DIY Flax Seed Hair Gel

A close up of my curls, and my hair clip.

Hey Curlies!  I assume that if you are reading this, you have curly hair and you are interested in hair gel!  If not, that's cool too- its always good to know more stuff.  And if it's your first time on this lil' blog WELCOME!  

I have very curly hair.  If you are hip to the lingo, I have Type 3C hair, with low porosity.  It's fine, but I have a lot of it.  And up until October last year, I chemically relaxed it religiously every 6 months for YEARS.  I was also losing my hair in the front of my scalp due to tension alopecia, from pulling it back so tight for so long.  So I cut it all off! And its definitely healthier now.

ANYWAYS, one of the products I use on my hair is really difficult to get in Canada right now.  So I went back to my old curly faithful Flax Seed Gel (FSG) now that I'm curly again.  

What I really like about using FSG is that it holds my curls well.  And there is no hard cast on my curls once it's dry, and it doesn't flake.  I use it will a watered down natural conditioner, and it doesn't flake with that added product.  It also washes out very easily, so there little build up on my hair.  And it makes my hair shine.  I love it so much.

The benefits of FSG are noted in a lot of natural hair websites.  The TL;DR is:

• its a source of omega-3 fatty acids that improve elasticity and strength for your hair
• its full of antioxidants that keep hair follicles healthy
• Flax is a source of protein that helps repair hair
• has lignans that can decrease inflammation on your scalp

You can buy FSG, but I prefer to make it myself because 1) its really cheap; 2) its pretty easy to do; 3) I can control what goes in it and on my head; 4) I can make it smell like anything I want.  

When I say cheap, I mean CHEAP.  I bought 1 kg of flax seeds for $3.59 CANADIAN.  So cheap.  And all you really need if flax seeds and water.  But, if you want to make your gel work a little more for you, I have a few add-ins that I use that keep my hair moisturized and soft.

The ingredients 

What you'll need:

• 1/4 cup of Flax Seeds (raw, not roasted)
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp Vegetable Glycerine (Available at drug stores and health food stores)
• 1/2 tsp some kind of oil that is good for hair (Jojoba; coconut- if your hair likes it; sweet almond oil)
• 1/2 of Vitamin E oil (or 2 capsules of Vitamin E oil that you can pierce and squeeze into your gel)
• and 6-10 drops of essential oil (I use Sweet Orange oil because I like refreshing it is; but you can use jasmine, lavender or any other scent you like.)
• a small pot
• a mesh sieve, or you can use old pantyhose to strain the gel
• a stick to stir the gel with
• a jar to store your gel

I don't use any preservatives in my FSG, so I keep mine in the fridge.  I like to use it cold to help seal the cuticle of my hair.  Without preservatives, it will last about 2 weeks in the fridge, but I use it almost everyday, so I have to make it weekly.

Method: 

1. In a small pot or saucepan, add the water, and the flax seeds and heat over medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil.

     2.  Once the mixture started to boil, turn down the heat to medium, and let it boil for about 10-12   

          minutes.  Boil it less if you want a more liquid gel.  I like it pretty thick, so I boil it for about 12  

          minutes.  Make sure that you stir the gel often so seeds don't stick to the bottom of the pot and 

          burn.

     3. Once the gel has boiled,  it will be thick and sticky.  I strain it by pouring it into a mesh sieve over a  

         bowl and let it cool.  The gel at this point is still food safe, so you can use any bowl.  Once you add   

         the add-ins, it will not longer be food safe.  This is why I add that stuff to the jar I'm storing it in.

     4.  While the gel is straining and cooling, take your jar and add the glycerine, oils and vitamin E to the 

          bottom and mix with your stick.  

    5.   After your gel has cooled and strained, you can put the seeds in a container in the fridge- you can 

          reuse these seeds to make another batch of gel!  

    6.  Mix your gel and the add-ins- the gel is very viscous-- so I like to put the lid on and shake it well to 

         incorporate all the oils an add-ins.

    7. This is where I like to smell my gel, and add more essential oil.  Without the oils, the smell is not   

        strong, and you can't smell it once it dry.  But I like having a little scent. 

If you've added oil, you will need to shake it before you use it.  But that's it!  That's how I make my gel!

Will you give it a try?  If you have questions, don't be afraid to ask below in the comments!

 

Made: Paint Chip Matchbook Notebook

I am always looking for a piece of paper or my notebook to jot something down.  I have a lot of ideas for blogging and such when I'm out on the open road.  But I don't carry my usual notebook everywhere because it is much too big and heavy.  So, I made these little notebooks out of some paint chips I had laying around.  I can throw them into my bag, no matter how small, and I always have somewhere to write ideas.  They are very handy, and super easy to make. 

What you need:

• paint chip- I think these are from Walmart, they are for CIL brand paint, but any paint chips will do; it would just change the size and shape of your book.
• Stapler
• Paper, I used scrap paper
• scissors- I used a rotary cutter; it made things much easier.
• ruler
• clear tape (optional)

Fold your paint chip into three like a match book.  My dimensions were, 8.5 cm for the top section, 9.5 cm for the middle section and 2.5 cm for the flap.  I creased it well, and cover the fold with clear tape to reinforce them.  But that's totally optional.

Then it will look like a big matchbook.

 

Next, cut your paper the length and width minus a 1/2 cenitmeter of the entire paint chip.  You are going to fold the stack of paper in half to make the pages of your notebook.
 

I forgot to take a picture of the next part, but its easy.  Take the folded edge of your pages, and tuck them under the 2.5 cm flap.  Staple once or twice like a matchbook.  The fold should be under the flap so that you can flip the pages.

 

And there you have it!  A little notebook!

If you are anything like me, you made 6 and threw them in all of your bags.

What is your notebook solution?  Do you carry one?  Do you just grin and bear the extra weight? 

DIY Week: Natural Make-Up Remover

I don't often wear makeup.  I don't like it on my face, and I'm not especially skilled at putting it there.  But, there are sometimes when I have to wear it; like when I'm in a show or play, or for formal events.  So, there's no way around it, makeup is a part of my life.  I found that the makeup removers that I can buy were either super irritating, or super greasy and caused some problems for my skin.  Not to mention they are kinda expensive.  So I found an alternative.

Here is what I use to make my makeup remover.  Its a short list of ingredients:

1/2 cup of distilled water 
1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp of aloe vera gel
8 drops of Seabuckthorn Seed Oil
A clean bottle in which to store your remover

A Note: The Seabuckthorn Oil is not a necessity for the remover to work.  I add it because it has soothing properties, and because I use it on my face as a moisturizer every day.  I also like the smell of the oil, and I know that it is safe for use around my eyes.  It is pretty pricey, and a little hard to find; but like I said, it is totally optional for this recipe. 

Add all the ingredients to the water in your bottle.  The oils will sit on top of the water, because oil is hydrophobic.  Commercial cleansers get around this by adding emollients to integrate the oil into the water.  Instead of adding chemicals, all I do is shake this bad boy up before using.  The oil and the water mix briefly after a good shake.  Squirt a little onto some cotton while it is mixed, and remove that makeup!

The remover with start to separate again after you let it settle.  That's normal and not a problem.  Just remember to shake the bottle before using.  It works really well, it took off my mascara here.  I put a little on the cotton pad, hold it against my eyelashes for a few seconds, then rub it off.  Easy peasy!

Last day of DIY Week!  I've had a great time sharing some of the products I make for myself.  I hope that you found the tutorials informative, even if you don't give them a try.

 

DIY: "Porcelain" Mason Jars

From RealSimple.com

I really wanted these porcelain mason jars.  I think they are so clean looking, and classic.  However, I do not have 50 each for a vase.  If you do, totally support Alyssa Ettinger, get one so can drool over.

But, if like me, you can't afford such beautiful things, you can try and make a substitute until you can buy one for yourself.

I made these very easily.  They are not porcelain, they are painted glass, but they look porcelain-y.

You need:

• Old mason jars in different sizes, I used some that didn't have lids.  They were going to be garbage!
• Matte white enamel spray paint, I got mine at Home Depot for $3
• newspaper
• a place to spray paint, preferably outside

 

Set out your newspaper, and make sure that you have a picture of Joesph Gordon-Levitt to counter the HUGE picture of Bob Saget looking at you.  Yikes.  Make sure that your glass jars are clean and dry.  They have to be dry or else the paint won't stick.  Also make sure you are using enamel spray paint so it will stick to the glass.  Glass isn't porous, so you need to use the heavy-duty enamel paint.

 

Paint your jars, make sure that you paint the jars in layers, otherwise you will have pooling and dripping on your jars, and they won't look like porcelain.  My jars took 4 layers, and I let the jars dry for 2-3 hours in between the paint layers.  If that big picture of Bob Saget is still creeping you out, just put a little spray of paint over it.  Bad man all gone.

After the jars are covered and dry, you will need to turn them over and do a quick spray around the mouth of the jar to cover the part that the jar was resting on.  Then, after they dry, they should look like this:

 I didn't have to paint the inside, so it is easy to wash out.  These are no dishwasher safe, nor are they ok for food or drink usage.  I use mine as a vase.  They are empty right now, because I am waiting for a certain someone to notice that flowers are needed...

 

New Uses for Old Things: Tissue Boxes

I. Am. A. Genius.  I was looking for ways to corral my plastic bag situation.  I collect bags.  I have tons of them.  I don't have it in me to throw them away, especially since they cost me money.  And, I mostly feel ashamed when I forget my reusable bags in the car, and have to buy another one.  AND, I don't want them to end up in a landfill, since our city doesn't recycle all plastic bags.  AND, I want to try weaving with them like I saw at that craft fair.  AND, I'm a bit of hoarder of these things.

ANYWAYS, I needed somewhere to hold them because D was threatening to throw them away.  So I pulled out some tissue boxes from the trash, and voila! plastic bag holders, that take up so little space under the sink it is not even a problem anymore.

You can pull them out one at a time too.  So handy.  And now I'm re-using two things from the bin.   I think I might decorate my bag boxes too.  That sounds like something I would do.

Like I said, I'm a genius.  And modest, it would seem.

New Uses for Old Things: Paint Chips

Have you ever read Real Simple magazine?  My favorite thing they do is finding new uses for everyday items.  Since I: a) hardly ever throw useful things away and b) think everything is useful, I am always finding ways to reuse some of the old items I have.  I try to upcycle things I've collected, and only after I have held onto them for a while do I throw them away.  (I'm not a hoarder though... I don't amass that much stuff.  I can't watch that show anymore, it just gave me the urge to clean and throw things away.)

ANYWAYS, one collection I have is of paint chips.  I liberated a bunch from Home Depot (they said take as many as I want!) and I used some in the classroom for art.  But now, I have quite a few at home.  So as I was wrapping a present, I had no gift tags.  Since necessity is the mother of invention, I made quick gift tags with some of the paint chips. 

I thought it looked really cute!  I have these shape punches that I use for school, and I punched some shapes out of the chip and voila! gift tags!  I also had some fancy edged scissors, so I cut some rectangles out of the paint chips and they look cute too. 

I love that you can make them in almost any color!  So useful.  I'll probably never buy another gift tag again.