Hair Wax Stick

Make You Own Hair Wax Stick

Hair wax sticks are a popular styling product, and this recipe is a simple way to make your own at home with great results.

These sticks are a convenient, mess-free way to achieve a sleek, slicked-back style with a smooth, professional finish.

The formula uses castor oil and beeswax as the base. Castor oil is thick and sticky, helping to provide hold while also being nourishing for the hair and scalp. Beeswax gives the stick its structure — firm yet flexible — and delivers the main styling power.

To enhance the performance, we’ve included conditioner pellets (BTMS 25) for extra solidity and light conditioning benefits, and Polysorbate 80, which helps the product wash out more easily. While Polysorbate 80 is optional, it can be useful in wax-based formulations where washability is important.

Formula

Makes 100g - Use our Batch Size Calculator and the percentages provided here to easily adjust the volume of your batch.

Phase A

30% | 30g Castor Oil
30% | 30g NZ Organic Beeswax
14% | 14g Sunflower Oil
10% | 10g Conditioner Pellets (BTMS 25)
10% | 10g Polysorbate 80
5% | 5g Candelilla Wax

Phase B

1% | 1g Vitamin E

Method

Weigh and combine all Phase A ingredients. Melt using a double boiler or direct heat. If using direct heat, stir constantly to avoid scorching.
Gently heat until all waxes are fully melted.
Remove from heat and add Phase B. Stir to combine.
Pour into your chosen tube(s) and leave to set.
Tip: A hole may form in the centre as the wax cools. To avoid this, keep a little of your mixture aside, gently rewarm it, and use it to top up once the stick has set.

To Use

With hair tied back, run the stick backwards from your face to smooth down frizz, flyaways, and loose hairs for a sleek finish.

Tubes

These can be poured into:

Large kraft tubes
Small kraft tubes
Lip balm tubes (great for excess product, travel, or even taming eyebrows)

Note: Large kraft tubes can sometimes be tricky to push up once set. If this happens, warm the sides gently with a hairdryer or a hot flannel to loosen the product.

Keep in mind all these tubes hold different amounts of product, so once you make your decision use our Batch Size Calculator to adjust the size of your batch accordingly.

Substitutions

Beeswax: Any beeswax works. We used white for a more neutral look. For a vegan option, use sunflower or rice bran wax, but you may need to tweak ratios as these are harder.
Sunflower Oil: A neutral, inexpensive choice. Swap for other nourishing oils like amla, argan, baobab, or broccoli. You can mix different oils as long as they add up to 14%.
Polysorbate 80: Optional. If not included, replace with more castor oil.
Candelilla Wax: Can be swapped for more beeswax or another wax. The solidity of the stick may change.
Scent: Leave unscented for a clean finish, or add 0.5% fragrance or essential oils (check dermal limits). Add with Vitamin E in Phase B.