How to Make Natural Homemade Shampoo

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Wellness Mama » Blog » Beauty » How to Make Natural Homemade Shampoo

I’ve made natural alternatives for body wash, dry shampoo, 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!

DIY Shampoo

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’t that great for your hair and scalp.

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’s normal to dry, this method may be great for you! I have baby-fine more oily hair and it didn’t work for me.

If you’re 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.

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 Shampoo – I co-founded this company and helped formulate the recipes. It uses ingredients that are not only non-toxic but have proven health benefits. There’s even an option for curly hair!
  • Morrocco Method Raw and Natural Organic Shampoo – this doesn’t lather like normal shampoo but it’s been amazing on my hair and has helped strengthen it over time.

A Different Homemade Shampoo

I missed the foaming aspect of shampoo (I know… the “foam” in regular shampoo is made from synthetic chemicals and detergents…).

natural homemade healthy coconut shampoo kid approved

My first time making homemade shampoo I tried plain liquid castile soap, which left me with frizzy hair and a mess of tangles. Then I tried a bunch of homemade recipes that didn’t work well at all. Finally, with the inspiration of a natural coconut milk (scented) shampoo that I love, I finally found a recipe I’m happy with and that doesn’t leave my hair tangled, oily, or both.

It works on kid’s hair too. That’s a picture of my daughter’s newly washed hair (though it isn’t tear-free, so watch the eyes!). It suds somewhat like conventional shampoo and you can customize it to your needs.

It’s such an easy natural shampoo recipe that I can’t believe it took me this long to think of it…

The secret ingredient: Coconut Milk!

What You’ll Need for Homemade Shampoo

  • Coconut milk – The coconut milk helps soften and adds natural oils. (UPDATE: a couple of readers mentioned that the canned stuff did not work well for them, but 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). Or you can skip them for an unscented version.
  • Carrier oil – If your hair is more dry you can add a hair nourishing oil. I usually use olive oil, but castor oil, avocado oil, or jojoba oil also work well. Castor oil also helps with hair growth.

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 (like bar soap for your hair).

Essential Oils for Hair

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’ve written more extensively on essential oils for hair here.

  • Tea tree oil – Useful for dandruff and itchy scalp. Also treats head lice!
  • Rosemary – Reduces scalp itchiness and flakes, restores hair’s natural oil balance, and can help prevent split ends.
  • Lavender – Studies show it increases the number of hair follicles for better hair growth.
  • Peppermint – Increases hair growth, thickness, and length and deepens hair follicles for stronger hair.
homemade shampoo
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4.20 from 35 votes

Natural Homemade Shampoo

This homemade natural shampoo smells great, works well, and lathers!
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Yield: 4 ounces
Author: Katie Wells

Equipment

Materials

Instructions

  • 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 ¼ cup of distilled water.
  • Shake well to mix.
  • Shake before each use and massage through the scalp.
  • Store your shampoo in the fridge after each use.

Notes

  • If you use a foaming dispenser, it also makes a great shaving cream.
  • The shelf life of this shampoo is about one week when stored in the fridge.

Troubleshooting Tips

How well this shampoo works depends on your hair type and also your water. Some people with really hard water find it doesn’t combat the extra minerals in their water very well.

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.

If you find your hair is really greasy and unmanageable after using this, try doubling the castile soap so it’s 2 parts soap to 1 part coconut milk.

Natural Hair Conditioner

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!

  • A chamomile tea rinse at the end of each shower (leave in hair!) will produce smooth, silky hair and naturally lighter hair over time.
  • Some people find a 50:50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water used as a rinse helps get hair cleaner and increases shine. You could also put it in a spray bottle for easier application.
  • This homemade conditioner recipe features hair-nourishing oils, glycerin, and essential oils.

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!

This homemade shampoo is all natural and has four ingredients (or less depending on hair type) that cleans hair naturally without stripping natural oils.

Sources

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Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

1,208 responses to “How to Make Natural Homemade Shampoo”

  1. Renata Trudy Nandlal Avatar
    Renata Trudy Nandlal

    Gonna give this a try. I have tried the baking soda and vinegar shampoo. I didn’t like it for two reasons:

    1. I used a bottle to apply it to my hair. It immediately ran off my hair before I could get a chance to put the bottle down. I wasn’t sure if I was getting the full coverage i want so I ended up using a full bottle (16 oz bottle) on my hair. Same thing with the vinegar conditioner.

    2. I tried it for two weeks. I have curly short hair (in between my should blades and ear length) and my hair still felt like it did before I started using it- dry, frizzy and lifeless.

    I know you are suppose to let the hair get used to it before quitting but the first reason I listed above was enough for me to not like it.

    Anyways, I’ve blabbed enough! I only wrote all of that for people who were debating on which method to try- this coconut shampoo or the baking soda and vinegar.

  2. Jenny Avatar

    Gonna give this a try. I have tried the baking soda and vinegar shampoo. I didn’t like it for two reasons:

    1. i used a bottle to apply it to my hair. It immediately ran off my hair before I could get a chance to put the bottle down. I wasn’t sure if I was getting the full coverage i want so I ended up using a full bottle (16 oz bottle) on my hair. Same thing with the vinegar conditioner.

    2. I tried it for two weeks. I have curly short hair (in between my should blades and ear length) and my hair still felt like it did before I started using it- dry, frizzy and lifeless.

    I know you are suppose to let the hair get used to it before quitting but the first reason I listed above was enough for me to not like it.

    Anyways, I’ve blabbed enough! I only wrote all of that for people who were debating on which method to try- this coconut shampoo or the baking soda and vinegar.

    anyways, definitely trying this out soon!

  3. Mendi Avatar

    Has anyone tried using arrowroot powder to thicken this recipe yet? I think I will try it. I will post again if I have successful results. Meanwhile, someone please reply if you have already tried it and know the results. Or if you know of a reason why I should not try it.

  4. Heather Morrison-Cyr Avatar
    Heather Morrison-Cyr

    Katie, thank you for this. I tried it and i like it a-lot, but I was wondering if there is a recipe for oilier hair. I found that after a week, I had to use a clarifying shampoo because of the buildup. I do not mind doing this of course, but if I could adjust the recipe a bit so I do not have to use a clarifying shampoo that would be cool.

    Thanks again, Heather

  5. Roya Avatar

    Thanks for the recipe! I didn’t like the no-poo method also. One question though, will this have a transition period as well?

  6. Marilyn Avatar
    Marilyn

    Is there a alternative to coconut milk? I really can’t stand the smell of it!

  7. yaya vu Avatar
    yaya vu

    hello!
    could i subsitute the coconut milk with coconut oil?
    Thanks!
    Yaya

  8. Nina Avatar

    Do you leave it in the shower for a month, then use it? Or is it only good for a month?

    And would going ‘no poo’ cause dredlocks?

    1. Mae Avatar

      I cant see when you asked but you can keep it for up to a month. You can use it straight away Nina!

  9. Annelize Avatar
    Annelize

    Thanks for all the great ideas!!! I was so exited when I saw this article and made some earlier things week. I’m not sure what I did wrong, but my hair look really greasy. Almost like I put conditioner on my hair and forgot to rinse it off. I have long thin hair. I added some more castille soap, and it was better, but still had the greasy look. Any suggestions are welcome.

  10. Rachel Avatar

    I just made this and used it. My hair has a really bad build up on it now. It looks oily like I haven’t washed it in a week. What did I do wrong?

    1. angelina teagle Avatar
      angelina teagle

      Same here! Super duper oily on top and there is definitely build up. I read previously that the additives in the canned coconut milk can cause it. I’m going to try making my own and omitting the Vit E oil…maybe it’ll help?

  11. Leigh Avatar

    Mine wasn’t foamy at all, really didn’t feel like shampoo. Do you think it had anything to do with me making my own liquid Castile soap?

  12. Kayla Avatar

    Is there a way to thicken up the solution? The shampoo works nicely so far, though I think I need to cut out the almond oil, but it is very thin and I can’t keep most of it in my hands long enough to get it to my hair. I feel like I’m wasting it. I know arrow root powder is a good thickener. Would that be good to add in? Or would coconut oil be good (saw this as part of the squeezable toothpaste formula).

  13. Sarah G Avatar
    Sarah G

    Question, and you may have answered this somewhere.. but if you use the homemade coconut milk, which you say you have to use in 3-4 days kept in the fridge… won’t the shampoo go bad in just a couple of days too?

  14. Halley Sissom Avatar
    Halley Sissom

    I’ve been trying a variety of chemical free shampoo and conditioner methods for about 1 month now. I followed this one exactly and found my hair was way too oily. First I cut out all the oils and did a 1:10 ratio of the castile soap to (homemade) coconut milk (which was a blast to make). *Next time I purchase more castile soap I’m going with the Dr. Bronners Baby Mild in case the Peppermint is playing a role in the oily texture I get when using this shampoo alone.* I really think it’s important to test these mixtures on your hands first because if you feel a sticky build up on
    your hands you’re probably going to feel it in your hair as well. I think having
    hard water, which I have, makes going ‘no poo’ extremely difficult PLUS
    everyone’s hair is different. SO what I’ve found to work FOR ME is using this Coconut Milk Shampoo as a pre-baking soda/ vinegar suds for my scalp. I do a 1:10 ratio of castile to coconut milk, with nothing else added, put it in a foaming pump bottle and put about 3 pumps on my scalp, rinse, then do the typical one
    tablespoon baking soda in one cup of warm water (massaging the scalp) followed
    by 2 tablespoons of ACV in one cup of water focusing on the ends of my hair.

    These comments have really encouraged me to continue trying different proportions and to not give up so maybe this will help someone else out there 🙂

  15. Sara Kate Avatar
    Sara Kate

    I’m having a lot of trouble finding a natural shampoo recipe. This was the first recipe I tried and then I’ve tried to play with it some from and tried others also with no luck. I keep getting a terrible residue buildup which I’m fairly certain is from the Dr. Bronners. Has anyone else experienced this and what can I do? I can use baking soda vinegar rinse to get rid of the build up but does not seem like I should have to do that so often. I also tried no poo with no luck. I have long, thin, fine, hair that tends to be oily. Anyone have any recipes without Dr. Bronners?

    1. Kayla Avatar

      I don’t know of any without Dr. Bronners but I have tried his basic Sal Suds product. It’s supposed to work with everything and be gentle enough for the skin. I made my own recipe before switching to this. It didn’t leave my hair waxy or oily. Maybe trying that instead of the normal Dr. Bronners Hemp soap will help.

  16. leanne Avatar
    leanne

    Love the ease of this recipe, and i love that my daughter said it took all the tangles out of her curly hair! but my hair feels ‘waxy’ is there a transition period? do i just need to wait it out? is this an indication that i should use a more watery coconut milk? i did not add the vitamin e or almond oil for fear of too much oil, any ideas are appreciated. thank you

    1. leanne Avatar

      Ok, I held out, and my hair is way better now, still a little waxy i think but I think I just have a little more transition time to go, the ends are curlier than I remember my hair being and no products what so ever! Thanks

  17. Logan Adsit Avatar
    Logan Adsit

    I am so frustrated. I haven’t bought or used conventional shampoo or conditioner or any kind of hair products in 8 months. I’ve used this recipe- didn’t work. I’ve tried castile soap and honey, aloe vera gel and coconut milk (frozen in ice cubes and thawed when you’re ready to use), I’ve tried baking soda.. I’ve tried aloe juice as a spray on gel, I’ve tried soaked flax seed as a spray on gel, I’ve tried the two combined, I have tried A LOT!!! the list goes on and on. I do NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT want to go back to buying nasty chemical laced shampoo and conditioner but I can’t find anything that works for me. At this point- my curly, long, thick hair is a jumbled rats nest frizzy mess- I wear it up most of the time and I either wear sunglasses or a bandana because I can’t keep my bangs (that I never had until I went no poo) from sticking straight up in the air a foot off my head. Grr I am so frustrated. 🙁 My boyfriend shaves his head so he’s fine, my 18 month old son has beautiful hair but I use a small amount of honey and castile soap on his only twice a week when I wash his hair- it comes out a little tangly but still manageable. Right now, I’m using aloe and coconut milk with some castile soap. Oh and i’ve even tried rinsing with apple cider vinegar- read that it sometimes makes curly hair worse but in any case- I thought it worked really well but it ended up not.. I tried it for a few months.. Do you have ANY suggestions?? HELP!

  18. Hedvika Avatar
    Hedvika

    Hello.

    I cant wait to try this as I’m sick of my hair looking dull after spending so much on shampoos etc. I’m just trying to get some castile soap and all Dr.Bronners has got some sort of flavor to them (rose, peprmint, etc) .. Do you use those or you can get a ‘clear’ one in USA?? I live in UK and there are some on a market of course, but it says that it doesnt mix perfectly with some essential oils and Im scared to order as dont have ANY experience…. Please help.
    Thank you

  19. Jessie Beck Avatar
    Jessie Beck

    So I made the above recipe and it left my hair feeling really greasy, so I took out the oil I used sunflower oil, an used less milk, it seemed to wash cleaner, but now it’s oily at the root and dry at the bottom, did anyone else have an adjustment period?

  20. Dex Avatar

    Got a sample of the Shielo Volume shampoo and conditioner and I swear its the Best thing that ever happened to me!!! I have alot of naturally wavy hair, that I was told was thin…and doesn’t do well in humidity. Ive practically tried every shampoo and conditioner out there and Shielo was IT for me!!!!!! Makes my hair feel soft and silky! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!!!

4.20 from 35 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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