Lets start with Moisturizers.
What are Hair Moisturizers?
Moisturizers keep your hair hydrated and moist. Your hair likes to be moist. And the moisture keeps your hair healthy. Moisturizers allow your hair to expand and stretch. This allows you to style your hair easier than it would be without it.
Moisturizer is good for all hair styles, waves, braids, dreads, etc. You want to keep your hair with moister and not looking brittle and dry. Healthy hair is happy hair.
Water is the main thing that actually moisturizes your hair. But water gets absorbed quickly, evaporates, or moves. This is why moisturizing products are important. They help lock in that water as long as possible. Oils and stuff seal in moisture.
We recommend water based moisturizers when picking a moisturizer. You can also use a leave in conditioner as a moisturizer.
Moisturizing can be an everyday thing, every other day, twice a week, or whatever works best for you. If your hair is trained enough you can sometimes use moisturizers to lay your hair down with out pomade.
Now Lets talk about Pomades (Important for the wavers)
Pomades do not do the same thing as a moisturizer (some may have a moisturizer in it though)
They help you develop your wave pattern or enhance it. Pomades are used for laying the hair down & making it shine (if used correctly lol) it also gets rid of frizz.
If you want to change your wave pattern pomades help with this as well. (For example going from 360 to 720 waves, pomade will help with transitioning)
How to use Pomade?
You want to have damp hair or have some moisturizer in your hair when applying pomade so you can move your hair easier.
You can use it after a shower, spraying your head with a spray bottle, or the hot towel method. (Run a small towel or big one under hot water then put it on your head to moisten hair.) then apply your pomade and brush.
Some people use pomade in their hair when it’s dry. It all comes down to trial and error so you can see what works for you.
When you want some shine pomade will help get you there quickly. Remember a little goes a long way. You want a dime to a quarter amount. Rub it together in your hands until it warms up then apply in the wave pattern you want to achieve.
If you put too much you will have clumps or white marks and who wants to be looking like a half ghost right? LOOK BELOW LOL
Brush, brush, brush. Brushing is the most important part of waving. Then throw your Durag on to lock in that progress.
When buying Pomades you want to look at the pomade to check out what kind of hold it has. Some have a light, medium, or heavy hold.
This all depends on your hair texture. The kinkier/coarser you want to start off with a heavier hold.
How often to use pomade for waves?
Pomades that are thick could be used twice to three times a week. Light pomades and wave butters are a lot lighter and could be used everyday.
When you are just starting out you should use it more often so your can form your wave patterns faster.
Wave Butter gives the same effect as a pomade it Just’s smoother creamier and softer. They are easier to wash out but give pretty much the same effect.
Some wavers swear by pomades but the only way to see if it truly lives up to the hype is to go out, try it and see what works for you.