Download ArticleDownload ArticleThis article was reviewed by Jasmin Todd. Jasmin Todd is a Curly Hair Specialist and the Owner of Austin Curls in Austin, TX. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in cutting and styling naturally curly hair. Jasmin trained at the world-famous Ouidad salon and is Ouidad certified. In 2022, Mane Addicts named Austin Curls as one of the Top U.S. Salons for Curly Hair.
This article has been viewed 335,393 times.
Many commercial shampoo and conditioner products contain ingredients such as sulfates, silicones and certain alcohols such as isopropyl (rubbing alcohol) for example that are not very nice to your hair: they can dry out and damage it over time. If you want healthy, shiny hair without harmful chemicals added you can create your own shampoo using inexpensive ingredients. Learn how to make shampoo with castile soap, with soap flakes, and with baking soda.
Steps
Gather ingredients. This shampoo recipe can be made with any type of soap flakes. Castile soap flakes are commonly used in shampoo, but you can also make shampoo using flakes you create from a regular bar of soap.[1] Just make sure the soap is made with natural ingredients that you'd want to use in your hair. You will need:- Soap flakes
- Boiling water
- Almond oil
- Essential oils
Flake the soap.[2] If you didn't buy pre-flaked soap, use a cheese grater or a knife to cut off small flakes that will dissolve in hot water. You need about 4 ounces of flakes to make a quart of shampoo. Place the flakes in a large bowl.Advertisement- Boil the water. Pour a quart of water into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil on the stove. Alternatively, heat a quart of water to boiling in the microwave.
- Pour the water over the flakes. The boiling water will immediately dissolve the small soap flakes. Use a spoon to stir the mixture to make sure the flakes dissolve completely.
- Add the oils. Pour in 1/4 cup almond oil and 8 drops of your favorite essential oil, like lemon balm or peppermint. Stir the mixture well and allow it to cool.
- Pour the shampoo into a bottle. Use a funnel or simply carefully pour the shampoo into an old shampoo bottle to store it for later use.
Gather ingredients. Shampoo for dry hair has ingredients that provide extra moisture and prevent the hair from getting too frizzy. Dry hair is also susceptible to getting damaged and broken, so this shampoo is made to strengthen the hair shaft. Pick up these ingredients from a health food store:- Chamomile tea
- Liquid castile soap[3]
- Olive oil
- Tea tree essential oil
- Peppermint essential oil
- Rosemary essential oil
- Make the tea.[4] Steep a chamomile tea bag in 2 oz. boiling water for 10 minutes. If you have loose chamomile flowers, use about 1 tablespoon. Strain the tea and set it aside to cool.
- Heat the castile soap. Pour 12 oz. of soap into the measuring cup. Heat the soap in the microwave in 1-minute increments until it is hot. Do not bring the soap to a boil.
- You can also heat the soap in a small pot on the stove; just make sure it doesn't get too hot.
- Add the oils. Stir in 1/2 oz. olive oil, 1/4 oz. tea tree oil, and 1/8 oz. each peppermint and rosemary oils. Stir the soap, gently after adding each oil. If bubbles form, spray the surface of the soap with rubbing alcohol.
- Mix in the tea. Add the chamomile tea to the hot soap. Pour it slowly to avoid creating bubbles. Set the shampoo aside to cool. Transfer the cooled shampoo to the 16 oz. bottle.
Gather ingredients. Baking soda shampoo is a dry alternative to regular wet shampoos. You can use it in between washing to absorb the oils in your hair and keep it looking and smelling fresh.[5] Aside from baking soda, gather these supplies:- Cornmeal
- Ground oatmeal
- Dried lavender
- Mix the ingredients. Mix 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup cornmeal, 1/4 cup dried oatmeal and 1/8 cup dried lavender. Place the mixture in the bowl of a food processor and grind to a fine powder.
- If you'd rather not grind the ingredients, you can skip the dried oatmeal and lavender. The shampoo will work well without these ingredients.
- A blender or coffee grinder will work in place of a food processor.
- Place the mixture in a spice shaker. Pour it into an empty, clean salt or pepper shaker, which you can use to shake the mixture over your head when you want to use it. Store the remainder of the shampoo in an airtight container so that you can use it when it's time to refill the spice shaker.
- Use the dry shampoo when your hair is completely dry. Otherwise, it will stick to your hair.
- Apply the shampoo to your roots, use a brush to distribute it throughout your hair, let it sit for 10 minutes, then brush it vigorously to remove the excess powder from your hair.
Community Q&A
- QuestionCan I use essence shampoo daily?
Community AnswerDon't use it daily. Go for twice a week. - QuestionAre any of these shampoos as thick as regular store-bought shampoos are?
Community AnswerIt depends on the ingredients you add to it and the amounts. - QuestionHow long would the essence shampoo stay usable?Community AnswerBecause it has bananas and eggs, it is best to refrigerate and store for about a week. After that, it would be best to throw it out.
Tips
- Experiment with different essential oils to find the combination that's right for your hair. If you have dry hair, use more oil; if you have oily hair, use less.Thanks
References
About This Article
To make your own shampoo, start by getting a bar of soap that's made with all natural ingredients. Then, use a cheese grater or knife to cut up the soap so you have 4 ounces of soap flakes. Next, bring a quart of water to a boil and pour it over the soap flakes, which will make them dissolve. Once all of the soap flakes have dissolved, add a 1/4 cup of almond oil and 8 drops of your favorite essential oils, like peppermint and lavender oil. Finally, let your shampoo cool before transferring it to a bottle. To learn how to make shampoo using Castille soap or baking soda, scroll down!
Reader Success Stories
"A better article. Saves money a lot."
Did this article help you?
⚠️ Disclaimer:
Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.
- - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
- - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
- - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
- - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.
