http://thenerdyfarmwife.com/homemade-herbal-shampoo/
http://thenerdyfarmwife.com/homemade-herbal-shampoo/
DIY Herbal Shampoo Recipe:
- 2 ounces Dr. Bronner’s Unscented Baby Mild Pure Castile Soap
- 4 to 5 ounces of water, infused with herbs (see suggestions below)
- 1/4 teaspoon carrier oil – more for dry hair, less for oily (options below)
- 20 to 40 drops essential oil (suggestions below)
First, make your herbal infusion by placing a teaspoon, or pinch, of each type of herb you wish to use in a heat proof jar or glass, pour one cup of simmering hot water over the herbs, cap with a saucer and let steep for several hours. Strain and set aside 4 to 5 ounces. Any leftover infusion can be used in your bathwater or diluted with vinegar to use as a hair rinse.
Add the castile soap, carrier oil and essential oils to the water. Gently stir until mixed. Try to avoid whipping up any bubbles, as much as possible. Pour into an easy to dispense container. You can recycle an old shampoo bottle for this. This should stay fresh for about four to six weeks or so, depending on the types of essential oils you use. Refrigeration will increase the shelf life, but is not necessary.
Shake or swirl gently before each use. If at all possible, follow with either a rinse or spritzing of vinegar and water. More on this below.
http://thenerdyfarmwife.com/homemade-herbal-shampoo/
Herbs to try in your infusion:
These can be fresh or dry or a combination of both types. Chamomile is traditionally used for light hair and rosemary for dark hair, but feel free to mix and match as you please. You can make a lovely floral shampoo, using roses, violets, lavender and other flowers with matching essential oils or create a more medicinal one with rosemary, thyme and tea tree oil. Comfrey and calendula are great for scalp conditions and rosemary is said to prevent thinning hair. Lavender may help a dry, itchy scalp. These are just a few suggestions. Peruse through the listings of available bulk herbs atMountain Rose Herbs and see which names catch your eye. Each herb has a little link under its name that you can click for more information that will let you know what it’s useful for.
- Calendula
- Chamomile
- Comfrey
- Lavender
- Lemon or Orange Peel
- Nettle Leaf
- Oregano
- Plantain
- Rose Petals and/or Leaves
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Thyme
- Violet Flowers and/or Leaves
I buy my herbs from either Mountain Rose Herbs or Bulk Herb Store.
Carrier Oils:
These add a little bit of a moisturizing boost to your shampoo. My favorite to use is Tamanu Oil since it has so many great skin-healing properties and is also anti-microbial, making it ideal for those with dandruff or other scalp conditions. If you have very dry hair, you can use a bit more in your shampoo, if your hair is very oily, use less or omit completely. Make sure to shake your shampoo before each use so that the oil isn’t used up within the first washing or two.
Essential Oils:
Essential Oils are added for scent and therapeutic use. Depending on the types and amount used, they can also help extend the shelf life of your shampoo. If you have any type of dandruff or scalp conditions, tea tree oil is an excellent addition to consider. There are many other options however, including the ones listed below. Click on the link, find the name of the essential oil and click “Learn More” located under the name. This will show you benefits of each type plus any contraindications for use. Be especially careful if you are pregnant, nursing or on any medications before using essential oils.
- Lavender
- Peppermint
- Rose
- Geranium Rose
- Rosemary
- Lemon
- Lime
- Orange
- Grapefruit
- Sandalwood
- Spearmint
- Tea Tree
- Bergamot
- Peru Balsam
- Jasmine
- Ylang Ylang
Vinegar Rinse:
Ideally, you’ll follow your homemade shampoo with a vinegar rinse. As I mentioned above, my husband skips this step and still has excellent results with the type I make him. (I’ll put that particular recipe at the bottom of this post.) For my hair, I fill a small spray bottle half way with vinegar then top it off with water. I then spritz all over my towel dried hair. (Don’t worry, the vinegar smell disappears after a while!) You can also mix some up and pour over your hair as a rinse. (No need to rinse it out afterwards with plain water.)
The vinegar helps smooth your hair, restore pH and when used as a rinse – remove soap residue.
I like to use either my homemade lavender vinegar or rose petal vinegar, but you can infuse your vinegar with other herbs, or just use it plain. Most people prefer apple cider vinegar and I do use it sometimes, but I like how white vinegar lets the floral notes of lavender and rose shine through, so use that more often.
To infuse vinegar, just place flowers and/or herbs (fresh and/or dried) in the bottom of a glass, heat proof jar. Pour simmering (not boiling) vinegar into the jar to fill, then cap and let sit in a dark, coolish place for several weeks. Strain and store in the dark for a shelf life of at least a year, most likely much longer. Sunlight will make the pretty colors fade faster than just time alone, which is why a dark storage place is emphasized.
Rosemary Calendula Shampoo:
This is the recipe that works best for my hubby. You can use dried or fresh herbs.
- 2 ounces Dr. Bronner’s Unscented Baby Mild Pure Castile Soap
- 4 ounces water infused with: rosemary, plantain, calendula flowers and rose petals
- 1/4 teaspoon tamanu oil
- 10 drops tea tree oil
- 5 drops rosemary essential oil
- 15 to 20 drops lavender essential oil
I hope this post helps to show just how easy it is to create your own herbal shampoos! You may want to use them full-time or part-time or, if you find you don’t care for it as a shampoo, you can still use it as a body wash or even a bubble bath. Have fun experimenting!
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