We have the pleasure of interviewing Clayton Douds creator of O'Douds All Natural grooming products out of Houston, TX. 

Mr. Pomade: What is the one spark that made you go "That's it, I'm going to make a pomade myself."?

Clayton: First off, thanks so much for interviewing me, you were my first distributor so I am eternally grateful to you for that.

I started really because I wanted a pomade that was perfect for me, I think that's why most of us started. There were one maybe two natural pomades around at the time (that I know of anyways)and they didn't really work for me. I have a strong dedication to using natural ingredients, I think it is important for the earth and your health. On top of that, using natural ingredients proves a completely unique experience, it is noticeably healthier for your hair, in my experience anyways. So with all that in mind, I figured it would be fun to make and sell a few jars. I even remember your first order for 24 jars, I was pretty panicked, haha!

Mr. P: You and your wife have ventured from pomade to beard oil, even going to cologne, soap and more.

Clayton: Right, we just released a lot of new products, and I am so excited for the expansion! We added: Cologne, Soap, Shave Cream, Mustache Wax and some new Candles. It has been awesome formulating these products, and they are way different than what you may expect, so I am stoked to hear what people think.

Mr. P: You just stepped into the water based pomade market. Was that out of curiosity, demand, or simply variety for the customer?

Clayton: Really all of the above! At the time I only knew of one company (Anchors) that produced WB pomade themselves, so I was very interested in trying my hand at that. Also, there didn't seem to be any all natural WB products on the market, so I knew I had to at least try my best to work something up, and it worked!

Mr. P: What is the best way to apply and the best way to remove non-water based O'Douds Pomade?

Clayton: Well for application, just make sure to work it evenly into your hands and hair. Don’t use too much at once, it is very important (for any pomade) that you don’t get all of the pomade in one spot of your hair. Just add more if you need it. For removing it, any soap will do. It will take-2-3 washes to remove it completely, but I never I do that. I also try to use natural soap, just because cheap soap can be pretty harsh on your hair.

Mr. P: Have there been any road blocks in the production of any products? If so, what and how did you get past them?

Clayton: That would probably be an understatement, haha! Every product comes with a unique set of difficulties, it is just a matter of pushing through them. Soap for example is a tough thing to conquer, there are a lot of steps that go into it, it can be pretty dangerous, and then you have to wait 3-5 weeks before you can use it. We also just recently got a decent size space dedicated to the company, so that has helped a ton.

Mr. P: At what point did you decide to make O'Douds pomade your full time occupation, and what was your previous?

Clayton: I guess it was 3-4 months ago now. At first I was unsure, and hesitant, but thankfully I had a supportive wife, friends and family who helped me make the commitment. It really came out of necessity, with the WB on the horizon, I knew there was no way I could get everything done while working another job. Before going full-time, I was a manager at a burrito place called Freebirds, sort of like Chipotle. It was a great job, filled with a ton of awesome people.

Mr. P: There has been a collab can with Edwin of Pomps Not Dead and James AKA The Pomp. Ever think of doing another collaboration and what did you think of the first ones success?

Clayton: Yes, that was a ton of fun! We thought we were going to have too many leftovers, and instead we ended up selling out in 2 days, it was crazy. As far as other collabs, James and I have been discussing working up an “un-orthodox” WB pomade, so that may be something to look forward to.

Mr. P: Aside from brewing, what are some things that you and your wife enjoy doing on your off time? who are the O'Douds?

Clayton: Oh man, lately O’Douds has been taking over, but there are a lot of things we enjoy doing. First is definitely food, we both love cooking and experiencing new things, so we are always finding excuses to cook new meals or go out to new places. Beyond that and a little cycling, we really just love spending time with friends.

Mr. P: What's one thing you would like people to know about your brand?

Clayton: I want people to know how much we appreciate them. To be able take O’Douds from a hobby to a career is such a blessing, and something that could not have been done without support. Thank you guys, and thanks Edgar for stocking our stuff.

Cheers,

Clayton Douds

www.odoudsallnatural.com