This sulfate-free, DIY shampoo bar for oily hair is to die for, if I do say so myself! It’s been made from a combination of cleansing surfactants, moisturizing ingredients, and oil-absorbing starches.
I’ve also chosen oils to help balance oil production and anti-bacterial essential oil to unblock pores, relieve itchiness, and encourage hair growth. leaving your hair feeling clean, light, and rejuvenated
DIY Shampoo Bar For Oily Hair
I’ve made shampoo bars before, but never really one designed specifically for oily hair types. So, I thought I’d show our greasy girls some love.
Our shampoo bar lathers up really well in the hands, producing some lovely long-lasting bubbles that can be transferred to your hair, or you can rub it directly on wet hair and lather as you massage it into the scalp and hair.
And here’s the best bit: there are no heating and melting ingredients! All you need to do is weigh, mix, and press into a mold.
Tea Tree And Peppermint Shampoo Bar For Oily Hair
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Equipment
- 1 Spatula
Ingredients
Phase A: Dry Ingredients
- 35 g SCI Powder (Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate)
- 24 g SLSA (Powdered, Sdoium Lauryl Suloacetate)
- 10 g Rice Starch
- 5 g French Green Clay
- 1 g D-Panthenol Powder
Phase B: Wet Ingredients
- 14 g Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- 7 g Jojoba Oil
- 2 g Glycerine
- 1 g Preservative
- 0.5 g Peppermint Essential Oil
- 0.5 g Tea Tree Essential Oil
Misc
- Wax Paper ((just a small piece))
Video
Instructions
Measure & Combine Phases A & B
- Put on your face mask. Place the dry ingredients into a medium-sized bowl. Mix until fully combined.35 g SCI Powder, 24 g SLSA, 10 g Rice Starch, 5 g French Green Clay
- Place the wet ingredients, cocamidopropyl betaine, Jojoba oil, glycerin, preservative Eco, mint, and tea tree essential oil Into a separate beaker. Give it a quick stir to make sure they are fully combined.Â1 g D-Panthenol Powder, 14 g Cocamidopropyl Betaine, 7 g Jojoba Oil, 2 g Glycerine, 1 g Preservative, 0.5 g Peppermint Essential Oil, 0.5 g Tea Tree Essential Oil
- Now we need to combine the dry and wet ingredients. So go ahead and pour the wet ingredients into the dry.
- Start to bring the mix together with a flexible spatula, it should start to resemble a dry crumbly dough. Once the stickiness has gone I find the easiest way to fully combine it is to use your hands. So get stuck in and give the mixture a good squish around until it resembles something like soft play dough.
Pressing Into Mold
- Once we have a dough-like soap mix, press it into the mold. This needs to be pressed down well so that it reaches all the corners and has no air bubbles.
- For a nice smooth finish. Take a piece of waxed paper and lay this over the top of the shampoo bar, then gently rub it across with your hands. Then, pop the shampoo bar into the freezer for a couple of hours to harden.Wax Paper
Releasing From Mold
- Once the bar has hardened enough to remove it, remove the bar from the mold. It may still be soft enough to place a finger through, so take care.
- Set the bar aside to harden fully, this usually takes around 7 days.
DIY Shampoo Bar For Oily & The Problem of pH
Because we’re using detergents in this shampoo bar, the issue of pH always comes up. This is because products that are high in pH have the potential to damage our hair. It destabilizes it’s natural pH, and can lead to dry, overly brittle hair that will split more quickly after a cut.
Of course, this recipe accounts of this, and we use a pH modifier. But sometimes what happens in my kitchen isn’t always exactly what will happen in yours. So, we want to test the pH of our shampoo bars before we use them.
How to test the pH of the shampoo bar
Although this DIY shampoo bar for oily hair recipe comes out at a pH of 5, for me, it’s always a good idea to know how to test your bars.
Unfortunately, you do need to wait until your shampoo bar has solidified before testing. scrape off 1g of the shampoo bar and dissolve it in 9g of dissited water.
Test the pH of the dissolved mixture using pH strips or a pH meter. If the pH is higher than around 5.5, you’ll need to adjust it. with either citric acid or lactic acid in small increments until the pH reaches around 5.5. Be sure to keep track of how much you’ve added.
Once you know how much citric acid or lactic acid you have to add to reach the desired pH level, You can Calculate and Adjust the next batch by Multiplying the amount of citric acid or lactic acid used in the 1g test by 100 (since the test was done on a 1g sample). This gives you the amount of acid needed for a 100g shampoo bar.
So, when making the batch of shampoo bars, add the calculated amount of citric acid or lactic acid to achieve the right pH level. As the citric acid is a dry ingredient, we would add this to the dry part. The lactic acid, being a liquid, would be added to the liquid ingredients.
DIY Shampoo Bar For Oily Hair: Application
Product Shelf Life: 6-12 months
Storage Instructions: Store in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight.
Storage Notes: Try to avoid leaving the product in puddles of water. It’s ideal to let them dry out between uses.
The most important thing to do first is to let it harden. Right after we pull it out of the mold, it’s much too soft to use and will melt very quickly in the shower or bath. So, just a few days of patience is all we need to get it ready for the hot water.
How To Use
- Once it’s ready to use, simply take it into the bath or shower with you. When you’re ready to wash your hair, lather your shampoo bar between your fingers before rubbing it against the roots and then to the tip of your hair.
- When you have enough foam, put the bar to one side and massage the scalp, making sure to disrupt dead skin cells and dandruff. Rinse, then repeat if necessary.
- Follow up with a conditioning product, such as a liquid conditioner or a conditioning bar.
- After your shower, make sure your shampoo bar isn’t sitting in a puddle of water, and that it is left to dry properly for your next use.
Frequency Of Use: It’s recommended that you wash your hair no more than once or twice a week.
DIY Shampoo Bar For Oily Hair: In-Depth Analysis
I’ve been making shampoo bars for a little while now, so this is just an update for my repertoire. However, there are still things about this product that continue to impress me. For example, I love that it needs little to no packaging at all! No need for squeezy plastic bottles for this one!
This, coupled with its small size, make it ideal for travel use. I’ll slip one of these into my wash bag and forget about it. But make sure it’s not one that you’ve used recently. I’ve also found that these bars can last longer than their liquid counterparts, although this is only if you store properly and use them once or twice a week.
And in a pinch, you can even use it on the body if you really need to. After all, I’ve packed this with ingredients that aren’t just good for the hair, but also nourishing for the scalp. Which, after all, is just another type of skin!
Why use a shampoo bar?
- Shampoo bars need little if any packaging, reducing plastic waste.
- They last much longer than their liquid version
- Shampoo bars are convenient for travel as they are solid making them easy to carry around without the risk of spills.
- As this isn’t a cold procedure bar or true soap, you can pack it full of scalp-loving ingredients without worrying about them being heat-sensitive.
- This gentle cleansing shampoo bar can be used for hair and body.
So, why not give this diy shampoo bar for oily hair a try? It might be your new go-to!
Ingredient Specification and Purpose
Let’s get to know our ingredients a little better! But first, a note on our detergents. If you want to use the same as I have, follow this tip:
- The SCI and SLSA need to be powder to soak up our liquids, noodles don’t work well for this recipe as they will leave the bar too soggy. They can however be ground in a coffee grinder to make them into a powder. But this is a pain and I don’t recommend it. I’m going to be working on shampoo bars that are suitable for noodle surfactants soon, so watch this space.
SCI (Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate)
A mild surfactant derived from coconut oil. It helps create a lather, cleanses the hair and scalp, and is generally considered gentle. It’s suitable for people with sensitive skin and is often used in sulfate-free formulations.
SLSa Powder (Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate)
Should not be confused with SLS (Sodium lauryl sulfate) which is a much harsher surfactant.
Similar to SCI, SLSa is another gentle surfactant. It helps create a rich lather, effectively cleansing the hair of excess oils without causing dryness. It’s often found in sulfate-free and natural formulations. The latter is a fairly new addition and some would argue that SLSa is not a natural ingredient. We are at present on the fence with this one
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cocamidopropyl betaine is a mild surfactant derived from coconut oil.
It helps to increase the foaming and lathering properties of the shampoo, providing a pleasant washing experience. It is often included in formulations to boost cleansing effectiveness and reduce irritation.
Rice Starch
This is one of the ingredients that really makes this diy shampoo bar for oily hair it’s grease taming power. It’s a fantastic oil absorber and also adds a little exfoliation to the scalp. I think it also contributes to the feel of the shampoo bar, as it provides a smooth and creamy finish.
Green Clay
Green clay is known for its absorbent properties. It can help remove excess oil and impurities from the scalp and hair, providing a detoxifying effect. Additionally, it may add volume and texture to the hair.
D Panthenol (Provitamin B5)
Panthenol is known for its moisturizing properties. It penetrates the hair shaft, helping to retain moisture and improve the texture of the hair. It can also add shine and smoothness to the hair.
Jojoba Oil
A lightweight and non-greasy oil that closely resembles the natural oils produced by the scalp. It’s absolutely fantastic for the hair, and so I had to include it n my diy shampoo bar for oily hair. It adds moisture to the hair and can help balance oil production.
Jojoba oil also provides a conditioning effect, leaving the hair soft and manageable. Additionally, it may contribute to the overall health and shine of the hair. Its perfect for my diy shampoo bar for oily hair.
Glycerin
Glycerin is a humectant that attracts and retains moisture. In a shampoo bar, glycerin helps to keep the hair hydrated, preventing it from becoming overly dry during the cleansing process. It can also contribute to the overall softness and manageability of the hair.
Preservative Eco
Shampoo bars don’t always need a preservative but as the clay is so difficult to preserve we will be using one here.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint essential oil provides an uplifting and refreshing scent to the shampoo bar. Peppermint oil is also said to help slow down hair loss and thicken thinning hair. It also has wonderful anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial action, too!
Tea Tree Essential Oil
Tea tree oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Including tea tree essential oil, the bar will help to maintain a healthy scalp, reduce dandruff, and prevent bacterial or fungal issues. It also adds a natural, earthy scent to the product.
Substituting Ingredients
- Powdered surfactants: SCI and SLSA; we don’t recommend substituting these surfactants as the bar may end up too soft and the pH of the finished bar could be too high. At a push, you could try using all SCI powder. This would make the bar more natural and the pH should remain stable.
- Rice Starch: cornstarch or arrowroot should work
- Green Clay: you could try another clay, kaolin clay would be nice and you could add a touch of mica if you still want some color.
- D Panthenol: allantoin would be a good substitute here, or you could leave it out.
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine: Coco glucoside or decyl glucoside would be a decent substitute but they have a higher pH so the formula would need to be adjusted. Add around 0.25g of citric acid with the dry ingredients. This should keep the shampoo bar at a good pH range.
- Jojoba oil: any other carrier oil you have to hand.
- Essential oil: these can be substituted for any essential oil or fragrance oil. You may need to lower the usage rate depending on the one you choose. Always follow the manufacturer’s lines
Final Thoughts
Our homemade shampoo bar offers a blend of carefully selected ingredients and sustainable hair care, making a positive impact on both your hair and the environment. It leaves your hair feeling clean and balanced, with a noticeable healthy shine, from the very first wash.
If you liked this diy shampoo bar for oily hair, let me know what you thought in the comments below! I’ll also do my best to answer any burning questions you might have.
Hi! I was wondering if I could use germall liquid plus for the preservative?
Hi Julia,
I have never tried Liquid Germall Plus as a preservative, mainly because I am unable to get hold of it here in the UK. However, I have done a bit of research, and it sounds like an excellent choice. Germall Plus is more concentrated than most preservatives, so you will need to lower the percentage by 0.5%.
Sorry I could not be more help.
Angela x