Okra Leave-in conditioner

Over the past few years I have learnt how to us everyday kitchen ingredients on my face and or hair. I had to unlearn a lot of things and realise that something store-bought does not make it a better option. Most of the great store-bought products use the same ingredients as things that you already have in the kitchen.

Store bought products are convenient and will store much longer compared to homemade products. Unfortunately the good products for natural hair are usually expensive and or out of reach. So being able to use ingredients that you can get locally and affordably makes a lot of sense.

I saw someone make a gel with okra. Initially I thought, eewwwh! But then considered that I have probably used it in some products but did not know about it. What I know though is that okra is slimy, which makes it perfect for de-tangling.  So I made this leave in conditioner.

Okra is full of vitamin A and C which are good for your hair.

I cut the okra into small pieces.

Added the okra to boiling water and simmered until it was tender. I let it sit for 24 hours. You can transfer it to a mason jar. Using a mesh cloth, strained it and was left with this mucus-y slime. I whisked in some oil and lavender oil to mask the okra smell.

I strained once more to make sure there were no left-over seeds.

I know this is a hard sell but de-tangling with this stuff is a breeze. It is faster than what I usually do and my hair feels absolutely amazing afterwards.

Here is the written down recipe:

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Okra Leave in Conditioner

Prep Time 1 day

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 1 day 20 minutes

Author Princess Tafadzwa

Ingredients

• 5,5 oz okra
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil/ grapeseed oil/coconut oil

Instructions

1. Dice okra into small pieces.
2. Boil 1 ⅔ cups of water in a saucepan and add the okra. Let it simmer at medium heat while stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and cool. Store in a mason jar for one day.
4. Use a strainer cloth to separate the okra seeds from the slime. You should have about 1/2 a cup cup of okra slime.
5. Add 1/4 cup of oil to the okra. Whisk together until emulsified. Pour in a bottle. Shake well every time you use it and you okra leave-in conditioner is ready to use.