Let’s be honest. As ridiculous as it might sound, there are a lot of us who are slow to go natural simply because one of the “perks” of having a relaxer is that our hair lays down with ease and our baby hair stays on-point without any stress, strain or drama.
But if that’s your only reason for not letting your natural soul glow, I’ve got some great news. Although finding the best kind commercial brand of edge control is like playing the most frustrating game of hit-or-miss, through some personal trial and error, I’ve discovered a recipe that will not only keep your edges laid, but will also have no hazardous chemicals in it either.
The best part? Even though the ingredients list might seem long at first, once you get the first batch under your belt, you’ll be thrilled by how fast you’ll be able to make more. You might even be able to make a little extra cash by becoming the go-to girl among your friends when it comes to getting a jar or two of edge control!
Here’s What You’ll Need:
- ½ cup of DIY flaxseed gel
- 2 tablespoons of avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons of raw honey
- 2 tablespoons of Jamaican castor oil
- 2 tablespoons of beeswax
- 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin
- 15 drops of lavender oil
- A small pot
- A [nonreactive] bowl
- A heatproof glass bowl
- A small whisk
- A glass jar
Once you’ve made your flaxseed gel (which basically consists of boiling distilled water and flaxseeds together”>, pull out a glass bowl and put the gel, avocado oil, honey, castor oil, and vegetable glycerin into it. With your whisk (you can also use a blender, but I personally think it’s easier with a whisk”>, mix all of the ingredients together.
Next, pull out a heatproof glass bowl and put the beeswax into it. Boil a little water (1/4 cup should do it”> and pour it over the beeswax. Then add the lavender oil to the wax and pour that mixture into your other ingredients. Use your whisk to make sure everything is well-blended for about five minutes or so. Pour the edge control into your glass jar (make sure it has a lid”>, pop it into your fridge for 30-45 minutes and voila—you’ve got some great edge control that you made all by yourself!
Helpful tip: In order for your edge control to maintain its original consistency, it’s best to leave it in the fridge. As is, it’ll last about 10 days. But if you want it to (no pun intended”> hold for 5-6 months, add a little sorbic acid (it’s a great preservative and a tablespoon should do it”> right before mixing in the beeswax.
Oh, one more thing! I was serious about your friends probably wanting you to make some for them too. If things really start to take off and you decide you want to sell batches at a time, a cool and helpful read is “Start Your Edge Control Brand: From Start to Finish”. Good luck!
Have a recipe of your own? Share it with your fellow curly girls in the comments below! And if you’ve tried this one, share your thoughts and results with us as well!
