Homemade Shampoo

Making you own shampoo may seem to some people a little over the top. For those of us who value the money they bring in monthly, as well as the economy it s just a smart option.  For those of us out there that actually read labels, it seems that reading the labels on shampoos now requires a degree in chemical engineering (a very scary thought) it is an absolute must to have a natural alternative to the chemical laden products.

Dry shampoo is probably not something that you would use very often, but it is handy for those days when you’ve had a late start, or when a storm has left you without power so washing your hair in cold water just isn’t your idea of fun.  Trying not to date myself here but, when I was younger I can remember seeing dry shampoos in the shampoo isle at the drug store, I haven’t seen them for years. Dry shampoos are great for oily hair, but work for any hair type.

Here are a few recipes for Homemade Dry Shampoo:

1.

• Cornmeal
• Essential oil (Optional)

You will also need a quality hairbrush, I suggest a boar bristle brush, to remove the shampoo from your hair.

Mix cornmeal with essential oil (fragrance of your choice) in a salt shaker with large holes.  Sprinkle onto scalp, Massage into scalp and hair working it all the way to the ends of the hair.  The cornmeal will absorb oils and lift dirt from the hair.  Brush out.  This may take a little while, and will probably result in you needing to vacuum up afterward, but your hair will be clean, dry and have nice body for your effort.

2.

• Oatmeal
• Baking soda
• Herbs, flowers, or essential oil (optional)
• Blender

Mix 1 cup oatmeal and 1 tablespoon of baking soda along with herbs, flowers or essential oil for fragrance in the blender.  Pulse to grind into a course powder (similar to cornmeal) Place in a salt shaker with large holes or a old baby powder shaker.  Sprinkle a small amount into scalp massaging in to scalp and hair, add as additional shampoo as necessary to absorb oil.  Brush hair thoroughly.

3. Egg Whites beaten to stiff peaks (as for meringue) apply to hair, rubbing into hair.  Allow to dry completely, then brush out.

Easy Homemade Shampoo

One of the easiest way to make shampoo is using castile soap as a base.  Here is my recipe for this along with some options for scalp type.

Castile soap
choice of oil – sweet almond, jojoba, hemp, or virgin olive oil (note extra virgin olive oil is a bit to fragrant for me so I suggest virgin olive oil)
Essential oils – flower oils, herb oils, citrus oils or peppermint oil
Herbal Extracts – sage, dandelion, mullein, red cover, chamomile, lavender etc
Mix 1 cup castile soap with 1 to 4 tablespoons of oil (1 tablespoon for oily scalp, 2 tablespoons for normal scalp, and 3 to 4 tablespoons for dry scalp)
of your choice. Add essential oils for fragrance if desired.  Add herbal extracts if desired to medicate, promote stress relief etc.  Store in a squeeze bottle. Shake well before each use.

Oils

• Sweet Almond Oil – a good all around choice, mild fragrance is often used as a base for massage oils.
  
• Jojoba Oil – an excellent choice for hair that is damaged do to the environment, or such rigors as hair dryers, and curling irons.
  
• Hemp Oil – Excellent for dry skin, aids in healing dry/irritated skin.
• Virgin Olive Oil – In the Mediterranean Olive oil is used for everything, including skin care. Leaves skin feeling moisturized but not sticky or oily.

The use of essential oils is purely personal.  If you want a product that has a flowery fragrance, use a few drops of rose, lavender or hibiscus. Citrus oils can help control an oily scalp, as well as imparting a clean fresh scent.

Herbal essential oils are great for men or women who aren’t fond of the floral scents of most shampoos, you can blend herbs to create a wonderful woodsy fragrance.

Peppermint oil is a necessity if you have a dry flaky scalp.  It helps relieve itching, and dryness. It makes an invigorating shampooing experience. (a little bit goes a long way!)

Herbal Extracts can change your shampoo from just plain to spectacular:

• Sage, Dandelion and Mullein are good for dry scalp
• Red Clover is healing
• Chamomile and lavender are calming

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