This lemon hair gel is great to have around for extra hold, or just a little frizz control. I tried making a flaxseed gel and it worked really well, but it’s pretty messy and only keeps for a week or two in the fridge. So…, that’s where gelatin comes in. I need something around for those ‘we have an emergency’ frizz days. It keeps for several weeks in the fridge, and about a week at room temperature.
I made two versions of lemon hair gel this time. After I melted the gelatin and added the lemon juice, I poured half of it into a container. With the other half, I added 1 teaspoon of coconut oil and 1 Tablespoon of aloe vera juice for a moisturizing gel. This moisturizing gel is my attempt to wean myself off of my favorite ‘leave in’ conditioner.
The creamy white gel in the front is the moisturizing one. The clear-ish one is my regular hair gel. I’m hoping the moisturizing one will be the end of the leave in conditioner. I was using flaxseed gel for a while, but convenience won out every time I got too busy to make another batch. Convenience comes in a bottle with a host of nasty chemicals. I feel a little guilty every time that I use that stuff, but seriously, it’s like magic. It tames my hair like nothing else, but my bottle is almost out and I don’t want to replace it. So, hair gel is back in production, and I’m in search of something natural to be my leave in conditioner.
Warm the gelatin and water in a saucepan until completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice. From here, you can leave it plain or follow the variation.
I put my two different gels into squeeze bottles for ease of use. You want to keep your hands out of it or it will spoil more quickly.
Tip: Pour the gel into several small squeeze bottles. That way you can put one in the bathroom, and refrigerate the rest to keep it longer.
This brand is produced in Vancouver, B.C. and is the best natural hair product I’ve ever bought. There isn’t anything in it that I can’t pronounce, and it is completely natural. However, I can’t buy it now that we’re living in Montana. So, that’s where Lemon Hair Gel comes in. As a bonus, it only cost me $0.60 to make my own hair gel, and it works just as good as the one from the store that cost $10.00.
I’d like to experiment a little more with the flaxseed version before posting it. I think it has great potential for everyday use. Until then, this gel is keeping my curls in check.
What’s your experience with natural hair care? Do you have any favorite products?
Print
DIY Lemon Hair Gel
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 1-1 1/2 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 1 packet of gelatin (about 1 Tablespoon)
- 1 cup water
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- For Conditioner Version Add:
- 1–2 Teaspoons of coconut oil
- 4 Tablespoons of aloe vera gel
Instructions
- Mix together the water and gelatin in a saucepan. Then place it over medium heat and stir just until the gelatin dissolves.
- Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Let cool until gelled.
- For the conditioner version, I added the coconut oil and aloe vera after the gelatin had set.
- Place everything in the blender and blend on low until creamy. You can also whisk this together by hand, but you will need to melt the coconut oil first.
100 Comments on “DIY Lemon Hair Gel”
I made this hair gel about a half hour after I read about it here I’ve used it twice now, and am very impressed with it. It’s not sticky and it didn’t leave my hair too ‘crunchy.’ I live in high heat and humidity, and didn’t even have any frizz! I’m sold Thanks!
★★★★★
I’m so glad to hear it’s been working great in your climate too, (we live in a colder dryer climate)!
Hey Im interested in reproducing this recipe but I want to know if the lemon juice is chemically required? Can it be omitted or will that alter the efficacy of the gel?
You don’t need to use the lemon juice. It does help preserve it a bit better, but I’ve made this many times without lemon.
This is really a good diy post. I have read your article and comment sections. Some of the commenters get a good result. So I will give it a shot. Thanks for your post.
I sure hope you enjoy the recipe!
Made the gel last night with Great Lakes (orange can). Blended with the aloe gel this a.m. Have short 2a waves. Used about 6-8 small marble-sized bits, well melted in my hand on very damp hair. Because it’s so thin going on it was hard to tell if i was over doing it. Clipped roots and diffused to about 80%. Looks and feels good. Going out into a hot day … real test will be D2 – D3. Will let you know how it goes. Can’t believe i have jello in my hair lol
It’s always a process to figure out how much you’ll need for your hair, but definitely worth it!
Hello..can you Tell me the exact kind of Great Lake gelatin you used to make this gel? I seen different ones available on Amazon and I want to get the right one.
I’ve included the link below to the exact one I bought. I hope this helps, and be sure to let me know if you have anymore questions!
https://www.amazon.com/Great-Lakes-Unflavored-Gelatin-Kosher/dp/B0008D6WBA/ref=pd_sim_121_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0008D6WBA&pd_rd_r=X760DFNK0VGQYRGE64C1&pd_rd_w=IpLoW&pd_rd_wg=5W5a2&refRID=X760DFNK0VGQYRGE64C1&th=1