Do you know the difference between the wide array of natural hair products that are on the market? I must admit it can be overwhelming.

A friend of mine woke me up the other day because her friend needed some tips on what products to get for her hair. Jamie- you prompted this . Lol.

So it’s 2021, well, halfway through now and I want to help you get it straight by the end of the year.

Don’t go thinking you have to buy everything just because! I’m going to help you out.

Let’s focus on two specific products for now: hair butters and custards.

Hair Butter

As the word ‘butter’ suggests, a hair butter contains fatty acids and oils; it has similar characteristics to a butter used for cooking. It is usually made up of natural oils and unrefined butters such as shea or cocoa butter. It is creamy in texture but much thicker than a hair moisturizer or mask. That is due to the oil and butter contents.

Moisturizers however, have a high concentration of water which gives them a smoother, more lightweight consistency while butters do not.

Hair butters are intended to seal in moisture provided by other products; such as a leave-in conditioner, moisturizer or leave-in mask. NOT to replace any of the above. Butters do not necessarily hydrate the hair because of how thick and heavy they are. The high oil concentration makes it difficult for them to be absorbed into the strands as easily a water-based product would.

However they do help to strengthen the hair and reduce moisture loss so they can be great additions to your collection.

Despite the differences, butters pretty much act like masks in the strengthening aspect of things; since masks contain some amount of oils. The only difference is that while masks can hydrate, butters do not.

So if you had to choose between a butter and another product, consider this:

“Do I need an oil or do I need a water-based product?, Do I need a sealant, or a hydrating product? Do I need an oil or a cream?” If you say yes to the first part of each question, the answer is butter, if you choose the latter, you should grab a moisturizer or leave-in conditioner.

Styles that may require a hair butter?

1. Braids/Braid-outs
2. Twist-outs
3. Bantu Knots

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Custard

A hair custard is basically a creamier hair gel. It is made to be incorporated into the styling process, rather than being a part of the finishing touches which require adding hold to the hair.

A custard has a higher water concentration than a typical hair gel, hence it is less flaky and provides less hold when applied to the hair. It won’t keep your edges in place but it will hydrate the hair and cause less frizz.

It cannot be compared to other products such as moisturizers or butters because the purpose is totally different. Custards are meant to provide hold and reduce frizz not to strengthen or soften hair.

Gels usually result in your hair feeling crunchy however, because of the richness of custards, they don’t do that. A custard will leave your hair feeling hydrated and soft with a defined style even when the hair dries completely. While, a gel typically results in some sort of stiffness.

Due to the soft nature of custards however, if you want the laidest of edges, please use your hair gel or edge control, because you won’t get the desired results from this creamy product.

Still not sure of when to use a custard?

If you have wavy hair and you’re seeking hydration, use a custard when styling. On the other-hand, if you have curlier or coily hair, I’d advise sticking to your gels or using a bit of both.

Styles that may require a hair custard:

1. Wash and Go’s
2. Puffs
3. Low cut curls
4. Low mohawks
5. Buzz cuts
6. Waves

Now, I hope I have cleared up some of the confusion that we all have at times when bombarded with the many products available to us.

They are A Lot, but get to know what works best for you and your hair, and you’ll be just fine and not itching to grab every product just because someone else may be hyped about using them.

Thanks for reading, have a great hair day!