Today I want to share with you, the art of homemade hair care. Yes, it’s possible to make your own shampoo at home, with ingredients from your pantry. Also, it’s very easy to make your own shampoo. 

No I haven’t gone crazy. It’s possible. 

And when you understand just how exactly you are going to be making your very own shampoo, maybe even the first one you’ve ever made! you’ll know never want to stop making shampoo on your own. 

Why is making your own shampoo a brilliant idea?

Well you know, it’s organic. You are going to be making it on your own and the biggest advantage is that you know what you’re putting in it. Not only do you know what’s gone into the making of your shampoo that you’ll be using on your head, you also have the peace of mind that the ingredients are all natural and safe. Also, you’re not testing on animals. 

It’s really a cruelty-free way of doing things.

This shampoo can be easily modified by you to make it achieve your ends. For example, you can make your shampoo extra nourishing, or for promoting hair growth, preventing pre-mature graying of hair or preventing hair loss. You know your self best, and now you can use a shampoo you made, specially tailored to your scalp and hair’s need.

Poison Ivy, from, well Batman always said, “Nature always wins“. Now Batman and Poison Ivy may not be the best example but it’s a true one. Natural formations, will always be better than synthetically made artificial ones.

Being patient is the best way to approach homemade hair care, and by that I mean, it will always take more time to achieve results and see differences when you first start using natural shampoo’s. People always complain that their hair felt dry after using their “natural” or “organic” shampoo. That’s probably because there’s no silicones in there to make your hair feel instantly soft.

However, you will be thanking yourself three months from now that you made your own shampoo at home, when you start seeing the difference, just like I did when I started using my own homemade shampoo (I also review products so can’t always use a homemade shampoo, but I use it whenever I can!).

How will you be making your own shampoo at home?

Making your own shampoo is very easy, all you need is the right cleansing agent and container. That’s it.

Well, and some other ingredients to make your shampoo perfect for you. 

Things you’ll need to buy

• A squeezable plastic bottle (You may reuse an old one if you have it) 

 

Ingredients that you’ll need

• A cleansing agent
• Nourishing ingredients of your choice
• Organic Flour
• Carrier oil of your choice
• Essential oil based on what you’re trying to achieve

why do you need the mentioned ingredients 

To actually be able to start making your own shampoo at home, you need to know and understand exactly why you need the mentioned ingredients. Here’s why:

Cleansing Agent

Pretty self-explanatory, you need to clean your hair. That’s what shampoo’s are for, cleaning hair.

Some great ingredients that act as gentle yet effective cleansers:

• Baking Soda: Gentle and alkaline ingredient that effectively removes dirt and chemical build-up in your hair. It is mild, yet powerful enough to cleanse impurities. It also provides volume and shine in hair. Better if you have normal hair. Buy here

(Buy here: U.S. Only)

• Apple Cider Vinegar: Acts as a mild acidic base, and is very effective in regulating pH balance of your hair. Cleansing agent of choice if you have curly, tangled, and oily hair. If you happen to over-style your hair then use apple cider vinegar as a cleansing agent. It also adds shine to hair. Buy here

(Buy here: U.S. Only)

Quantities in which they should be ideally used: Use one tablespoon of baking soda or apple cider vinegar per one cup of water as a general ratio when preparing your homemade shampoo. Adjust quantities as desired.

• Liquid Castile Soap: Made from 100% plant-based oils (typically olive or coconut oil) is a gentle yet effective cleansing agent specially for those who enjoy a slight foaming effect. This cleansing agent is effective on the skin and makes it the cleansing agent of choice if you have dry hair or sensitive scalp. Buy here

(Buy here: U.S. Only)

 

Nourishing Ingredients and Herbs of your choice

You can give your hair and scalp extra nutrients, and nourishment by adding natural herbs, fruits and plants in your shampoo.

How, you ask?

Quite simple, just like you prepare tea, boil and brew the plant of your choice and use this nutritive and not to mention aromatic liquid in your formula.

Plants or herbs you can use as extra nourishment:

• Shikaki: Promotes hair growth, and black shiny hair.
• Amla: A great source of Vitamin C and helps prevent hair loss.
• Reetha: Promotes hair growth and prevents hair loss. Helps strengthen hair.
• Bhringraj: Known as food for hair, promotes hair growth, prevents hair loss and has been recommended in ayurveda for treating hair loss and making hair healthy.
• Hibiscus Flower Petals: Great for conditioning hair.
• Rose Petals: Will help your scalp relax, anti-depressant, and has an amazing smell.

Quantities in which these ingredients should be used: You need to make a concoction by boiling and brewing the herbs, or plants. And make a concentrated formula. Strain it, and set it aside. Ideally, make your concoction in 1 cup of water and let it reduce to around 1/4th of that 1 cup of water. It can be lesser if you want your shampoo to be less runny and more thick in consistency. Because the end product, that is, the shampoo you’re making should not be more than 1 cup of water in quantity (It could be lesser though).

For 1 cup of water, You can use 50-100gm of each ingredient depending on how strong you want your conception to be.

Organic Flour

You only want to add organic flour to your shampoo if you have oily hair. Generally, rice flour, corn flour and arrowroot flour work well. 

Pro tip: Add one teaspoon of organic flour incase you want a thick consistency in your shampoo.

 

 

Carrier Oil and Essential Oil of your choice

Add a carrier oil of your choice for extra nourishment, that will deeply hydrate your hair. Add an essential oil to you shampoo for added benefits. 

Carrier oils to use (should be cold pressed):

• Olive Oil: For softening and easily detangling hair.
• Coconut Oil: For hair growth, and repairing damaged hair.
• Jojoba Oil: For locking in moisture and giving bounce to hair. 
• Argan Oil: Deeply penetrating and repairing damaged hair.  
• Avocado Oil: For promoting manageable hair.

Essential oils to use: 

• Rosemary: For hair growth, and for treating dandruff.
• Lavender: For a healthy scalp and promoting hair growth.

Quantities to be used in: As a general rule of thumb, one drop of essential oil should be diluted with at least 5 ml of carrier oil.

Note: You can use any essential oil of your choice, but it’s generally well to use essential oils you know best about. Later when you’ve become better at making homemade hair care products, you can try experimenting with different essential oils and ingredients. 

Read also:

How to make an organic shampoo for oily hair

A short guide on essential oils

Why you should be using essential oils for healthy hair

 

Make Your Own Shampoo At Home

Samples

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. The Shampoo recipes I’ve given are all recipes I’ve tried out myself. They should be refrigerated after use every time. You have to shake them well before use. Ideally, they shouldn’t go bad for 30 days. But just add Vitamin E oil to prolong their shelf life. Use them generously enough to clean your hair. Rinse out well.

 

Do you often make your own shampoo at home? What are the recipes you use? Do share!