A good shampoo helps remove dirt, skin particles, excess oil, dandruff, and build up of other contaminants in the hair. Simply put, it cleans your hair and scalp.
However, the various chemicals present in a commercially available shampoo tend to strip the scalp of natural oils, thereby making your hair dry.
Thus, if you prefer to use natural, homemade products, you can try using an effective yet affordable shampoo prepared at home.
In addition, you can modify these recipes to include ingredients that can eliminate issues like dandruff, itchy scalp, head lice, etc.
Most homemade shampoos make use of castile soap, which primarily contains olive oil. You can get Dr. Bronner – Castile Soap (16oz) from Amazon for $9.99.
Recipes for Homemade Shampoos
- • Using two cups of water mixed with a tablespoon of baking soda as a shampoo is beneficial for greasy hair. As baking soda can have a somewhat drying effect, follow up with an apple cider vinegar rinse that is, ACV diluted in water to regulate the pH of the hair.
Basically, both these products help clarify your hair. Plus baking soda or sodium bicarbonate also cleans your hair and absorbs excess oil. It can be used as a dry shampoo, as well. However, as this ingredient is highly abrasive, do not use it too often.
- • In case you have dandruff, prepare a cup of herbal infusion by steeping burdock root and nettle leaves in boiling water.
Mix this solution in a cup of liquid castile soap and add one tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and a teaspoon of organic honey in it. The nettle and burdock infusion can be replaced with that of sage if you have dark hair; for lighter hair, use marigold.
- • Take a glass or plastic bottle and pour a quarter cup each of liquid castile soap and distilled water in it and add half a teaspoon of grape seed oil, or jojoba oil in the mixture. Shake it well so as to mix all the ingredients.
- • Another similar recipe involves a combination of a quarter cup of liquid castile soap, half a cup of distilled water two teaspoons of avocado oil, and one-eighth teaspoon each of tea tree oil and peppermint oil.
To make the shampoo smell better, you may add a few drops of a fragrant essential oil of your choice. In addition, you may put a teaspoon of vegetable glycerin in it to add volume to your hair. After using this homemade shampoo, rinse your hair with apple cider vinegar diluted in water.
Here’s a video showing how to make a shampoo bar at home.
- • Combine one cup of liquid castile soap, a quarter cup of water, two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, and three-fourth tablespoons of vitamin E oil in a spray bottle and use it as a shampoo for your hair.
- • Take a quarter cup of liquid castile soap, add one-third cup of coconut milk, half a teaspoon of almond oil or olive oil (use one teaspoon of oil if you have dry hair), and 10-15 drops of your favorite essential oil in it. Thoroughly shake the bottle in which you have combined these ingredients.
- • When dealing with head lice, you can make a homemade antiseptic shampoo for lice treatment. Mix a teaspoon of salt in five teaspoons of vinegar.
Next, put one teaspoon each of peppermint essential oil, and tea tree oil in it. Finally, add two teaspoons of dish soap in the recipe and apply this shampoo on wet hair.
- • In case you have blonde hair, you can make a chamomile shampoo. For this, you need to steep six chamomile tea bags in one and a half cups of hot water for about 20 minutes.
Next, add one and a half tablespoons of vegetable glycerin and four tablespoons of pure soap flakes. Store the mixture in cool, dark place.
When switching from a commercial to homemade shampoo, do not expect immediate results. Your lustrous locks are likely to take some time to heal from the effect of chemicals. Thus, your hair may feel stiff, heavy, oily, or dry in the beginning.
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