I’ve written several articles about how the dry and humid environment in Dubai affects hair and contributes to hair loss previously.
To mitigate it, it’s important to incorporate as many natural and organic products as possible into hair care.
The various articles have covered shampoos, conditioners and DIY hair products.
I’ll be focusing on hair gel and how to DIY the best hair gel for a dry and humid environment.
If you have curly hair, one of the battles when it comes to curl definition is achieving moisture without frizz and keeping it that way for some time.
One of the products that aid in this regard is hair gel.
However, a lot of commercial hair gels contain alcohol and other additives that have the tendency to dry out hair and cause breakage over time.
This is why I’ve created this natural hair gel. It’s gentle yet effective and helps keep your curls intact for at least four days before a reapplication is necessary.
Natural DIY Hair Gel Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup of flaxseeds
- 3 cups of distilled water
- 10 drops of vitamin E oil (70, 000 IU recommended)
- 5 drops each of rosemary essential oil, peppermint essential oil and tea tree essential oil
- 2 tablespoons each of sweet almond oil and grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon of castor oil
- 1 teaspoon citric acid
- pH strips to test the pH level of the end product
Instructions
- Mix the flaxseeds and distilled water in a pan then set on a stove.
- Allow the mixture to boil, stirring occasionally, until it starts to froth.
- Don’t overcook the mixture as it will thicken the gel too much and make it impossible to strain.
- Once the white froth rising to the top is slightly thick, remove the pan from the fire and strain the mixture through a cheesecloth or mesh colander into a clean bowl.
- Add the vitamin E oil, essential oils, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil and castor oil and whisk thoroughly. Really emulsify the ingredients together.
- Grab a pH strip and test the mixture. At this stage, it will be around 7 – 8, which isn’t suitable. The gel is the last thing you will apply to your hair and it needs to have a low enough pH to close your cuticles. Read my earlier article on the breakdown and importance of ph levels HERE.
- Mix the citric acid in a separate container with about 2 tablespoons of water and stir until dissolved. Add ½ a teaspoon of the dissolved acid into the gel and stir again.
- Test with another pH strip. The level should have come down to around 4 – 5.5. This is perfect. If you add too much citric acid, it will fall below 4 and that won’t work either.
Sundown Naturals Vitamin E Oil
This is a basic recipe for beginners. You can customize the recipe by adding natural herbs like chamomile, horsetail, hibiscus, amla and stinging nettle to the preparation.
Each ingredient provides strength, shine and softness.
Below is a pic of my hair with the gel. My hair is still wet in the picture.
I’ve been using this gel for over a year and it makes my hair so soft and moisturised with not a hint of crunchiness.
You can find most of the ingredients at the Organic Foods Café but if you don’t, I’ve linked them to where I usually purchase mine.
You get 10% off your first order through the links I’ve posted.
If you have any questions about preparing this, please ask them in the comments section.
What about aloe Vera gel or juice? I heard it’s quite moisturizing. Thanks.
Yes aloe vera gel or juice is quite moisturising. But make sure it’s 100% aloe vera gel or juice like this – Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera Gel or Lily of the Desert Alove Vera Juice
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I’ve been trying to find a really good one for quite some time.. I was wondering can I substitute one of the cups of water for aloe vera juice and how much amla powder measurement would I need in the gel as well? hope you can help thanks again for this recipe! 🙂
Yes. You can try aloe vera juice. If adding amla powder, start with 1 tablespoon with the recipe above.