How To Flour Your Hair

How To Flour Your Hair

As the no-poo (no shampoo) movement initially based on water only washing continues to grow in popularity, fans of the alternative hair cleansing trend are always looking for new options.

This blog provides details on my own experience on how to flour your hair with a base combination of white spelt and barley ingredients.

Hair flouring is based on an ancient recipe designed to neutralize frizz and smooth the hair shaft. 

Popular in Europe, it's starting to catch on in North America and Canada.

Advantages - How To Flour Your Hair

I decided to test this treatment on my own hair because there are many advantages to using a white spelt and barley flour mixture.

Besides minimizing exposure to traditional shampoo chemicals, flour washing minimizes the oil-stripping action of baking soda wet washing.

The flour mixture can be used as an anti-frizz conditioning pre-shampoo treatment or as an alternative no-poo wet wash formula.  I tested them both ways.

A combination of white spelt and barley flour mixed together without the liquid ingredients can also be used an alternative to dry washing formulas.

Ingredients

The following recipe, which I have used on my own hair is enough for shoulder length hair.  The original hair flour recipe I tested can be found in {{asin=1580170056,text=The Herbal Home Spa: Naturally Refreshing Wraps, Rubs, Lotions, Masks, Oils, and Scrubs (Herbal Body)}} by Greta Breedlove.

If your hair is longer like mine, double the ingredients if you have exceptionally long, thick or highly textured hair. 

Although any type of flour can be used, I have personally found a mixture of white spelt with barley offers the advantage of both flours.

Note:  If you're gluten intolerant be sure you can handle the combo of these ingredients on your scalp and hair.

1/2 cup (125 ml) white spelt flour*

1/2 cup (125 ml) barley flour

1/2 cup distilled water

1/2 cup (125 ml) rose or lavender or similar floral water (see recipe below from The Herbal Home Spa ) such as Heritage Store Rose Petals Rosewater or similar.

1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar

Make sure you have plastic wrap, a plastic bag or hair treatment cap which can fit snugly over your hair.

Floral Water Ingredients

Large heat proof pot (12 to 16 quarts) which can be placed on a stove burner.

1 clean brick or flat rock approximately the size of a brick.

Medium sized bunch of fresh aromatic herbs or flowers (approximately  1/2 gallon or 2 pounds).

Heat proof glass bowl which fits down inside the large pot leaving approximately a 1" clearance around all of the sides and top.

Water

Stainless-steel bowl large enough to sit on top of the large pot

1 large chunk of ice

Yield:  Varies from 2 to 5 ounces

1.  Place the large pot on the stove on a burner.  This recipe will not work in a microwave or oven since the goal is to create a distilled floral water.

2.  Place the brick in the center of the pot.

3.  Arrange the herbs and/or glowers around the brick.

4.  Add water up to the top of the brick to completely cover the brick.

5.  Place the glass bowl on top of the brick to collect the distilled floral water.

6.  Set the stainless steel bowl on top of the pot and add a large chunk of ice to the bowl.  It's best to use one large chunk of ice by filling a plastic jug with water and freezing.  Smaller chunks of ice melt quickly and require constant attention.

7. Turn on the burner on low.  Allow the herbs or flowers to simmer on the lowest heat for approximately 3 hours.  Always make sure you have ice in the stainless steel bowl on top of the pot.  The floral water will collect in the stainless steel bowl.

8.  Bottle in a clean capped glass container.

Step by Step Instructions

1.  Shift the flours together in a large bowl.

2.  Pour the distilled water, flora water, and vinegar over the flours.  Mix to a runny liquid. Add more water as needed to create a workable liquid.

How To Flour Your Hair

1.  Spoon the hair flour mixture onto your dry strands.

2.  Using clean fingers, a clean spatula or similar, smooth the paste all over the hair shaft.  Apply about 1 inch below the scalp.

Note:  This is a hair treatment, not a scalp treatment.  While not harmful for the scalp, the treatment is best for the hair.

3.  Pull coated hair up on top of  the head.  Cover with wrap, a plastic bag or a treatment cap.

4.  Secure the plastic with a hair clip or similar.

5.  Leave the flour mixture on hair for up to 30 minutes.

6.  Remove plastic bag and rinse the mixture completely off hair using cool/cold water.

Note:  Do not use hot water.  It will make the flour stick to your hair and make a mess.

After rinsing the flour completely off hair, you can either apply an additional wet wash cleansing formula, apply a rinse-out conditioner or just finish.  Experiment to get the best results for your hair based on your hair type, texture, length and condition.

Summary - How To Flour Your Hair

Hair flouring is based on an ancient recipe designed to neutralize frizz and smooth the hair shaft.   Popular in Europe, how to flour your hair recipes are starting to catch on in North America and Canada.

Hair flouring offers versatility.  You can use it as a pre-conditioning treatment or as an alternative wet washing formula.

Avoid this hair treatment if you have Celiac Disease or discuss it with your physician before you do.

More About Spelt Flour

*Note: Similar in appearance to wheat, but with a harder outer shell, spelt non-wheat flour (Triticum aestivum var. spelta) is one of the most popular and widely available non-wheat flour options. Pasta, bread, crackers, and baked goods made with spelt flour. Spelt is a cereal grain in the wheat family that has been cultivated for thousands of years,  originally in Iran, then Europe.  Only in the past century has spelt been cultivated in North America.

Spelt flour can usually be found in the organic section of your local grocery store or  in bulk or natural food stores.  Make sure there is no sign of moisture in the package or container. If you are buying in a bulk food store, make sure there is a high turnover at the store to ensure the product is fresh.

Spelt flour should be refrigerated, or stored in an airtight container on a cool, dark shelf.