Making
natural shampoos can be done, but can be messy and frustrating at
times. And after using commercial products, they don't 'seem' to
work as well. The one thing that most home made shampoos lack is
the large amount of lather we find with commercial brand products.
So below I have listed 2 alternatives to shampooing your hair naturally
- as well as lists of hair rinses and conditioners.
Borax
I know my grandmother used powdered laundry detergent almost all
her life to wash her hair. Borax does not strip your hair of it's
NATURAL color, nor does it strip your hair of the natural oils that
your scalp produces. The best way to shampoo with Borax is to find
a medium to large bottle and put about 1/2"-1" of Borax
powder at the bottom. Fill the remaining of the bottle with warm
- hot water and shake until it's mixed thoroughly. Allow the mixture
to settle, then strain the liquid into a bottle. Use this as a concentrated
mixture and always rinse thoroughly.
Liquid
Castile Soap
This can be found in health food stores and is all natural, usually
with a base of Olive Oil or Coconut Oil. It is very gentle and will
lather. Dilute with water for best results. You can add lemon juice
or honey for extra benefits. Liquid Castile Soap also comes in different
scents (Almond, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Natural -no scent-)
Below
are some recipes for hair conditioners and hair rinses. When using
these, make sure you rinse your hair thoroughly when you're done.
Hair
Rinses...
Apple
Cider Vinegar
3/4 cups apple cider vinegar and 2 cups water
Helps eliminate dandruff (if used consistently) and adds bounce to
your hair. Add a few drops of peppermint essential oil to give it
a nice scent and for a tingly sensation on your scalp.
Aspirin
12 crushed Aspirin mixed with 1/4 cup oil - rub on scalp for a couple
minutes then let it sit for about 5-10 minutes. Rinse and shampoo
(may have to shampoo twice to remove all the oil).
Aspirin helps eliminate dandruff.
Baking
Soda
1-2 tbsp baking soda and 1 cup of water
Removes styling products and helps condition hair.
Chamomile
Flowers
Steep 1/2 cup dried flowers in 2 cups boiling water, cool completely
and strain before using
Helps lighten 'light' hair.
Dried
Lavender
Steep 1/2 cup dried lavender in 2 cups boiling water, cool completely
and strain before using.
This mixture will darken your hair a little bit.
Flat
Beer
1 can (12 oz)
Adds bounce and body to hair. Rinse well so you don't smell like beer.
Lemon
Juice
3-4 tbsp of lemon juice and 1 cup of water
This is a natural highlighter for hair and helps make your hair have
a nice sheen to it.
Tomato
Juice
Good to remove odors from your hair (smoke, skunk)
Witch
Hazel
Works well at stripping hair of styling products.
Hair
Conditioners...
Choose
from the list below to create your own hair conditioners. Mix different
ingredients or use a single ingredient. When using these 'deep conditioners'
leave on for at least 15 minutes for desirable results - but 30 minutes
is always good. Always apply damp hair (for easier application) after
shampooing. Take a bath or read a book while it sets. Some of these
may require shampooing to remove any 'oil' in the product (i.e. mayonnaise,
olive oil). Some ingredients are best used for certain hair types
(dry, normal, oily) and will be identified below.
Avocados
Good conditioning for normal - dry hair.
Bananas
Mashed, these work well on normal - dry hair.
Coconut
Oil
Good for dry hair (may be too oily for 'oily' hair). Melt down before
using.
Eggs
and Egg Yolks
2-4 eggs depending on length of hair.
Whisk eggs together before applying.
Honey
As much is needed to cover your hair.
Honey rinses very easily.
Mayonnaise
Good for normal - dry hair. Contains vinegar and eggs - so it has
extra conditioning properties.
Oils
Olive, Almond, Sunflower, Peanut, Shea Butter, or any natural oil.
Use alone or mix with honey, eggs, etc. for deep conditioning.
