How to Make Shampoo

Many people are choosing to make their own shampoo, instead of purchasing it at the store. Look at the label on a bottle of shampoo, and you will see that it is full of chemical ingredients. When you make your own shampoo, you're not putting any harsh chemicals on your hair; you're saving money and having fun. You might even start your own shampoo business. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• 7 oz. distilled water
• 4 tbsp. liquid castile soap (1oz.)
• 6 tbsp. herbs
• Glass jar or bowl
• Cover for the jar or bowl (doesn't have to close tightly)
• Glass or plastic 8 oz. bottle
• Non- aluminum tea kettle or pot
• Strainer (stainless steel or bamboo)
• Spoon

1. Choose two or three herbs for your hair type (see Tips). For example, crushed lavender flowers and rosemary work well with any type of hair. Purchase herbs at most natural foods and health stores.
2. Pour the distilled water into a small pot and bring it to a boil.
3. Put your herbs into a strainer over a glass jar or bowl.
4. Fill the bottle that you'll be using for the finished shampoo with the liquid castile soap.
5. Put your herbs into a strainer over a glass jar or bowl.
6. Place the cover on the container and let the herbs to steep anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on how strong your want the mixture. Be very careful that none of the herb leaves fall into the herbal water.
7. Pour the herbal water into the bottle with the liquid castile soap.

Tips & Warnings

• Castile soap is made from vegetable oils instead of animal fats. These oils include almond , olive, coconut, jojoba and hemp.
• Label the bottle with the date and the herbs that you have used to make the shampoo. The shampoo will stay good for about a year.
• Use dried herbs that you cut into small pieces, or use fresh herbs if you have them.
• You can use whole flowers such as lavender, red clover or marigold, but crush them first to release more of the flowers aroma.
• If you have blond hair use light colored herbs.
• For normal hair use crushed lavender flowers, rosemary, red clover, horsetail, chamomile and marigold.
• Tea tree leaves, nettle, sage, basil, rosemary and lavender flowers work well for hair loss.
• For gray hair use nettle, sage or rosemary plus any herbs that are recommended for your type of hair.
• Peppermint, rosemary, nettle, burdock, tea tree leaves, lemon grass and orris root are recommended for oily hair.
• Sage, lavender, nettle, rosemary, comfrey and indigo root work well for coarse or curly black hair. Jojoba oil added to the shampoo will also work nicely.
• Crushed lavender flowers, crushed orange flowers, red clover, comfrey, elder flowers, chamomile or marigold work for dry hair. Add jojoba oil to the shampoo.
• Peppermint, lemon grass, birch and white willow bark, nettle and comfrey leaves help with dandruff.