DIY: Natural Homemade Shampoo & Conditioner for Beautiful Hair
The irony in conventional hair products – who are we kidding, ALL personal care products – is that they can end up doing more harm than good. The commercial shampoos and conditioners meant to create vibrant, soft & beautiful locks are loaded with harsh chemicals that end up stripping the hair of its inherent beauty. Did you know that calcium deposits in your shower can be caused by your chemical-laden bath products? Imagine what they could be doing to your hair, your body and the waterways once they wash down the drain!
Not to mention whether they test the products on our furry friends.
It’s amazing how simple it is to achieve the seemingly-elusive results you’ve always been after if you trade in the can’t-even-pronounce ingredients for just a couple of household items that provide nature’s answer to a head of gorgeous hair. Give these easy do-it-yourself (DIY) recipes a try, and you’ll never waste money or create waste on the store-bought stuff again.
Homemade Shampoo
Put an old shampoo bottle to good recycled use by mixing the following ingredients together for your very own shampoo.
- 1 cup pure liquid castile soap (like Dr. Bronners)
- 1 cup green tea (brewed for 30 minutes)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
Use as is, or depending upon your hair type, add an herbal infusion to replace the green tea in the above recipe. Use a handful of fresh herbs or a spoonful of dried herbs and a cup of boiling water to prepare the infusion, steeping for 30 minutes. Here are some suggestions for different hair types (and predicaments):
- for dark hair: sage leaves
- for greasy hair: yarrow
- for fair hair: marigold flowers
- for dandruff: a mixture of nettle leaves and burdock roots
Homemade Conditioner
Use a simple vinegar rinse as a conditioner 2-3 times a week, and not only will you be truly surprised at the results – both shiny and detangled locks – you’ll wonder how you ever bought into the whole high-priced, toxic conditioner notion in the first place.
What you’ll need:
- 2.5 cups of hot water
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 sprig of rosemary
- 1 bag of your favorite herbal tea, for fragrance
To make your vinegar rinse, place the water in a container of your choice (old conditioner bottle). Then, add the rest of the ingredients. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes. Use about 3/4 of a cup of the rinse each time you condition, shaking up the bottle prior.
And forget two-in-one Pert Plus!
A fusion of one fresh peeled lemon and one peeled cucumber in your blender can be massaged into your hair and rinsed thoroughly for a rockin’ natural take on the two-in-one. The cucumber acts as a conditioning agent, and the lemon as a cleansing agent – a perfect pair!
If you find you battle with outlandishly dull-looking locks, check out DIY: Dealing with Dull Hair for Under $5 for more ideas.
Related on Organic Authority
4 Cheap and Easy Natural Hair Growth Remedies
How to Use Coconut Oil for Hair (and Why You’ll Love It!)
Benefits of Sea Salt That Spice Up Skin and Hair
image: Mark Sebastian
