For many, hair gel is essential, especially for men or those with coarse hair. Thankfully nature does provide us with safer alternatives to commercial chemicals. This recipe is not only vegan, but it may actually help make hair healthier. Play around with it until you find a consistency that works well for you.
Homemade Hair Gel can be tinted and scented with natural ingredients like beet juice and essential oils.
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup raw flax seeds (linseed)
- 4 cups water
- ½ teaspoon hair conditioner (From recipe HERE. Or the conditioning carrier oil mentioned in recipe the same hair conditioner recipe.)
- 1 teaspoon Epsom salt or Epsom mixed with sea salt (Optional and best for oil-prone hair.)
- 1 teaspoon citric acid
- 30 drops essential oils of choice for scent and personal medicinal purposes (Citrus oils are better and provide preservative effects, too.)
Directions:
- Soak the seeds overnight to reduce cooking time and increase gel production.
- Bring seeds, water, and salt to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and burning.
- Stir constantly once it comes to a boil and continue stirring and boiling until it begins to turn very foamy and thick.
- Reduce heat to medium and continue stirring. When the seeds stop sinking to the bottom, the gel is ready. Remove from heat.
- Immediately dump gel in a mesh strainer suspended over a bowl and continue stirring until all of the gel is in the bowl.
- Scrape the gel from the pan and immediately wash it to prevent it from being near impossible to clean later.
- Once the mixture gel has cooled to half of room temperature, add the remaining ingredient in the order given until it is creamy and mixed thoroughly.
- Continue whisking the gel until all lumps are gone and it has the consistency of raw egg whites.
- Store in a tub, with a lid that seals, in the refrigerator. It should last several months without spoiling, if kept in the refrigerator.
Tips:
- Use as you would any commercial gel product, only remember that you will need more of it.
- Apply to dry or damp hair quite liberally, fully soaking hair with product.
- Add more product to increase stiffness or fluff hair out once dry to produce smooth waves, curls or messy tresses.
- Feel free to use a flat iron or diffuser with this product. Be warned, it is tough to clean from a flat iron, just like other gels.
