In my early to mid 20s I had a long love affair with hair gel and mousse. They were my favorite go to products when I wanted to get that coveted “wet look” that was so in back then. I was seriously hooked on Stiff Stuff. There, I said it. Unfortunately, I did not become informed on the dangerous ingredients found in styling and beauty products until much later in my womanhood. I was painfully made aware of their damaging effect on my reproductive health when I decided to start a family. I often think back on the many health sacrifices I made, all for the sake of looking good.
According to the Environmental Working Group the most toxic styling gels contain cetereth-25, methylparaben, PEG-8 Methicone, PEG-7 Glyceryl cocoate, and fragrance. Of all the ingredients listed, fragrance is one of the most harmful. According to Environmental Working Group, fragrance has moderate evidence of human neurotoxicity. Other ingredients have evidence of neuroticism, allergies or immunosystem toxicity, organ system toxicity and biochemical or cellular level changes. The most toxic hair styling gel on the database is Pantene Pro-V Frizz Control Treatment. One ingredient listed is DMDM Hydantoin, which, among other known hazards, is a human skin toxicant.
Fortunately for me and my children, I know better now. And as they say, “when you know better you do better”. Yes, knowledge (when applied) IS power! So today, I am going to share with you how you can very easily make your own hair gel using two natural ingredients, <strong>at a fraction of the cost</strong> when compared to toxic commercial gels. This gel is great for ALL hair types, but especially for those with curly, frizzy or natural hair.
If you are a DIYer you already know that making your own products at home can be very rewarding. Doing so can have a positive effect on our health and on the environment because as we reduce the amount of chemicals we put into our bodies, we also reduce the amount of chemicals being released into the atmosphere and consequently, into our water supply. And this is definitely a good thing! So I do hope you give this simple recipe a try.
What you will need:
¼ organic raw flax seeds*
2 cups of filtered/spring water
white knee-high stocking
small pot
spoon
thongs
glass jar
(optional) herbs (I am using fresh Rosemary here, but you do not have to use herbs at all. If you would like to use herbs but do not have access to fresh herbs you can use an herbal tea bag of your choice).
(optional) You will note that I am also enhancing my gel by adding 1 tsp of jojoba oil, 1 tsp of castor oil, ¼ tsp Vitamin E, ¼ tsp of Rosemary essential oil. (*Make sure you get raw, unflavored flax seeds that have not been toasted or flavored with spices.)
How to make gel:
Step 1. Take ¼ cup of organic raw flax seeds and 2 cups of filtered/spring water and place in small saucepan on stove over medium-high heat.
Bring to a rolling boil.
Once it starts to boil stir and turn down low and allow to simmer.
Step 2. You will notice that the liquid will start to thicken. Continue cooking for an additional 5 min. The gel will get even thicker once it cools, so a runny consistency while it's still on the pot works well for me.
If your hair is extremely curly, you may find it easier to apply a looser gel. Go ahead and take the gel off of the heat while it is still runny. Conversely, if your hair is not curly, let the gel thicken as much as you want. It will provide a stiffer hold if you let it get thick.
Step 3. Affix knee-high around the container you will store gel in (we prefer to use a glass jar)and pour the gel onto the opening of the stocking.
Use thongs to squeeze excess gel through stocking. If you do not have thongs you can use your clean hands so long as the gel has been allowed to cool a bit for you to handle without burning yourself. Continue straining until you've gotten as much of the gel through the stocking as you can. Do not throw away the seeds. You can (1) get one more use out of them by doing a second batch when this one is done. Simply place seeds in a small container in the fridge until ready to use, (2) if you are a foodie, you can make flax seed crackers by dehydrating them in your recipe or (3) you can use them on your compost pile.
Step 4 (Optional) You can customize the gel (as I have done) by adding other healing and moisturizing ingredients.
Not only did I add fresh Rosemary to the pot to infuse the gel, but I added Vitamin E, jojoba oil, castor oil and Rosemary essential oil. Rosemary is an excellent herb and essential oil to add because it is known to strengthen and condition hair strands, it stimulates hair growth and increases circulation to scalp, softens and increases shine, thickens hair strands, prevents premature graying and baldness, relieves itchy and irritated scalp and dandruff. Other essential oils that we love to use which have beneficial properties for the scalp are tea tree, lavender and eucalyptus. Make sure that you whisk any additives well into the gel so that they are distributed throughout.
Step 5. Place your container in the refrigerator. If refrigerated, the gel will keep for approximately 2.5 weeks. Use on dry hair or smooth it through wet hair after a shower.
This gel is so gentle and healing that I even use it on my 5 year old with great results. Just knowing that this hair gel contains ingredients you can actually pronounce and virtually consume with no ill effects, should motivate you to make it AND use it with great confidence!
No comments:
Post a Comment