Organic Hair Gel: Surprisingly AWESOME!

Concerned about chemicals in your hair and scalp? I was! But since my hair is so high maintenance, I was convinced nothing homemade would help it out! I had a pretty strict process to go through in order to keep it looking decent. First off, I only shampooed once every three days. Curly hair is very dry, you see, and over-stripping it of oils on a daily basis is not healthy. Many Curlies prefer the once a week washing, but I really can't stand it that long. Then came the moussing and hairspray, air drying with clips, more moussing, a little cream here and there, and much, much more hairspray. Then, every morning that I did not wash it, I had to reapply more mousse and more hairspray. I had gotten used to the "daily grind," but my lungs were not too happy with me.

I came upon this website that really lifted the veil on how bad my "beauty" products really were. I think I have shared it before, but just in case, check it out HERE! You can enter all your products (be sure it's spelled correctly; it doesn't have spell-check and doesn't "did you mean" your search) and see how it is rated on a scale of 0 to 10, 10 being the most toxic for you. It will even tell you how cancerous it is, if it causes infertility, and much more. All of my products rated between 4 and 6, and yes, my hairspray was slowly stuffing my lungs with toxins. Needless to say, all of that information really made me reconsider the whole natural hair care route.

I did quite a bit of research, and it seemed the best thing for curly girls was flax seed gel. Who would have thought you could style your hair with flax seed? Flax seeds have been used for ages for all kinds of health benefits. Normally, they are ground and eaten. Check out some of the benefits on this PAGE, and HERE, too. If you eat them, it's actually good for hair growth. I'm not sure how well it transfers from using it as hair gel, but I'm guessing it's still really really good for your hair, considering it has so much omega-3s, fibers, and even lignans which may prevent cancer. SO much better than cancer-causing products in stores!

Well anyway, I was skeptical, but tried it anyway. It's really very cheap to make. I bought a huge bag at a local grocery store for about $3; this will last me close to a year. My mousse of choice alone was almost $5, and it lasted maybe two months. I was pretty excited about saving some money! In my searching, it seemed there were so many variations to this recipe, but the same basic ratio of water to flax seeds, so I came up with my own recipe using this ratio.

People, THIS, STUFF, WORKS! I was thrilled! I use so much less, and it holds so amazingly well! It's not crunchy, flaky, or sticky. My hair is even curlier, most likely because it's not being weighed down by so much product. My hair is like a two-year old being freed from their clothes after a long day! Yes, I suppose my hair is happier because it is somewhat "naked." It's more natural! It feels softer and healthier! You have got to try this for yourself! Especially if you have any natural wave or curl; you will love the results!

Here's the recipe:

• 2 C. Water
• 1/2 C. Golden Flax Seed (I have heard dark brown will provide a firmer hold)
• 1 Tbs. 100% Aloe Vera Gel (optional; adds extra moisture & thickens it a bit)
• 2-3 Drops of Essential Oil of choice (I used orange)
• 1 tsp. Vitamin E Oil (optional; natural preservative)
• 1 Tbs. Coconut Oil (optional; although it's extremely healthy for your hair)

Make sure you have a very fine wire mesh strainer, and a bowl deep enough that the strainer can sit on the top, leaving a few inches of space from the bottom.

Pour the seeds & water into a pot on the stove-top; do not heat the water first. Over low to medium heat, gently bring to a rolling boil. Make sure you are constantly watching the seeds and stirring them often. If you don't watch it close, the seeds will stick to the bottom, and your gel will become extremely thick. Once a frothy gel-like substance forms on the top, turn off the heat. Continue stirring a few times around, but don't wait too long.

Place the strainer over your bowl and pour the mixture through. You may need to stir the seeds around and/or press the gel through, depending on how thick your gel is. I actually had to make two batches before I figured out the right consistency; the first time I made it so thick that the gel wouldn't pass through the strainer. If that is the case, you have cooked it too long.

Let it cool a little, and then add your other ingredients. I added the coconut oil while it was still warm, so it would melt the oil, since it is solid at room temperature. There are now little balls of coconut in my gel, but it melts as soon as it touches your skin, and it adds great moisture and shine to your hair. I also whisked it all together at this point, just for a smoother integration of all the ingredients.

Using a funnel, pour your new hair gel into a squeeze bottle. Can you tell my label is not water-proof? That's something to work on. Since it is all natural, you will want to keep this in the fridge, as it will not last too long. In the fridge, and with the vitamin E oil, you will get about 2 to 3 weeks out of it.

You apply as you normally would, however, I have learned to apply in "scrunch mode," instead of combing it through with my fingers. By scrunching it, you get thicker clumps of curls, and combing through with fingers makes smaller curls. So it's your choice.

I hope you try it out and enjoy it!

My new regimen also includes all natural shampoo from Cal Ben. It's made from coconut oil, shea butter fat, and vegetable protein conditioner. It's awesome, guys! Try it out for yourself and see!

CLICK HERE FOR CAL BEN