Flax Seed Gel=Hard Hair

[laurend085]

I made some flax seed gel via Naptural85s method minus the ylang ylang. I applied it as I would any other gel with a leave in and put on a scarf. Upon removal there was a peeling type noise. My hair line and other random spots of my hair were white like dried Elmer's glue. As it has dried parts of my hair are hard and crunchy feeling. I made this gel as an alternative to regular gel since it's suppose to be more moisturizing with a soft hold. What could be the culprit of my results?

 

[pookaloo83]

Maybe you were heavy handed with it?

 

[lolascurls]

I have found that it does give pretty good hold. I try not to be too heavy-handed with it (like I was this morning and got all sorts of really dry results).
Also it depends what leave-in you use under it. When I use a spray leave-in, it just holds well. When I use a thick creamy leave-in, it dries a bit harder. I had to just re-spritz my hair to get it back to the held but not dry look! (I used my water, aloe vera juice and honey spritz).
Many women actually mix in oils after extracting the gel, before putting in the fridge. This will add to the softening effect.

 

[kittenz]

Don't you have to cook that gel? Could you have over cooked it resulting in a firmer hold?

 

[laurend085]

Maybe you were heavy handed with it?

Maybe but I've put on the same or more with others and never had this white cast.

 

[laurend085]

Don't you have to cook that gel? Could you have over cooked it resulting in a firmer hold?

Possibly it was thick when I began straining it but it gets thicker anyway as it cools so I didn't think it mattered

 

[ms-gg]

Maybe your hair just doesn't like it. I tried flax seed gel 3 years ago and my hair hated then, tried it last year and it hated it then, and if i whipped up a batch today my hair will hate it now.

 

[laurend085]

Maybe your hair just doesn't like it. I tried flax seed gel 3 years ago and my hair hated then, tried it last year and it hated it then, and if i whipped up a batch today my hair will hate it now.

Maybe so. I was just experimenting to see if I could find a more moisturizing non drying gel

 

[ms-gg]

Have your tried aloe gel? Also, sometimes you have to put something underneath of the gel (a moisturizer) to keep your hair from becoming hard/dry/crispy. I love aloe gel, and it doesn't make my hair hard, but whenever I use it alone, it doesn't moisturize my situation. So maybe you have to play around with different combos until you find something that works for you. HTH

 

[hair4romheaven]

ms-gg what type of moisturizers do you use under gels?

 

[sikora]

how long did you boil it for? I saw someone on another board mention that longer boiling time=firmer hold. I boil mine for 10 mnutes and haven't experienced any crunchiness at all.

 

[Girl626]

Hi OP, I'm a serial lurker but I'll offer my 2 cents:

I've been using this recipe for a few months now, and my hair adores it! However, I've tweaked it a bit with castor oil, Rosemary oil, and aloe Vera gel, along with some essential oil for smell-goods, and that made for a lovely combination for me! Your hair may very well not care for flax seed, but try adding some oils that work for you and see if there's a difference....

HTH

 

[ms-gg]

hair4romheaven curl activator gel, specifically world of curls. The danger of using curl activators is that they are glycerin based. So if you don't like napps/fuzz/frizz, then they may not be the right combo for you.

 

[allmundjoi]

OP, what else did you have in your hair? Could it be that flax seed gel doesn't play nice w/certain products?