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
Yield
Materials
- 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.
- Shake before each use and use about a teaspoon every time you shampoo.
- Store in the fridge for up to a week.
Nutrition
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.
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 use 1 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar (with mother in it) with 1 up of filtered water for shampoo and I use 1 Tablespoon of baking soda with 1 cup of of filtered water for a rinse. Have been using it for 10 years. I works really good. I am a 10 year cancer survivor. My hair is shiny and easy to manage. I don’t use dye on my hair anymore.
I just made this today and used it for the first time!
First impressions:
– it is very runny, so hard to apply/not waste
– felt slightly greasy when in the shower
– lathered nicely
What I used: coconut milk from a can, Dr. B’s soap with tea tree oil, almond oil, additional tea tree, and lavender EOs. To “condition” I used a 1:1 ratio of ACV (with the mother) and water in a spray bottle and sprayed my whole head. I did rinse this out.
So far, my hair does not smell like anything (husband says “it smells like water” lol). This was a bit surprising considering tea tree oil is so strong, but I will take this over the smell of vinegar! Also, my hair does not seem to be greasy now that it has mostly dried. I have dense wavy/curly hair (thin/thick strands idk) and this is my first time ever not using a drug store shampoo or conditioner. Very excited to see what happens next. Considering adding corn starch and/or aloe vera and/or whipping this shampoo in my blender to try and thicken it up a bit. Also curious about the shelf life of the shampoo, as I have read several comments saying it will last anywhere from 3 days to a month, so I will be checking on it frequently.
Just no. I tried with coconut milk (greasy, waxy) and then subbed water for coconut milk (greasy, waxy). Could hardly get a wide comb pick through my hair. Frizzy, heavy, waxy mess. I love soooo many of wellness mama recipes, but this was disastrous.
I kind of tried this recipe, but I used Dr. Bronners Peppermint Bar soap because it’s all I could afford.
Also, I used filtered water steeped in chamomile tea, some avocado oil and some vegetable glycerin.
I peeled the soap with a potato peeler into a crockpot and melted it combined with the water and other ingredients.
Later on, when I could afford to buy it, I added some unsweetened canned coconut milk… which I think would benefit from being mixed in the crockpot too.
I like how my hair and skin feel (I used it as a body wash too) … quit soft and my hair isn’t weighed down … however I don’t think it’s washing out all of the way, because after I added the coconut milk my scalp itches and has a bit of “gunk” under my finger nails. I used an apple cider vinegar rinse after ward, but it only helps a little. Maybe I’m not using enough apple cider vinegar? I use a table spoon diluted in a cup of water…
Anyway, thank you for the recipe, it’s been very helpful. 😀
Hi I wonder if anyone has tried thickening this with guar gum, so it is thicker? And what were your results? Thank you xx
Guar gum works best in products that have a pH level between 5-8. Castile soap has a pH of over 9 so it might not work here. You could try a little bit in the recipe though and see what happens!
Hey, I am new to natural shampoos. I just came across an article that gave reasons for why a lot of natural shampoos don’t work. I am not sure if it is correct, but they listed your shampoo recipe as an example of one that is wrong. Please check it out and let me know if they are right or not. I want to use your recipe, but they give some pretty strong arguments. Thanks!
Coconut milk will spoil after 1 day. Will it not affect the recipe?
I am intersted in making my own so that I can cut down on plastic by reusing the same container. Unfortunately the ingredients come in plastic containers! Bummer!
So I made this last night and woke up to my hair feeling and looking super greasy like there is residue all over my hair??? How can I fix this?
I’ve read that Castile soap used for shampoo can be a problem for people with hard water because it does something with the minerals in the water to cause build. Could that be it? I’ve also found it’s difficult for me to spread around Castile soap on my hair and I often have to use a lot or up my lather technique to disperse it well
Hi! Do you have to use a foaming nozzle for this or would it work in a regular bottle?
I need help! I’ve been using yours and others. My hair, which is naturally a tad oily, and grey, will not let go of an oily feel. What am I doing wrong?????
I’ve just finished making a batch of this shampoo and am excited to try it tomorrow morning! Smells great too!
Any idea where to find a shampoo recipe for gray hair? I am growing out my henna and going natural gray.
Thank you,
Theresa
This one should be fine for gray hair. Our pre-made formula is also great https://wellnesse.com/products/curly-shampoo-conditioner
How long can you store the shampoo made with homemade coconut milk?
Can you freeze the coconut milk. I want to use it later for shampoo.
Everyone definitely has to find what works well for their hair. For some reason, just water and baking soda works great for me. I mix 1 cup of water with 1 Tbsp. of baking soda in a bottle. Then I pour it all over my head after wetting my hair in the shower. It doesn’t suds up, but it’s kind of slippery and I massage it into my scalp. I use conditioner for the ends of my hair, otherwise it’s too dry. I need to find a good conditioner. But I love the simplicity of this shampoo, and it cleans my scalp and hair very well, and I find I don’t need to wash my hair as often. Maybe it’ll help someone else here too. 🙂
Could you use carton coconut milk, like you’d use as a lactose free alternative?
I have been using this shampoo recipe for about 2 months. After a couple of weeks of transition, I, and my husband, absolutely LOVE this shampoo!!
I have lots of very fine long hair so shampoo and conditioner has been important for me. This recipe leaves my hair in excellent condition. Not greasy or waxy, nor striped.
I did make a couple of modifications to the original recipe after trying it for a week:
I put in 1/2 cup of Castille soap and 1/4 cup coconut milk. Oh, and I was using Dr. Bonner’s baby shampoo but switched to regular castille soap. The above alterations were done because the shampoo did not foam as much as I needed to clean all my long hair.
Then to finish, I rinse with the ACV mixture. Then after showering I put in a bit (~10 drops) of argan oil on the ends and then through my damp hair.
Excellent Recipe! Thank you for sharing.