I\u2019ve made natural alternatives for body wash, dry shampoo,<\/a> and other hair care products, but homemade shampoo was by far the toughest. After lots of (failed) experiments, I finally came up with a recipe for DIY moisturizing homemade shampoo. It uses natural ingredients and leaves my hair feeling soft and silky!<\/p>\n I wanted to get away from store-bought shampoos that were full of unhealthy preservatives, synthetic chemicals, and artificial fragrances. Many commercial shampoos just aren\u2019t that great for your hair and scalp.<\/p>\n I tried the \u201cno-poo\u201d method, <\/a>which has great results for some,<\/a> but did not work on me at all (and I have some terrible Christmas pictures to prove it!). If you have coarse hair that\u2019s normal to dry, this method may be great for you! I have baby-fine more oily hair and it didn\u2019t work for me.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not familiar with no-poo, it usually involves rubbing baking soda water onto the scalp as a shampoo alternative. Many people follow it up with an acv rinse (apple cider vinegar rinse) and maybe some coconut oil on hair ends as a conditioner. Some people find it works great, while others report an itchy scalp, hair loss, and gunky build-up in the hair follicles. Over time it can also strip the natural oils from hair.<\/p>\n When I\u2019m traveling or don\u2019t have time to make my own, I\u2019ve used a few organic shampoos that worked really well. My faves are:<\/p>\n I missed the foaming aspect of shampoo (I know\u2026 the \u201cfoam\u201d in regular shampoo is made from synthetic chemicals and detergents\u2026).<\/p>\n My first time making homemade shampoo I tried plain liquid castile soap<\/a>, which left me with frizzy hair and a mess of tangles. Then I tried a bunch of homemade recipes that didn\u2019t work well at all. Finally, with the inspiration of a natural coconut milk (scented) shampoo that I love, I finally found a recipe I\u2019m happy with and that doesn\u2019t leave my hair tangled, oily, or both.<\/p>\n It works on kid\u2019s hair too. That\u2019s a picture of my daughter\u2019s newly washed hair (though it isn\u2019t tear-free, so watch the eyes!). It suds somewhat like conventional shampoo and you can customize it to your needs.<\/p>\n It\u2019s such an easy natural shampoo recipe that I can\u2019t believe it took me this long to think of it\u2026<\/p>\n The secret ingredient: Coconut Milk!<\/a><\/p>\n Other homemade shampoos call for ingredients like raw honey, vitamin E, aloe vera gel, or glycerin. Feel free to experiment until you find what works for your hair! Another wonderful and cost-effective option is to make shampoo bars<\/a> (like bar soap for your hair).<\/p>\n Adding a few drops of essential oils adds more than just a nice scent. They can also improve scalp and hair health to help thicken hair, prevent breakage, and combat dandruff. Here are a few different options and what they do. I\u2019ve written more extensively on essential oils for hair<\/a> here.<\/p>\n This homemade natural shampoo smells great, works well, and lathers!<\/p>\n Prep Time<\/span>5 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Total Time<\/span>5 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Yield: <\/span>4<\/span> ounces<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Author: <\/span>Katie Wells<\/span><\/p>\n Combine all the ingredients in a bottle or jar. Pump soap dispensers and even foaming dispensers work well for this. If you use a foaming dispenser you may need to add \u00bc cup of distilled water.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Shake well to mix.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Shake before each use and massage through the scalp.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Store your shampoo in the fridge after each use. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n How well this shampoo works depends on your hair type and also your water.<\/a> Some people with really hard water find it doesn\u2019t combat the extra minerals in their water very well.<\/p>\n Which coconut milk you use can make a difference too. Some have noted that canned coconut milk did not work for them, but homemade did. Keep in mind that homemade coconut milk has a shorter shelf life than canned though.<\/p>\n If you find your hair is really greasy and unmanageable after using this, try doubling the castile soap so it\u2019s 2 parts soap to 1 part coconut milk.<\/p>\n Now that you have a natural shampoo, what about conditioner? Since the coconut oil (and optional carrier oil) are already moisturizing you may not need to use any conditioner. Here are a few different options if you want to try them though!<\/p>\n I can\u2019t leave out one of my biggest healthy hair discoveries. Hair is happiest when you don\u2019t wash it every day! Read this post<\/a> to find out why the experts say how you wash your hair matters just as much as what you wash it with!<\/p>\nDIY Shampoo<\/h2>\n
Don\u2019t Want to Make It?<\/h3>\n
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A Different Homemade Shampoo<\/h3>\n
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What You\u2019ll Need for Homemade Shampoo<\/h3>\n
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Essential Oils for Hair<\/h3>\n
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Natural Homemade Shampoo<\/h2>\n
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Troubleshooting Tips<\/h3>\n
Natural Hair Conditioner<\/h3>\n
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But\u2026 Don\u2019t Wash Your Hair Every Day!<\/h3>\n
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