“Pomade” is a funny word…but I like it! It makes me think of The Fonz, Danny Zuko, and Madmen. 🙂 While men have been using it since the 1800’s – pomade is making a comeback because, unlike hair spray and hair gel, pomade gives hair, mustaches, side burns, and beards a shiny, slick appearance, and does not dry it out.
Britta writes…… My husband wages a daily battle on his hair, due to its thick texture and its natural tendency to curl. He struggles to tame it on the best of days, and since he recently decided to start growing his hair longer, his frustration with his hair situation has only increased. He likes to style it by combing it back for the most part, but doesn’t like to use a lot of product, so he asked if I could come up with something that would help provide some hold for his unruly hair. I love a good DIY challenge, so of course I accepted!
I found this recipe on The Hippy Homemaker, and knew it was the one I wanted to try out. Most recipes for natural hair products have butters and/or oils in them, but I was hesitant to commit to them because I thought they’d just make hair look a bit greasy. This recipe calls for arrowroot powder, which helps to eliminate some of the shiny, oiliness and creates a thicker, more workable product.
It’s easy to make, and contains none of the harsh chemicals of a store-bought pomade!
DIY Hair Pomade (for moderate hold)
- 3 Tbsp shea butter
- 2 Tbsp beeswax pastilles
- 2 Tbsp jojoba oil
- 1 Tbsp arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
- 1/2 tsp vitamin E (optional)
- 5 drops Rosemary essential oil (optional)
- 5 drops Cedarwood essential oil (optional)
Place the shea butter and beeswax pastilles in a double boiler (or in a glass bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water) until melted.
In a separate small bowl, combine the jojoba oil, arrowroot powder, and vitamin E (if using), and stir together until everything is well incorporated.
Once the shea butter and wax have melted together, remove from heat and pour the arrowroot and oil mixture into the larger bowl.
Add the essential oils, if desired, then use a whisk or hand mixer to mix everything together for a few minutes, until the texture becomes thick and gooey.
Scoop, pour, or pipe the mixture into your container of choice, and store in a cool, dark place. Use sparingly, because a little of this goes a long way!
This recipe is for moderate hold, but it can easily be adapted to provide more or less hold depending on your individual needs. For more hold, use a bit more beeswax. For slightly less hold, use a bit less beeswax.
