If you're diving head first into a greener, more eco-friendly lifestyle, start with often-used household products to make a large impact on the environment over a prolonged period of time. Create your own hair care products at home using all natural ingredients from your local grocery and health food stores. Numerous homemade shampoo and conditioner recipes abound for everyday use and for weekly moisturizing and deep conditioning treatments.
Everyday Shampoo
Step 1
Mix 1 tsp. organic olive oil, sunflower oil or safflower oil with 1/2 cup plain liquid castile soap, available from health food stores or online herbal retailers, in a small mixing bowl.
Step 2
Add 1/2 cup water to the mixture and stir thoroughly.
Step 3
Pour the mixture into a plastic bottle with a fitted lid.
Step 4
Wash hair with everyday shampoo and rinse and style as usual.
Dry Oil-Reducing Shampoo
Step 1
Mix 1/4 cup each baking soda and cornstarch in a small plastic or glass jar.
Step 2
Sprinkle the mixture on a large brush or comb and work through dry hair one section at a time.
Step 3
Let sit for five to 10 minutes, then comb out and rinse with lukewarm water.
Lightening Shampoo
Step 1
Mix 1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice with 4 oz. unscented liquid castile soap.
Step 2
Add 1 cup cooled chamomile tea and 1 tsp. olive oil to the mixture and stir until well blended.
Step 3
Apply lightening shampoo to wet hair, rinse and apply the moisturizing conditioner.
Moisturizing Conditioner
Step 1
Mix 4 oz. beer with one lightly beaten egg and 1 tsp. each sweet almond oil, aloe vera gel and organic honey in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2
Add the contents of one Vitamin E capsule and stir thoroughly.
Step 3
Apply to wet hair, massage through hair and onto scalp, and rinse off with warm water.
Deep Conditioner
Step 1
Mix 1 tsp. each sesame seed oil and jojoba oil into 1 cup of fresh coconut milk.
Step 2
Add 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1 tbsp. plain yogurt and four to six drops of your favorite essential oil to the mixture and stir until smooth.
Step 3
Apply the deep conditioner to damp hair and let sit for 15 minutes.
Step 4
Rinse off the deep conditioner with lukewarm water and style as usual.
Things You'll Need
- Bowl
- Spoon
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Organic olive oil, sunflower oil or safflower oil
- Liquid castile soap
- Plastic bottle
- Baking soda
- Cornstarch
- Plastic or glass jar
- Large brush or comb
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Chamomile tea
- Beer
- Beaten egg
- Sweet almond oil
- Aloe vera gel
- Organic honey
- Vitamin E capsule
- Sesame seed oil
- Jojoba oil
- Fresh coconut milk
- Mayonnaise
- Buttermilk
- Plain yogurt
- Essential oil
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