How to Make My Own Organic Shampoo

Overview

This organic shampoo recipe uses natural ingredients that are good for your hair and scalp; each ingredient serves a functional purpose. The recipe uses organic liquid Castile soap (a vegetable-based soap) as a base instead of the harmful sodium lauryl sulfates (SLS) that most commercial shampoos contain. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) considers SLS to be "the most dangerous ingredient used in skin and hair-care products."

The organic shampoo recipe also uses rosemary, an herb that promotes a healthy scalp, according to a report in the Alternative and Complementary Therapies Journal. Organic lemon juice and baking soda help remove soap residues from the hair in hard water areas and grapefruit extract is used as a natural preservative. All of these ingredients combined make a gentle and subtly fragrant shampoo that is appropriate for all hair types.

Step 1

Heat 2 oz. of distilled water to boiling in a small saucepan.

Step 2

Remove the saucepan from the heat once the water is boiling.

Step 3

Steep one organic rosemary teabag in the heated water for 10 minutes.

Step 4

Remove the teabag from the water and discard.

Step 5

Add 8 oz. organic liquid Castile soap, 1 tbsp. organic lemon juice, 1 tbsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp. grapefruit seed extract to the water.

Step 6

Heat the mixture over low heat, while stirring constantly, until the mixture is fully combined.

Step 7

Remove the organic shampoo mixture from the heat and leave it to cool for 30 minutes.

Step 8

Place a funnel in a clean 12 oz. or larger bottle.

Step 9

Pour the organic shampoo through the funnel into the clean bottle.