Despite their labeling, commercially available herbal shampoos don't always contain real herbs. Some contain scary chemicals, while others use fake fragrances to mimic the real scent of herbs. Circumvent these issues by creating herbal shampoo at home in a process that takes less than one hour. Create a custom mixture by choosing different herbs or a mixture of herbs to make a pleasing fragrance or home remedy shampoo tailored to your hair's specific needs.
Step 1
Obtain a ready-made Castile soap or shampoo base. While this ingredient can be made at home, it involves mixing olive oil with sodium hydroxide, or lye, an extremely caustic chemical.Castile soap is commercially available as a "melt and pour" soap base, notes author Gil Farrer-Halls in the "Natural Beauty Recipe Book."
Step 2
Choose the herbs you want in your shampoo. Choose herbs for their scent, such as soothing lavender, or their purported hair-benefitting properties. Chamomile and marigold bring out highlights in blonde hair, while rosemary and sage darken brown and black tresses. Thyme is reputed to be a powerful anti-dandruff herb, whereas citrus and mint clairfy locks, removing excess oil as noted in "The Herbal Body Book."
Step 3
Boil seven ounces of distilled water. Author Susan Miller Cavitch states that spring water works best, but any water that has been distilled will work, as noted in "The Natural Soap Book."
Step 4
Place six or seven ounces of your chosen herbs in a strainer or sieve.
Step 5
Pour the boiling distilled water over the herbs. Squeeze the herbs with the back of a spoon after you have finished pouring the water for added potency.
Step 6
Allow the herbs to steep in the water for approximately 30 minutes. This gives the water time to cool and allows the herbs to brew, much like making tea.
Step 7
Place one ounce of liquid Castile soap in an airtight container, the same container you intend on storing the shampoo in. If the Castile soap base is solid, melt according to the manufacturer's instructions, as stated in "Herbal Treatments for Healthy Hair."
Step 8
Pour the herbal infused water into the Castile soap. Close the container and shake vigorously to ensure an even distribution of soap base and herbal infusion, notes Janice Cox in "Natural Beauty at Home."
Tips and Warnings
- Homemade herbal shampoo has a shelf life of about one year, according to the "Natural Beauty Recipe Book." Date the mixture and dispose of it when the time has come.
- Author Janet Cox warns homemade herbal shampoo will not lather the same way commercially available formulas do. This does not mean the shampoo is not cleansing your hair.
Things You'll Need
- Castile soap base
- Dried herbs
- Distilled water
- Strainer
- Stove
- Shampoo container
References
- "The Herbal Body Book" Jeanne Rose; 2004
- "Natural Beauty Recipe Book"; Gil Farrer-Halls; 2006
- "The Natural Soap Book"; Susan Miller Cavitch; 1995
- "Herbal Treatments for Healthy Hair"; Greta Breedlove; 1999
- "Natural Beauty at Home"; Janice Cox; 2002
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