Image Source: @naturallycurly
If you’re anything like I am, you probably have a bona fide love/hate relationship with hair gel. While, on one hand, you like how it gives your curls lots of definition and holding power (good”>, sometimes it can also make your hair feel stiff and crunchy (the absolute worst”>. And then, when you try and wash it out, you might notice that your hair feels really dry too (that’s usually thanks-but-no-thanks to the alcohol that’s in a lot of the more commercialized brands”>.
Still, on those super humid days when you want as little frizz as possible, you need at least a little bit of gel to keep every lock of hair in place. The solution? Homemade hair gel. The great thing about making some yourself is, not only are the ingredients better for your hair, but you can customize them to control the consistency of the gel itself. That way, if you need a batch that will give you a super hold (like the first recipe I’m about to share with you”> or something that is a bit more lightweight (like the DIY cream recipe that’s down towards the end”>, you can create the gel to you and your curly hair’s liking.
Are you ready to devote an hour or so on your next wash day to make and apply some hair gel? If so, here are six pretty easy to make recipes.
DIY Flax Seed Curly Hair Gel
- 2 cups of water
- 1/3 cup of flax seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon of 100% honey
- 1/2 teaspoon of shea butter
Pour the water and flax seeds into a small pot. Bring everything to a boil, all the while stirring the solution with a wooden spoon. Then immediately remove the pot from the heat (you don’t want the gel to get too thick”>. Put a strainer over a glass bowl so that you can separate the seeds from the gel you’ve just made. Let the gel cool for about 20 minutes or so, then add all of the other ingredients.
Store it in a glass container. Also, it’s best to use this after washing your hair and applying a leave-in conditioner. Put on some of the gel and either allow your tresses to air dry or braid it up, let it dry and then take the braids out for even more definition.
DIY Oatmeal Curly Hair Gel
- 2 cups of water
- 3 tablespoons of oatmeal
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil
For starters, pour the water and raw oats into a small pot. Turn your stove’s burner up to medium so that the oats boil completely. Stir with a wooden spoon until everything has a thickened velvet-like texture. Next, remove the pan from the heat so that you can strain the oats. Take an old pair of pantyhose (make sure they have no holes in them”> and place them over a glass container. Then slowly pour the contents over it, separating the oats and the gel. Add the olive oil, stir and let the gel cool down completely. It’s now ready to use.
DIY Aloe Vera Curly Hair Gel
- 1 cup of hot water
- 1/2 teaspoon of gelatin
- 1 tablespoon of 100 percent Aloe Vera gel
- 8-10 drops of geranium oil
Put the cup of hot water into your microwave for about 10 seconds. Add the gelatin into the cup, stirring the combo with a wooden spoon. Now it’s time to put it into your refrigerator for 4-5 hours so that the gelatin can turn into a gel-like consistency. Then take it out of the fridge and add all of the other ingredients, again stirring with a wooden spoon.
Transfer the gel into a plastic squeeze bottle. It’s best to apply to your hair when it’s damp.
DIY Okra Curly Hair Gel
- 5 pods of okra
- 2 cups of distilled water
- 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil
- 10 drops of Vitamin E oil
- 8-10 drops of vanilla oil
Health-wise, okra is a great source of protein and that’s what our hair is made of. Plus, if you’ve ever eaten it boiled before, you know that, ironically, it’s got a bit of a slimy consistency which makes it a great ingredient for DIY hair gel!
First up, thoroughly rinse the okra pods and cut them up into small pieces. Then combine the pieces and the distilled water into a small pot and bring the okra to a full-on boil (on medium heat, it shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes or so”>. Once the okra has boiled, take it off of the stove, pull out a glass bowl and strain the okra with a piece of cheesecloth. Then add all of the other ingredients, making sure to stir them all with a wooden spoon. Next, transfer the gel into a glass container and refrigerate it, making sure to put the gel back into the fridge after every use. You’ll never see okra the same way again!
DIY Curly Hair Spray
- 1 cup of distilled water
- 1 tablespoon of sea salt
- 1 tablespoon of jojoba oil
- 8-10 drops of lavender oil
In order for all of the ingredients to thoroughly mix together, start off by warming up the distilled water (hot faucet water is fine”>. Then add the sea salt; let it sit for a minute and add the oils. Use a wooden spoon to mix everything together. Finally, transfer the solution to a spray bottle and you’re all set.
DIY Curly Hair Cream
- 3 tablespoons of your favorite conditioner
- 1 tablespoon of organic blue agave nectar
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt
- 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
Combine the conditioner and nectar first (when everything looks golden, it’s mixed pretty well”>. Then add the sea salt and coconut oil. This will hold well in a plastic or glass container.
For best results, add about a quarter-size (or two”> of it to your hair after you’ve shampooed and conditioned it and it’s wet. Then allow it to air dry. You’ll love how your hair looks and feels. Enjoy!
Which is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
