Shampoo is one of the best treats we can give our hair, but too many of us have suffered from cheap or damaging brands over the years that did it more harm than good. The cost of good shampoo is certainly worth it, but if you?re wanting to experiment for yourself at home, you might have thought about how to make homemade shampoo.
Homemade natural shampoo is going to be a huge trend this year, with people experimenting with their favorite herbs, flowers, and oils to create their very own wonder treatment. For those who want to give it a try making their own homemade shampoo recipe, we?ve got some simple tips to get you started.
#10: Know Your Hair Type
Homemade shampoo recipes will differ significantly depending on who is using them. Just as you can buy different types of shampoo in the store or online, so too can you create different recipes.
Understand a little more about your hair type and then create your concoction based on that. Oily hair, limp hair, dry hair, damaged hair, there are some many different hair types that can be easily treated with the right mix of natural ingredients.
#9: Don?t Be Afraid To Experiment
People might want to follow a recipe exactly if making their own homemade shampoo, but it doesn?t have to be this way. You will likely come up with your very own mix of herbs and oils that suit your hair better than any other recommendation could, and you can then share it with others.
Take some time to mix different ingredients together until you find something you like and don?t be afraid to have fun in the process.
#8: Coconut Oil Savior
There?s literally nothing that coconut oil can?t do, and that is especially true when it comes to hair care. Even if you don?t want to add coconut oil to your shampoo because you?ve got some other wonderful oil in there, you can still get a deep treatment just by rubbing it into your scalp and letting it sit for an hour or so.
Not only will it soften it, but it can also make it grow longer and faster, so it?s a must-have for any hair treatment.
#7: Recycle And Reuse
Half of the fun when making your own homemade shampoo is sourcing the bottles to put it in. sure, you could use your own shampoo bottles and nothing would be stopping you, but for an even better shampoo applicator why not use a ketchup or salad dressing squirt bottle?
It?s ideal for hair, comes out easily, and prevents any mess thanks to the handy screw off applicator tip. Just be sure to clean the leftover ketchup out with hot soapy water before you proceed.
#6: Castile Base
If you look up any homemade shampoo recipe online you?ll see that castile soap is a must-have for the base. Castile soap is made with a mixture of hemp, palm, and olive oils along with either potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide and it has the optimum levels of moisturization that everyone needs for their scalp and hair.
It?s perfect for hair care, doesn?t cost much at all, and even comes in organic options so you can keep your hair products completely natural if you want to.
#5: Natural Oils Are Best
You won?t get very far trying to make shampoo without oils, and thankfully there are plenty to choose from. You?ll want to try out a few different ones to see which suits your hair best and which one is going to add the right amount of moisture.
Some common choices for shampoo are coconut oil, jojoba oil, and avocado oil. Avoid the olive oil even though you?ll have it sitting in your pantry, as it usually weighs hair down far too much to do any good. Those with finer hair will require less oil than thicker heads of hair.
#4: Flower Power
To give your homemade shampoo the delicious scent that it deserves, simply add some of your favorite flowers into the mix. Choose some flowers from the garden and take the time to dry them out completely, hoping that they?ll keep their pretty smell.
Once dried, put them in a sieve and place into a container of boiling water, allowing them to steep for 30 minutes so that you get their potent extract.
#3: Don?t Forget Herbs
Herbs are another hugely important part of homemade shampoo and once dried, they can be steeped and added to the mix just like your dried flowers were.
Herbs should take up a large chunk of your shampoo ingredients, around half to be exact, so don?t be shy when adding them. Some popular herbs that are ideal for haircare include chamomile, lavender, rosemary, and sage, but feel free to experiment.
#2: Target Specific Hair Woes
You?d be surprised at how many great ingredients there are out there that can help with whatever problems out hair might be having. People who have overdyed their hair and need to remove some of it will be able to use some bicarbonate soda in the mix, those who need to reduce an oily scalp will get relief from using lavender.
Think about what specific problems you have and you can be sure there?s an ingredient out there to help.
#1: When In Doubt, Throw It Out
Once you?ve made your natural shampoo and are enjoying it in the bath, you?ll need to keep an eye on it. Unlike store bought shampoos that are made with preservatives, yours will likely be all natural and won?t stay good as long.
If it?s been over a month and you?re unsure about whether or not you can still use it, the best approach is to throw it out and start your recipe again.