Herbal Infused Hair Conditioning Leave-In Gel

Tattiana Aqeel
Feb 9
6 min read

Updated: Feb 9

A blend of simple kitchen ingredients bring this nutrient-rich hair mask to life. Defining curls that leave hair buoyant and shiny, this gel - with its star ingredient, flax seeds- contains 11 herbs that are highly nourishing to the hair, and it's scented with 100% pure essential oils. Gel must be refrigerated and used within 2 weeks, or separated into smaller batches and frozen.

Understanding Flax Gel Benefits

Flax gel is made from flax seeds that are natural and easy to source. When boiled, the seeds produce a viscous gel that, when cooled, can be applied directly to hair. Here are some key hair nutrients found in flax seed gel:

Omega-3 fatty acids support hair health by nourishing follicles, improving scalp circulation and hair thickness, reducing inflammation and hair loss, and strengthening hair long-term.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that supports hair health by treating imbalances from stress related to diet, lifestyle, and environment, boosting hair growth, increasing shine, and preventing premature graying.
Protein repairs damaged, brittle, or highly porous hair by filling in gaps in the hair shaft to restore strength and elasticity.
Magnesium supports hair growth by promoting protein synthesis, stimulating scalp blood circulation, and reducing calcium buildup that can clog hair follicles.
Manganese is a vital trace mineral for hair health, supporting growth, strength, and pigmentation by aiding collagen synthesis, keratin production, and acting as an antioxidant to protect follicles.

The Importance of Edible Body Care Ingredients

Your body is an amalgamation of organic structures and systems that function optimally when fed natural foods. Skin is the largest organ of the body. Because food-grade ingredients are safe to ingest, they ensure a lower risk of irritation and toxicity, making them ideal for sensitive skin. Rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids, edible ingredients provide necessary nutrients that support immunity and skin barrier function with

enhanced absorption by the skin compared to synthetic alternatives. Edible ingredients are derived from natural, eco-friendly sources with minimal processing allowing for clean body care routine that is as nutritious for the body as what you put inside it.

Practices to Enhance Your Hair Health

1. Eliminate Chemicals In Your Hair & Body

When it comes to improving hair health, what you out in your body is as effective as what you put on it. Avoid the following popular food-derived items:

Processed/bleached foods (packaged & junk "food"). Instead, supplement cravings for salty crunchy foods with crunchy vegetables with dips and fresh salsas, prepare your snacks for the week in advance so that they're easier to grab, and switch to sea salt, which contains minerals necessary for health.
Sugary sweets: Replace sugar cravings with dried fruits, lots of fresh fruit (juices, smoothies, or fresh), and add coconut oil to your diet to help retrain your tongue palate to crave less sweet foods. Bananas with peanut butter and honey, dates with goat cheese and nuts, and apples or apple sauce with very dark chocolate are some of my favorite sweet snacks.
Greasy and acidic foods: Frying foods significantly reduces their nutritional value. Instead, bake, broil, or blanch foods and then add a healthy seed oil like olive, avocado, or coconut oil to your finished dish. To feel full, eat lots of healthy fats like high-quality natural butter, avocados, home-toasted nuts (because most supermarket toasted nuts contain GMO seed oils), wild-caught fish, and the healthy seed oils listed previously. Acidic foods, including all fried foods, cause inflammation and excess toxin-buildup in the body and in the hair follicles. Switch to fresh oils and notice how your body scent changes.

2. Learn How Your Hair Drinks Water

Is your hair high-porosity, low-porosity, or has it changed according to your diet and lifestyle?

High-porosity: Spongey hair with holes that quickly absorbs moisture but loses it just as fast, resulting in dry, frizzy, and fragile hair strands.
Low-porosity: Resists moisture absorption, causing water to sit on top of strands rather than sinking in, but once hair is hydrated, it retains moisture.
Changeable: Conditions that can change your hair quality, texture, and color include diet and lifestyle, stress, environment, trauma, and of course, the products you use on it.

3. Keep Your Scalp Clean, but not squeaky

Use an all-natural shampoo or cleaning agent that cleans your scalp well, but that does not strip all of your natural oils.

4. Use Natural, Food-grade Products on Your Hair & Scalp

Food-grade products are safe to ingest, lower the risk of irritation and toxicity, are rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids, and support immunity and skin barrier function compared to synthetic alternatives. Here are some common hair product additives to avoid:

Alcohols are commonly added to natural products to extend their shelf life, but using products with alcohol long term causes dry, brittle, mineral-depleted hair.
(Synthetic) Fragrances & parfums are known endocrine disruptors, leading to hormonal imbalances which effect your hair and full body health. Most market products will not label fragrances as synthetic, so if you see "fragrance," "parfum," "scent," or "masking agent" listed in the ingredients, it's best to assume that it is synthetic.
Preservatives disrupt the gut microbiome by inhibiting the natural breakdown of chemicals in the gut. Gut health contributes to most bodily functions- physical (allergies, digestion, and hormone production), mental (acuity, moods, and development), and spiritual (trauma response, clarity, and empathy).

Success Tutorials In Natural Hair Care

Measuring Your Hair Success By Health Over Length

Successful hair health requires a combination of proper, tailored cleansing, reduced heat styling, and a nutrient-dense diet to minimize breakage and support growth. Key habits include washing with conditioner, using lukewarm water, air-drying when possible, and adopting a protective, protein-rich, and iron-sufficient diet. Regular trims, gentle detangling, protective styling, and using satin pillowcases further promote long, strong hair.

Overcoming Challenges in Transitioning to All-Natural Hair (and body) Care

While natural coily and curly hair care has come a long way, there are still some hurdles to overcome in maintaining healthy natural hair. Here are some common obstacles and strategies to overcome them:

1. Resistance to Change

When you find a product that produces the look you desire, even though it contains chemicals known to harm hair, it's hard to let go of the old product and find a new one. The key here is to remember that the immediate effects of such a product may only appear beneficial. If you're growing long hair or just long-term healthy hair, alcohols, preservatives, and synthetic ingredients will not help you achieve this. Try adding in more food for your hair. Increase your natural conditioner use, add in natural oil treatments, and moisturize your hair regularly with water and moisture sealants like shea butter and oil, even when it's in protective styles. As always, eat for the results you want. Adopt more minerals, Omega-3 fatty acids, and clean proteins into your diet.

2. Resource Constraints

Is the following statement true or false: "It's expensive to go all-natural!"

FALSE! The simplest way to go natural is to use food. Eat for the results you're looking to accomplish. Make your own hair care products out of food items like flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, banana, avocado, eggs, olive oil, and cranberries. Research all natural food-grade hair treatments and begin implementing them into your hair care routine.

3. Maintaining Consistency

As with any health care plan, maintaining your hair health requires consistency. Experiment with all natural and safe ingredients that are easy to find, learn what your hair desires in order to retain its moisture, strength, body, and shine. Keep up the good work and your hair will prosper!

A Note from the Founder

I grew up with frizzy, dry, very tangled hair that was unmanageable for my mother to maintain. When I was 18, I cut it all off, and then toggled between close cuts and dreadlocs for over a decade. Although I made the best of it, I didn't know how to manage my own hair. At 34, I decided to finally grow my hair out open (not loc'd) and maintain it for the duration of time it would take to grow long. I learned to use all natural products only and I started keeping up with a weekly regimen to retain length, strength, moisture, body, and shine. As a plant caretaker, I understood that my hair requires moisture, food, and care like my plants do.

I started making my own products when 22nd Century Natural Woman closed her shop and removed all her hair care videos from YouTube. I'd become dependent on her hair stew/conditioner mix, and so I had to learn to make it on my own. What resulted is the hair conditioning gel product that I now offer.