I’ve made natural alternatives to most of our household and toiletry products, but homemade shampoo was by far the toughest.
I tried the “no-poo” method, which has great results for some, but did not work on me at all (and I have some terrible Christmas pictures to prove it!). If you have coarse hair that isn’t naturally oily, this method may be great for you! I have baby-fine hair and it didn’t work for me.
I also missed the foaming aspect of shampoo (I know… the “foam” in regular shampoo is made by chemicals and detergents…)
I tried plain liquid castile soap, which left a tangled mess, and I tried a bunch of homemade recipes that didn’t work well at all.
Finally, at the inspiration of a natural coconut milk (scented) shampoo that I love, I’ve finally found a recipe that I’m happy with and that doesn’t leave my hair tangled, oily or both.
It works on kids hair too (that’s a picture of my daughter’s newly washed hair) though it isn’t tear free, so watch the eyes!
Natural Shampoo Recipe
It’s such an easy recipe that I can’t believe it took me this long to think of it…
Secret ingredient: Coconut Milk!
What You’ll Need for Homemade Shampoo
- Coconut milk (UPDATE: a couple of readers mentioned that the canned stuff did not work well for them, but that homemade coconut milk worked great… Depending on your hair type, homemade may be better for you)
- Liquid castile Soap (like Dr. Bronners)
- Essential Oils of choice (I’ve used peppermint, lavender, rosemary and orange or combinations of those)
Homemade Shampoo Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup coconut milk (homemade or canned)
- ¼ cup castile soap
- 20 drops essential oils (such as peppermint, lavender, rosemary, or orange)
For dry hair:
- ½ tsp olive oil (or almond oil, optional)
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in an old shampoo bottle or jar. Pump soap dispensers and even foaming dispensers work well for this. If you use a foaming dispenser, add ¼ cup of distilled water.
- Shake well to mix.
- Keep in the shower for up to a month.
- Shake before each use and use about a teaspoon every time you shampoo.
Notes
- If you use a foaming dispenser, it also makes a great shaving cream.
- Some people find that a 50:50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water used as a rinse helps get hair cleaner and increases shine.
Nutrition
Don’t want to make it?
When I’m traveling or don’t have time to make my own, I’ve used a few organic shampoos that worked really well. My faves are:
- Wellnesse Cleansing Shampoo – I’m beyond excited to share that the recipes I’ve been making for over a decade are now available in my very own personal care line! We use only the safest EWG-rated ingredients as well as ingredients from nature with proven benefits, like nettle to strengthen and revitalize hair. There’s one for curly hair too!
- Morrocco Method Raw and Natural Organic Shampoo – this doesn’t lather like normal shampoo but it has been absolutely amazing on my hair and has helped strengthen it over time.
- Acure Organics Shampoo
Another wonderful and cost effective option is to make your own shampoo bars (like bar soap for your hair).
But… Don’t Wash Your Hair Every Day!
I can’t leave out one of my biggest healthy hair discoveries: hair is happiest when you don’t wash it every day! Read this post to find out why the experts say how you wash your hair matters just as much as what you wash it with!
Ever made your own shampoo? Gone “no-poo?” How’d it go? Share below!
I’m going to make some tonight! Thank you!!!
Won’t the coconut milk spoil the shampoo?
Yes, the coconut oil will soil the shampoo.
Does it need to be stored in the fridge to prevent spoiling?
I’m allergic to coconut, so I’m going to substitute pure, liquid, lanolin. I’ll let you know how it comes out
I was wondering the same thing..
This desperately needs a preservative. It will grow bacteria (even if it doesn’t grow mould). There are several natural preservatives that you can buy and use which will allow your homemade beauty products safe to use for around 3 months. If you want it to last longer you’d need to use a synthetic, like parabens.
The issue with this recipe is the ph levels especially when using castile soap as a base. While it does work often leaves hair greasy/waxy and/or dry and frizzy. While ACV will get rid of some of that issue, a lot of people seem sensitive to ACV.
Most people get scared of trying due to ingredients (it is daunting to start with) but a bit of further reading and a few basic ingredients and a bit of experimentation and you’ll be making all your cleaners without harsh chemicals. But even dr Bronner’s use SLS in some of their products!
So what soap base do YOU suggest? And don’t the essential oils do all the preserving needed?
*Clarification
Look it up: Dr Bronner’s only uses SLS in ONE PRODUCT-their biodegradable detergent “Sal Suds” that is used for surfaces not personal care ie not for eyes, skin, hair, inhalation or ingestion.
SLS is a detergent and is used in Dr Bronner’s detergent.
Look it up: EWG rates Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) as a 1-2 hazard rating. 2 rating for SLS in a powder, spray or for use around eyes.
BTW Sal Suds is my favorite all purpose cleaner since I started using it last month.
Thank you for this! My shampoo & conditioner are the last of my “dirty” beauty products… I have switched EVERYTHING else to clean products but it seems like all the natural shampoos leave my hair so greasy 🙁 I will give this a try! And I agree, your daughter has beautiful hair 🙂
Hi MichelleM, how did you like the shampoo? I too am holding onto my shampoo and conditioner as the last of my “dirty” beauty products. I really want to make the switch but I have them same problem as you with natural shampoos. I am pregnant and really want to be as natural as possible. Thanks so much!!!
I have tried this recipe but it left my hair very waxy especially near the roots. Rinsing with a little ACV definitely helps with the waxiness but didn’t completely resolve the problem for me plus I read that it is better to do that once a week and not daily.
It looks like it’s a bit of a trial and error thing to find out what works best for your hair. My hair is fine and usually a little more on the dry side but can occasionally get greasy around the roots. I ended up adding a little distilled water and lemon juice to the shampoo and that helped with the waxiness as well but not great yet. I used the same recipe for a body wash but used 1/4 cup raw honey instead of coconut milk and I found that it actually worked pretty well on may hair and I don’t have the problem with the waxiness so I”ll continue to try that for a while. I find that both of these options make a good body wash as well, my only complaint is that they are a little watery and can be hard to apply so I will try to thicken them a bit with guar guam or cornstarch or maybe even Aloe Gel and see how that goes.
Hi Dani! I love the idea of honey in the shampoo! Can you give me the recipe you used? I have developed oily hair as I turned 40 this year. But this year was also the year I’ve experimented with more natural shampoos and ACV. Looks like this recipe you’ve created uses honey, lemon, distilled water, castille soap, vitamin e and maybe essential oils? Thank you!
Hi Dani. I was wondering if adding guar gum helped to thicken the shampoo without leaving your hair waxy. I’m having the same problem, so I can’t wait to try honey instead of coconut milk. I was wondering, however, if the guar gum in the coconut milk is what was making my hair waxy in the first place. Also, did you add vitamin e? Thanks!
In my DIY shampoo I use about 3 tbsp of Arrowroot Powder and 1 cup of water to thicken the recipe! Works like a charm! Bring arrowroot powder and water to a simmer and whisk constantly until it’s at your desired thickness. Remove from heat, let cool a moment, and then add remaining ingredients. Wa-la! This works in a pump bottle for me, sometimes to mix it well I use my immersion blender.
I hope this works. I, too, tried to go without shampoo, but after a month, my hair still was oily and even more limp than usual. My husband and kids do fine without, lucky them. Your daughter’s hair is beautiful, by the way.
YESS I knew you would come through with a shampoo recipe for me! Definitely giving it a try! 🙂
Hi Karen,
Did you make the shampoo and try it? If yes, I would like to know how it goes on your hair after you use it.
Thank you:)
I’ve been no-poo for nearly two years now, and it is awesome. I only “wash” my hair once or twice a week and I never need “conditioner” (ACV). I have naturally thick and slightly oily hair, and I keep it very short, so this method has worked really well for me. Of course, when I first started it was pretty scary since my hair seemed to go into shock, but it has since calmed down. I do like the sound of your shampoo, though, and I might consider using it as a shaving cream since I have so much trouble making my own. Thanks for the tips 🙂
You’re welcome. I wish I had liked the no-poo method, but I just could never get it to work well for me. My hair is really long and wavy and very fine though, so that might be why. I have friends who have had amazing results with it though. For shaving cream, you could also add a couple tablespoons of aloe vera gel if you have it for extra smoothness, but it’s definitely not needed 🙂
I really think the no-poo success or fail hinges a lot on water quality and type as well as personal body chemistry. Every *body* is different & sometimes our bodies change too. No poo worked for me for some months, then one day the baking soda started to just make cement with the oil on my head. I also tried solid shampoo (like a bar of soap) which some people rave about, but didn’t work for me. Will have to try this! 🙂
Just curious, with your success with this homemade recipe-how often are you using it? Is this something you use daily? I also went with the no-poo method for a while (I’m a curly girl), then pretty much just went away with all hair products except coco oil after showers, just succumbing to rinsing well, and have been doing that for a good while (I have very fine hair as well, I just never notice that it’s oil-unless i’ve accidentally overdone it with the coconut oil the day before or something, so this hasn’t proven to be too problematic for me). I know that’s not really the best for my hair so I’m just curious how often you wash, and also, what you use to condition your hair. Mine’s prone to be dry!
My daughter is planning to make this for her hair. The hair dresser suggested a shampoo with a low Ph. She’s dealing with hair loss (possibly from low Vit D, thyroid issues, stress– we’re still getting to the bottom of it!). So, does anyone see that this coconut milk shampoo world be detrimental??
Thanks!
I just checked on Google. The pH of Castile soap is 8.9, about the same as baking soda. The pH of coconut milk is 5.5-6. Maybe you should add some lemon and rinse with ACV which both are very low on the pH scale.
I have been no-poo for almost a year now. Once I got through the month long transition period it has been fantastic! Like you, I only “wash” twice a week and condition with ACV. It has “stripped” my hair (but not in a bad way!) of all the build up from years of commercial product and lightened it up, bringing it back to my natural color! I couldn’t be happier with my hair, which no longer gets frizzy when I just let it hair dry. Plus all the money I save! My hair is almost to my butt, which meant burning through conditioner like nothing!
However, I just did a coconut oil deep condition and unfortunately the baking soda is not taking out the greasiness, so I’m going to try this recipe to see if I can get things back to normal!! I refuse to use traditional shampoo to fix this problem so I hope this works!!
Hi 🙂 Did you have trouble with dandruff? I’m 3 weeks into ‘no poo’. I can use 2tsp baking soda to a cup of water and love how natural my hair feels, and so much volumne! I have a LOT of very fine hair and am struggling with the tiniest flakes of dandruff. Should I keep on keeping on? I spray acv into my ends. If i put it through my whole scalp it stimulates the oil and I get blemishes on my scalp,
I did not have an issue with dandruff. Are you being sure to completely rinse the baking soda out of your hair? Otherwise, it could be drying out your scalp and causing the dandruff. You could also try watering the ACV way down, pouring it on your hair, massaging it in slightly then rinsing out without leaving it in too long. Hope this helps!
Thanks, and yes – it is fully dissolved and being well washed out. I was washing every second day; the first time I did no poo, after 4 months my scalp had had enough too. I’m using Katie’s coconut milk and castille soap trick now, no dandy-ruffs and my hair has lost its static charge too, which is great! Thank you for responding xx
Michelle, I have been no ‘poo for nearly 5 months now & I am having the same issue. I am also having some grease issues on the back of my head, despite focused cleaning there. I have been extremely frustrated as of late trying to determine how to solve this problem. Thank you for mentioning your issues and how this shampoo recipe helped solve them. I’ve been struggling with the idea of returning back to shampoo and I wasn’t happy about it. Perhaps I’ll give this a shot!
I switched to Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle. It lasts forever ($3.99) since I still only wash twice a week. The reason I gave up the “no-poo” was worries about the pH of my hair being out of wack, and the snarls were tough. My hair is all the way down to my rear so it was taking forever to comb it out!
Maybe try cutting the amount of baking soda you use. I was using 2 tablespoons to 2 cups of water which was working great but now seems to be drying my scalp. I just cut it down by a 1/2 tablespoon and will see how that works. It hasn’t been long enough to tell yet though. I didn’t have a problem for the past 8 to 10 months so I figure it may take a few shampoos.
I have bad dandruff too, but I found that apple cider vinegar diluted half and half with water is really good for it. I just put it on my scalp and do other things (like shaving or whatever) while it sits for maybe 5 minutes, and then I rinse it out. My hair smells a bit vinegary after my shower, but it goes away fairly soon. Hope this helps!
tea tree oil cures dandruff in a hot second. I put a small amount in warmed olive oil, massage into my scalp, let sit for 15 minutes, and then wash as normal. feels amazing and dandruff is gone the next day.
I tried the no-poo, baking soda thing for a few weeks, but finally became frustrated and went back. I am extremely minimalist when it comes to products, and my hair has never been oily. I washed it once or twice a week before, but when the BS, I felt like it looked greasy the next day, and I felt as though I had baking soda residue on my scalp. I hate shampoo and the harmful effects, but don’t really care to put the effort into making my own, how long did it take for your hair to adjust and what tips do you have to make my issues resolve?
It took my head a little over a month to adjust to the BS, and was really greasy during that time. Once I got through the transition my hair wasn’t greasy at all even after four days of not “washing”. I personally dissolved the BS in warm water in a little squirt bottle so that I could get it right on the scalp. Then I rinsed really well two or three times to make sure all of the BS was out!
Recently I switched to Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle, since reading that the BS/ACV could be harmful to the pH of hair. There are no chemicals or sulfates in the shampoo and I still only wash twice a week and have zero problems with grease even attending the gym 3-4 times a week. Thankfully since I was already transitioned to natural options my hair adapted to the TTT really well. I still rinse with ACV in water once or twice a week.
I’ve noticed less breakage and more shine than with the No poo method. I would like to eventually just be able to use water, but who knows if I’ll ever get there! Good luck!
Thank you! I don’t have a Trader Joe’s near by, but maybe our Earth Fare will have something similar!
It took me less than 5 minutes to make this natural shampoo. As long as you have liquid castile soap and coconut milk, all you have to do is measure and mix them and put them into a bottle. Just as easy as mixing a beverage. I have yet to use it on my hair, but I am really looking forward to this.
I have found the baking soda works best for me when I add a few drops of tea tree essential oil to it, and when it has been mixed and sitting for at least a week.
If either of those things is missing it doesn’t work as well; but when done right it’s fantastic! I rinse with an ACV mix as well.
My No-Poo solution has been a long road but I think I finally got a system down. My hair is baby fine, not a ton of it, and got readily very oily (oh and tons came out on my brush). I went through baking soda and different types of organic poos, here is what is working: I rinse every now and then with diluted lemon juice or diluted ACV. My hair WAS NASTY oily by week three, by week four it backed off, by week five my long hair was soft as rabbit fur and backing of the oil to where it looked like normal hair. The great thing is my hair is MUCH stronger. The lemon juice solution really spreads the sebum to the tops while closing the cuticle AND I now have the benefit of the old trick of brushing my hair until it shines (thanks to the natural sebum which is wax based. It is no joke that every “body” is different! Hope everyone finds their system and thanks for the coconut recipe!
I have baby fine hair (and not much of it) so I am curious about your post. When you did the baking soda detoxing did you do it every day? How long did it take? I’m about 2 weeks in and my hair is oily and dry at the same time (not sure how that’s possible). I’m on the verge of quitting but really want to hang in there. So did you end up not doing the baking soda and only doing the AV/lemon rinse?
i just went through the same thing with coconut oil. It was horrible, i had to take 3 showers. It still didn’t work so i just broke down and washed my hair with dawn dish soap. It seemed to get the oil out so.
Doesnt the recipe say to use Coconut Milk? Not coconut oil. That may be why it is too oily.
Recipe says COCONUT MILK not OIL!!!
thanks I will try this out. I haven’t had any good luck in the past with home made shampoos.
Does it need any type of follow-up rinse or conditioner? My hair is very fine and tangles easily.
My hair is fine too and tangles really easily and I don’t have trouble with this, but I’ve heard that apple cider vinegar as a rinse is amazing for conditioning, I just never liked it.
I use 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (with the mother) to 1 cup of water. You can leave it in or rinse out if you don’t like the smell. It disipates fairly quickly. It is good for adding shine
I use 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar (with the mother) to 2 cups of water for my conditioner. Normally use 1/3 of it per shampoo. It works great for me. You can adjust the amount too.
Where can I get cider vinegar with the mother? I’ve heard a lot about it lately but don’t know where to get it.
Braggs apple cider vinegar is the best. You can get it at pretty much any local grocery store. When you do get it, don’t forget to shake it before each use.
I buy Bragg’s ACV at Amazon – by the case as my husband consumes it daily (with honey) for his gout. And it’s cheaper.
Hi Laura,
I know this has nothing to do with this shampoo, but I saw you said your husband uses ACV for his gout. Could you please be specific? My hubby also is a gout sufferer, and I am always looking for ways to help relieve his misery…..Thank you in advance!
Tropical Traditions sells apple cider vinegar with mother and it’s much cheaper than Braggs.
Get Braggs as it has the mother in it. It comes in a glass jar one quart I think. We get it at the grocery store but if yours doesn’t carry it try a health food store.
I have been looking forward to making my own poo. I am a sudzy girl as well, so this recipe looks nice (wish me luck).
As far as ACV is concerned, I just rinsed with it yesterday after I ran
out of traditional shampoo and conditioner (on purpose as I want to make my own). I use Dr. B’s Hemp-Almond Oil Castile soap as shampoo and ACV as a rinse.
Though I want a little more luxury to my shampoo, the ACV rinse with a comb works great. I left it in as rinsing is optional and I wanted it to stay nice and smooth. Dried naturally (so I was a little vinegary for a while) but I am in love with the results.
Hoping to see more as I perfect my recipe!
I’m so sorry – I laughed out loud at your first sentence. And my 14-year old daughter is giggling, too. I had to explain to her that it’s a shortened word for shampoo, and that it had nothing to do with poo. LOL!!!
thank you!!
I am so doing this! Thank you thank you! I bet your hair smells wonderful 🙂 Do you have to refridgerate it? Any conditioner needed?
No refrigeration needed or conditioner. I sometimes do an avocado or coconut oil deep conditioning, but not often, since my hair tends to have plenty of oil naturally.
Does this give you the sudsy feel? Thanks for the recipe!!
Definitely sudsy feel 🙂 That was why I could never get on the “no poo” wagon for long… love the sudz
I know you said you don’t have to refrigerate it with the normal recipe, but if you are using homemade coconut milk, do you have to refrigerate it? Does it still have the 30 day shelf life?
Did you ever find the answer to this? I am curious as well since I am making mine with the homemade coconut milk! Thanks!
Hi, I am looking for the answer to this too. Have you ever found it out? It seems that the canned stuff does not work nearly as well but if you have to make a new batch of homemade every single time you wash your hair that would be much too much work!
Hi, I hope this helps but I ‘ve got email confirmation with a customer services rep from Dr Bronner who suggested this formula for a foaming body soap:
1 part castile soap
3 parts (coconut milk + additional filtered water)
She confirmed homemade coconut milk is fine and should have a shelf life of about 1 month on cold weather and 2 weeks in warm.
just wondering if avocado oil would be a better oil to add if my hair is very dry. also, if I make this without any essential oils, will it smell like coconut? I love coconut and I really want it to give my hair a coconutty scent 🙂
Can u post that conditioning recipe?
Hi! I am planning on trying out this recipe and I was wondering if there was any alternative for the Castille Soap, since I am having trouble finding it in stores in my area. Thank!
Amazon.com sells it! I live in the sticks and don’t have any stores (much less stores that know what organic means) nearby and was ecstatic to find it there!
I get mine from vitacost.
I have found Castile Soap at Target (16.99) and at Kroger for (14.37). Both were where the natural products were..like Meyer’s soap and Burt’s beeswax products. 🙂
Katie, I have tried the coconut milk shampoo for 4 washings now (every other day). I used organic coconut milk in a small carton, so the mixture is really thin. I have very thick hair so I must use much more than a teaspoon. I believe I have hard water because it feels a little soapy but doesn’t really lather. I’m wondering what exactly the “transition period” is. My hair seems very oily & stiff (especially the layer underneath). Is this normal? I previously tried Dr. Josh Axe’s honey shampoo but added extra honey to try & thicken it, so I thought it was the honey that made my hair feel sticky & oily. I’m finding these symptoms again. Is that normal? Other than it not lathering & being very runny, I really like this shampoo. I added lemongrass, so it smells wonderful!
I read that canned coconut milk only lasts 4 days once opened… if you substitute coconut milk for water, is the shelf life still a month?
No… that does shorten the shelf life and it should be kept in the fridge.
Does this help on dry itchy scalp? I’ve tried everything including prescriptions from dermatologist. Does the coconut milk go bad after a while? What is the shelf life?
How often do you wash your hair?
It will really depend on your hair texture. I haven’t had any experience with this for itchy scalp, but I have used a diluted apple cider vinegar and nettle/rosemary infusion for itchy scalp before and it worked wonderfully. I wash my hair every other day or so
Hi, just a comment on the dry itchy scalp. I get terribly itchy scalp in the winter. Once a week, I will warm (very slightly, be careful it can get hot quick) about 2 tablespoons of honey and message into my wet hair. Then put a shower cap on and wrap with a towel (I use one of those wonderful terry wraps for the hair) and leave on at least 30 minutes, even overnight if you are comfortable everything will not come off during the night. After, rinse hair well and message scalp to make sure all honey is gone. You can then use a conditioner if needed. I usually just use a bit of apple cider vinegar / water mix to rinse and wait until the next day to shampoo. I have thin fine color treated hair.
I once had poison oak on my face. By the time it dried up, my face felt like lizard skin. I found an old recipe for a facial consisting of mashed bananas and honey. Two ingredients I had on hand without running to the store looking like something out of a sci-fi movie. I tried each ingredient alone to make sure it would work. By this time I had sensitive skin so I could not use the bananas, but I was able to use the honey on my face without any unpleasantness. I left it on for the prescribed 15 minutes and when I washed it off, my face felt and looked like the skin of a newborn baby. It was amazing. Having that experience I was wondering if an overnight session with honey would ever be needed. 30 minutes seems more than enough time for honey to do what honey does.
Do you know how this would work on colored hair??
I haven’t colored mine in a long time, but I would guess that the coconut milk would be very nourishing, and there is nothing in the liquid castille that should strip the color.
Lisa Bonners blog on hair care does say that the Castile Soap has too high of pH for color treated hair
yeah, unfortunately, Lisa Bronner says to not use soap on coloured hair 🙁
https://www.lisabronner.com/from-shampoo-to-soap-%E2%80%93-my-story/
quote: “One disclaimer – don’t do this on colored hair. The alkalinity of the soap opens up the hair follicles, where the color resides. The color will drain out and fade quickly. Colored hair needs acidic products only. (Soap, by nature, cannot be acidic. Only detergents (shampoo) can be.)”
Do an ACV rinse (1:1 of vinegar to water) after you shampoo with the castile soap and it will close the hair follicles, preventing color loss and adding shine to hair.
Uh oh…I tried some with castile soap on my colored hair. It was a body wash with coconut oil, honey, castile soap, aloe vera gel, vit e, vegetable glycerin and eo’s. Just trying it to see what happens. Maybe I should rewash it….still have towel on head!
I have lavender hair and used this shampoo yesterday and today for the first time…it did pull all the color out.
bull crap, I use natural shampoos all the time and my hair is baby fine and color treated, my hair hates commerial rubbish so your Lisa whoever is wrong…wash away folks, homemade is the best…..
Okay so what can you used to substitute the cast ill soap?
I am trying to find a recipe for homemade color treated hair that lasts for more than a few days or weeks and can’t seem to find any. Please help
If you find such a recipe for shampoo, please let me know. I have permed and colored hair, but I am also very fragrance sensitive so I need to make my own shampoo.
I joined a “no poo” Facebook group a few months ago that has helped with my journey. They have just about every method on the internet, success stories and photos, and questions answered compiled there.
I have blonde hair that has been highlighted before and am at the point where I can wash my hair with only lemon juice and water every day. I was hoping for a lightening affect but haven’t seen one yet.
Colored hair would do well with something acidic like ACV, orange juice or lemon juice if it works for you. Keep in mind that there will be a transition period, shorter for some and longer for others. Mine was long but I had and have no desire to go back.
Here is the link to the FB group if anyone is interested:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/nopoo/
Egg yolks. Seriously. Egg yolks are naturally slightly acidic, and you can also rinse with ACV. I’ve been washing this way for over a year. I don’t have color-treated hair, but given the pH it should be fine. I know it sounds weird, but it works! I recommend wash-rinse-repeat for best results. Also note that you will end up with tiny pieces of cooked egg white in your hair (unless you are really good at separating the yolk). I just comb it out. No big deal. I would caution against using whole eggs, as this can lead to too much protein in your hair (bad). Best of luck!
Lisa Bronner is partially correct. Dr Bronner’s Castile Soap Liquid tests out at a pH of 11! That is too high for anyones hair! The pH of normal hair is about 4.5-5.5, which is actually acid (7pH is neutral). Your hair will definitely feel soft after using it because, well it actually is. Prolonged use will cause great damage to the hair. Some say to just neutralize it with a vinegar rinse. This is like perming your hair each time you wash and than putting on the neutralizer. How often could one perm their hair before it is greatly damaged? Perm solutions are at about a 9pH (much lower than Dr Bronners). Dr. Bronner’s is 100 times more alkaline than the average perm solution.
I’m glad you brought this up! I just tested my Dr. Bronner’s and it looks like it’s about 8-9.
If Bronners Castile soap is too alkaline for everyone’s hair, what soap would you recommend as an alternative? If any.
And couldn’t one use a Tbsp of vinegar in the mixing of home made shampoo to raise the acidity of the overall mixture?
Once you dilute the castle soap with coconut milk and/or water, that changes the ph though…. Not sure what it ends up as, but definitely different being as the soap is only 50% of the final solution right?
I just had my hair highlighted and made the shampoo after reading the comments. However, I used Dr. B’s baby castile, which I have read online has a pH of 7. I assume once I dilute it, it would be fine…but now afraid to try. Anyone have updates about using the “baby” version with highlighted hair?
I love the coconut and castille soap shampoo, but am having a lot of trouble using it in a foam pump which I bought specifically for shampoo and shaving. My pump keeps getting clogged after one use. I’ve tried the pump with hand soap and it works fine. Is it the coconut milk? Dr Bronner Castille soap ? The one pump I got was great for shaving.
It’s probably the coconut milk.
I tried making the coconut milk but it came out very watery. I also used the vitamix blender and followed the exact instructions.
Where did I go wrong. Is it the type of dried coco nut. I used organic coconut flakes…
Will the coconut milk spoil?
Did you add the 1/4 cup of water?
Anoud, I am wondering if you used the canned coconut milk or the store bought coconut milk that is sold in the refrigerated section with the cow’s milk. There is a difference with those two kinds of coconut milks and coconut milk in a can is thicker.
It’s the Bronners – it clogs my hand soap pump all the time. Although I am going to try diluting it now.
When using castile soap in a foaming pump you only need about 1/4 soap and the rest water. Trust me you can get more bang for your buck and your hands will still be clean.
Its the Castile soap. If you don’t dilute it a bit it blocks up. I put some in a hand soap bottle and it blocked it up all the time. Diluted it with some water and it worked better.
I use Castile soap (including Dr. Brother’s) in my foamy pump dispensers as hand soap and they have never clogged. Maybe the coconut milk is too thick?
It’s the castile soap. It pretty thick as it dries and builds up in the pump spout. Try rinsing under warm water before or after each use.
It’s the soap. I make foaming hand soap and they all get clogged and hard to push down.
I followed the “make your own coconut milk ” idea & refrigerated it-when I took it out to make shampoo there was a chunk of oil floating in it. If you mixed it in warm, the coconut oil will solidify at temps below 76 degrees. I removed it before measuring the milk into the recipe because that would clog things up for sure! But as long as it’s diluted enough there shouldn’t be a problem
That happened to me to me too! It was definitely the coconut milk.
Coconut milk has coconut oil in it. Oil and water do not mix unless you use an emulsifier. When temperature gets low, the coconut oil will solidify (in chunks).
Try putting the shampoo in warm water until the oil melts and see if this helps.
Can i skip the soap altogether?
If you like…
I noticed you mention distilled water in some recipies and not in others. Last week I made some coconut milk shampoo with homemade coconut milk but didn’t use distilled water in the milk recipe. Will the shampoo go bad?
It shouldn’t for a while. I usually make small batches so it will have more time before going bad
I have had a lot of trouble finding a shampoo product that does NOT contain coconut in some form. This craze has driven me crazy, I am highly allergic to coconut (many people are in fact) and any amount in a hair care product causes my hair to fall out in mass amounts. No pooing has yielded poor results too since my hair is thinning, fine, and oily. Do you have a recipe that does not contain coconut?
You could try this one: https://wellnessmama.com/8441/soap-nuts-shampoo/
I too need to stay away from coconut, and I looked at this soap, but there are still some ingredients that contain coconut in the pre-made version that you gave a link to. Do you know of any others? I don’t have time to make my own! Thanks!
Try soapnuts. Boil 5/6 nuts in 2 cups of water and filter. Use in few days and keep in the fridge. It makes very little foam, though. If you feel it is too liquid add a thickener (I use guargum). If you need foam (to know where the shampoo worked and where not!) add a secondary detergent (I use betaine). Finally you can add some lemon juice (or citric acid) if you need a more acidic pH (colored hair), but naturally it has a slightly acid pH.
Very natural, leaves a nice feeling on the hair. Soapnuts are used since centuries in India for hair and laundry, as they contain natural saponine.
Yes we Indians have been using soap nuts for hair cleaning since centuries….but it is more suitable for oily nd normal hair
I modified the recipe and replaced the coconut with olive oil and it works great!
I use a shampoo I make from 1/2 raw honey and 1/2 castile (diluted with just a bit of distilled water). I just love it. It leaves my hair soft and really shiny. You might like it.
Gina,
I was wondering how long this recipe would last?
And do you melt the honey down at all or just mix it with the soap and water?
Thank you, Crystal
Oh and what do you use as a conditioner?
Crystal,
It should last practically forever. Honey never goes bad although after a really long time it can crystallize but you’re gonna use it up before that. I don’t heat the honey, just add it to liquid Castile and water, shake it up good and it’s ready. I keep it in the shower and don’t find I need conditioner. Honey is moisture enough for my fine hair. It’s pH balanced so it won’t mess up your hair or scalp. It’s not real thick but I lather it up in my hands and it has a nice scent. I usually make 1/2 cup soap to 1/2 honey to 1/4 cup spring water every time I make it. Shake it before each use. My hair is very fine and limp and this makes it look so good, unlike most of the natural shampoos that are really for dry, curly, thick hair. Hope it works for you, too. Let me know. 🙂
Gina,
I made the shampoo recipe mentioned above in this blog post. My husband and I both tried it yesterday and we really like it. However, my hair was super tangled and combing it wet was so hard! I was thinking of adding honey to my already mixed shampoo. Any suggestions?
About being allergic to coconut, eating for your blood type says if your a B blood type to avoid coconut. Does anyone know about there being corn in the Bronner’s soap? It appears there is, but I haven’t contacted them yet about it.
I too read the blood type book. I am a B-type and can’t take coconut either.
I have B+ blood type and have never had any problems with coconut. What does it say about B types and coconut?
How often should we use it? And why do my hair feel waxy after the wash??
I know this was from a long time ago, but try the clay detox mask: https://wellnessmama.com/9321/detox-your-hair/
For shampoo, just use egg yolks. You don’t need to add anything to them, they will clean your hair well, esp. if it’s oily. Just don’t rinse with hot water or you’ll scramble them. I have tried most of the shampoo recipes on here and found the most success with just plain egg yolk. They are great for your roots, but you’ll need to look into some kind of conditioning solution for the rest of your hair. I use… you guessed it… coconut! But people have spoken highly of honey and other options, you might just need to test a few things. Good luck!
Dr. Bronner’s “Magic” Castile Soap has Hemp oil, jojoba oil that should not be in homemade shampoo, it is not gluten free, tocopherol is also in the ingredients listed.
what soap do u suggest then?
What does this mean? How does non gluten free harm hair? What soap should you use then?
My hair keeps feeling like a have soap residue left over & makes it looks oily on the top, I’ve tried adding more coconut milk & deluding with a little water, nothing seems to help. I’ve never been one to wash my hair everyday even with store bought shampoo & I don’t with this. Do you have any suggestions? I love this shampoo recipe it makes my natural waves come in but the residue is annoying. Please help! 🙂
Hi Melissa,
I feel a bit sorry for Katie as she is asked the same question over and over and very very patiently responds to them, so I thought I’d help out on this occasion as this is a question that has popped up repeatedly throughout these comments.
The general consensus is that castile soap mixed with hard water can leave this residue feeling on your hair. Some people who’ve commented have had success with alternative castile soaps instead of Dr. Bronners, the other thing to try is different water. Try spring/distilled/deionised or even rainwater and see if you have any luck.
BUT, before you try altering Katie’s recipe, you’ll want to get rid of that residue feeling. To do that, I would suggest you take 3 egg yolks (four if your hair is very long), and whisk them up with some coconut milk: about 2/3rds egg, 1/3rd coconut milk. Massage this into wet hair at the roots, then rub some coconut milk without the egg into the ends to condition the ends. Rinse this all off but DO NOT use hot water – you will scramble the egg and it won’t be funny.
You should find your hair is now really clean and the residue gone, ready to start trying new shampoo recipes.
I had the same problem as you with Katie’s recipe. I live in a hard water area and my hair did not like castile based shampoo. In the end I had such success with the above method of washing my hair that I’ve stuck with that ever since. Who knew egg yolk could have such cleansing power, but if you think about it, egg emulsifies with oil when you make mayonnaise, so naturally it will emulsify with the oils in your roots and help to wash them away.
Good luck! I hope you find something that works for you. If you want to extend your no-wash days, try Katie’s dry shampoo recipes – I use the one for brown hair with cocoa and it’s a bloomin’ marvel!
Best wishes
Gilly
Thanks for this response…I’m going through this now and will be washing with egg tomorrow! How often do you wash with the egg yolks? What do you use in between the egg washes? I’ve tried baking soda / vinegar and it didn’t work well with my hair. I’m going on week 4 with no poo / low poo so my hair may still be in the transition phase.
Hi Natalie, I was washing once a week with egg, using Katie’s dry shampoo in between, it worked really well for me. I don’t use baking soda in my hair, I really think it’s too harsh. I use arrowroot and cocoa.
However, I’m about to go on a 60 day hike and don’t know how often I’ll get to wash my hair. I’ve been looking into people who only wash their hair with water! Sounds great to me, but you need to go fully through the transition period so that your hair stops over producing oil. I’m two weeks into not washing my hair, using boar bristle brush, a horn comb and a tissuing technique to keep excess oil at bay. I don’t know how long it will take to get under control, I think it’s different for everyone, but water washing, using your natural oils to keep your hair clean and conditioned seems the ultimate to me, especially on wild hikes where you may be washing in rivers.
There are also people who do sebum only… They never even wet their hair!! Not sure about that, but who knows!
Good luck!
Gilly
I have the same residue and was reading through the comments to figure out a solution. I didn’t use any water in my shampoo, only coconut milk, Dr bronners, and essential oils. My hair has an awfully thixk residue and its awful!
I tried the recipe with castille soap, coconut milk and essential oils and i have a thick sticky residue as Leslie described. I have hard water which I read may not work well with castile soap.
Anyone have hard water and find a recipe that works and doesn’t leave any residue?
thanks!
I have very hard water in my house. If I rinse afterward with the 1:1 apple cider vinegar and water rinse that Katie suggests, it takes off any residue for me – and I feel also makes it more shiny and supple. I have thick coarse hair. Hope this helps someone.
Also, a tip for other readers: if you hit ctrl+f on your keyboard while looking at a webpage, it will allow you to search the text on that page, so you don’t have to read all the comments to find the answers you’re looking for.
Thank you, Wellness Mama!
Hi! I really would love to make the coconut shampoo but was reading the comments about the soap not being good for color treated hair. I have highlights and low lights, does this affect the coloring?
Can a little bit of ACV be addedto the shmpoo . Like a tsp per cup ?
Lye. You cannot make Castile soap w/o lye…it’s very drying and soap cannot be organic because of it
Lye is made from ashes and fat, if using organic fat it will be organic lye.
What about hair colored naturally with henna? I haven’t noticed castile soap stripping away any color. In fact my color from henna lasts longer than store bought hair color.
what type of henna product do you use to color your hair. I was thinking of trying this method to cover grays.
Hi Mave – I use Renaiasance Henna website – Organic henna and if I want brown hair I follow after washing Henna out with Organic Indigo – 20mins left on I will get darkish brown hair if leave on only 10-15 mins a more subdued chestnut/conker brown/red. Henna only – red hair tone depending on hair colour. Covers grey but will be orangy so then use Indigo to subdue the orange effect and turn brown or just a more subdued red instead of bright copper red or go for a darker chestnut red. I have used for years – don’t like chemicals. Easy to mix and apply but cover with cling film and have to leave on 2hrs. Wash off and apply Indigo if wish to but only leave on as said, If want black hair leave indigo on much longer – comes with full shade instructions. Once having used Indigo after the henna, I went for a year just using henna as have then the base colour – grey roots coming through will look a bit orangy then but blends in well with red hair (I have long hair) Decided to go a bit darker so use henna and then Indigo every time now. One important thing – must leave chemically dyed hair for at least 2 /3 months before using Henna. I would never go back to having hair chemically dyed hair. I never now use a conditioner and my hair is so shiny and glossy. I use Purenuff Stuff shampoo only 3 ingredients and fab but on here to see if I could make my own shampoo – had the greasy limp residue issue using Dr Bronners.
I am curious and would love to know what the PH of of all the products cimbined is. If you know could you please post
Hello wellness mama,
I was wondering what the shelf life was for the homemade shampoo?
Also, does this double as a conditioner?
I am a hairstylist and color my hair as well. I definitely want to try this! I WOULD suggest, however, that you stick away from the mint, my personal experience has been that the mint in shampoos can strip color. Other than that I am excited to try this!
What would you use as a BASE shampoo from Dr. B.. since this is Peppermint for colored hair?? thank you… 🙂
The lavender and citrus are great for a base…
2 questions: how can one tiny teaspoon be enough? Is it really? Also, when we’re talking about “coconut milk”, do you mean the kind sold in a can? Or the kind in a carton that you drink.. Like almond milk? Thx!
Molly,
A teaspoon is more than enough for most people’s hair. I started using this while my hair was long (when I chopped it, I chopped off nearly two feet!), and still only need about a teaspoon, and my hair is really thick. Now that it’s short, I can use even less than that. One thing that helps is that there’s not really any filler or stuff to make it thicker, so everything in that teaspoon is used in the hair washing process.
Generally speaking, and in this instance specifically, canned or homemade coconut milk is favored over the stuff in a carton, which is often watered down too much for this purpose and contains fillers/thickeners, which are not only not really good for you, but useless for the purpose of making shampoo. Check out her links in the ingredient listing for examples of coconut milk to use.
i know that color treated hair needs an acidic based shampoo to keep the color locked in the hair shaft, i just don’t know what the ph of this mix is! but if its acidic then it should be fine 🙂
It is alkaline. If you’re worried about the alkalinity, you could use a vinegar rinse afterwards. I wash my hair with homemade bar soap, pure coconut oil soap with a 20% superfat, then I spray undiluted white vinegar on my hair after rinsing the soap out, let it sit for a few minutes, and rinse again. The vinegar dissolves soap scum left on your hair from the soap, which causes the “waxy” feeling of most alternative shampoos
White vinegar closes the hair follicles, I learned this to use with my horses, white tails are hard to keep clean, With the folicles closed the tails stay cleaner the dirt can’t be absorbed
Rose Marie, I have Gypsy horses with looooong white feathers and lots of hair. Can you give me any more advice to keep them looking white and nice?
What is the recipe for the shampoo bars? How did you make them?
Would you mind sharing your recipe for homemade coconut oil soap? Pretty please?! 🙂
Joudi, it’s the soap that makes it alkaline! If you are interested in this recipe but need a more pH balanced recipe, you can check this recipe out for “All Natural pH Balanced Recipe” here:http://www.thankyourbody.com/ph-balanced-shampoo-recipe/
and after you rinse it out well, if you’d like, you can spray your scalp and hair with a (1 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar to 1 cup of water) mix. Massage that in and rinse well. There you have your acidity. 😉 Plus, it leaves your hair shiny and healthy! And no funny smell is left behind. You can also add a few drops essential oils to the mix to leave your hair smelling great! No mint for colored hair. Remember, clarifying and detoxing your hair is a process and there may be an adjustment period til your hair gets the full luxurious feeling! 🙂 Enjoy!
Can coconut oil be used instead of coconut milk in your shampoo recipe?….I’m afraid I bought the wrong item…..
Thanks for your advice,
No, but there are hundreds of great ways to use coconut oil!
Can you substitute olive/almond oil for coconut oil?
Not oil. Coconut MILK. No you can’t, because it is milk, not oil, in the recipe.
……it says to add oil for course hair, so coconut may work but would have to be liquified : )
I have recently been on a Coconut Oil spree. The health benefits of it are outstanding–especially for ladies (balancing hormones). I started intaking anywhere from 2 Tablespoons to 1/4 cup a day (which is what most health professionals suggest) to help balance my hormones. I was never expecting the results I am seeing. My skin looks way livelier (acne is leaving too) , wrinkles started disappearing, better sleep, etc… And this is not just me–my mom and sister are doing it and said the same thing. So, don’t dump that Coconut oil! Put it in anything you can think of (great blended in hot drinks like coffee, tea, lattes, hot cocoa, etc…). I encourage you to research Coconut Oil for yourself and find out how wonderful it is for yourself. Hope this helps! 🙂
You may want to check your cholesterol, I have a friend that was seeing the same results but has since quit ingesting because her cholesterol went through the roof, it is back down now that she has stopped, although she really misses it.
High cholesterol is not bad. There are tons of books on it. Read the book by Jimmy Moore cholesterol clarity. High cholesterol is better than low but the diet must not be high in sugar and carbs aka the standard american diet. Tons of people have dropped dead who’s cholesterol was low and the doctors said they were the picture of perfect health due to their low cholesterol. The low cholesterol is the reason why they died as the heart needs cholesterol to be healthy.
For details on how on earth this fact I just stated could be possible get Jimmy Moore’s book it goes into great detail describing the truth about cholesterol.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936608383/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=wellnessmama-20&linkId=29d7b4233d608a868b922e4dc5188f17&language=en_US
Any doctor who is paying attention and informed with current studies about cholesterol knows this. If they don’t fire them and find a doctor who is practicing medicine in the 21st century vs the old standard of care from the 20th or 19th century both of which are dangerously outdated.
Can you use Cream of Coconut and water it down a little or maybe the carton of Coconut milk, or combination?
Absolutely!
I had read the Castille Soap is not good for colored hair. Someone said it was specifically on Lisa Bonner’s website, the Dr.’s granddaughter. I haven’t found it yet but I haven’t really had a long time to research yet. Just wanted to give a heads-up.
What if my hair is colored with Henna? I’ve colored with henna for a long time. Thanks, if you have any info on that.
If you rinse your hair with Apple Cider Vinegar and water, after shampooing, it will be fine for color treated hair
With all due respect, you are wrong. The hair color molecules DO get washed off with the Castille soap orbany sulfate-containig shampoo, and once those dye molecules left your hair, no matter what you rinse it with, those color molecules are already GONE. It’s simple logic. The vinegar rinse does seal the hair cuticules which gives as a result very shiny hair, but nothing can help come back the hair color molecules that are already washed off (completely GONE).
It’s not nice at all to post a tip or suggestion stating that if you rinse with vinegar your colored hair after you washed it with soap/sulfates will help to avoid color fading. We need to think twice and inform ourselves very well before daring to post a suggestion that is completely wrong. (No ofense to anybody, I just mean to encourage all participants to be sure of what they suggest before posting anything. Nobody likes trying a supposedly ‘nice tip’ and find out -a little too late- it doesn’t work at all. Or do you?).
I WAS WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO POINT THAT OUT. THE ACIDIC RINSE CAN DO NOTHING TO KEEP THE COLOR IN THAT’S JUST BEEN WASHED OUT.
You can add baking soda and get foam and ph balance.
I made this shampoo exactly as you instructed, and it is horrible!! I think it’s the vitamin E oil that makes it sticky. What a mess! This isn’t the case for you?
It hasn’t worked for me either – I added the Vitamin E oil too and my hair is now realllly flat on my head. Has anyone else had this? Or tried it with and without Vit E oil and found one way better than the other?
Honestly, I think it’s the castile soap that does this. I made this recipe W/O the vitamine E oil and it made my hair very greasy and flat. It still looked wet when it was dry. So I omitted the castile soap and just used coconut milk and baking soda. Worked much better.
I’ve done a little troubleshooting and a lot of research on castille soap in hair. One possible issue is that you may have hard water. Many people find that causes it to get sticky and not rinse clean, myself included. I bought a shower filter and it cleared up in 2 washes! However, it did get sticky again, and I found the cause was I have low porosity hair which is very prone to build up, and becoming heavy and weighed down. “Low-po” heads seem to do well with baking soda nopoo so that’s what I switched to and it’s great!! You may have to dabble with the ratio a bit based on your hair and scalp. I started with 1 tbsp in 1 cup of filtered water (1 cup gets you through about 3 washes), but have now decreased to 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda. I add EO’s to soothe my winter sensitive scalp now, as well. I follow the baking soda with a raw ACV rinse, my current ratio is 2 tbsp to 1 cup filtered water (actually brewed chamomile, but plain water works just fine), and I add 1tbsp lemon juice for its blonde enhancing properties. Lemon juice is also a pH balancer so it works perfectly after baking soda. Lots of luck figuring out the sticky issue! You can google how to test your hair’s porosity, it’s very simple. The shower filter I use is Johnathan Beauty Water from amazon, but Aquasauna is comparable. Hope this helps! 🙂
Hi Amy, can you tell me what proportions of baking soda, coconut milk you used for your recipe? I had my hair greasy and would like to try this.
You made a wise choice and a healthier one for your body. Many of our products have hidden ingredients that are toxic and not even listed. Our government is so far behind most countries from making the companies stop using chemicals that are known to cause cancer and other illness. It seems that the law makers are starting to fight for some removal but it takes forever. Right now they are fighting to make cosmetics safer. Was on News yesterday. Almost go with what your body is telling you. If it does not feel right or effects you in any way than look for another product or another way. Our bodies do speak to us if we listen. Even Organic products you cannot count on being safe. FDA does not regulate them so they also can have hidden ingredients that can be toxic to humans. I have always wondered why they but the name Organic on a product and it is sitting in a plastic bottle that is made up of all chemicals. Now I know it is just another word they use to get us to purchase an item.
Just a thought, is there a holistic hair coloring method?
Henna Hair Color! I love it – you can buy different kinds on Amazon.
I made this recipe without the vitamin E and it left my hair so greasy and flat that I had to rewash it with my store bought shampoo (sigh) so that I could go to work. I hope I can find something that works for me.
I get same problem. Liquid Castile soap is made with oil to make it liquid, and Dr Bronner adds more than one oil. I can use it for body wash, but not my course hair. It leaves an oily flat film on my hair. Yes, very yucky! I thought about making my own liquid castile soap that has only the least required one light oil in it like sweet almond oil and see how that that works. So far I have not found anything thats homemade satisfying for results I want for my course dry hair. There is always a residue or dryness to everything I have tried so far. Morocco Method’s Pine Shale (may not have spelled it correctly) works best at cleaning so far without leaving a film, without unnecessary dryness and no conditioner needed. It is gooky brown, has no lather and smells like miracle whip, but it works and smell leaves after drying. I also quit chemical hair dyes and went with Morocco Method’s Henna and I love it! I have some gray and left it one for the full 4 hours and it covered great! Takes more time to use, but naturally worth it! It is plant based and smells like a powdered green tea. They have videos on how to mix, apply, etc, but there are other videos you can watch on youtube that gives other ideas to use to mix with.
Castille soap based “shampoo” is really bad for colored or damaged hair. There are quite a few posts around on it. Soap is not shampoo. It is soap and highly alkaline. Normal healthy hair is low pH-3.5-4.5. High pH like soap makes the “scales” on your hair stand out which lets moisture out and lets the color wash out. It also causes tangles and breakage as those scales catch each other and tangle up. Anything you put on your hair should be lower pH. There are very mild cleansing ingredients that are safe to use in shampoos and are much more gentle on the hair than soap. And soap leaves build up. There are new natural surfactants. I just bought apple surfactant from theherbarie.com. Apple Surfactant is all natural and derived from apple juice essential amino acids. Ultra gentle, luscious soft lather! Apple Surfactant is an excellent choice for sensitive skin, baby products, facial products or other natural skin care or hair care products.
What recipe specifically do you use? I would like to try this.
Thanks,
Thanks Melane Klar. Are you supposed to use the surfactant by itself or do you have a recipe?
Does anyone use some type of homemade conditioner after this? My hair feels awful after using this, and I can barely get a brush through it :/
thanks for the input!!
I made that shampoo but my hair is greasy.
How do you think I can change the mixture to solve this problem?
Many thanks
When making my mixture, I used canned coconut milk and peppermint essential oils. I also bought the peppermint dr. Bronners Castile soap. I put a half of a teaspoon of olive oil in it because I get dandruff easily which is also another reason I used the peppermint drops, I heard it helps with that. I highlight my hair every 4-5 months or so and I haven’t noticed a change in color, but this mixture makes my hair feel sticky… Almost extremely waxy and it also looks pretty greasy. I pair it with homemade conditioner that contains apple cider vinegar and water with a couple drops of peppermint essential oils in it as well, thinking it would strip away the stickiness the shampoo leaves but it doesn’t. I’m not sure what I can do or how to change the recipe but I definitely need to do something because I don’t want everything I bought to go to waste. To add, I have thin hair that breaks fairly easily so I was trying to stay away from the chemicals store bought shampoos and conditioners contain hoping it would thicken my hair and make it healthier. Any opinions/suggestions?
I had the same residue like feel in my hair as well. I warmed up a cup of water & added about 2 tablespoons of baking soda to the shampoo then I wrinse with apple cider vinegar & that helped so much!
I was having the same problems until I started adding about 2 tablespoons of aloe vera and blending it with the castile and coconut milk. It is seriously a miracle. My hair hasn’t looked so clean and ungreasy in over a year. The aloe vera has also cured my itchy scalp and dandruff which I’ve been struggling with since 2009. I might start offering sacrifices and alms to the great Gods of aloe. For real.
Tori, did you make the original recipe and simply add the aloe vera? Also, which “flavor” of castile soap did you use (don’t know if that matters though)?
I was wondering how this would work on my hair since I do use coloring. It has worked wonderfully well!!!! It seems to hold the color in longer and my hair always looks very shiny and healthy.
I did add one ingredient though. I added 1 tsp. of vegetable glycerin and it made it much easier to work through my hair. I use a conditioner for color treated hair afterwards.
Thanks Wellness Mama! You have opened up a whole new world to my family!
Have you ever tried using coconut oil rather then milk?
The link to the coconut milk goes to the Thai kitchen coconut milk in a can. I am pretty sure those cans still have BPA lining don’t they?
Do you have a recipe for conditioner?
Coconut oil strips coloured hair a little especially red! I have red dyed hair and if I use a lot of coconut oil which my hair drinks tablespoons of it as mine is afro Caribbean it loses a lot of colour. But after a few weeks extra moisturising I can calm it down to just a very little coconut oil and i freshen up the red and it’s fine again.