When switching your hair products to all-natural versions, don’t forget about homemade hair gel! Hair gel is a must for many people who want their look to last all day. Ingredients in hair gel from the store include so many toxins, but this version uses a simple kitchen ingredient to give you a flexible yet firm hold.
Bonus: My simple recipe smells terrific, thanks to essential oils! Stock your cupboard with this non-toxic staple. You won’t regret making an all natural hair gel!
Table of Contents:
Hair Care Toxins
Alcohol
Alcohol is added to hair gel to help soften the hair and water down the formula. Alcohol is one ingredient I knew I did not want to add to this DIY! This ingredient may work short-term, but as a hair styling product it weakens the hair by stripping the follicle of its natural oils over time. This is because alcohol evaporates fast, and as it disappears, it takes much-needed moisture with it. If your hair needs a little extra softening, I recommend adding aloe vera gel to your mixture. It works well and doesn’t strip the hair!
Synthetic Fragrance
Synthetic fragrances are in almost every beauty product on the market, including styling gels, and they cause a myriad of issues. Most people find that they’re allergic to at least one of the many components that fall under the fragrance label.
These allergic reactions range from skin rashes to migraines. Some fragrance ingredients can cause more severe damage, including neurological issues like MS, auto-immune disorders, and seizures.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to tell what elements are used in your current hair gel product, as the FDA has created a legal loophole that allows companies to keep their ingredients hidden.
Why DIY?
With all the current hair gel products on the market, you may be wondering why you should take the extra steps to DIY. DIYing hair gel may take a little more of your time, but the basic ingredients are inexpensive compared to many all-natural brands. 3
For less than the cost of one quality bottle of gel, you can make 3 or 4 batches! Or, if you want to switch things up, you can use those beneficial ingredients to make another recipe that actually helps your hair.
DIYs are incredibly customizable, whereas storebought gels are not. It would be difficult to purchase a hair gel that clarifies the scalp, soothes scalp inflammation, lends additional moisture, tames frizzy hair, and has a firm hold, yet your homemade flaxseed hair gel can make it happen with the right essential oils!
You can also customize the thickness of this recipe depending on how long you cook it in hot water, add aloe vera gel, or even include some carrot seed oil to help protect your hair from the sun! The options are endless.
Last, when you DIY your products, you know just what is in them—no more Googling every ingredient to see if it’s suitable! You know you’re getting a natural product, because you made it yourself.
You know that you’re not being duped into toxins that hide behind a general label. Bonus: When you have ingredients to DIY, you don’t have to worry that your favorite hair products aren’t in stock!
Homemade Hair Gel Ingredients
This DIY contains simple ingredients that create gorgeous hairstyles! Whether you want to enhance your natural waves or create fun spikes, this homemade hair gel recipe will do the trick.
Water
Whenever possible, I recommend using purified or distilled water. Tap water contains many toxins linked to obesity, congenital birth disorders, and more.
To make purifying water simple, you can install an in-home water filtration system. There is such peace of mind knowing that your home is totally toxin-free!
Flaxseed
This is the secret ingredient that gives our hair gel its “gel,” so to speak. The best part? You can reuse the seeds for multiple batches!
You may want to experiment with the cooking time of this recipe. The longer you let it simmer, the thicker it gets.
A thinner gel gives your locks a flexible hold, while a thicker product will give your hair a firm hold. Hairstyles that could benefit from a thicker formula include:
- Curly hair
- Men’s hairstyles, such as spiked hair or fo-hawks
- Damaged or frizzy hair
- Permed hair
Essential Oils
Essential oils are the cherry on top of a fantastic DIY! You have many options to choose from. Here’s some inspirations for which essential oils you can add a couple of drops of to get you started with homemade healthy hair:
- For all hair types: rosemary, sage, or rose
- For oily hair: lemon, bergamot, or tea tree
- For dry hair or to treat dandruff: lavender, sandalwood, or geranium
- To stimulate growth: peppermint or rosemary
Magnesium Gel
Magnesium is an excellent supplement for your body, and it does wonders for hair! This mineral helps clarify the scalp, and it promotes hair growth.
Magnesium gel goes deep into hair follicles, literally dissolving excess buildup from hard water.
One study showed that participants who increased magnesium levels experienced over 50% increase in hair regrowth! This ingredient is also a lot easier on your wallet than traditional hair growth treatments.
Organic, Fair-Trade Sugar
A touch of sugar gives your product extra hold. I use this trick in my homemade hair spray as well! Don’t worry; this DIY leaves your hair soft, not sticky.
Vitamin E Oil
This homemade hair gel doesn’t contain any natural preservatives. This is great for your health, but sometimes you want a product with a longer shelf life. Adding a little vitamin E oil extends the life of your hair gel and gives your hair extra shine. To use as a natural preservative, I recommend Vitamin E that isn’t diluted with jojoba oil for this recipe.
Make Homemade Hair Gel Recipe
Making homemade hair gel isn’t as difficult as you would think! This gel comes together in minutes with just warm water, flax seeds, and your favorite essential oils.
Homemade Hair Gel With Essential Oils
Ingredients
- 2 cups purified OR distilled water
- ¼ cup flaxseed
- 1 tablespoon organic, fair-trade sugar
- 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
- 1 tablespoon Magnesium gel
- Essential oils *
Instructions
- In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the distilled water, flaxseed, and sugar to a boil.
- Once the mixture is boiling, turn down to low and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the gel reaches desired thickness.
- Remove from heat. Using a fine mesh strainer placed over a glass jar, strain the gel to remove seeds. Alternately, you can place the mixture in a nylon sock and squeeze it to extract the gel.
- Stir in vitamin E oil, magnesium gel, and essential oils.
- Use as you would any other hair gel. Store in the refrigerator. Your hair gel will last 2-3 weeks. If it starts to smell off, it is unusable.
Notes
Step One: Boil The Flaxseed
In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the 2 cups of water (distilled), brown flax seeds, and sugar to a boil.
Step Two: Let The Gel Thicken
Once the mixture is boiling, turn the hot water mixture to low and let simmer for 10- 15 minutes, or until the gel reaches desired thickness. You’ll see a bit of foam on the top, and your gel will coat your whisk when ready.
Step Three: Strain The Flaxseed
Remove from heat. Using a fine mesh strainer placed over a glass jar, strain the gel to remove seeds. Alternatively, you can place the mixture in a nylon sock and squeeze it to extract the gel.
Step Four: Add Essential Oil
Stir in vitamin E oil, magnesium gel, and essential oils to enhance the beneficial properties you desire.
Step Five: Store Your Homemade Hair Gel
Use as you would any other hair gel. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Your hair gel will last 2-3 weeks. If it starts to smell off, it is unusable.
Part of building a natural lifestyle is looking for alternatives to unhealthy products. You can keep your curly girl system with this homemade flaxseed hair gel recipe to get the best of both worlds.
-
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26354370/
- https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-labeling/trade-secretingredients
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3509882/
