It can be hard not to feel guilty when you have ‘one of those weeks.’ You know the ones, where you eat way too much fast food, binge watch an entire series, and completely neglect your natural hair care routine.
We get it. Sometimes you don’t want to have to remove your makeup at the end of each day and you’d much rather indulge yourself than eat a salad. It’s okay, sometimes you need this. You need to practice self-care and take it easy.
When you’re having one of those days or weeks (or months) it’s that much more crucial to use products and formulas that leave your coils and curls healthy, hydrated, and happy. You want every ingredient to work overtime, to nourish your strands so you don’t have to spend as much time caring for them.
We want to give you peace of mind about what’s in our products, and that’s why we continue to be transparent about the ingredients we put in them. (Read up on other favorite ingredients like The Dos & Don’ts Of Using Coconut On Natural Hair, The Amazing Benefits Of Using Tea Tree Oil On Natural Hair, and Surprising Reasons Chocolate Is A Game-Changer For Natural Hair).
Several of our products, for instance, contain Flaxseed Oil and we want you to know exactly what it is, where it comes from, and what it does for every natural hair type and texture. The Flaxseed Oil hair benefits are numerous and it’s why we’ve made it the star ingredient of our Moisture Miracle Flaxseed Oil Curling Cream.
Learn more about why we’ve included this underrated natural ingredient in our products and the surprising ways it can make caring for your natural hair simpler, regardless of your natural hair type or texture.
What is Flaxseed Oil?
First things first, what exactly is Flaxseed Oil? This oil comes from the flax plant, a herb found in Africa, Oceania, Asia, and Europe. It was first cultivated in Babylon in about 3000 BC but wasn’t commonly used until somewhere around 300 BC in the Middle East. The Ancient Egyptians saw its numerous benefits and used its fibers for clothing while the Europeans in the Early Middle Ages consumed it for its health benefits.
Next time you’re in a health food store keep your eyes peeled for flaxseeds. Chances are you’ll see tons of flax foods, grains, and oils. Whole flax seeds, also called linseed, can create two different types of oils. Flaxseed Oil is extracted by cold pressing the seeds and is safe for human use and consumption while Linseed oil is extracted the same way but petroleum solvents are added to get the maximum yield.
It’s important to note that Linseed oil is not safe for human consumption and is often used as an ingredient in paint and furniture finishes. Two largely different oils cut from the same seed so be sure to only use the Flaxseed Oil made for health and beauty care.
The Health Benefits Of Flaxseed
Humans have long been consuming flax seeds and Flaxseed Oil for its nutrients, but what exactly it did for the body was a mystery for most of that time. Many modern studies sought to discover whether flaxseed actually provided such amazing health advantages.
One 2014 study done on rabbits demonstrated not only flaxseed’s health benefits, but also how it specifically contributes to overall hair health. The research showed that consuming flaxseed had a positive effect on the rabbits’ hair length and thickness.
So how exactly does flaxseed achieve this? Well, the main nutrients in flaxseed that contributed to hair growth are its omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E. The fatty acids nourish the hair shafts and follicles, strengthening them against damage and improving the hair’s elasticity. This encourages new hair growth that is strong and healthy.
Flaxseed’s high amounts of protein and selenium also contribute to hair growth as well as shine. Vitamin E improves blood circulation, nourishes the hair follicles, and adds moisture to the strands. Its strong antioxidant properties also keep the scalp healthy and protected against free radicals. With all of these great nutrients that benefit the whole body and the hair, it’s no surprise that there would be excellent advantages to applying flax topically as well.
Flaxseed Oil Hair Benefits
Ingesting flax offers a lot of value in terms of overall health and hair health, but applying it directly to hair comes with its own advantages, especially for natural hair. Curls and coils of almost all types tend to struggle with retaining moisture and those with Type 4 hair typically experience dry, itchy scalps. Textured hair has a tendency to be more prone to dryness and breakage. Finding the right curly and coily hair products that are affordable, effective, and gentle can often be a struggle. This is why we love Flaxseed Oil and how incredible it can be at transforming strands and fixing your biggest hair woes. Let’s dig deeper into the four most amazing Flaxseed Oil hair benefits.
Fights Scalp Issues
The most frustrating scalp issues are also some of the most common. These can include itching, dryness, and dandruff. Not only are these scalp irritations physically and visibly unpleasant, they can also lead to more serious problems like eczema, infections, and even stunt hair growth.
The fatty acids and nutrients found in Flaxseed Oil are just what your natural hair needs to help alleviate that irritation. The rich omega-3 fatty acids moisturize and soothe the scalp while helping to fight those more serious ailments like dandruff and eczema.
One of the best ways to fight scalp issues is to give yourself a soothing scalp massage with pure Flaxseed Oil. Simply massage into your dry scalp in between wash days or leave on the scalp as a deep conditioning treatment, rinsing off after 20-30 minutes.
Stimulates Hair Growth
Packed with anti-inflammatory properties, omega-3 fatty acids, and essential vitamins like Vitamin E, Flaxseed Oil helps promote a healthy scalp, adds shine, and nourishes dry, brittle strands. Omega-3 fats nourish hair follicles and encourage growth as they help prevent inflammation which leads to hair loss, dandruff, and itchy scalps. Meanwhile the rich vitamin E reduces free radical damage that leads to breakage and stunted growth.
Clearer, healthier hair follicles prevent tissue corrosion and provide a better environment for new hair growth. Similarly, Flaxseed Oil works to seal hair cuticles, helping to fight frizz and prevent breakage so that your natural locks can grow longer and stronger.
Rich in antioxidants, you can reap the hair growth benefits of Flaxseed Oil by adding more flax to your diet and giving yourself a relaxing scalp massage as outlined above
Gives Hold & Definition
One of the reasons we love Flaxseed Oil for all natural hair textures is that it provides great hold and restores shine to your natural beautiful hair. This nourishing ingredient leaves curls and coils more manageable while supplying a light yet noticeable hold.
Flaxseed Oil in gel formulas makes a wonderful flake-free moisturizer that gives coily and curly hair sturdy hold and definition without that dreaded crunchiness. Using Flaxseed gel is a great way to apply the benefits of Flaxseed to your hair topically and to get amazing hold for your style.
Our Moisture Miracle African Pride Gel N’ Cream utilizes Flaxseed Oil with the added benefits of Shea Butter to provide superior curl definition, hydration and shine, enhancing coils and curls natural pattern without flaking.
For best results apply gel to small sections of clean, wet hair. Smooth throughout your hair in a downward motion and use a denman brush or comb to define each section. Scrunch coils & curls as needed. Allow to air dry or sit under a hooded dryer for maximum impact.
Moisturizes & Strengthens
We all know protein is incredibly important for a balanced diet. Protein is also a significant factor in the overall health of your skin and hair. As one of the richest vegetable sources of omega-3 fatty acids, Flaxseed Oil is an excellent source of protein and nutrients. These essential fats help moisturize the scalp and strands plus, they make curls stronger and shinier.
Packed with nourishing nutrients like vitamin B, magnesium, selenium, and copper, Flaxseed helps improve the elasticity of your natural curls while giving them the proper moisture to grow stronger and healthier.
By sealing moisture to the hair shaft, Flaxseed Oil helps curls and coils have less breakage, dryness, frizz, and split ends. We love how well Flaxseed helps transform brittle, dry, or lackluster natural hair, making it smoother and more manageable.
Using Flaxseed Oil Curling Cream
African Pride’s Moisture Miracle Flaxseed Oil Curling Cream blends Shea Butter and Flaxseed Oil to provide deep moisture, lasting definition, and radiant shine. This is guaranteed to leave coils, waves, and curls of every type smooth and bouncy.
Infused with moisturizing properties, this curling cream gives hair soft hold without flaking or crunchiness. It’s the perfect formula for easy wash-and-gos, twist-outs, braid-outs, or finger coils.
Simply work this lush cream into sections of dry or damp hair (we think it works best on damp hair) and rake (never scrunch!) through strands with your fingers or a wide tooth comb, working the product from your roots to ends.
This method helps you get the best version of your curls since they are smoothest when they’re wet. Once you’ve got your curls fully coated in the cream, don’t touch them too much as they dry, otherwise you might cause them to frizz.
Air dry or gently blow dry hair with a diffuser on a low setting, then you can fluff it to your liking. It’s common to use a bit of gel on top of a curling cream that isn’t strong enough, but a defining formula like ours has enough hold to keep your curls and coils in place all day.
Incorporating Flaxseed Into Your Daily Routine
This natural, plant-based oil has so much to offer your hair health that we’ve added it to several of our amazing products. In addition to using Flaxseed Oil in your gel and curling creams, work some pure Flaxseed oil into your scalp as a gentle massage.
To get even more benefits from Flaxseed Oil, it’s worth incorporating some into your diet as well as your hair care routine. Flaxseeds as a snack are a great source of fiber and Vitamin B, not to mention the omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E.
In addition to stronger, healthier hair, some studies have even shown that ingesting Flaxseeds can reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes.
Not sure where to start? It’s easy, think of Flaxseed like a topping. It can be sprinkled over salads, oatmeal, veggies, yogurt, or smoothies and baked into goodies like bread and cookies.
Making positive, healthy choices for your curls and coils (and your overall well-being) may take slightly more time or effort but that’s why it’s important to use ingredients that work overtime. That’s why we’re committed to creating effective yet affordable natural hair products that make your life a little bit easier. Discover our extensive Moisture Miracle collection and get ready for healthy, fabulous hair!