Our bathrooms may be lined with thousands of beauty and hair products, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that we have found the gel to make our curls look as though we had Zendaya’s stylist work on them for three hours.
Sure, we have one or two gels that do the trick; they don’t turn our hair into a wow-factor though, and that’s exactly what we’re looking for – especially considering the amount of money we tend to shell out on our hair products.
Quality hair product brands with great ingredients and good quantities don’t come cheaply, so we expect them to, at the very least, keep our hair looking healthy and beautiful.
Sadly, even this isn’t guaranteed when you’re on a budget and unable to spend more than a whopping £20 on one single product that won’t last you longer than a month if you’ve got a full head of curls.
So, what’s a girl to do? Go the DIY route!
It’s funny how we’re quick to make our own facial masks, balms and creams, and yet, when it comes to hair treatments of any kind, we feel intimated.
This could be down to the many ingredients listed on our shampoo, custard and gel bottles – recreating these with household ingredients seems almost impossible.
We’re here to tell you that is possible though, and all you’ll have to do is rummage through your storage cupboards and even your garden to get all your ingredients together.
Aloe Vera Gel
You’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon of all-natural Aloe Vera gel
- 1 cup of hot water
- ½ teaspoon gelatin
- 8-10 drops Geranium oil
The Aloe Vera plant is known as a go-to miracle plant for all types of ailments and beauty routines, so it hardly comes as a surprise that our spikey friend would work for our hair too.
It acts as a great conditioner, gets rid of any itchiness or irritation on the scalp – including dandruff – and promotes healthy hair growth. And, it’s practically already a gel in its natural form. Here’s how to make your own Aloe Vera curly hair gel using just a few simple ingredients:
- Heat the cup of water in your microwave or on the stove.
- Add the gelatin to the water and combine using a wooden spoon.
- Refrigerate for up to 5 hours, until the gelatin has set.
- Remove from the fridge and add the Aloe Vera and Geranium oil; mix well.
- Transfer the gel into a recipient of your choice and apply to damp hair.
Anti-Frizz Flaxseed Gel
You’ll need:
- ½ teaspoon shea butter
- 1/3 cup flax seeds
- ½ teaspoon raw honey
- 2 cups water
For a hair treatment rich in fatty Omega-3 acids, flax seeds are your go-to. This gel will work its magic by nourishing your curls from the follicles all the way to the tips, making them strong, healthy, easier to grow and more resistant to damage. Best of all, it works as a superb anti-frizz treatment, keeping your curls smooth and in check.
To prepare the gel:
- Bring the flax seeds to a boil in two cups of water, stirring all along.
- Once the concoction has reached boiling point, remove it from the stove and strain over a glass jar to separate the seeds.
- Allow the gel to cool before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Keep it stored in a glass jar or container.
Use the gel in combination with a leave-in conditioner. Go through your usual hair-wash routine, then evenly apply the leave-in conditioner throughout your hair. While your hair is still damp, add your homemade anti-frizz flaxseed gel and allow it to airdry. For extra definition, you can choose to braid and plop your hair.
Curly Oats Gel
You’ll need:
- 3 tablespoons of rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon coconut/olive oil (optional)
- 2 cups water
If you had the chickenpox and an old-school hippy mom, you’ll already know how soothing oatmeal can be to the skin. And yet, it’s so much more than a healthy breakfast and a great, natural treatment for all kinds of skin conditions.
Packed with B vitamins, it draws and retains the moisture in your hair. Leaving a light film, it strengthens the hair and makes it shinier, softer and bouncier.
To make it:
- Cook the oats in two cups of water on medium heat and stir until it thickens to your liking – just remember that it will thicken some more as it cools.
- Strain the mixture through a cheese cloth and refrigerate the liquid obtained (add the oil at this stage if desired).
- Leave it to cool for around twenty minutes.
Apply this gel on damp hair – with or without leave-in conditioner – or add it to any gel or custard you are currently using for extra shine and nourishment. This DIY oatmeal gel for curly hair begs to be experimented with until you find the right consistency for you.
Chia Curl Gel
You’ll need:
- 4 cups chia seeds
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon aloe vera
- Lavender oil (optional)
Skip your chia-seed-topped acai bowls tomorrow morning and use those super-seeds to treat your hair instead. Like the flaxseed gel, this chia curl gel is easy to make and very effective. It’s great for looser curls and will make braiding go so much smoother.
Let four cups of chia seeds sit in a cup of water overnight. Heat the jellified mixture in a pot the next day; ten minutes on low to medium heat. Let it cool then strain the seeds out, adding the aloe to the gel before mixing it in a blender. For scented locks, add a sprinkle of Lavender oil to the gel.
The chia curl gel works best when applied to damp – un/conditioned – hair. Packed with amino-acids, antioxidants, iron, copper and zinc, chia seeds promote hair growth and are known to delay the enemy: grey hair.
So, keep up your chia intake and hair gel treatments to keep your hair healthy, happy and shiny – it will benefit you inside and out.
