Whoever named textured hair products must have been majorly hungry. Butters, puddings, custards, creams… it’s enough to conjure up images of fancy dessert trays and make you hungry too.
Styling miracle puddings and curling custards are indeed treats, just in a different way. These hair care products are incredible treats for your natural tresses, especially if you have tighter textures or 4A-4C type hair.
With so many styling products and new options coming on the market every day, it can be helpful to better understand exactly what each formula does and how it can benefit your unique hair type.
Whether you’ve been wearing weaves and wigs your entire adult life or diligently tend to your natural curls and coils, it’s always good to give yourself a little hair care refresher course. Especially with so many trendy and sometimes gimmicky products hitting shelves.
Every step of your natural hair care routine is important, but puddings and custards tend to get overlooked despite how vital they are to the overall health and appearance of your curls. So which formula and product should you look for and what’s the best way to use a styling custard or pudding?
Don’t worry. We’re breaking down the importance of each plus, some helpful tips and tricks to get the most out of your favorite styling product. Discover more about each of these formulas below and maybe grab a snack so you don’t get too hungry while reading this.
What’s a Styling Pudding?
A curly pudding typically comes in a tub and has the texture of whipped cream. Puddings can be used purely as hair moisturizers, styling aids, or a mixture of both. They’re typically formulated with a combination of nourishing butters and natural oils to provide moisture to drier, tighter textures and hair types.
The magic of a hair pudding is its ability to nourish hair while transforming tighter coils into shiny, elongated curls. The creamy consistency of puddings are easy to use so they’re the perfect styling aid if you’re just beginning to transition to going natural.
What’s a Curling Custard?
A curling custard also comes in a tub and typically has a thicker consistency than styling puddings. A custard’s texture is sometimes similar to a gel but don’t get those mixed up. While a gel can be severely drying and damaging as they typically contain alcohol, a custard is made from nourishing ingredients like oils and butters.
Natural hair custards can help tame frizz while adding a shiny luster to your curls. The great thing about custards is that you can typically use them right after showering whereas you should wait until your hair is damp to use a pudding.
What’s the Best Formula for my Hair?
The biggest difference between pudding and custards is their texture and consistency. The great thing about both these formulas is that they work on many different types of hair textures. However, the way you use them will be different depending on your individual hair type and curl pattern.
Textured hair is incredibly unique, which means it can be difficult to accurately determine exactly what will work best for your tresses. Like with any hair product, you’ll need to do a little trial-and-error to see what works best for you and your curls.
Puddings and custards are both great for tighter textures and type 4A-4C hair. This is because tighter textures are usually drier and require more moisture and hold in their styling products.
If you have a looser curl pattern or find your hair isn’t as dry as type 4 hair tends to be, you can still use puddings and custards but opt to use slightly less product when you style your hair. With many formulas being lightweight and nourishing however, you really can’t go wrong with either one.
How do I Use African Pride Miracle Pudding?
This lightweight whipped cream is a fabulous styling aid that can be used for setting fluffy finger-styles, coils, two-strand twists, braid-outs and pony puffs. Creamier and lighter than custard, puddings can create softer styles, especially when applied directly after leave-in conditioner.
A twist-out is our favorite hairstyle to get using a styling pudding, especially for tighter textures and coils. To use, start with damp or dry hair and gently comb through a generous amount of miracle pudding through your hair, section by section, from roots to ends.
After combing through strands, go through elongating and stretching your curls until you’ve reached the perfect definition. The nourishing ingredients will help hydrate your curls while setting them for continuous wear in your favorite style. This helpful bouncy curls tutorial shows how to get the best twist out using our Bouncy Curls Pudding.
How do I Use Shea Miracle Curling Custard?
If you’re hesitant to use a custard for the first time reach for a lightweight formula like our Shea Miracle Curling Custard. This curl styling custard is non-sticky and non-flaky, making it perfect for natural hair transitions and custard newbies.
It’s unique blend of nourishing shea butter and herbal oil extracts gives curly strands amazing manageability, softness, and shine. Plus, it helps define curls and coils, tame frizz, and elongate your curls.
Because curling custards are great frizz tamers and curl definers, they are best used after showering on freshly washed hair for a quick and easy wash and go style. There’s a misconception that you can’t do a ‘wash and go’ style on type 4 hair, and that couldn’t be further from the truth, especially with a curly custard.
To use make sure your hair is clean and conditioned and damp—not soaking wet. Divide your hair into sections and apply a generous amount of custard from your roots to ends, gently stretching curls as you go. This formula is also great for finger-styling so try carefully twisting and twirling strands around your fingers.
Once you’re happy with your curl definition set your look by air drying or sitting under a dryer for up to 25 minutes. You can also use a hair dryer with a diffuser attachment on a low setting.
This super versatile product also works great to smooth your edges and tame flyaways, making it a great finishing touch for every kind of hairstyle.
If you’ve been blessed with curly hair you’ve more than likely been confused by the amount of curling creams, oils, puddings, and custards on the shelf. When it comes to hair pudding vs. custards one isn’t better than the other. However, one might be better for you and your unique hair type.
Ultimately, custard will give a lighter hold but can be used on wet hair for an easy wash & go look and will help your curls clump together better. Puddings on the other hand, will give your curls a bit more bounce and hydration and are better when you’re creating a twist-out or braided look. Either way you’re gonna look fabulous. Happy styling!
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