#18: Flax Seed Gel & Bantu Knot Outs
Since going back Natural in April 2006, I have had a love/hate (more emphasis on hate) relationship with hair gels. Ampro Pro Styl? It smelled like burnt barbeque sauce and the dark brown tint would always be visible on my scalp. The Clear Ice version made my hair hard and brittle.
Next on the chopping block was Eco Styler gel with Olive Oil. Not drying at all and left a beautiful shine upon initial application. However, within a week my hair color would turn dull and this gel never mixed well with my leave-in conditioners. Talking about flaking?! And it clears states on the container "No Flakes." I guess that is if you use the product solely on its own, but who are we kidding? No Natural uses just one product.
My frustration led me to looking for a more "natural" gel and I was introduced to Kinky Curly Curling Custard. The smell and consistency were perfect. However, once again this product does not mix well with other leave-in conditioners either. The company does not hide this and in fact advise you to use this only on top of their own Knot Today leave-in conditioner. For my hair the two were not enough to keep my hair moisturized.
My last resort was to make my own hair gel. Many Naturals that I follow on Instagram and YouTube always rave about flax seed gel: it's inexpensive, easy to make, and has excellent moisturizing properties. For my first batch I used the recipe from YouTuber Naptural85. I have been following her hair journey from her first video. Her hair has grown so long and healthy over the years and she is known her healthy eating and living habits.
Bantu knot out done on dry hair using only Naptural85's recipe for flax seed gel!
Inexpensive? Yes! One small packet at my local grocery store cost me about 69 cents. I've read you can reuse the seeds but I haven't tried that yet.
Easy to make? Oh yeah! You just boil the seeds to the consistency you prefer. Light hold = less time. Strong hold = longer time. Add your choice of essential oils and you are good to go!
Moisturizing? This part is true and my favorite. It leaves my hair feeling so soft and bouncy. Even after a day out in the Florida humidity, my curls are still nice and fluffy. This gel always dries overnight which for me is a miracle! Usually when I use styling products, it takes one to two full days before I can untwist or take down bantu knots.
I posted the video below so you can check out Naptural85's method. I recommend checking out her other hair videos and tutorials. She is my ultimate hair crush!
Oh, I almost forgot to mention...NO FLAKING!
