DIY "Aveda" Hair Pomade

In our household there are things that we feel we can be a bit more frugal on... generic cereal is seriously better than name brand.  Can I get a shout out for Marshmallow Matey's?  However, there are some things I refuse to skimp on; hand soap, dishwasher soap, Q-tips, and hair product.  Shane would add garbage bags... if it doesn't have built in handles- it doesn't belong in the house.  Must be a man thing.

A few years back Shane received some Aveda hair products for Christmas, and after his first do, there was no turning back, because let's be real, the stuff is super fabulous, right?  A year or two down the line, I cut my hair off.  Luscious locks, gone!  So, here I came into the mix needing hair product too!  We've spent a good chunk of money to get our hair looking and smelling the way it does, we hope you noticed, and with Shane's little pomade case having a serious case of the empties, a new personal challenge to make the stuff was only fitting.

Shane typically wears the Aveda Control Paste, that averages out to be about $23.00 a pop.  Enter Pinterest, People's Co-op, and my ambitious personality to see if I could re-create pretty much the same thing for a fraction of the cost.  Getting the ingredients was a bit more expensive then going to the store to pick up the product itself, but... (pro's and con's at the jump off)

Ingredients:

*  1 ounce organic beeswax ($14.99 a pound at People's Co-op/Whole Foods)  I purchased two ounces for $2.66.

*  1.5 ounces shea butter ($4.99 for a 2 oz jar at People's Co-op.  Any brand of shea butter would work)

*  2 ounces jojoba oil- This is a "dry" oil that prevents the formula from getting too greasy.  

*  1/4-1/8 teaspoon of essential oil ($6.18-$13.99 per vial depending on type of oil)

Total:  Roughly $26.00

When it comes to the timing of making this product, even with being a newbie, it look less then 15 minutes.  Guess what else?  It was FUN! Science rocks my socks!

Step 1:  Melt Beeswax in a double boiler over low heat.  Don't have a double boiler you say?  Join the club... but there is good news!  It is easy to make one!  Find a pot and pour a couple of inches of water inside.  Grab a glass or metal bowl and place it inside the pot.  Make sure the glass bowl fits snug as a bug inside the pot.

This is after five minutes of "melting."  After 10 minutes it should almost be done.  It goes quickly at the end.

Step 2:  When beeswax is completely melted, add in your shea butter.  

Step 3:  Once the mixture has melted, add jojoba oil and stir until melted.  Brains!

Step 4:  Keep stirring until the jojoba oil is just melted.  There shouldn't be any cloud-like effect when the process is complete.

Step 5:  Pour mixture into a container and allow it to cool slightly.  Complete your mixture by adding in your favorite essential oil.  **Tip: DO NOT wash the wax/pomade mixture down the sink.  You will hate yourself.  Instead, scrape it off into a garbage.  Lesson learned.

Step 6:  The product will take about 3 hours to completely harden. 

To Use:  Rub a small amount between your fingertips until there are no lumps, then work through hair and style, you sexy bitch.

Shane tried it out, and all signs point to him actually liking it!  Score!  So, here is the breakdown of the pro's and con's I promised you-

Con's/Pro's:

1. Initially the product is more expensive... the pro?  You have a lot of leftover supply!  The oil that was purchased was hardly used, so I could probably make a hundred of these little pomade cases using that one vial of oil.  I also have enough beeswax leftover for the next go-around.  In the end, your DIY hair product is cheaper and just as unique as you.
2. It isn't exactly like Aveda... Pro?  Who cares?  It is a fricken' original made by you.  The products are still natural so you aren't putting a lot of chemical treated shit in your hair.
3. It doesn't smell like Aveda.  Okay, yes, Aveda products smell incredible.  But how awesome it is that you can control the smell of what is going on your head?  Certain oils help with certain hair dilemmas.  Check them out:

• Lime essential oils smell ah-ma-zing, and it is helpful in balancing oily hair.  It may also lighten hair when the lime essential oil is in a more concentrated form.
• Peppermint and rosemary oils stimulate hair growth and add extra shine.  This is a great option for "normal" hair.
• Basil, thyme, lemongrass, and tea tree have astringent properties, which are a huge benefit for oily hair.
• Chamomile, lavender, sandalwood, and rosemary are not only soothing and natural smelling, but they are also helpful for dry hair.
• Clary sage, patchouli, and eucalyptus are helpful when it comes to kicking dandruff to the curb.

Bottom line- am I going to stop buying Aveda hair products?  No.  But, making your own to balance out cost is pretty damn awesome. Have you made any of your own hair product before?  Any tips or tricks you would like to share?  As always, thanks for reading.