Grease Vs. Butter Vs. Pudding Vs. Creme: What's The Actual Difference?

[mysblossom]

Greetings, all.

I read a post the other day wherein the author said, "I recently discovered that good old-fashioned grease does wonders for my hair."

Grease. Butter. Pudding. Creme. What's the difference among these products? Or, is there an article you can suggest that I read?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Nightingale]

Grease is oil based. No water.

Creme is a water/oil emulsion, usually water based. Thicker than lotions.

Butter- real butters are oil based (or hydrogenated oils), but some companies market "butters" that are really just thick creams.

Pudding- water based emulsion with ingredients that provide hold. Like a gel+creme.

 

[DarkJoy]

Great explanation @Nightingale! Thanks!

Here's my hair's preference for their practical use, OP.

Old school petrolatum grease works great to hold moisture in my hair (when applied to soaking wet hair) in deep winter when the air is dry dry dry. It's usually the only time I'm on here talking about grease.

The rest is good the rest of the year but my hair likes cremes best besides in spring because they have some water with oils or butters in them to seal in the moisture.

I find myself gravitating towards butters in the late spring to summer when the air cant decide between dry and less dry.

My hair hates puddings of any kind at any time.

 

[Nightingale]

Giving practical uses is a great idea @DarkJoy

I think grease, real butters or oils should be used to seal since they are pure oil. Don't forget that these products will not add moisture to your hair, just help form a barrier to trap it in (and keep moisture out) for a limited amount of time. You can style with them, but you'll have little, if any, hold.

If you don't like to seal, have thick (coarse) strands, or want a thick moisturizer/leave in, use a cream product or a "butter" (thick cream).

"Lotions" or creamy leave ins are really just thin creams. If you have fine hair this may be best for a moisturizer/leave in.

Have a style that needs hold, but you don't plan on using a leave in or just prefer a soft hold? Use a pudding product.



I have thick, low po strands that need weighty products. So I use thick creams, a homemade grease, and heavy gels. I don't use butters because it doesn't always mix well with gel, whereas grease usually goes on clear and mixes better with gel. Also, in my experience I've gotten more shine from greases than butters. Oils aren't heavy enough for styling, but if I want to add shine or prepoo, I'll grab an oil.

 

[mysblossom]

Thanks so much, @Nightingale and @DarkJoy .


Sigh. I am frustrated at the moment and need help.

One thing I miss about my relaxed hair is that it FELT moisturized and STAYED moisturized for days without my doing much to it once I'd moisturized it. I have achieved a moisturized feeling a few times with my natural hair, but it does not stay for more than 36 hours usually.

I don't know! Maybe I need to try grease or something. I want my hair to feel (and look) the way I imagine THIS hair feels:

Maybe I'm just a natural who wants greasy hair? I dunno.

I've definitely made SOME progress with this method:

1. Saturate with Giovanni Light Leave-in.
2. Afterwards, saturate with Bel Nouvo Coco Castor Pudding.

That felt GREAT on day 1, though it didn't give me the slick and moisturized look.

I'm just not sure what product to try next. I want a slightly wet-looking result. Hmm . . .

 

[DarkJoy]

Awww it will all come together soon! Just takes time.

What's your protein or reconstructor products? Some folks need that to help their strands stay moisturized longer. I recon every week and it's doing much better at retaining. Took a lot of PJing to figure out what type of protein my hair likes and what turns it into a helmet...

 

[mysblossom]

Awww it will all come together soon! Just takes time.

What's your protein or reconstructor products? Some folks need that to help their strands stay moisturized longer. I recon every week and it's doing much better at retaining. Took a lot of PJing to figure out what type of protein my hair likes and what turns it into a helmet...

Aw, thanks. *sniffle*

I just started with protein this week. Baby stepped into it with Aubrey Organics GPB conditioner. I have a packet of that 2-step Aphogee that I'm semi-skerred to try.

 

[krissyhair]

Thanks so much, @Nightingale and @DarkJoy .


Sigh. I am frustrated at the moment and need help.

One thing I miss about my relaxed hair is that it FELT moisturized and STAYED moisturized for days without my doing much to it once I'd moisturized it. I have achieved a moisturized feeling a few times with my natural hair, but it does not stay for more than 36 hours usually.

I don't know! Maybe I need to try grease or something. I want my hair to feel (and look) the way I imagine THIS hair feels:

Maybe I'm just a natural who wants greasy hair? I dunno.

I've definitely made SOME progress with this method:

1. Saturate with Giovanni Light Leave-in.
2. Afterwards, saturate with Bel Nouvo Coco Castor Pudding.

That felt GREAT on day 1, though it didn't give me the slick and moisturized look.

I'm just not sure what product to try next. I want a slightly wet-looking result. Hmm . . .

Wow that picture shows some great hair.

Not to play devil's advocate, but there is a possibility that the camera flash gave the illusion of extra shine.

Have you tried something liquidy, or something for old school shine like care free curl gold?

 

[Nightingale]

Thanks so much, @Nightingale and @DarkJoy .


Sigh. I am frustrated at the moment and need help.

One thing I miss about my relaxed hair is that it FELT moisturized and STAYED moisturized for days without my doing much to it once I'd moisturized it. I have achieved a moisturized feeling a few times with my natural hair, but it does not stay for more than 36 hours usually.

I don't know! Maybe I need to try grease or something. I want my hair to feel (and look) the way I imagine THIS hair feels:

Maybe I'm just a natural who wants greasy hair? I dunno.

I've definitely made SOME progress with this method:

1. Saturate with Giovanni Light Leave-in.
2. Afterwards, saturate with Bel Nouvo Coco Castor Pudding.

That felt GREAT on day 1, though it didn't give me the slick and moisturized look.

I'm just not sure what product to try next. I want a slightly wet-looking result. Hmm . . .

If you want your hair to LOOK shiny and moisturized, grease could work. But for actual moisturization you need a good DC (use heat or steam if necessary), and a good moisturizer. If your hair doesn't stay moisturized for more than 36 hours, I think you're using the wrong products or wrong combo of products. It took a lot of trial and error for me to find what products and ingredients worked for my hair (no glycerin, sulfates, silicones, mineral oil, or emulsifying wax. Add steam DCs, BTMS, oils). Unfortunately, one size doesn't fit all when it comes to hair.

To start, try DCing with heat or steam. If you already do that, do it more often. Protein is good for fine strands, but may be too much for thick strands and can cause dry, brittle feeling hair if overused. If your hair is low porosity, try lighter products (that will absorb better), if that doesn't work try heavy products without buildup causing ingredients (mineral oil, shea butter for some people, etc.). You could have hair that likes silicones and mineral oil, so try that, but you'll need a sulfate shampoo to cleanse. Try sealing. Experiment with your combo of products, one leave in may work better with a certain styler.

Good Luck.

 

[mysblossom]

Wow that picture shows some great hair.

Not to play devil's advocate, but there is a possibility that the camera flash gave the illusion of extra shine.

Have you tried something liquidy, or something for old school shine like care free curl gold?

No, I haven't tried such products yet, but I will now add to my "things to experiment with" list. Thanks!

 

[mysblossom]

Is there a grease that anyone would recommend?

I have high porosity, fine, dense, mainly 4a hair (with some 4b in my opinion).

Thanks in advance, and happy healthy hair journeying to everyone!

P.S. I am soooooooo glad to have found a community of camaraderie, solidarity, and support! :hugs:

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Love 'Em All. Grease, Puddings, Cremes, Lotions (you name it)

But you might get that 'shine' from lightly using a bit of Serum.

A Serum or a Hair Polisher can give you that extra shiny something.

 

[sithembile]

We also need to bear in mind that shine isn't just about product, it is a surface reflecting light. The smoother a surface, the more shine, hence relaxed hair looks shinier but can still be dry. I find that my natural hair looks shinier when it is well moisturised, sealed with castor oil and in a smoothed / stretched state.

 

[oneastrocurlie]

Is there a grease that anyone would recommend?

I have high porosity, fine, dense, mainly 4a hair (with some 4b in my opinion).

Thanks in advance, and happy healthy hair journeying to everyone!

P.S. I am soooooooo glad to have found a community of camaraderie, solidarity, and support! :hugs:

I consider Annabelle Perfect Blends Pomades a good grease.

 

[IronButterfly]

OP, have you tried clarifying your hair? Maybe build-up is the culprit.

 

[mysblossom]

OP, have you tried clarifying your hair? Maybe build-up is the culprit.

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried clarifying for the first time this week. I used the ORS Aloe shampoo. Someone also advised me that insufficient protein might be my issue. So, after clarifying, I conditioned with Aubrey Organics GPB. If I have time this weekend, I'll try the 2-step Aphogee protein treatment and see how hydration/moisturization takes and lasts then.

Many thanks!

 

[Ogoma]

Protein is extremely important in keeping hair moisturized. It fills in the gaps in the cuticle and allows hair to hold moisture better over time. Don't ignore it.

 

[IronButterfly]

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried clarifying for the first time this week. I used the ORS Aloe shampoo. Someone also advised me that insufficient protein might be my issue. So, after clarifying, I conditioned with Aubrey Organics GPB. If I have time this weekend, I'll try the 2-step Aphogee protein treatment and see how hydration/moisturization takes and lasts then.

Many thanks!

Sounds like a lot of protein close together. You're not protein sensitive, are you, cuz that can cause problems, too? Do you use moisturizing conditioners after your protein?

 

[mysblossom]

Sounds like a lot of protein close together. You're not protein sensitive, are you, cuz that can cause problems, too? Do you use moisturizing conditioners after your protein?

Thanks for this!

I don't know if I'm protein sensitive because that one use of Aubrey Organics GPB is the only protein I've ever applied.

I'd just been moisturizing and moisturizing and moisturizing . . .

That day I used that protein conditioner, I don't believe I used any moisturizing conditioner before I applied the AOGPB (I'll verify for myself by going back and reading my notes), but I did heavily use a leave-in conditioner afterwards.

 

[Nightingale]

Thanks for this!

I don't know if I'm protein sensitive because that one use of Aubrey Organics GPB is the only protein I've ever applied.

I'd just been moisturizing and moisturizing and moisturizing . . .

That day I used that protein conditioner, I don't believe I used any moisturizing conditioner before I applied the AOGPB (I'll verify for myself by going back and reading my notes), but I did heavily use a leave-in conditioner afterwards.

Since your hair is fine and high po, protein is likely necessary for you. Like mentioned earlier, it will help fill in the gaps in your cuticle which will help you better retain moisture. Try using a strong protein (followed by a moisturizing DC), then a regular conditioner (with a little protein)your other wash days. Also, you may not need heat or steam to DC since you're hi porosity.

 

[krissyhair]

Love 'Em All. Grease, Puddings, Cremes, Lotions (you name it)

But you might get that 'shine' from lightly using a bit of Serum.

A Serum or a Hair Polisher can give you that extra shiny something.

Ohh I forgot about serum.

 

[PuddingPop]

Protein is extremely important in keeping hair moisturized. It fills in the gaps in the cuticle and allows hair to hold moisture better over time. Don't ignore it.

Hmmm, maybe this is what i'm missing. My hair never holds moisture but I also never use protein products sine ive been natural. I need to give it a try.