6 Homemade Shampoos For Various Hair Types and Conditions
Shampoo is one of those essential items
most of us pick up at the store without giving it a second thought.
Making homemade shampoo sounds like a tedious task for some people, but
the ability to control and customize the exact ingredients that go into
your shampoo has many benefits. It allows you to create a custom-made
product that’s perfectly suited for your hair and scalp using natural
ingredients at a budget price. This article offers guidance to those who
want to start making their own shampoo at home.
Who will benefit from homemade shampoo?
Anyone who isn’t happy with their current shampoo can try making
homemade shampoo. Like store-bought shampoo formulas, homemade shampoo
concoctions have different properties: some nourish and moisturize the
hair whereas others clarify the scalp or relieve an itchy and irritated
scalp. People sensitive to harsh chemical ingredients may actually find
that homemade shampoo makes their hair healthier and shinier than
store-bought shampoo.
If you’re usually using a medicated shampoo
that keeps a specific skin or hair issue at bay, it’s important that
you consult a dermatologist to make sure that using homemade shampoo is
right for you. Patch testing any shampoo on a small skin area will help
prevent adverse skin reactions. Note that preparing liquid homemade
shampoo usually yields a runnier consistency because store-bought
shampoos usually have special thickening agents added.
Most of the ingredients we feature in this article contain Castille soap
as the main lathering ingredient. The recipe for this soap was first
made in the Castile region of Spain. Castille soap is a natural,
biodegradable soap made from vegetable oils. This natural soap is great
at gently clarifying and has a very low risk of scalp sensitivity, but
it may make hair dye fade a bit faster because it has a slightly higher
pH level.
To learn more about the uses of Castile soap, read my next post
titled Not Using Castile Soap Yet? Here Are 10 Reasons You Must.
Generally speaking, though, homemade shampoo is a good choice for any
hair type, even though it may take a few weeks for some hair types to
adjust to the new, natural hair care routine.
Homemade Shampoo Recipes
The basis for any homemade shampoo is a lathering ingredient, water, and
a few drops of natural oil. It’s best to use distilled or boiled water
because it will allow you to extend the shelf life of a liquid shampoo
to about 2 weeks if kept refrigerated. Depending on your hair type and
hair care needs, you’ll need a different balance of these three basic
ingredients.
Certain hair types will also benefit from essential oils and plant-based
ingredients. Essential oils will also extend the shelf-life of your
homemade shampoo, and allow you to customize the scent of your shampoo.
Below, we list 6 shampoo recipes that address different hair concerns,
such as an oily scalp, thinning hair, or brittle and dry hair.
1. Stimulating shampoo for volume and growth
If your hair is looking a bit flat or limp,
or your goal is to stimulate hair growth, it’s useful to customize the
formula with peppermint oil, aloe, and carrot seed oil. Peppermint oil
and aloe have a pleasant cooling sensation that stimulates the scalp
without irritating it, whereas carrot seed oil has been shown to
stimulate hair growth and gently cleanse the scalp due to its antifungal
properties. This recipe also contains green tea and honey, which are
beneficial for cleansing and nourishing the scalp.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup castile soap
- ½ cup strong green tea
- 1 teaspoon aloe vera juice (or aloe gel)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 7 drops carrot seed oil
- 10 drops of peppermint essential oil
- Bottle.
Instructions:
1. Brew a strong cup of green tea and let it cool.
2. Whisk in the remaining ingredients and transfer them to a bottle.
Shake well before use.
2. Moisturizing shampoo for dry and brittle hair
If you have brittle, dry, curly, or
color-treated hair, using Castille soap every wash may be a bit too much
for your hair. If that is the case, you can easily alternate between a
stronger shampoo and this moisturizing version that’s free of Castille
soap. This shampoo doesn’t lather and it contains plenty of restorative
and moisturizing ingredients like honey and coconut milk.
Ingredients:
- ½ can coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon jojoba oil
- ½ teaspoon castor oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla essential oil
- Bottle.
Instructions:
1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, blending them together in an
even mixture.
2. Transfer into a bottle. Make sure to shake the mixture well before
use.
3. Tea tree and rosemary shampoo for itchy scalps
Both tea tree oil and rosemary have potent
antimicrobial and restorative properties. This shampoo will fit any hair
type, but it’s especially soothing for an itchy or slightly flaky
scalp.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup liquid unscented Castile soap
- ½ teaspoon grapeseed or sweet almond oil
- 3 stalks of lemongrass (or 1 tablespoon of lemongrass powder)
- 3 sprigs of rosemary (or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary)
- 2 teaspoons tea tree oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essential oil
- Bottle.
Instructions:
1. Bring the water to a boil, add the rosemary and lemongrass, and boil
at low heat for 20-30 minutes.
2. Let the mixture cool down, then strain the leaves. You should be left
with about ¼ cup of liquid.
3. Transfer the liquid into your shampoo bottle and add in all the
remaining ingredients. Use as you would any shampoo, store in a cool
place.
4. Chamomile shampoo for sensitive scalp
Castille soap is quite a nice soothing
ingredient on its own, but you can boost its calming properties with
chamomile and lavender essential oil. Lastly, this homemade shampoo
contains glycerin, a wonderfully soothing, softening, and conditioning
ingredient.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup Castille soap
- 2 chamomile tea bags
- 2 teaspoons glycerin
- Bottle.
Instructions:
1. Bring the water to a boil, add the chamomile teabags, and step for
20-30 minutes.
2. Discard the tea bags and let the liquid cool to room temperature.
3. In a bottle, combine all ingredients and shake well to blend in the
glycerin.
5. Clarifying rinse
Clarifying rinses and shampoos are used to remove product and mineral
buildup from the hair. If you use hair styling products or live in an
area with hard water, it’s beneficial to use a clarifying shampoo or
rinse once every two weeks to restore a healthy shine to your hair.
If you have a store-bought clarifying shampoo, you can use it in place
of your usual shampoo. But you can make your own clarifying rinse with
just 2 ingredients that you can use after washing and conditioning your
hair.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups water
- 3-4 tablespoons vinegar
- Bottle.
Instructions:
1. Shake to combine ingredients. Use as the last step of your hair
washing routine.
6. DIY shampoo bar
Not all homemade shampoo recipes are
liquids. Shampoo bars are becoming increasingly popular these days, as
they're more portable, last for a long time, and are more
environmentally friendly since they don't require any packaging. Here is
a basic solid shampoo recipe suitable for all hair types. The recipe
uses a Castile melt-and-pour soap base that can be easily purchased
online.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Castile melt-and-pour soap base, cut into cubes
- 1 teaspoon sweet almond oil
- ½ teaspoon castor oil
- 15 drops rosemary or vanilla essential oil
- 1 soap mold (you can also use any plastic container or a yogurt cup).
Directions:
1. In a double boiler or any metal bowl in a bigger pan half-filled with
water, melt the soap base on low heat.
2. Stir continuously and add in the almond and castor oils.
3. Take the mixture off the heat and let it cool only slightly. Then add
in the essential oils.
4. Pour the mixture into your mold and let cool for a day. Then store in
a cool dry place for up to 2-3 months.