Time to divulge some truth. I do not like pomades. Yessir. I do not adhere to the wonders of the grease as I once did when these strands were once relaxed. Now though, when I say ‘grease‘ you have to understand something, maybe even take a short trip back with me to a time when we were all little brown girls getting our hair parted, braided & laced up with bows for kindergarten to KNOW of what I speak. My visual may be different from yours, my two french braids may have even been a bit more crooked, but I hint and point to that fanciful pic on the left…you’ll hopefully understand where it all began.
I’m a product of the ’80’s, the decade of cultural identity & Carebears. Rainbowbright & L.A. Gear…all the good stuff. Hecked if I sound old, yet in those days mothers like my Mum used the powers of DAX to cure everything a hot comb couldn’t. I promise you, the smell of this stuff still lingers in the child-full colors of my mind…the memories are both good and cringe appropriate. After my first perm relaxer in the 6th grade, I continued the greasy tradition, using the DAX to store the kitchen hairs that typically escaped my dollar scrunchy.
There really was no reason to cease the grease over the years, but in High School the idea of using Let’s JAM! to obtain that slicked back grown look was much too tempting. But even that only lasted until my hairline and remaining baby hairs screamed at me to stop the crazy and just let my Dominican Hairstylist take the wheel.
Wow, so I say all that to say that I’ve quietly reunited with a lost love in the form of Oyin’s Burnt Sugar Pomade! Wooozah! I’ve kept this love under wraps for a few months because…well it was really that hard for me to get my nose physically out of the jar. If you’ve already sampled this stuff, you might just get it.
Some have compared it to the smell of warm pancakes slathered with maple syrup…oh my. I won’t disagree with the consensus, but the scent is strong enough to force you into the worst food cravings if you were born with a sweet tooth, or just discovering the joys of comfort food. It’s sniff worthy to the tenth degree, and I can’t get enough!
As per usual, the gist from the site:
Does your hair love oils? Our “Burnt Sugar” Pomade is a nourishing all-vegetable pomade and styling product named for the uniquely translucent, shimmery quality of warm, homemade caramel.
Similar in texture to an old school ‘hair grease,’ This blend of oils, butters, and veggie waxes acts as a humectant and protectant for hair, increasing shine to a high glossy sheen and locking in moisture. It’s packed with essential fatty acids to nourish scalp, and actually sinks into your hair and skin for a long lasting, non-greasy feeling. It’s great for braids, imparts shine and moisture to loose hair, brushes nicely into the hairline for a glossy finish, and adds luster to locks!
This was an impulse Oyin buy many months ago when I began the search for the now infamous Honey Hemp conditioner. A store in my neighborhood that typically stocked up was out, so I compensated by purchasing the pomade, never really thinking it’d be a gem because…well, my history with pomades runs a bit deep. The consistency is very similar to a traditional pomade, it might even be a bit more hardened before first use, but is also quick to emulsify and spreads fairly easily.
A l’il dab will do so very much to impart crazy duty shine, and how I’ve been using it lately to seal my ends when needed after a wash, or even midweek when the twists begin to slightly unravel. The Summer months found me a bit heavy handed with the pomade, using it to slather over the crown of my twist-out fro, and I won’t lie…the best part was leaving a scent trail every which way I turned…forewarning, heads will turn if you dabble more than a l’il.
But what I love best about the pomade is it’s truest claim, NON-GREASY! It instantly sinks into the hair/scalp, letting the hair absorb all the goodness, leaving hair shinny and locking in any existing moisture in the hair. It’s a natural humectant which scientifically means it draws moisture from the air, pulling in what’s needed to moisturize the hair. In winter this can signal some trouble if the the air where you live is naturally dry, yet using the pomade while in the run of protective styling helps to avoid this slight, at least for me.
In the vid below, Jamyla and her hubby explain the best ways in which to winterize your current humectant stash if your hair is not adjusting. (Added Oyin Coupon code @ the end of vid!)
If you’re not a scent person, you will not be entertained by this product. The site description hints to a ‘subtly sweet fragrance,’ and my trigger foot is down to say….Ummm…no. On my best days I do not mind smelling like a floating pancake so it suits a purpose in my PJ stash, but if you’ve ever walked by a candle store and gone (WTH!!), abort this mission & wait until the lovely Jamyla introduces a scent free version. Either way, disappointment is not an option. A 4oz jar runs $10 while the new larger 8oz size will set you back $16.
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