How to Make Pomade

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: May 16, 2020

Pomade is a hair styling solution that is typically wax or oil-based and gives your hair a sleek, shiny appearance that doesn’t dry. Although there are many pricey pomades on the market, it’s easy and quite inexpensive to make a homemade pomade using natural ingredients like beeswax, coconut oil and shea butter, which are all great for the health and strength of your hair. Create a heavy hold beeswax hair pomade that is great for styles that need some structure, a moderate shea-butter based pomade that is good for everyday looks, or a creamy hair pomade that is nourishing and highly effective on curly, natural hair.

Ingredients

Heavy Hold Beeswax Hair Pomade

20 teaspoons (98.57 ml) beeswax
20 teaspoons (98.57 ml) pure coconut oil
20 drops essential oil

Moderate Hold Shea Butter Hair Pomade

3 tablespoons (44.36 ml) shea butter
2 tablespoons (29.57 ml) jojoba oil
2 tablespoons (29.57 ml) beeswax pastilles
2 tablespoon (29.58 ml) arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
½ teaspoon (2.46 ml) vitamin E (optional)
10 drops essential oil

Creamy Hair Pomade

¾ cup (180 ml) unrefined shea butter
½ ounce (14.78 ml) aloe vera gel
½ ounce (14.78 ml) coconut oil
½ tablespoon (7.38 ml) glycerin
½ tablespoon (7.38 ml) essential oil

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making Heavy Hold Beeswax Hair Pomade

1
Prepare a double boiler. To create beeswax hair pomade, you first need to melt the beeswax so that it can easily mix with the other ingredients. Begin by placing a double boiler on the stovetop over medium low heat with about one inch (2.54 cm) of water in the bottom pot.
- If you don’t have a double boiler, you can make a makeshift double boiler by placing a small pot on the stove, pouring an inch (2.54 cm) of water inside, then placing a heat safe bowl on top of the pot of water.
- Use a bowl that is wide enough so that it can sit on the top of the pot rather than inside the pot.
2
Place the beeswax inside the top of the double boiler. Place the 20 tablespoons (98.57 ml) of beeswax inside the top pot of the double boiler (or in the bowl if you are using a makeshift double boiler).

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3
Melt the beeswax in the double boiler. After you place the beeswax in the double boiler, you should see that it starts to soften and melt. Stir the beeswax around using a wooden spoon until it is completely melted.
4
Add the coconut oil and essential oils. Once the beeswax has completely melted, add in the 20 teaspoons (98.57 ml) of pure coconut oil as well as 20 drops of your favorite scented essential oil.^{[1]
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5
Stir the mixture until it’s fully melted. Use the wooden spoon to keep mixing the pomade mixture while it heats. Stop mixing when all the ingredients are fully melted and the mixture is homogenous.
6
Pour the mixture in a container. Once you have finished making the pomade, pour it into a small, clean container with a lid, making sure to scrape down the sides of the double boiler to get all of the pomade.
7
Let the pomade cool for at least three hours. Once you have poured the pomade into the container, leave the pomade to cool for at least three hours before you use it. Letting the pomade sit will help it to solidify to the right consistency to use on your hair.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Moderate Hold Shea Butter Hair Pomade

1
Add water to the bottom of a double boiler. To begin making this medium hold hair pomade, place a double boiler on the stovetop over medium heat. Place one inch (2.54 cm) of water in the bottom of the double boiler and place the top pan back on the double boiler.^{[2]
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- If you don’t have a double boiler, place a pot on the stovetop and add an inch (2.54 cm) of water to the bottom. Then place another pot or a heatproof bowl sitting on top of the bottom pot.
2
Add the shea butter and beeswax pastilles to the double boiler. Place the 3 tablespoons (44.36 ml) of shea butter and 2 tablespoons (29.57 ml) of beeswax pastilles into the top pan of the double boiler and mix them with a large spoon until they are melted.^{[3]
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3
Combine jojoba oil and arrowroot powder in a bowl. In a separate bowl, add the jojoba oil, arrowroot powder and the vitamin E if you are using it. Stir them together until all the ingredients are mixed together.^{[4]
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- Vitamin E promotes hair growth and also helps to strengthen hair. You can find liquid Vitamin E at some health food stores.
- Arrowroot is a thickening agent. It can be bought in health food stores or some major supermarkets. You can also substitute cornstarch for arrowroot powder if you have trouble finding it.
4
Combine the shea butter and jojoba oil mixtures. Take the double boiler off the heat and pour the jojoba oil mixture into the top of the double boiler with the shea butter mixture.^{[5]
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5
Add the essential oil and mix. Add in 10 drops of the essential oil of your choice, then mix the pomade ingredients together with a whisk or hand mixer for two or three minutes until the texture of the pomade is thick.^{[6]
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- You don’t need to use essential oils, but they can add a nice scent to your pomade.
6
Pour the pomade into a container. Once you add the essential oils, scoop or pour the pomade into a jar or tin with a top, being sure to scrape out the boiler to get out all the pomade. The pomade should be ready to use as soon as it cools.^{[7]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Creamy Hair Pomade

1
Add all ingredients together. To make a creamy hair pomade, add the shea butter, aloe vera, coconut oil, glycerin and the essential oil or oils of your choice to a large mixing bowl.^{[8]
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- You can choose whichever essential oil has your favorite scent.
2
Mix the ingredients to make a cream. Once you have added all the ingredients to the mixing bowl, mix them together with a large spoon. Keep mixing until all the ingredients are combined into a cream.^{[9]
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3
Place the cream in a jar or tin. After you finish mixing the ingredients into a cream, scoop all the ingredients into a tin with a top. Then use the pomade to style and smooth your hair!^{[10]
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Community Q&A

Question

Which ingredient is affecting the shine level and which ingredient is affecting the hold level?

Community Answer

Beeswax would affect the hold of the pomade, and oil affects the shine.
Question

Can I mix baking soda to make oil based pomade?

Community Answer

Baking soda is not a usual ingredient in making pomade, and is actually used to remove oil-based products from hair.
Question

The recipes how many would it make?

Community Answer

The recipes make about 1 cup (236.58 ml) of pomade.