Bottling Your Own Shampoo

Use castile soap to make and bottle shampoo at home.

Making your own shampoo is an economical and preservative-free alternative to using store-bought products that contain chemicals and dyes. Herbal ingredients can be found in your backyard garden and can also be purchased at your local health food store, while the soap and conditioning oils can be found at your local pharmacy. New bottles can be found at your local craft store, but you can make this an extra green do-it-yourself project by using recycled containers.

Things You'll Need

• 8 oz. distilled water
• 2 tsp. dried rosemary leaves
• 2 tsp. dried rose petals
• Glass jar with lid
• Small glass bowl
• Strainer
• Funnel
• 3 oz. liquid castile soap
• 3 tbsp. aloe vera gel
• 1/4 tsp. jojoba oil
• 30 drops rosemary or other essential oil
• Shampoo sized bottle - new or recycled

Instructions

1. Place the dried herbal ingredients into a glass jar, taking care not to pack the leaves and petals too tight. Boil the distilled water and pour it over the rosemary and rose petals, then place a lid on the jar and steep for approximately 30 minutes.

2. Pour the herbal tea mixture into a glass bowl, using a strainer to collect the herbs. Allow the liquid to cool then use a funnel to pour it into your desired shampoo bottle.

3. Measure the liquid soap and funnel it into the bottle, then add the aloe vera, jojoba and essential oil.

4. Place the cap on the bottle and shake it well so that the ingredients have mixed thoroughly. Store the bottle in a cool place until you are ready to lather up.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have blond hair, add chamomile to your herbal mix. For dark hair, add sage or nettle.

• While a glass bottle may be more decorative, there is a high risk of it breaking if dropped on the hard surfaces of the bathroom.

References

• Learning Herbs: Homemade Shampoo
• Mountain Rose Herbs; Shimmer and Shine with Homemade Herbal Shampoos; Janice Cox
• "Burke's Backyard": Homemade Shampoo