How to Make Natural Shampoos

If you want to find ways to live off the grid, to leave a lighter footprint on the planet or to be assured of the origins of the ingredients in the products you regularly use, making your own natural shampoo is an easy way to go. You can opt for utter simplicity and make a simple old-timer's shampoo or you can select essential oils to make fragrant, safe and effective shampoo. Neither approach is too demanding. Perhaps best of all is that your homemade shampoo will be cruelty-free.

Things You'll Need

• Castile soap (can be found in grocery stores)
• Purified water
• Lemon essential oil
• Rosemary and lavender essential oils
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Lemon
• Egg
• Apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Making Natural Shampoos

1. 

   Make shampoo like they used in the olden days. If you have dandruff, add 1 oz. of salts of tartar for every 2 cups of purified water. If you don't have dandruff, simply add a few ounces of a favorite scent and a cleansing agent. For men, try bay rum. You can add an ounce of fresh lemon juice to remove oils. Also, mix in castile hard soap shavings for cleansing. Store in a dark bottle.

2. 

   Use rosemary and lavender essential oils as gentle and effective cleaning agents. Combined with apple cider vinegar and hemp oil, you will have a mild and aromatic shampoo. Hemp oil prevents dry hair, while apple cider vinegar tones the scalp. Be sure to blend with pure castile soap shavings for cleansing. Rosemary and lavender oils condition your hair and give your shampoo a pleasant, invigorating aroma. Use one or the other, or use both for a surprising fragrance.

3. 

   Use 1/2 oz. each of rosemary and lavender oils. Pour rosemary oil into 2 cups of purified water. Heat the mixture in a small saucepan and allow it to simmer after boiling. After 10 minutes or so, add castile soap shavings and heat until the shavings melt. Remove the blend from heat and add lavender oil. Store it in a dark glass bottle.

4. 

   Blend an ounce of extra-virgin olive oil with an egg, 1tbsp. fresh lemon juice and 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar for an effective hair cleaning formula. Make this as needed, since egg does not preserve well.

Resources

• Warning: What your shampoo' s label won't tell you
• Soap 101: Making Your Own Shampoo and Soap