Homemade Hair Gel

[CaraLynn]

I read this recipe online and decided to try it---it worked! It smelled good and held my wild frizzy waves/curls like a rock.

1 tsp. of unflavored gelatin to 1 C. warm water, and essential oils if you wish to make it smell better.

[Lélie]

Good idea to make your own gel ! :)

I'm not really fan of gelatin, so i did mine with flaxseed, and it works perfectly !!

[LoveMyLongHair]

Good idea to make your own gel ! :)

I'm not really fan of gelatin, so i did mine with flaxseed, and it works perfectly !!

I may be a ditz, but can you please clarify, Flaxseed.........oil, or? Please help me, I don't use gelatin for personal reasons and would love to try the flax version. Thank you both for posting this, this is AWESOME!!:D

[Fractalsofhair]

For flax seed gel, you normally boil it(in a cloth bag or something?) in some water, and let it gel up. Not sure of the proportions though.

[Lélie]

Fractalsofhair is right : this is called mucilage

I put in a pan :
- 50 grams of flaxseed
- 1/2 litre of water
I put the cooker on, then wait for it to boil, lower the cooker, and let it boil 2 to 5 minutes without stiring, and stop the cooker.

The next step is the worst : filter it !!
The only way is to use an cloth hankerchief or any pièce of clean clothes to filter. When it's still very hot, put the clothe above a big cup (easier to ask someone to hold it), then pour the liquid slowly. After the liquid, there will be more and more seeds, once you've pour everything and you have a lot of seeds in the cloth, just gather all the cloth around the seeds and squeeze it hard to extract as much gel as possible.

Put it in a bottle, let is cool a bit, then you can add some more things.

I add
- 8 drops of glycerin
- 15 drops of preservative (not necessary if you keep it in the fridge)
- 5 drops of mint EO and 10 of sage EO (for my BF because he tends to loose hair and loves the smell of it !)

Voilà !! :)

[LoveMyLongHair]

Whoa..............thank you..........doing the happy dance!! :cheese:

[ravenreed]

I made flax seed gel but it got flaky in my hair. Is there any way to prevent that?

[Atlantic]

Fractalsofhair is right : this is called mucilage

I put in a pan :
- 50 grams of flaxseed
- 1/2 litre of water
I put the cooker on, then wait for it to boil, lower the cooker, and let it boil 2 to 5 minutes without stiring, and stop the cooker.

The next step is the worst : filter it !!

I avoid the filtering step by tying the flaxseed in a section of (clean) old pantyhose before boiling it, leaving plenty of room for the seeds to swell as well.

[OhMyCurlz]

The gelatin idea has always given me massive flakes. A LONG time ago GypsyCurls (I think that was her username) made a recipe called Jojoba Jelly that was
4 oz aloe juice
1 oz jojoba oil
1 oz veggie glycerine
and 1/4 - 1/2 tsp of xantham gum that was supposed to be a kinky curly alternative and duplicate of Kinky-Curly's old Jojoba Jelly. I hate KCCC (for more reasons that one) but I found this to be a decent gel with good hold. It's a must that you use a leave-in under it or possibly a cream over it. :cheese:Either way....it does make a good cheap natural and easy homemade recipe for a curly gel.

[Lélie]

Ravenreed, i can't think of an explanation ... that's weird ! Do you put seeds only in your gel ?

I know aloe vera gel is great for hair gel, but the price if you use it often ... wow !!

[Lélie]

OhMyCurlz,

I use the same ingredients for my hair, but mixed with water in a spray bottle :D

[lilalong]

Very interesting. I have often only used straight aloe gel on my hair.

[OhMyCurlz]

Cool. Does it give you definition without the xantham? I tried pectin once and hated how it made gels feel gooey and flaked so easily. Xantham is a flaker too, but not as badly.
OhMyCurlz,

I use the same ingredients for my hair, but mixed with water in a spray bottle :D

[Lélie]

The gelatin idea has always given me massive flakes. A LONG time ago GypsyCurls (I think that was her username) made a recipe called Jojoba Jelly that was
4 oz aloe juice
1 oz jojoba oil
1 oz veggie glycerine
and 1/4 - 1/2 tsp of xantham gum that was supposed to be a kinky curly alternative and duplicate of Kinky-Curly's old Jojoba Jelly. I hate KCCC (for more reasons that one) but I found this to be a decent gel with good hold. It's a must that you use a leave-in under it or possibly a cream over it. :cheese:Either way....it does make a good cheap natural and easy homemade recipe for a curly gel.

I use aloe or (most of the time coz it's cheaper !) flaxseed gel, oil, glycerin, but no gum. I get definition, yes ! Well, enough for me anyway ! :D

[vital.]

There’s 3 levels of ‘hold’ here:

Level 1, Smoothing Serum
“You want your hair to stay soft and silky, but dry air and static cling are seriously cramping your style.”

No problem! Just apply a small dollop of pure Vitamin E Oil to the center of your palm. Rub your hands together, and then run both palms over your hair, starting at the roots and moving down. A little goes a long way, and don’t use too much or it’ll end up looking oily. For split or dry ends, apply a bit more E directly to the tips.

Level 2, Light Hold
“You’re looking to keep that ponytail in place or set those bangs, despite the blustery wind waiting for you outside.”

For a little bit of action, Vitamin E isn’t enough. You’ll need to get your hands on some pure (99%) Aloe Vera Gelly. Apply it straight, just like you would with any store bought hair product. It’ll offer a gentle hold that won’t look gummy or gunked-up.

Level 3, Hard Helmet
“You like it spikey, pomped, or hawked. You require some serious hold in order to achieve your aesthetic of choice, perfect for the active lifestyle of an activist like you! If only it weren’t made from beeswax or gelatin . . .”

Never fear, my dears – Seaweed is here! The Bonzai Hair Hold is made from Aloe Vera Gel and Japanese Agar Agar. Derived from seaweed, agar is common in foods like jelly desserts, and is also the culture medium used in most bio labs (which is where I first encountered it). It is sold in thin sheets or flakes and is available at health food stores, ethnic markets, or online. Don’t be alarmed by the initial investment – a little goes a looooong way, and a bag will last you for years.

For a ‘normal hold’ hair gel, use the Agar Agar at the concentration listed on the package. For an even tougher product (perhaps to take on your liberty spikes?), you can mix up a batch at 150% or 200% concentration.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Agar Agar (concentration of choice)
1/4 cup Aloe Vera Gelly
10 (+/-) drops Essential Oil of choice (for aroma only)

Instructions:
Prepare 1/2 cup of Agar Agar as instructed on the package, usually by simmering and stirring. When all the agar flakes are dissolved, remove from heat and whisk in the Aloe Vera and Essential Oil. Transfer the solution to a container of your choice and refrigerate, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Once the agar is set, you’re good to go! Store the in bathroom as normal.

This stuff is awesome, I’ve been using it to set my mess for about a week, with absolutely no complaints. I love it, and I’m so glad to share it with you!

[OhMyCurlz]

Cool recipe! I may have to experiment with this one....

There’s 3 levels of ‘hold’ here:

Level 1, Smoothing Serum
“You want your hair to stay soft and silky, but dry air and static cling are seriously cramping your style.”

No problem! Just apply a small dollop of pure Vitamin E Oil to the center of your palm. Rub your hands together, and then run both palms over your hair, starting at the roots and moving down. A little goes a long way, and don’t use too much or it’ll end up looking oily. For split or dry ends, apply a bit more E directly to the tips.

Level 2, Light Hold
“You’re looking to keep that ponytail in place or set those bangs, despite the blustery wind waiting for you outside.”

For a little bit of action, Vitamin E isn’t enough. You’ll need to get your hands on some pure (99%) Aloe Vera Gelly. Apply it straight, just like you would with any store bought hair product. It’ll offer a gentle hold that won’t look gummy or gunked-up.

Level 3, Hard Helmet
“You like it spikey, pomped, or hawked. You require some serious hold in order to achieve your aesthetic of choice, perfect for the active lifestyle of an activist like you! If only it weren’t made from beeswax or gelatin . . .”

Never fear, my dears – Seaweed is here! The Bonzai Hair Hold is made from Aloe Vera Gel and Japanese Agar Agar. Derived from seaweed, agar is common in foods like jelly desserts, and is also the culture medium used in most bio labs (which is where I first encountered it). It is sold in thin sheets or flakes and is available at health food stores, ethnic markets, or online. Don’t be alarmed by the initial investment – a little goes a looooong way, and a bag will last you for years.

For a ‘normal hold’ hair gel, use the Agar Agar at the concentration listed on the package. For an even tougher product (perhaps to take on your liberty spikes?), you can mix up a batch at 150% or 200% concentration.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Agar Agar (concentration of choice)
1/4 cup Aloe Vera Gelly
10 (+/-) drops Essential Oil of choice (for aroma only)

Instructions:
Prepare 1/2 cup of Agar Agar as instructed on the package, usually by simmering and stirring. When all the agar flakes are dissolved, remove from heat and whisk in the Aloe Vera and Essential Oil. Transfer the solution to a container of your choice and refrigerate, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Once the agar is set, you’re good to go! Store the in bathroom as normal.

This stuff is awesome, I’ve been using it to set my mess for about a week, with absolutely no complaints. I love it, and I’m so glad to share it with you!

[OhMyCurlz]

I've never used flaxseed before, is it the texture of aloe juice?
I use aloe or (most of the time coz it's cheaper !) flaxseed gel, oil, glycerin, but no gum. I get definition, yes ! Well, enough for me anyway ! :D

[Lélie]

Yes, it's very similar :)

[earthnut]

Pure gelatin can make some people's hair stiff and brittle, because it's pure protein. Fine and/or porous hair may love it, otherwise you may want to use a different homemade gel. :)

Any liquid oil can work as a gloss.