Skip to main content
Kreyòl Essence

Pomad Kreyol Natural Scalp Balm Growth Treatment

Scalp treatment

  • Scalp treatment
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
Size4 fl oz
Price$22seen at one store · 4 oz
Price / oz$5.50/ozat 4 oz
Where to buy1 store

Scent:

No added fragrance on the label, but it carries scenting botanicals — essential oils smell even when they are not labelled as fragrance.

“the clean, cool, subtle fragrance” — Brand page

Strength: Light

Manufacturer page: kreyolessence.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

Complete the consultation to see exactly how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 2,400+ products in our library we can match exactly the right products to you.

  • In 10 minutes we can identify your exact hair condition and traits.
  • Every product matched against your hair across the 21 factors we check.
  • A personalized routine for your daily life — your schedule, styling habits, and local weather.
  • Find products that do the same job at a lower cost.
  • Your goals, scalp, damage history, water, budget, and scent preferences all shape your plan.

$49.00 one-time consultation, no subscription

Add the optional $49/year membership for unlimited adjustments for changes in weather and lifestyle.

Start your consultation

Priced with its peers

$5.50/oz at 4 oz — less than 61% of the 152 scalp treatments , which mostly run $3.22–20.64/oz. The cost less.

Price and stores

Great for

no fragrance (parfum) on the label — scented
Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Coarse or dry hairthat absorbs everything you give it
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Very dry hairno fast-drying alcohol in the list

Maybe skip if

this product carries a light scent
Oily scalp or fine hairthat gets weighed down
Stretching wash dayswaxes stay until a detergent wash removes them
Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only

Whether this much richness is right for you depends on your strand thickness, porosity, and how easily your hair flattens — that is what the consultation works out.

What the formula actually does

Read from the label, not the marketing

Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.

Slip and detangling Some

Some slip, mostly from esters or silicones rather than conditioners.

Oils and butters Rich

Butters near the top: a heavy, softening formula.

Weight on the hair Rich

Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.

Water-binding (humectants) Low

Humectants appear, but low enough to be a minor part.

Protein None

No protein or amino acids in the list.

Needs detergent to remove Yes

Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.

Hard-water defence None

No chelating agent in the list.

Fragrance None listed

No fragrance is listed.

from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.

Ingredients that matter

The ingredients that change a decision

The workhorse ingredients plus anything lower down that changes a decision. These chips name what an ingredient does — they are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed OilRicinus Communis (Black Castor) Seed Oil oil Coats and softens the strand Softens
Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil oil Coats and softens the strand Softens
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter butter Heavy softening — this is what makes it rich Heavy
Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax wax Holds shape and adds weight Buildup
BeeswaxCera Alba (Beeswax) wax Holds shape and adds weight Buildup
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil botanical extract A trace plant extract Fragrance
Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil oil A small amount of oil for softness Softens
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil oil A small amount of oil for softness Softens
Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil botanical extract A trace plant extract Fragrance
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil emollient A softening touch, low in the list Buildup
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. No protein — a moisture formula, not a repair one. Heavier butters sit in the working part of the list.
Full ingredient list (19)

US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order. Annotations keep three readings separate: the ingredient's general function, its role in this product type, and what its position can support.

  • 1 Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil · Ricinus Communis (Black Castor) Seed Oil
    General function

    A thick, tacky oil used for sealing ends and for slick, held-down styles.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    May not suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Near the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 2 Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
    General function

    One of the few oils small enough to move into the strand, which is why it is used for pre-wash treatments. It can feel heavy or stiff on protein-sensitive hair.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Because it penetrates rather than sits on top, it works on hair that loses water through a worn cuticle instead of only slowing evaporation from the surface the way a non-penetrating oil does.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    The exception to the class read: lauric acid is small and linear enough to enter the shaft rather than only coat it, and in comparison testing coconut oil was the one that reduced protein loss from washing on both undamaged and damaged hair.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • oil
    • emollient
  • 3 Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
    General function

    A rich, solid plant butter used for heavy conditioning on coarse or dry hair. High in the list it makes a product decidedly heavy.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coarse, porous hair loses water quickly and can carry the weight; a butter slows that loss more than a thin oil does.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A solid fat melts onto the strand at body temperature and stays there, which is the heaviest surface moisture-holding a formula can offer.

    • butter
    • emollient
    • sealant
  • 4 Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax
    General function

    A hard palm wax that gives firm hold and shine.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    A wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Waxes do not dissolve in water. They need a detergent wash to come off, and they are the classic cause of a coated feel.

    DependsCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    How rigid the finish is depends on which polymer it is and what the formula pairs with it, not on there being one.

    • wax
    • film former
  • 5 Beeswax · Cera Alba (Beeswax)
    General function

    A firm natural wax that grips and holds hair in place. It resists water and can take repeated washing to remove.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    A wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Forms a physical barrier on the strand that slows water leaving it. Nothing else in a formula holds moisture in as bluntly.

    May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    It does not disperse in water at all: removing it means a detergent wash, and until then it stays exactly where it landed.

    • wax
    • film former
    • sealant
  • Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 6 Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil
    General function

    Peppermint essential oil, used for scent and the cooling feeling on the scalp.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    Essential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.

    • botanical extract
    • essential oil
    • fragrance
  • 7 Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil
    General function

    A heavy, coating oil traditionally used for deep conditioning.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 8 Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
    General function

    A stable, light oil used for softness and shine.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 9 Glyceryl Undecylenate
  • 10 Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil
    General function

    A medium-weight oil used for softness and slip.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    • oil
    • emollient
  • 11 Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil
    General function

    Rosemary essential oil, used for scent and its traditional scalp reputation.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    Essential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.

    • botanical extract
    • essential oil
    • fragrance
  • 12 Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil
    General function

    A light, widely used oil that softens without much weight.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • oil
    • emollient
  • 13 Charcoal Powder
    General function

    Activated charcoal, used to absorb oil and for a clarifying claim. It also tints the product black.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    A dry powder takes up oil and adds friction between strands, which is most of what root lift in fine hair actually is.

    • absorbent
    • powder
  • 14 Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
    General function

    Not chemically an oil: about 97% of it is liquid wax esters, which is why it resists going rancid and sits close to the scalp's own sebum. It smooths without a heavy finish.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    A wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.

    • emollient
    • light ester
    • oil
    • wax
  • 15 Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
    General function

    Aloe gel, used for light moisture and slip. High in the list it also contributes a little natural hold.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    Gums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Hydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Aloe is mostly water carrying sugars that bind more of it, which is why it turns up as the base of moisture-first formulas.

    • humectant
    • botanical extract
    • gum
  • 16 Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
  • 17 Chondrus Crispus Extract · Chondrus Crispus (Irish Moss) Extract
    General function

    Irish moss, a seaweed gum that thickens and gives a slippery, cushioned feel.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    Gums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.

    • gum
    • thickener
    • botanical extract
  • 18 Bambusa Vulgaris (Bamboo) Leaf/Stem Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 19 Tocopheryl Acetate
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin

What the whole list adds up to

  • 8 emollients
  • 7 oils
  • 5 botanical extracts
  • 3 waxs
  • 2 sealants
  • 2 film formers
  • 2 essential oils
  • 2 fragrances
  • 2 gums
  • 1 butter
  • 1 absorbent
  • 1 powder
  • 1 light ester
  • 1 humectant

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-16. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 4 oz

Seen at $22 1 store · checked Sep 16
Good value under $14 Under $3.46/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $14 line; products that do this job typically go for about $25 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store

Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.

How we work this out
  1. 4 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
  2. Seen at $22 is the price we have observed for the 4 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $14 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $3.46/oz; at 4 oz that is $14. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $25 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 4 oz.

Formula

Formula score
4 of 10

Mid-range per ounce for a shorter formula: there is no conditioning agents up front here.

How the score is counted
  • 1 products that do the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs less per ounce than 61% of the 152 scalp treatments we’ve priced
  • No conditioning agents up front in the formula
  • No slip for detangling either
  • Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.3 pts
  • Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
  • Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A pH adjusterBrings the formula to the acidic pH hair prefers.1 pt
  • Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score is completeness for the job: the share of the systems this product type is normally built around that we can find in this list, weighted. It is not efficacy, not quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job, for less

Same derived functions — what it cleans, conditions, coats or holds — at a lower cost per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy it can still differ.

Mielle OrganicsLowest cost per oz Rosemary Mint Pomade-to-Oil Scalp & Hair Quencher $2.00/oz $3.50/oz less
  • Protein-free
  • Rich
  • Silicone-free
· Close function
Function
  • Slip and detangling
  • Water-binding (humectants)
  • Film formers
Also
  • Drugstore tier
Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These are functional neighbours, not personal recommendations — they are close on formula, not chosen for anyone. Get the one that fits your hair, routine, and budget

Built for curly to coily hair

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person
Best user

People sensitive to fragrance who want a formula with no added fragrance and a protein-free formula

Biggest tradeoff

Less suited to anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or anyone stretching time between washes

We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.

Reviewers

What people report

Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.

Reviewers used across natural hair textures say it keeps hair feeling fresh and helps popping/defining curls when used alongside the brand's shampoo and conditioner.

natural hair customers using the full Kreyòl Essence routine

Reviewers with itchy or dry scalps say the balm soothes the scalp while leaving hair feeling moisturized, and describe the scent as clean and subtle.

reviewers using it for scalp dryness/itchiness

Multiple reviewers describe the pomade as lightweight rather than heavy or greasy on the scalp.

general reviewers

More from Kreyòl Essence

How this page was made

  • Everything above is generated from our researched product record — identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. No part of this page is written per product.
  • The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
  • Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
  • The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
  • 2 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-09-16.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 2 of 15 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are conditional formulation guidance, not a conclusion about the finished product or about you.
  • We have not tested this product in a lab and we do not physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list; behaviour claims are labelled as the brand's.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice.
  • Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
  • Formula readings: derivation v22. Record last updated 2026-09-17.