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What Should You Do if That Jar of Pomade Starts to Harden?

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Maybe at some point or another, you went to open a jar of pomade only to find a formula as solid as a rock, with no chance of doing anything for your hair, let alone making it out of the jar to begin with.  As you’ll soon find out, there are various reasons why this can happen, which we will be covering today.  We’ll also discuss what you can do about hardened pomade, if it is salvageable.

Why Pomade Can Harden

Pomade can harden for a number of reasons, some less reversible than others.  Let’s go over those reasons now.

Reason #1: Age

Sometimes, pomade will harden simply because it’s old.  Either you’ve been hanging onto it for too long, or you purchased pomade that was very close to its expiration date at the time you bought it.  Some ingredients are prone to hardening with age, while others liquify, so any change in consistency should be carefully inspected as it can indicate that the product has expired.

Reason #2: Poor Storage

Even if the pomade has not approached its expiration date, failing to store it properly can produce the same type of issue.  If you store your pomade in an area prone to extreme temperatures, bright lights, or high humidity, you can run into problems as all of these factors can destabilize the formula.  Ideally, pomade should be kept in a cool and dark place like a cabinet or drawer, away from extreme climate conditions like temperature and humidity.

Reason #3: Poor Ingredients

Another factor is poor ingredients, as some ingredients may be prone to hardening without needing to first destabilize.  This is why it’s always important to check the ingredients to make sure that they’re not only good for your hair, but capable of lasting for a while.

Is Hardened Pomade Usable?

So, should you even bother to try remedying hardened pomade?  Well, it depends.  If the formula is otherwise still in good shape, sure.  Check the smell to make sure that it doesn’t smell rancid or generally off.  Typically, pomade is bad to use if the smell indicates that the ingredients have decomposed in some manner.

How to Prevent Pomade from Hardening

If you wish to prevent your pomade from hardening, make sure that you store it properly, and make sure that you also check the expiration date before buying it to ensure that you don’t end up having pomade that’s very close to going bad.  You’ll also want to select a formula that is high in quality in terms of its ingredients, looking out for any ingredients that may be prone to hardening with age.

How to Fix Hardened Pomade

With hardened pomade, first you should attempt to stir the formula around.  Sometimes, only the top layer has hardened, in which case you can scrape it off and use what’s beneath.  If the entire formula is hardened, you have a few options.

  • You can attempt to microwave the formula, as this may loosen up the molecules enough to have a workable product once again.
  • Give it a warm bath by sticking the jar in a bowl of hot water, as this will have the same effect.
  • If the formula is hard but malleable, you can try mixing it with some leave-in conditioner to get the consistency back to how you want it.

Now You Know

Hardened pomade can be a distressing sight, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that all is lost.  Consider the tips above in order to rectify the situation and be more mindful of the products you buy in the future, as well as how you store them.