How to Make Homemade Shampoo

Making your own homemade shampoo is a great way to start experimenting with using essential oils and the healing properties of herbs

You can find herbs in small amounts or in bulk online or at most health food stores. But, many recipes use culinary herbs, which are available right in your own kitchen.

Once you have the basic recipe down, start experimenting with different scents to create calming, stimulating, or rejuvenating shampoo that suits your mood and personality - and cleans your hair - without using harsh, dangerous chemicals.

 

A Simple Herbal Shampoo

This is very simple and easy way to produce a wonderfully rich homemade shampoo that's designed to give your hair a complete herbal treatment, tailored to your very own hair type.

You'll get all this at a fraction of the cost of named brands especially if you use some of the left over decoction as a final rinse.

Ingredients

(Use within 2 months)

• 5 fl oz (150ml) baby shampoo (store brand is perfect)
• 1 teaspoon dried or 3 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs (chosen from chart bellow)
• 10fl oz (300ml) water

Method

1. Place the herbs and water into a saucepan and bring to the boil, place the lid on the pan and gently simmer for about 10 minutes.



2. Remove from the heat and allow the decoction to cool.

 



 

3. Pour the baby shampoo into sterile bottle or jar.



4. Strain the decoction, then pour 3fl oz (100ml) in with the baby shampoo and Shake well.



5. Don't throw the remaining decoction away; this can be poured into a fresh bottle and used as a herbal rinse for an extra boost.

 

How To Use

Give the shampoo a good shake before each use, then use as you would any shampoo. Rinse off with clean water and then with a herbal rinse.

Which Herbs And Oils To Choose For A Healthy Homemade Shampoo

It's a good idea to make a larger amount of the infusion/decoction that's mentioned in our shampoo and conditioner recipes. This way you'll have plenty left over for a finishing herbal rinse, giving your hair a double herbal treatment.

For normal hair

Chamomile (for light hair)
Sage (for dark hair)
Elderflowers - fennel - horsetail - nettle - rosemary

For dry or damaged hair

Chamomile (for light hair)
Sage (for dark hair)
Comfrey - elderflowers - linden flowers - marshmallow - parsley

For oily hair

Lavender - lemon balm - peppermint - rosemary - southernwood - thyme - yarrow

To give extra body

Nettle - rosemary

To give added shine

Sage (for dark hair)
Cleavers - linden flowers - marigold - nettle - parsley

To tone the scalp

Cleavers - fennal - lavender - linden flowers - nettle - rosemary

To stimulate hair growth

Nettle - rosemary - thyme - yarrow

To repair the acid balance

Raspberry leaves

Adding Essential Oils To Your Home Made Shampoos

Adding a few drops of essential oil to your shampoo will not only give it a pleasant aroma but can help to nourish the scalp too.

These particular oils have been chosen for their wonderful and long lasting aroma and their calming effect on the mind and soul.

Jasmine - lavender - rose - rosemary - thyme - violet

Soapwort shampoo

Soapwort is a naturally frothy herb; it makes a very mild yet affective shampoo that can be used every day without harming your hair.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon either crushed soapwort root or soapbark
• 1 tablespoon chosen herb
• 2 1/2 pints (1.5 liters) water

Method

1. In a pan of water, place the soapwort root and herb and bring to the boil.



2. Then cover and simmer for 4 minutes.



3. Take the pan off the heat and leave it to cool down.



4. Strain the mixture pressing down on the soapwort root to release as much liquid as possible



5. Transfer the shampoo into a clean bottle, and use within a month.

How To Use

1. Massage about 6 1/2 fl oz (200ml) of the shampoo into damp hair.



2. Rinse off with clean water or with an herbal infusion (rinse) to matching the shampoo.

 

If you want to go super-duper basic, just buy a box of plain borax (20 Mule Team) laundry soap. Make sure it is 100 percent borax with no other added ingredients.

It doesn't foam up like commercial shampoo, but don't worry. Use a small handful and rub it through your hair for completely clean hair and scalp. When your hair dries, it will feel so soft and wonderful.

 

Try one of these:

Therapeutic Homemade Shampoo Bar
Homemade Dandruff Shampoo
Homemade Dry Shampoo