How to Make Flaxseed Gel to Style Curly Hair

Many gels available in shops contain a lot of chemicals that some people can be sensitive to. Negative points about ready made gels include ecological concerns relating to packaging, irritation due to chemicals and also the cost. Flaxseed gel can be a cheap and natural addition to your hair care routine.

What are Flaxseeds?

Flaxseeds are small seeds usually dark brown or golden yellow in colour and can be found in most health stores. Flaxseed oil has a yellow tinge with hardly any scent. The mucilage present in flaxseeds may be useful in treating conditions such as high cholesterol, rheumatoid arthritis, malaria and lupus. Scientists in Canada found that on average the oil is about 43 percent protein.

Naturally Curly Forum and Flaxseed Gel

Naturally Curly is a website created by Gretchen Heber and Michelle Breyer with the view to provide information, advice and tips for people with curly hair. With more than 225,000 monthly visitors and a vocal community on the forum a lot of advice can be found on the site about how to manage curly hair. Threads in the forum show ways of making flaxseed gel, tested flaxseed gel recipes and how to use the gel. Benefits include saving money, no use of potentially harmful chemicals and reducing the amount of packaging sent to landfill.

Flaxseed Gel Recipe

Many are making their own hair products, and flaxseed gel can be made easily.

Ingredients

One cup water
Quarter cup linseeds
Optional additions include alcohol, grapefruit seed extract, essentials oils (about 4 drops)

Method

Mix one cup of water to a quarter cup of flaxseeds and add to a pan.
Heat slowly, stirring often to stop seeds from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Continue to stir gently as water comes to a boil.
A frothy jelly will form and it is crucial to turn the heat down a little when seeds settle in the jelly rather than falling immediately to the bottom of the pan turn the heat off.
Carefully pour the liquid through a strainer over a bowl checking for any seeds that may have passed through.
Essential oils or preservative can be added at this point.
Mix the gel carefully adding any alcohol or preservatives to increase the shelf life of the gel.

Popular additions to flaxseed gel include grapefruit seed extract, essential oils with antiseptic qualities, honey and jojoba oil. Seeds can be saved for another batch of gel making it even more economical. This flaxseed gel should last for at least two weeks if kept in the refrigerator- even without preservatives.

Homemade flaxseed gel is an easy eco-friendly way to style curly hair. In addition to being cheap and easy to make it is popular with curly hair users due to the fact it doesn’t weigh hair down, dry it out or create flakiness.