Make-It-Yourself Herbal Shampoo

Herbal shampoo is incredibly easy to make, and you can tailor the ingredients to meet your needs. There's a wide variety of essential oils to choose from, depending on whether you want to give your tresses a delicate aroma, treat dry scalp, or promote hair growth.

All of the ingredients can be found in natural food stores. If your hair is exceptionally oily, you may find it better to replace the jojoba oil (a wonderful nongreasy nutrient) with rosemary essential oil.

First let's start with a list of essential oils as they relate to hair type and their effect:

 

Basil

Hair Type: Oily

Effect or Treatment: Promotes growth

Chamomile

Hair Type: Fine to normal

Effect or Treatment: Gives golden highlights

Clary Sage

Hair Type: All types

Effect or Treatment: Dandruff treatment

Lavender

Hair Type: Normal

Effect or Treatment: Scalp treatment for itchiness, dandruff, and even lice!

Lemon

Hair Type: Oily

Effect or Treatment: Gives golden highlights; treatment for dry scalp, dandruff, lice, and underactive sebaceous glands.

Myrrh

Hair Type: Dry

Effect or Treatment: Treatment for dry scalp, dandruff, lice, and underactive sebaceous glands.

Patchouli

Hair Type: Oily

Effect or Treatment: Dandruff treatment

Peppermint

Hair Type: Dry

Effect or Treatment: Promotes hair growth

Rose

Hair Type: Fine

Effect or Treatment: Soothes scalp

Rosemary

Hair Type: Oily

Effect or Treatment: Dandruff treatment; promotes hair growth

Tea Tree

Hair Type: Oily

Effect or Treatment: Treatment for dry scalp, dandruff, lice, and underactive sebaceous glands.

Ylang-yang

Hair Type: Oily

Effect or Treatment: Dandruff treatment

Make-It-Yourself Herbal Shampoo

• 8 ounces distilled water
• 1 ounce herbs (list below of herbal combinations for different hair types)
• 3 ounces liquid castile soap
• 1/4 teaspoon jojoba oil
• 25 drops of pure essential oil (from chart above)

1. Bring the water to a boil. Add the herbs, cover, and let simmer over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain and cool.
2. Slowly add the castile soap to the tea, then mix in the jojoba oil and essential oil. Store in a plastic container with a flip-top lid in the shower or bath. Shake before using.

Herb Combinations

 

Goldie Locks Infusion (Use this formula for golden highlights)

• 2 parts calendula flower
• 1 part chamomile flower
• 1 part comfrey leaf

Dark of the Night Infusion (To effect dark highlights, try this formula)

• 2 parts garden sage leaf
• 1 part black walnut hull, chopped
• 1 part comfrey leaf

Desert Bloom Infusion (Desert Bloom is an excellent formula for dry hair)

• 1 part calendula flower
• 1 part marsh mallow root
• 1 part nettle leaf

Rapunzel's Locks Infusion (Bothered by oil hair? Use this astringent recipe)

• 1 part rosemary leaf
• 1 part witch hazel bark (not extract)
• 1 part yarrow leaf and flower