Laying your edges adds that final perfect touch to every hairstyle, but if you have 4c hair, you already know it takes a lot of work. However, edge controls go a long way in helping us to enhance the beauty of our natural hair and revive the look of our old protective styles.
Many edge controls keep their promise of giving a firm, long-lasting hold, but once our glorious 4c hair enters the picture, they tend to fail. As someone who has grown their 4C hair for over 5 years, I can tell you that finding an edge control that lays my edge has been a huge problem.
If you’re like me and have been looking for a reasonable edge control to strong hold your baby hair down for hours, this article is written with you in mind.
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List of the best edge controls
There are many different edge control products online, but the ones on this list are tried and tested by 4C girlies around the globe! So yes, your baby hairs will be locked down, and there will be no white residue or flaking at the end of the day.
Kaleidoscope Miracle Edges
This has to be the first on my list because it is one of the best edge controls for kinky hair. Its ability to keep your edges laid through the sweat and activity of the day is a miracle.
The Kaleidoscope Miracle Drop is well known for its ability to stimulate hair growth thanks to the natural ingredients it is packed with. This edge control is infused with the hair miracle drop growth oil, so it’s not only giving you extra hold but also helping your edges grow. So if you have thin edges, try it out and let me know how you like it!
Why we love it: This edge control has a very smooth texture, making it super easy to use. What’s more, it doesn’t flake or rise at all, even though you wear it for a good 24hrs, what’s not to love about that? The Kaleidoscope miracle edges keep your edges moisturized and soft while blessing your nostrils with its heavenly scent.
Our Final Rating: We have nothing wrong to say about this one because it keeps its promise of taming the edges of even the most stubborn hair types. It deserves a massive 10/10!
Mielle Honey and Ginger Edge Gel
The Mielle hair care product line is not limited to amazing leave-in conditioners alone. Their honey and ginger edge gel is also worth paying attention to. It is a lightweight edge gel with long-lasting hold and unique, organic ingredients.
It contains honey, aloe, and ginger, all present to help condition your edges and keep them healthy.
Why we love it: I love this specific edge control gel because it promotes healthy hair growth and gives you fuller edges. No flaking, great smell, and great texture; it has everything we need in good edge control. So add it to your list of best gels, and it won’t disappoint.
Our Final Rating: It has a long day hold, a fantastic scent, and an amazing texture; it deserves a 9/10!
Eco Styler Gel
Eco styler gel is a holy grail in the natural hair community regarding sleek back hairstyles like ponytails. The gel is multifunctional and highly moisturizing. When you’re not using it to tame flyaways or sleek back your hair, you can use it to lay your edges!
It works as a water-based edge control that helps moisturize your hair strands and protect them from breakage. For the best result, wear a soft headband or tie a satin scarf on your edge for 5 minutes before you step out.
Why we Love it :This is the one product you can find on every natural hair girlie’s product shelf. It has a smooth and almost runny texture that makes it easy to use. It allows you to try out other trendy baby hair curves that are not C edges.
Eco-styler gel is infused with olive oil to promote healthy strands. If you prefer something else to the Eco hair gel, the Curls Blueberry Bliss curl control paste is a great option. They are both very similar in functionality and not like your regular gel.
Our Final Rating : We all love Eco styling gel for its versatility, but it has a soft hold when it comes to laying the edges of 4C hair. It will ideally keep your edges down but only for a short time.
If you have a busy long day ahead and thicker 4C hair, there might be better options than this one, but it will do the job. So even though this product is the bomb, I’ll give it an 8/10!
Design Essentials Honey and Shea Edge Tamer
The Design Essentials shea edge tamer is infused with oils from almonds and avocado, both essential oils that provide hydration. It also contains honey, a great moisture sealant, and shea butter to help restore the overall health of the hair around your edges.
The edge tamer won’t flake or cause build-up if you have detangled your hair. So, it is excellent for days when you wear a ponytail or a natural hair up-do.
Why we love it: The beautiful way they combined honey, shea, almonds, and avocado put this edge control at the top of my list. It has a soft hold and works well for fine hair or light-textured 4C hair.
Our Final Rating: The beautiful way they combined honey, shea, almonds, and avocado put this edge control at the top of my list. It has a soft hold and works well for fine hair or light-textured 4C hair.
Black Panther Strong Edge Control
True to its name, the Black Panther Strong edge control is a reliable edge control product with extreme hold! There’s not much oil in it but it also has moisturizing properties thanks to the presence of aloe.
The concentrated formula gives it a creamy consistency that makes it different from other edge controls. It can also be used on braids and twists to create definition and moisturize frizzy hair.
Why we love it: The Black Panther Strong Edge control is the perfect picture of what other edge controls claim to be but are not. It is genuinely black panther strong with a day hold and a brilliant sheen that adds life to different styles. In addition, the lightweight texture and presence of aloe prevent it from flaking and breaking your hair.
Our Final Rating: This edge control is a solid 10/10. It gives everything it’s supposed to provide and holds down your sleek edges for a long time.
Creme of Nature Argan Oil Perfect Edges
This is the best natural edge control out there, as it infuses many excellent organic ingredients like wheat protein and argan oil. Argan oil is a great antioxidant that stimulates the scalp, promotes natural growth, and adds shine to your strands.
The formula of this edge control has been certified excellent by all the top beauty publications, and it works perfectly for black hair texture.
Why we love it: The crème of nature edge control has a moderate hold and a fantastic scent. I used it once, but it didn’t do justice to my hair because it was dry. On the other hand, it perfectly laid my edges when I dampened them.
Our Final Rating: Though crème of nature is popular and they have other amazing hair products, I will give this edge control a 7/10. As great as it is, it doesn’t have a long-lasting hold.
EBIN 24 hrs Edge Tamer
Truly tames the edges and has an extreme firm hold. It doesn’t flake at all, so you don’t have to worry about it leaving white residue and melting on your scalp. This is the only edge control I can completely vouch for because I have used it on my thick 4C hair, and the hold is remarkable.
It has a pleasant scent that stays with you throughout the day; washing it off is hard work. But is that not the dream? The castor oil in this edge control prevents it from drying out your scalp or causing breakage to your fragile baby hairs.
Why we love it:I honestly cannot praise this edge-tamer enough. It fulfills its 24 hours maximum hold promise, so you can use it when you have a long day ahead. You can go from work to a girl’s night out without worrying about re-laying your edges.
Our Final Rating: This edge tamer deserves a massive 10/10! If you haven’t tried it out, this is your sign to get one.
Alikay Naturals Lemon grass Edge Gel
This edge gel promises to hold down our edges with extreme hold, with no flaking, hardening, or melting. It has a smooth, almost runny texture that makes it easy to blend into your edges and sleek it down. It provides a great hold while adding a special kind of sheen to your edges to elevate your overall look.
Why we love it : Although the Alikay Naturals edge gel doesn’t have such a stronghold, it works best when you’re rocking box braids or cornrows because you have lesser baby hairs to worry about. I love lemongrass, but not everyone does. If you’re not a fan of lemongrass, this one might not be for you.
Our Final Rating: Overall, the edge gel has a medium hold that is not bad when compared to others. The texture is quite sticky, so using it in small amounts will go a long way. I’ll give it an 8/10.
Mixed Chicks Styling Tamer
This edge control is infused with castor and coconut oil to prevent hair loss and promote healthy coily hair. It works as a great styling gel for when you want a very sleek look.
Unlike most edge controls, it does not have a sticky feel, so it easily slides on your coarse hair like butter. The customer reviews highlighted its ability to still keep your edges laid even in areas with high humidity.
Why we love it:The fact that it’s not sticky is enough for us to love it! Will it do its job of taming your edges? Absolutely! After a few hours, your edges might lift off, but other than that, it does a fine job of allowing you to be versatile with your style. It is also very affordable.
Our Final Rating: I’ll give this one an 8/10, but overall, it is an amazing product for curly hair. No flaking, no white residue, and no unruly flyaways on the side of your edges.
Mane Choice Laid Back Edge Control
Mane Choice is a trendy brand on social media; thanks to their exceptional hair products, their edge control is worth checking out. When you have had your hair in a protective style for a while, this is the best solution for bringing it back to life.
It adds a unique shine and luster to your edges and infuses jojoba oil and vitamin E to reduce hair loss around your hairline.
Why we love it: The Mane Choice Laid Back edge control has a thick texture but doesn’t flake. Black women and natural hair enthusiasts who have used it say that it is long-lasting and withstands humidity.
Our Final Rating: The texture is thick, so it’s best to dampen hair before use. The only problem is damp 4C hair means shrinkage, so there are better choices for days when you don’t want to wet your hair. I’ll give this one a 7/10.
The best edge control Products
The best products have 3 main qualities; long-lasting hold, no flaking, and no white residue. However, the white residue is sometimes due to product buildup on your hair.
As long as you follow the necessary steps to maintain clean hair even when you have braids on, you won’t have to worry about that. For best results when using any edge control, tie it with a satin scarf and let it sit for at least 5 minutes.
Which one of these edge controls would you be trying out first?
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