How to Make Shampoo, Plus Conditioner and Detangler

I wish someone earlier in my life had told me how easy it is to make shampoo, conditioner, and detangler.

For some hair types, working through and rinsing baking soda (as a de-greaser and cleanser) and spraying apple cider vinegar (as a conditioning agent) and rinsing during a shower makes their hair shiny and beautiful. But this is very bad for your hair in the long term. Baking soda is good for clarifying your hair, but it can tear your hair if used more often than once per month. Using apple cider vinegar as a conditioner is fabulous BUT you must dilute it, otherwise you’re just making the pH of your hair too acidic instead of bringing it back to neutral, causing additional damage.

The recipe for Shampoo #1 below has actually worked the best on my hair, leaving it bouncy and not frizzy.  For those of you with more normal hair that tends to get oily quickly, the method below may work

Detangler #1

• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon aloe vera gel
• 10 drops lemon essential oil
• 5 drops lavender essential oil
• 1-2 drops glycerin

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a spray bottle.

Detangler #2

• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp jojoba oil
• 5-10 drops of essential oil of your choice

Mix and add to spray bottle.  I like this recipe.  It’s basically oil and water so make sure you shake really well before use.

Liquid Shampoo #1

• 2 oz (half a bar) of homemade soap that you like, grated
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp glycerin (optional, added as a thickening agent)
• 10 drops essential oil of your choice

Mix grated soap in hot water until soap is fully dissolved.

Mix in oils and glycerin.  Pour into spray bottle.  Shake before use.

Liquid Shampoo #2

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup coconut milk (or water, or herbal tea)
• 1/3 cup liquid soap
• 20 drops of Essential Oils of choice

Directions:

For dry hair: add 1/2 tsp olive or almond oil (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients in an old shampoo bottle or jar of some kind (pump soap dispensers and even foaming dispensers work well for this. If you use a foaming dispenser, add 1/4 cup of distilled water)
2. Shake well to mix.
3. Keep in shower for up to a month.
4. Shake before each use.
5. Use about a teaspoon every time you shampoo.
6. If you use a foaming dispenser, it also makes a great shaving cream. Just dilute with 1/4 cup water

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Here are some additional tips to help specific hair problems. Use some of the ingredients mentioned to change your hair situation. For example, to brighten normal hair, work a raw egg into your hair before washing.

For dry hair: Coconut oil, banana, avocado, olive oil
For normal hair:  egg, olive oil
For oily hair: Add a little lemon juice (1 to 2 teaspoons) to the products for normal hair

Other methods for various problems:

Dull Hair: rub the juice from 1 lemon mixed with 1 cup water into your hair. Rinse.
Hair spray and Gel Build Up: 1 tablespoon baking soda mixed with 1 cup water. Work into hair and then rinse.
No body, dull: 1/2 cup vinegar mixed with 2 cups water. Spray into hair after washing. Rinse.
Odor such as smoke: 1 cup of tomato juice. Work through your hair and then wash out.

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