Twisting Gel

Since all hair types are different, we've experimented with different varities of home homemade hair gel.  This one contains flaxseeds. 

Flaxseed has many benefits for hair, as a gel it provides hold without crunch or dryness, moisture, softness and shine.  It's also all natural, the seeds are reusable.

It is one of the worlds oldest known crops.  It contains Omega-3 which makes it great for nourishing hair and skin.  Along with anti-inflammatory properties, it can help promote hair growth.  As a gel, it’s a very inexpensive and healthy way to style hair for wash-n-go’s, twist outs and smoothing edges for up-dos/ponytails.  Unlike many store bought gels, it’s all natural and will not dry out your hair or cause flaking, instead it actually adds softness, shine, and moisture with its hold!  It also helps to define your curls without the “crunchiness” you can experience with those manufactured gels.

This gel provides a little extra hold and definition for twist outs and has some added ingredients to make it the perfect curling, holding, moisturizing DIY product, perfect for twists.

For other hair gels to try:
Easy Hair Gel
Natural Hair Gel


INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Flaxseeds
2 cups water
1/2 cup Shea Butter (softened/melted)*
1/4 cup Aloe Vera Gel
1 tbsp Safflower Oil (or substitute for favourite carrier oil)
1 tbsp Almond Oil (or substitute for favourite carrier oil)
1 tbsp Honey (optional, if have bee allergies)
1 tsp Vegetable Glycerin*
10 drops Lavender Essential Oil
5 drops Grapefruit Essential Oil 

*Notes: 
The Shea Butter could also be substituted for a different type (avocado butter blends super well) or leave out the butter all together if you want a lighter product.  
If you live in a dry climate and/or during dry winter months, you may want to leave out the vegetable glycerin as it may make your hair dry 

DIRECTIONS:

1. In advance, have on the side a pair of tongs, a wide mouth glass jar and a cut stocking or strainer to strain out your gel.
2. Bring water and flaxseed to a boil.  
3. Allow to boil for about 5 minutes or until you see a white froth start to form along with thickening of your solution.
4. Carefully pour solution through strainer or stocking into glass jar.  Since the gel is thick and hot, use a pair of tongs to carefully squeeze out the gel from stocking sack of gelatinous seeds.  
5. Combine 1/2 Gel mixture with Shea Butter, Aloe Vera Gel, Safflower Oil, Almond Oil, Honey, Vegetable Glycerin, Lavender and Grapefruit Essential Oil.
6. At room temperature add Aloe Vera Gel.
7. Whip ingredients on medium-high until the texture is creamy.
8. Pour in glass jar.
9. Store in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator!

To use:  
1. Wash, condition and de-tangle hair.  Separated into sections.  
2. Make small twists.  
3. Take smaller sections from larger sections and lightly mist the individual small section with a blend of water and oil.  
4. Then, add about quarter sized amount of twisting gel from roots to tips and twist that section. 
5. Repeat working through each larger section of hair, until all of the hair is twisted.
6. Allow twists to stay in for a whole day before untwisting.  
7. To untwist, coat hands in a little coconut oil and individually pulled apart each twist into 2-3 sections.  
8. Hair will feel less heavy as the gel maintains the shape of the twists without drying out the hair.