what homemade hair products do you use?

[Bamagirl]

I had wavy hair growing up, but it has gotten progressively frizzy as I've gotten older, I'm now 66. For most of my life, I washed my hair every day, but now I'm down to every two or three days. I've been very low poo for quite a while now, (about a nickle sized dab of shampoo, mixed into a quart of warm water, is my "shampoo water") because that's all it really takes, since I'm not a teenager with oily hair anymore. I also use ACV rinse. My ends tend to be dry, since I color my hair, so I like to use avocado oil on the ends the night before I wash it. I use a keratin shampoo in the summer, because the humidity makes my hair positively wild, and the keratin helps a bit. For a long time, I believed there was some magic product out there, and that if I only tried enough of them, I'd be able to conquer the frizz, but I've finally come to the realization, that it's just something I'll have to live with, and that keeping my hair as healthy and moisturized as possible is the best defense against the frizz bomb. My hair strangely seems to have gotten thicker as I've gotten older, but that could just be that it seems thicker because of the increased frizz. If I believed that I could formulate something that would really help with the frizz, I'd probably give it a try, but I've given up hope that there's anything that will help.

Exactly! I have tried so many products and every few months I have to "purge" from under my counter all the things that didn't work to help control frizz. I use a flat iron just keep it tame, but would love something that actually worked.

I haven't made anything myself, but I did go through the "curly girl" phase. I tried the no poo and conditioner washes, but my hair needs the shampoo. I tried no silicones and parabens, again my hair likes them. I did one time try some homemade gel off of etsy and that stuff was amazing! It was okra gel and it did do wonders for my hair, and since I have now remembered that, let me go see if I can find some more lol. I have been too leary to try a homemade shampoo bar as I have read many posts on here that stated it worked well for a while and then caused damage, and my hair is damaged enough. Good luck finding something and if you are looking for something along the lines of the homemade okra gel, send me a message, I am sure I can find my notes somewhere.

 

[Arimara]

you're still giving me some of the best advice here so i appreciate what you've posted. the websites that have helped me the most are from people with natural hair or that naturally curly site. but, this thread isn't for curlies only by any means. it's interesting to hear what everyone uses.

Oh, I understand. If someone with naturally straight hair wanted advice, I would be at a total loss but I love to read about what other people do and use too. I just find it interesting.

Bamagirl- Okra? YUCK!!! I'm sure it's amazing but I hate it. Still, that is ingenious given how gelatinous it can get.

 

[Bamagirl]

Bamagirl- Okra? YUCK!!! I'm sure it's amazing but I hate it. Still, that is ingenious given how gelatinous it can get.

It really was amazing for my hair, I'm not sure why. I had read that flaxseed gel was best, but for me the okra was better.

 

[navigator9]

Exactly! I have tried so many products and every few months I have to "purge" from under my counter all the things that didn't work to help control frizz. I use a flat iron just keep it tame, but would love something that actually worked.

I haven't made anything myself, but I did go through the "curly girl" phase. I tried the no poo and conditioner washes, but my hair needs the shampoo. I tried no silicones and parabens, again my hair likes them. I did one time try some homemade gel off of etsy and that stuff was amazing! It was okra gel and it did do wonders for my hair, and since I have now remembered that, let me go see if I can find some more lol. I have been too leary to try a homemade shampoo bar as I have read many posts on here that stated it worked well for a while and then caused damage, and my hair is damaged enough. Good luck finding something and if you are looking for something along the lines of the homemade okra gel, send me a message, I am sure I can find my notes somewhere.

Wow, I just found this video on how to make an okra hair gel... [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFSZFtaMq3c[/ame] Eeeewwww, does that stuff look funky! lol The things we'll do for beauty. I'm like you, I have a store's worth of hair products, sometimes I feel like I'm searching for the Holy Grail...close, but never quite there. If I find some okra in the grocery store, I just might make myself up a batch. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Guspuppy]

That okra gel looks awesome! I make flaxseed gel myself, to glue down flyaways after braiding my hair, because I don't use a/c so I drive with all my windows down and I CAN'T STAND ends of hair tickling my face! Flaxseed gel is nice because I can use a fair amount as needed, yet by the end of the day it wears off but doesn't leave any mess in my hair, and I can brush my hair and it will feel soft and clean, not hard and glued together like with commercial gels. The only problem is it doesn't last very long in the fridge and I get tired of making it and throwing it away all the time so I revert to buying commercial glue and then I have to wash my hair every day if I use it, which I don't like to do either!

 

[Arimara]

That okra gel looks awesome! I make flaxseed gel myself, to glue down flyaways after braiding my hair, because I don't use a/c so I drive with all my windows down and I CAN'T STAND ends of hair tickling my face! Flaxseed gel is nice because I can use a fair amount as needed, yet by the end of the day it wears off but doesn't leave any mess in my hair, and I can brush my hair and it will feel soft and clean, not hard and glued together like with commercial gels. The only problem is it doesn't last very long in the fridge and I get tired of making it and throwing it away all the time so I revert to buying commercial glue and then I have to wash my hair every day if I use it, which I don't like to do either!

think a bit of germall might be in order or some other preservative? All I know is my mother would kill me if she saw me make that recipe.

 

[cmzaha]

I use a light spray lotion I make on my 8 yr old Granddaughter's hair which is thick and past her butt. I make it with 9% oil of which 2% is IPM and a fast asorbing oil. It really helps to detangle her hair

Flaxseed has been used in wave-set products and for wave-set for many centuries. Okra gel would be a take off of Flaxseed. If not allergic to flaxseed, as I am, I would acquire some flaxseed and just boil it up, preserving with germall plus, or my favorite of germall plus + optiphen. Flaxseed does leave hair feeling nice

 

[TeresaT]

I use an earl gray hair tonic but am also looking at pomades - thing is, pomade recipes tend to be similar to my leather salve/wood treatment/emergency lip balm recipe and I really can't imagine one product having 4 uses like that [emoji23]

But then again, wouldn't that be the perfect product?

I use a light spray lotion I make on my 8 yr old Granddaughter's hair which is thick and past her butt. I make it with 9% oil of which 2% is IPM and a fast asorbing oil. It really helps to detangle her hair

Flaxseed has been used in wave-set products and for wave-set for many centuries. Okra gel would be a take off of Flaxseed. If not allergic to flaxseed, as I am, I would acquire some flaxseed and just boil it up, preserving with germall plus, or my favorite of germall plus + optiphen. Flaxseed does leave hair feeling nice

What is IPM?

Are you talking about "Bob's Red Mill Raw Flaxseed" kind of flaxseed? If you boil that, it ends up looking like that okra gel? And then you put it in your hair to tame the fly-aways.

(It seems to me, sticking okra gel or flaxseed gel in your hair would be a fly-come-get me sort of thing, though. )

Totally inappropriate: I don't know who okra girl is, but she is absolutely gorgeous. I'm not gay, but I'd definitely go out with her.

 

[Teapot]

Not sure I can add much to the discussion, but I'm reading with interest, as I'd like to find some more natural (and cheaper) ways to make the most of my curls, without going fluffy!

I have fairly thick hair, very curly. I wash it about twice a week, usually with just conditioner, I use shampoo about every third or fourth wash. I've found that my hair needs washing much less frequently since stopping using silicone products.

I used some really cheap conditioner recently, because I fell for the scent - big mistake. My hair was like a cloud for ages! It's starting to settle down a bit now, but it has taken weeks.

Thanks to everyone who has given links, I will check those out.

 

[Guspuppy]

What is IPM?

Are you talking about "Bob's Red Mill Raw Flaxseed" kind of flaxseed? If you boil that, it ends up looking like that okra gel? And then you put it in your hair to tame the fly-aways.

(It seems to me, sticking okra gel or flaxseed gel in your hair would be a fly-come-get me sort of thing, though. )

I don't know about Bob's Red Mill, but I just buy whatever whole flaxseed I can find and yes, boil it up. Even if you just put flaxseed in cold water and let it sit overnight it will make a thin gel, boiling just brings out more of it.

I have never had a fly or any other insect interested in my hair with flaxseed gel in it!

 

[reflection]

I make my own shampoo bars and use apple cider vinegar as my liquid. I do an 8% sf for my Tina Turner/Don King love child hair lol. It helps SO much with my frizzies. I also made a extra light lotion that I'm trying as a conditioner. So far my hair is LOVING it. I did 78% water, 1% preservative, 2% fragrance, 5% ewax, and 14% oils.

i so want to try the shampoo bars but am holding off for now. i'm cracking up at your "tina turner/don king love child hair". if you sell your bars you must give it a funny name like that (minus any copyright infringement so you don't get sued). let us know how these work over time for you.

okra gel?! lol. that is one gooey video (love the music) but i think i'll stick to aloe vera that i can buy for now. i had just read about making your own aloe vera gel and i was like no way, not happening. i am not that crunchy…yet. :mrgreen:

today i tried mixing the aloe with my conditioner in my hand that they didn't want to mix, so instead i used the aloe vera gel and topped it off with my pomade, and then homemade hair spray which i always have to use. seems to be working pretty well. the aveda is now in the cabinet no longer to be used except in case of dire hair emergencies. i'm reading away at naturally curly. awesome site!

do any of you use aloe vera gel for styling? i did read it may have a good amount of protein which probably isn't the best for low porosity hair, which i have, but i figure it can't be any worse than all those silicones. hopefully, it won't dry my hair out. are flaxseed & okra gel supposed to be better?