By Choya Randolph
With the weather getting colder, I’ve been leaning towards hair products that nourish and hydrate my hair. When switching it up with my styling products, I’ve decided to put the gels down and give hair custards a chance. Similar to gels, hair custards are a styling product meant to bring out the curl pattern in my hair. I must admit that hair custards don’t have the same hold as gels but it does make my curls look juicy. Hair custards also don’t leave my hair feeling crunchy or looking flaky like store-bought gel.
When trying to find a hair custard, there are so many options. The ones that get rave reviews tend to be expensive and the ones that are cheaper have a bunch of ingredients that I can’t even pronounce. Instead of experimenting with store-bought products, I decided to make my own hair custard.
The reason I’m using a hair custard is to take my styling product to the next level. I usually make my own flaxseed gel and it has worked well for me. If it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it. However, I want the nourishing ingredients of custards that enhance my curls by moisturizing my hair. It was time to get to mixing.
First, make your own flaxseed gel. All you need are flaxseeds, water and a pot. Put a fourth of a cup of flaxseeds in a pot filled with two cups of water. Boil the flaxseed water until it has a slimy consistency that sticks to your spoon. Let the gel cool down for 20-30 minutes so it can conglomerate into that familiar gel consistency. Once it’s cool, you can strain it using pantyhose which is the fun part. If your gel isn’t as thick as you’d hope, don’t worry. It’ll still work for your custard.
Now you have gel but we want a curling custard that will nourish our hair. This is when we incorporate our unrefined butter. I like to use mango or shea butter. If I’m feeling extra, I’ll use both. You’ll want to melt down your butter. To do this, put your butter in a bowl and put that bowl into a pot of boiling water. Doing it this way ensures you won’t burn your butter.
When it comes to measuring how much butter should be melted, I do not measure. I add ingredients until I hear my ancestors tell me to stop. For the sake of the recipe, you should have about a cup of melted butter. It’s okay if your butter isn’t completely melted. Put your butter in a bowl and add five tablespoons of flaxseed gel and two tablespoons of your favorite oil. I personally use extra virgin olive oil. Let everything cool down.
Now here comes the hard part. You’re going to want to mix all of your ingredients until it has a custard consistency. The amount of time you spend mixing depends on your preferred consistency. If you want your custard to be on thicker side, you can mix your ingredients for 5-10 minutes. If you want your custard to have more of a whipped cream consistency then you’ll want to mix for 10-15 minutes. If you don’t have a hand mixer then this will be an arm workout.
Before you and your homegirls get upset, I know a lot of yall hand whisked just to make the iced Dalgona coffee that went viral on TikTok. If you can do it for a coffee, you can do it for your hair. Get to burning those calories sis!
Once you’re done mixing, you can store your custard in the refrigerator. It can last 7-10 days. To know if your custard is expired, simply smell it. If you want your custard to last longer, you can add natural preservatives like lavender or rosemary essential oil.
What’s great about flaxseed gel is that it’s rich in vitamin e which promotes hair growth and revitalizes the scalp. The gel also protects, strengthens, and moisturizes hair. It adds elasticity to the hair which can combat breakage. Whether you use shea butter or mango butter, both butters are great moisturizers that can soften the hair, reduce frizz and provide moisture without clogging your scalp. Oils are great sealants. Extra virgin olive oil is unrefined compared to just regular olive oil. This means it has more vitamins and minerals including vitamin E and vitamin K which can condition the hair, prevent heat damage, and combat dandruff.
Though this recipe does require a lot of arm work, it will make your hair feel and look amazing. It truly takes my twist outs to the next level while giving me much needed moisture during the winter. Plus it’s all natural and affordable. It’s a homemade product your hair will definitely appreciate.