Tag Archives: okra

Natural Hair

DIY Okra (Ochro) Hair Gel

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Hey yall! I am super excited to be writing this post this afternoon because I was successful with an experiment. Many of you have probably tried flax seed gel in your hair or heard about it at least. Have you ever wondered why flax seeds are able to generate such a nice gel like consistency? Well I have, and as a result, I grew interested in other plants, seeds, vegetables etc that can do the same. Flax seeds are high in mucilage which is the reason it can be used as a gel. Mucilage is the thick, gluey substance that flax seeds, chia seeds, okra and other succulents such as aloe vera produce.

If you’ve tried Kinky Curly Curling Custard, then you’ve probably marveled at the wonderful slip it has. Take a quick look at the ingredients and you will see that one of the ingredients used is marshmallow root which is also high in mucilage. After learning this, I did some research and found that in addition to flax and chia seeds, the seeds from okra can also be used to make a gel. Okra seeds are known to be high in oleic and linoleic acid . It is also known to enhance thickness of the hair (not scientifically proven). I tried it and liked it, below are my results.

Process and Results

You will need:

  1. Okra (I used 6)
  2. Strainer
  3. 1 cup water ( I added about 1/2 cup more during the boiling process)
  4. Olive oil or other oil of choice
  5. Vitamin E (preservative)
  6. Pot
  7. Bowl/container

 

Process:

  1. Slice okra horizontally (scraping out as many seeds as possible) and add to pot of boiling water.
  2. Boil for about 10-15 minutes depending on how thick you want it. 10 minutes will give you more of a serum while boiling for 15 minutes gives a nice thick consistency.
  3. Stir occasionally while boiling.
  4. After boiling, leave to cool for a few minutes then strain.
  5. Add Olive oil and vitamin E oil, stir and leave to cool
  6. Add to container of choice and store in refrigerator. I would suggest you use within a week if vitamin E was added, if not then within 2-3 days.

Above is the amount i got I boiled the first time. I re-boiled again and got another batch. I used my Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie container for both batches which is about 12 oz total. Not bad considering I only used 6 okras.

I applied on freshly washed and conditioned hair using the rake and smooth method and loved the results. I used the Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Conditioner as my leave-in before applying.

I only applied a dollop to each section.

Results:

50% DRY

I would really love for you guys to try this gel and let me know your results. I should warn you guys though, it is a rather messy application process. If you are not used to doing your hair in the shower, place a towel on your shoulders while applying.

Note: I tried sealing with my Elasya QP Olive Oil and Mango Butter but got a white residue. I decided to use Olive Oil on the other sections and didn’t notice any residue. I would suggest oils to seal instead of a butter.

Will keep you updated as the days go by. Hoping for at least 3 day hair 😀