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Monday, May 29, 2023

How To Make Homemade Herbal Shampoos

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The state of one’s hair can be a telling sign of the state of one’s body. This article will teach you how to make your own herbal shampoos. Chamomile, nettle, and soapwort are herbs suited for natural hair care, and they can make great shampoos.

Dry hair, oily hair, soft or otherwise; we all have very different qualities and types of hair, and we are left to work with what nature has given us.

However, the vast majority of people aren’t satisfied with the quality of their hair and are actively seeking ways to improve it, which is why the market is flooded with commercial hair products.

But why not try using herbs to make our own products the natural way?

Herbs have a wide variety of different effects, so everyone can choose the exact blend that suits their needs. Moreover, herbs are a safe way to treat hair that doesn’t cause damage.

Did you know that we can prepare all kinds of wet packs, hair baths, conditioners, or herbal shampoos designed specifically for our type of hair?

Hair signalizes the condition of the body

Although hair quality is largely dependent on how we care for our hair, our overall lifestyle also plays a part; if we’re sick, eating poorly, or living unhealthily, our hair won’t look stellar either.

Hair loss, for instance, is a symptom of several diseases, typically of thyroid gland disease. It can also be a result of too much stress, hormonal changes, or using harsh chemical products on hair.

That’s why we definitely need to pay attention to our hair, not just for aesthetic reasons but also for its relation to our overall health. If your problem looks serious, don’t hesitate to visit your dermatologist – he or she can immediately prescribe suitable medication and prevent further problems from developing.

A balanced diet and little stress

hair signalizes the condition of the body

The sooner you fix any issues, the better – don’t forget that hair grows slowly! If hair loss is ignored for too long (we’re not talking about age-related hair loss in men, which is often an unfortunate and unavoidable part of life, but rather about hair or scalp disease), the treatment can last up to a year.

A suitable method of hair loss prevention is a vitamin and mineral-rich diet (silicon, zinc, and others) and taking amino acid supplements like methionine. Hair, just like the skin, thrives the most when we get enough sleep, relax regularly, and avoid too much stress. No less important is the way we handle our hair – and that’s where herbs come into play.

Since home-prepared products don’t contain any synthetic substances, they don’t tend to damage hair. One solution would also be to use a mild baby shampoo – these products don’t usually contain substances that could irritate the skin since they’re made for the very sensitive skin of babies. Grated natural soap without added synthetics can also provide the washing effects of a shampoo.

Hair is categorized by its properties, namely dry, oily, or normal, and for every type, there’s a suitable herb or herbal mixture to pick. There are even herbs that are helpful for multiple types of hair, and it’s rather a question of how we prepare them and what we mix them with that changes their effects.

Homemade herbal shampoos recipes

Chamomile shampoo

chamomile shampoo

Recommended for: soothing irritated skin.

Ingredients:

  • A handful of chamomile flowers
  • 2 oz. / 50 g natural soap
  • 1 cup of water

Directions:

Bring the water to a boil and add the chamomile flowers. Boil the flowers, cover the pot, and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Then add grated soap to the liquid and stir well. Pour the mixture into a jar with a dispenser and store in a fridge. The shampoo will last for up to 10 days.

Chamomile is great for soothing irritated skin, thanks to its disinfecting properties. That’s why it helps soothe skin that itches or that has red spots on it. Chamomile will also brighten hair color, especially fair hair. It’s no wonder that with these wonderful properties, chamomile is often added to commercial shampoos made for fair hair and sensitive skin.

Nettle shampoo

nettle shampoo

Recommended for: oily hair.

Ingredients:

  • A handful of nettles (dried or fresh)
  • 1 cup of water
  • 2 oz. / 50 g natural soap
  • 3 drops of essential lavender oil

Directions:

Bring the water to a boil and add the nettles. Boil them, cover the pot, and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Then add grated soap to the liquid and stir well. Pour the mixture into a jar with a dispenser and store in a fridge. The shampoo will last for up to 10 days.

Nettle is a tried and tested helper in hair care. It works its magic on oily hair and also reduces dandruff, all while nourishing hair, improving its quality, and stimulating its growth. If you add lavender oil to the shampoo, you’ll also get a beautiful aroma. And, just like nettle, lavender is also great for oily hair.

Soapwort and Mint shampoo

soapwort and mint shampoo

Recommended for: regular use.

Ingredients:

  • A handful of lightly chopped soapwort (you can use the root, the stem, or leaves)
  • A handful of mint leaves
  • 2 cups of water

Directions:

Put the herbs in a pot and pour boiling water over them. Cover the pot with a lid and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Then strain and – if the liquid has gone cold – heat it up a little as it should be used lukewarm. Apply it to hair and use it as you would a regular shampoo.

This homemade shampoo might create less foam than soap or commercially sold shampoos, but it’s washing effect is great. The amount used in this recipe should last for 4 washings.

Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) is a pretty, perennial plant that can grow up to 2½ feet / 76 centimeters in height. It grows natively in southern and central Europe, Asia, and western Siberia. It favors cool places under hedgerows and along the shoulders of roadways. Its flowers grow in rich, pink clusters throughout the whole summer.

Soapwort contains a large number of saponins, which are substances that create foam – that’s why it’s such a great herb for shampoo making. For its foam-creating qualities, it also used to be often added to laundry detergents.

If you’d like an eco-friendly laundry detergent, you can make a decoction out of soapwort and use that. Other than for washing, soapwort also works well for treating skin problems such as eczema, skin inflammation, or mycosis.

Apple vinegar and Tea tree oil shampoo

apple vinegar and tea tree oil shampoo

Recommended for: oily hair.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp. good quality apple vinegar
  • 1 tsp. tea tree oil
  • 1 cup of water
  • 2 oz. / 50 g natural soap
  • 3 drops of essential lavender oil

Directions:

Finely grate the soap and mix it with the other ingredients. You’ll achieve the best effect if you blend all the ingredients together. Your hair will be clean and fresh after washing, and the shampoo will also cleanse the scalp.

Tea tree oil is an ethereal oil made by distilling the leaves of the tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia), a small tree endemic to Australia. The Aborigines consider the oil a true miracle and have been using the leaves of the tea tree for centuries by grinding them, rubbing them into their skin, inhaling their aroma, or adding them to baths.

Tea tree oil has wonderful healing properties – it stimulates the immune system and helps treat burns, stings, and infections both on the skin and on mucous membranes (for that, it’s used in diluted form).

It kills fungi and mold, gets rid of warts, and wards off fleas and other parasites on animals. It can even disinfect wounds, and on some types of bacteria, it’s even more effective than antibiotics.

It’s never used internally, and it’s not dilutable in water, so it’s always necessary to dilute it with another oil, such as almond oil.

Concluding

So there you have it, four recipes to make your own homemade herbal shampoos. With the exception of tea tree oil, you can harvest all the herbal ingredients from your environment, so making these herbal shampoos should be an easy task.

I’m an advocate of foraging and natural healing, and I believe that using homemade herbal preparations for your personal hygiene is the best thing we can do. Nowadays, you never know what commercial shampoos contain; it’s better to have alternatives and use natural products. Try these shampoos, and you won’t regret it!

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