Personally, I think that one of the toughest parts of pinup is styling hair in a vintage style. Even though I have been a pinup for many years, styling my hair is a constant battle but I’ve learnt it’s all about the set. Besides thinking about curler size, setting patterns and heat, an important aspect of setting my curls comes from the setting lotion I use. I have tried various setting sprays (I’ll one day make a comparison post/video about them I promise), but over the years I have experimented with some homemade alternatives too. I remember writing down in a notebook a simple flaxseed setting spray recipe and I recently found it when I was going through some old journals of mine (oh goodness so embarrassing!). I’ve been tinkering with the recipe and have tweaked it; I am looking forward to sharing it with you.

What you Need:
3/4 cup water to boil
1/2 cup up to 1 cup of additional water
1 tablespoon of whole flaxseeds/linseeds
1/2 teaspoon Rosewater
optional: lavender essential oil
Note: Flaxseeds and Linseeds are the same thing but it depends on where you’re from as to what you call them. 

Cooking equipment:
-Small pot
-Seive
-Stirring spoon
-Bowl
-Storage Jar or Spray Bottle
-Funnel if you’re clumsy like me

Method:
-Bring to the boil, 3/4 cup of water. Add the tablespoon of flaxseeds, stir and boil for 5-10 minutes. Make sure you use whole flaxseeds as I’ve found ground flaxseeds don’t produce as much gel. Stir occasionally making sure you don’t cook it for too long.
-Your mixture should be thicker but not as thick as a gel. Remember it’s supposed to be sprayed onto the hair so you don’t want it thickening to a gel-like consistency. Take it off the heat, and drain the liquid into a small bowl. Get as many of the flaxseeds out as quickly as you can (or else they will stick to your hair and look like bugs).
-Add 1/4 teaspoon of Rosewater and a few drops of lavender essential oil. This is optional and I personally add these ingredients to add scent and a bit of shine; you can add any essential oil you like depending on your scent preference.
-Whisk the mixture until it thickens. Add your extra cup of water (you can add less or more depending on how strong of a hold you prefer your curls to have, I find that a cup is plenty). Pour this mixture into a jar and store in the fridge for up to two weeks. It will start to smell a little sour when it’s time to throw out the old mixture and make a new batch.

This recipe is simple, affordable and doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals. You can find flaxseeds at most grocery stores but also buy them in bulk online. For a half kilo bag, it costs me around $3 so it’s a great way to be a pinup of a budge. I remember my mother telling me my grandmother used a very similar recipe but loved to put orange oil to help her hair stay a bright colour and smell fresh. I find that by using this setting lotion in either a wet or dry set, my curls last up to 4 days. You can either spray the lotion directly onto your hair as your curl or by dipping your rollers into the solution; personally, I like using it as a spray.

Despite not coming up with the original concept, I thought I might also explain why I add Rose Water instead of anything else. Rosewater is a gentle and natural astringent so it helps soothe and calm irritated skin including the scalp. Rosewater also is naturally moisturizing so it won’t dry out the hair and it is also rich in flavonoids and vitamins A, B3, C, D, and E. Also, according to this source, “Rosewater has been said to stabilize hair’s pH balance because its pH is similar to that of hair. Some say it can aid in repairing hair’s damaged porosity. It acts as an anti-inflammatory, and with its natural antiseptic properties, it can reduce or lessen dandruff caused by fungal infections. Some even believe it promotes hair growth. It is thought to have stimulating properties”.

Note: after much Internet hunting and digging I found the original recipe! What I thought was a strange note in my notebook turned out to be the blogs name so here’s a link to where I found this original recipe (from 2010) and a further link to where she found it (from 2005). I’m pretty sure other pinups have adapted their own version of this hair setting spray but I still wanted to share my own method. I have been making it for a while and find it works really well.

Note: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions and thoughts expressed are solely my own and not influenced in any way.