Image: @joyjah
Not too long ago, a girlfriend of mine and I were having a conversation about why so many women seem to be obsessed with laying down their baby hairs, even once they are full grown adults. My friend brought up two points that made a lot of sense. “I think it’s because, for one thing, it’s something that our mothers did to us, even as little girls. Plus, the media has a lot of influence and we’re always seeing women with them, even now.” She’s right. Whether it’s TLC’s Chili, Steve Harvey’s daughter, Lori Harvey or (what seems like”> 7 out of 10 women on YouTube who do hair tutorials, you’re definitely gonna see women with edges that are beyond laid on pretty much a daily basis.
I can’t front. I’m actually someone who likes to brush down baby hairs from time to time myself. My challenge has been that some products come with so much alcohol in them that they end up doing the health of my hair more harm than good. That’s why I sometimes alternate with a DIY edge control recipe.
If you’re someone who’s been looking for a way to make your own edge control and you’ve got some time on your hands, my first recommendation would be to check out this article, “How to Make Your Own Edge Control”. But if both time and money are tight and you want something that will get the job done without a lot of ingredients, prep drama or anything else, here are some pretty simple edge control recipes that I think you might enjoy making and using.
Hair Conditioner
For this first one, I’ll be straight with you—it’s probably only going to work if you’ve got 2-3 type kind of hair. But because we don’t discriminate when it comes to our curly girls over on this side of cyberspace, yeah, this tip applies. If you check out this video, the YouTuber only needed a toothbrush, some hair conditioner and a little bit of water in order to lay her baby hairs and keep them under control.
Gelatin Edge Control
A quick two-ingredient edge control and hair gel actually consists of nothing more than gelatin and essential oil. Pull out an 8 oz. glass container and pour a cup of hot water into it. Then add 1 ½ teaspoon of grass-fed gelatin. Stir and refrigerate for three hours. Next, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil (for scent”> and it’s ready for use. (You should always store this in the refrigerator, by the way”>.
Shea Butter and Aloe Vera Gel
Believe it or not, some people use Aloe vera gel only in order to lay their edges down (you can check out a video on that here“>. But if you want the kind of edge control that will last for more than a couple of hours, it’s a good idea to add the moisturizing ingredients and natural thick texture that comes from shea butter. Mixing a tablespoon of shea butter along with a teaspoon of Aloe Vera gel should provide you with the consistency that you need. Just mix together and apply. That’s it.
Beeswax and Shea Butter
If you want the kind of edge control that will basically double up as a pomade too, try mixing some beeswax and shea butter together. All you need to do is combine an ounce of beeswax, an ounce of shea butter, an ounce of jojoba oil and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Put the beeswax into a double boiler until it melts. Then add the shea butter and jojoba oil. Once everything is well blended together, pour the mixture into the (glass”> container that you plan to hold your edge control and then add your essential oil. Let it cool and then it will be ready for immediate use.
Mango Butter and Honey
Another butter that is loaded with vitamins is mango butter. To make this particular edge control, all you need to do is put a ½ oz. of mango butter, three Vitamin E capsules and a half teaspoon of honey into a container (if you want a little more of a thick texture, you can add some shea butter to this too”>. Stir everything together, let it sit at room temperature overnight, and it’ll be ready. Your natural and easy-to-make edge control will be totally good to go.