand, built around ingredients including beeswax, carnauba wax, glycerin and menthol, the last used in the shampoo for a cooling effect. All products are made in Italy [8].

Tenax is an active brand. As of 2026 its online store, tenaxpomade.com, remains live, and the range is distributed across multiple markets — including Italy, the United States (through Proraso USA), Germany and the Nordic countries — via specialty retailers and general e-commerce channels [3]. The brand's own website is a minimal product showcase and carries no company-history section; details of its origin come mainly from its corporate parent, editorial coverage and grooming retailers.