Should You Sleep With Pomade In Your Hair?

Pomade can turn your head of unruly hair into a perfectly coiffed and dapper ‘do in no time.

If you’re thinking…“Pomade? What the heck is that? Sounds more like a fancy dessert than a hair product.”…you’re probably not alone.

Pomade is was a popular styling product used back in in1960 and earlier. And its recently made a comeback. It’s basically a thick, waxy, and often greasy product used to style hair, mostly for men.¹

For some men, it’s a go-to hair product thanks to its ability to give hair a glossy shine, scrumptious smell, and its superior staying power.The staying power of pomade is so good in fact, that you may find it difficult to wash out at the end of the night.

Which may leave you wondering, “Can’t I just sleep with the pomade in my hair?”

You certainly can – but I wouldn’t recommend it.

If you think that skipping your pre-bedtime shower and sleeping with pomade in your hair is no big deal…think again.

A common misconception is that sleeping with pomade in is good for your hair. This is because many pomades boast ‘hair-nourishing ingredients’.

But don’t be fooled – you’re not doing your hair (or your skin) any favors by leaving your pomade in overnight – especially if it’s an oil-based product.

Here’s why…

1. Sleeping with Pomade Could Lead to Hair Loss

To properly apply and style your hair with pomade, a lot of combing is involved.

With all this combing, you may notice excess amounts of hair falling out. Which may have you wondering, “Is my pomade making me lose my hair?”

Yes and no.

Hair products alone, like pomade, don’t cause hair loss – improper scalp care does.

Pomade can leave a thick residue on your scalp if it’s not properly washed off. The combination of residue with the natural oils that your hair produces can quickly clog your pores and cause hair follicle miniaturization.²

Hair follicle miniaturization is process where hair follicles that used to produce healthy hairs start to grow thinner, weaker, more brittle hairs – which can give an

appearanceof hair loss.

The key word there is APPEARANCE. Because you aren’t actually losing your hair – it just looks like you are.

Which really doesn’t seem that much better.

Avoid the appearance of thinning hair and hair loss by properly caring for your scalp. This means scrubbing out all products before bed each night so that your pores can breathe in your sleep and grow healthy hairs.

2. Pomade Is A Sticky Sleep Nightmare

Pomade comes with a naturally thick and goopy texture. Not to mention greasy. Especially the oil-based pomades.

Most pomades are petroleum based and contain some type of wax – meaning that they easily spread onto anything that they come in contact with. If you sleep with an oil-based pomade in your hair, you can expect to greasy marks everywhere.

Picture hard-to-clean grease stains covering your sheets, pillows, and pj’s – and anyone else who sleeps in your bed

There are water-based pomade varieties available that are slightly less messy. But even these tend to spread onto anything they touch, leaving stubborn grease-stains behind.

Bottom line – unless you live in a hotel with daily bedding changes, sleeping with pomade in your hair is not a good idea and may even cause your pillow to prematurely turn yellow.

Save your sheets and sleepwear and wash that pomade out before hopping into bed.

3. Sleeping With Pomade Can Cause Acne

Sleeping with pomade in your hair means that your pillows will quickly become covered in grease and oil.

And what spends most of the night resting comfortably on that oil-covered pillow? Your face.

A pomade-covered pillow can result in some serious acne and breakouts on your face. That pomade grease will quickly clog your pores and leave you waking up looking like a pimply teenager again.³

If you’re going to sleep with pomade in your hair, you might as well go ahead and smear it all over your face. And you should probably invest in some Clearasil, too.

But if you want to keep your skin looking clear and acne-free, be sure to wash all that pore-clogging pomade out before bed.

When it comes to pomade, as a rule of thumb – wash it out before bed!

Which, depending on your pomade, may be easier said than done.

Many pomades, especially oil-based kinds, tend to be very difficult to wash out. That means it will require multiple shampoos to really get your hair clean. Water based pomades are much easier to remove.⁴

If you’re struggling to rid your hair of pomade residue, look for specialty shampoos designed specifically for pomade removal. These can be found in most hair salons or specialty hair-product shops.

Pomade joins a long list of hair care products that you shouldn’t sleep in. Hair products that you should wash out before bed include wax, gel and hairspray.

Do you sleep with pomade in your hair? Let me know in the comments below!