5 Herbal Shampoo Bar Recipes

My 7 Homemade Shampoo Recipes has been a huge hit over the years.  It’s definitely time to give you more recipes …again, all in one place. These shampoo bar recipes are 100% natural, pure, healthy, and palm free. I’ve added a few vegan options for you as well.

These Herbal shampoo bar recipes are made with pure ingredients using the cold process method. I’ve included instructions with each recipe, but if you need more in depth instructions you can check out 7 Easy Steps to Handmade Lye Soap for Beginners or one of my books.

A hard copy book with very comprehensive instructions (the only book you’ll ever need for cold process soap making) can be found on Amazon: The Natural Soapmaking Book for Beginners. Or you can get my Ebook: Natural Soap Making How-to and Recipe Book

How to Use an Herbal Shampoo Bar

If you’ve never used a shampoo bar before, relax. It’s easy. Simply lather the shampoo bar in your hands or with a wash cloth or scrunchy and work into your hair. Rinse, and follow up with a lightly acidic conditioner. I like to use apple cider vinegar that is diluted in half with water in a spray bottle. Simple spray and rinse.

Sometimes natural shampoo bars can still be slightly basic after curing (nothing drastic, just slightly). The diluted apple cider vinegar makes sure you have a neutral pH and helps the hair shaft close and maintain healthiness. This will also reduce frizz and the amount of minerals that bond with the hair.

That’s right, sometimes those with harder water have a more difficult making the transition to handmade shampoo bars. This is because their water is filled with minerals that will bond with the hair when using a natural soap product. You’ll know if you have hard water because you’ll probably also have a harder time keeping your shower walls clean. Mineral deposits will form on walls over time. Use the apple cider vinegar rinse and this should help the transition. If this isn’t enough, try a commercial conditioner with good ingredients to ease your transition. If worse comes to worse, a filter shower head is amazing for hair!

5 Herbal Shampoo Bar Recipes

Each of these herbal shampoo recipes have been created for all hair types. Every type of hair can benefit from the vitamins and nourishing qualities of the milks, oils, and herbs within these shampoos.

Lavender is very soothing to the scalp, as is chamomile. Coconut milk, aloe, and goats milk are nourishing and balancing. Calendula is healing, while rosemary stimulates natural balance and hair growth. So, try each recipe and find your favorite.

Coconut Milk and Lavender Shampoo

3lb (12 – 4oz bars) – 7% superfat

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces Olive Oil
• 10 ounces Coconut Oil
• 5 ounces Cocoa Butter
• 5 ounces Castor Oil
• 3 ounces Avocado Oil
• 2 ounces Shea Butter
• 13 ounces Coconut Milk
• 4.8 ounces Lye
• 1 ounce Lavender Essential Oil

Directions:

1. Combine oils and butters in a large pot. Melt and cool to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Wearing appropriate safety equipment, go outside and add lye to water and stir until dissolved. Let cool until it is around 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. When both oils and lye-coconut milk are at desired temperatures, pour lye/coconut milk into oils and use a stick blender to blend on and off until light trace.
4. Add essential oil and blend.
5. Pour into a lined mold and insulate for 24 hours.
6. Remove, cut, and cure for 4-6 weeks.

Chamomile Lemon Shampoo

2lb (Eight – 4oz bars) – 7% superfat

Ingredients:

• 7 ounces Lard or Tallow
• 6 ounces Coconut Oil
• 5 ounces Castor Oil
• 3 ounces Hazelnut Oil
• 3 ounces Olive Oil
• 1-2 Tablespoons dried Chamomile flowers
• 9 ounces Filtered Water
• 3.3 ounces Lye
• 1 ounce Lemon Essential Oil

Directions:

1. Combine lard and oils in a large pot. Add chamomile flowers. Melt and cool to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Wearing appropriate safety equipment, go outside and add lye to water and stir until dissolved. Let cool until it is around 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. When both oils and lye water are at desired temperatures, pour lye water into oils and use a stick blender to blend on and off until light trace.
4. Add essential oil and blend.
5. Pour into a lined mold and insulate for 24 hours.
6. Remove, cut, and cure for 4-6 weeks.

Orange and Aloe Shampoo

2lb (Eight – 4oz bars) – 5% superfat

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces Coconut Oil
• 5 ounces Mango Seed Butter
• 5 ounces Castor Oil
• 3 ounces Olive Oil
• 3 ounces Apricot Kernel Oil
• 8 ounces Aloe Liquid (not gel)
• 3 ounces Lye
• 1 ounce Orange Essential Oil

Directions:

1. Combine oils and butter in a large pot.  Melt and cool to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Wearing appropriate safety equipment, go outside and add lye to aloe water and stir until dissolved. Let cool until it is around 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. When both oils and lye aloe water are at desired temperatures, pour lye water into oils and use a stick blender to blend on and off until light trace.
4. Add essential oil and blend.
5. Pour into a lined mold and insulate for 24 hours.
6. Remove, cut, and cure for 4-6 weeks.

Goat Milk and Elder Flower Shampoo

2lb (Eight – 4oz bars) – 5% superfat

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces Coconut Oil
• 5 ounces Castor Oil
• 4 ounces Cocoa Butter
• 3 ounces Jojoba Oil
• 3 ounces Sweet Almond Oil
• 2 ounces Shea Butter
• 5 ounces Goat Milk
• 3 ounces Filtered Water
• 3 ounces Lye
• 1 ounce Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
• 1/4 cup Elder Flowers

Directions:

1. Weigh and add sweet almond oil and elder flowers to a small sauce pan and heat on low for 15 minutes. Strain.
2. Weigh goat milk and water and freeze until slushy.
3. Combine oils (including the infused sweet almond oil) and butters in a large pot. Melt and cool to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Wearing appropriate safety equipment, go outside and add lye to cold goat milk and water and stir until dissolved. Let cool until it is around 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. When both oils and lye water are at desired temperatures, pour lye water into oils and use a stick blender to blend on and off until light trace.
6. Add essential oil and blend.
7. Pour into a lined mold and insulate for 24 hours.
8. Remove, cut, and cure for 4-6 weeks.

Calendula and Rosemary Shampoo

3lb (12 – 4oz bars) – 10% superfat

Ingredients:

• 7 ounces Coconut Oil
• 5 ounces Olive Oil
• 5 ounces Castor Oil
• 5 ounces Cocoa Butter
• 3 ounces Jojoba Oil
• 2 ounces Shea Butter
• 1 ounce Rosehip Oil
• 10 ounces Filtered Water
• 3.5 ounces Lye
• 1 ounce Rosemary Essential Oil
• 1/4 cup Calendula Flowers

Directions:

1. Add olive oil and calendula flowers to a small sauce pan and heat on low for 15 minutes. Strain.
2. Combine oils (including the infused olive oil) and butters in a large pot. Melt and cool to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Wearing appropriate safety equipment, go outside and add lye to water and stir until dissolved. Let cool until it is around 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. When both oils and lye water are at desired temperatures, pour lye water into oils and use a stick blender to blend on and off until light trace.
5. Add essential oil and blend.
6. Pour into a lined mold and insulate for 24 hours.
7. Remove, cut, and cure for 4-6 weeks.