Looking for a new and natural hair gel or goop? Some naturalistas recommend flaxseed oil gel, nicknamed “FSG.” They claim it gives the full gel experience without the chemical mix that goes into commercial hair-styling and curl-enhancing products. But are these claims true? Here, CurlyNikki.com explains the origins and hair-health benefits of this gel.

Here are the basics: Flaxseed oil is created from the seeds of the flax plant, which is full of fatty acids, such as omega-3, and was first cultivated by ancient cultures. Why use flaxseed oil? Well, this organic oil has healing properties that can help alleviate skin disease symptoms and digestive problems. What’s more, its also said that flaxseed oil can increase hair growth and revive dry scalp. Certainly, scientists confirm that the omega-3 in flaxseed oil has scalp-replenishing properties.

These healing effects are nice, but you can also turn flaxseed into an all-natural gel to hold your hair in place. To start, pour a measurement of flaxseeds into the appropriate amount of water to boil. After the flax seeds are boiled, carefully pour the liquid through a strainer to capture the resulting goop that will make up the base of the gel.

Next, add a dose of aloe vera gel or essential carrier oils to enhance the mixture’s hair-replenishing effects. Include a pinch of finely crushed magnesium sulfate (a.k.a. Epsom salts) for curl-enhancing—but only use a small amount of this ingredient because it can also dry hair out. Once you’ve thoroughly mixed in all these additives, store this did-it-yourself gel in an airtight container.

To see exactly how this is done, click here. And click here for a checklist of hair “don’ts” for naturalistas.