I’ve written before about how I use soap nuts for laundry, and I’ve gotten several questions since that post about how I also use them for shampoo.
Finding a natural shampoo that works for your hair type can be difficult. Coconut milk based shampoo works great for some people, and some people do great with the no-poo method (not me!). If neither of those has worked for you, this is another that you can try.
According to Mountain Rose Herbs:
Soap nuts are found in both the eastern and western hemispheres, but are native to India and Nepal. They have recently become a popular environmentally friendly alternative to chemical detergent, and are a gentle option for those with allergies to chemicals in regular detergents. They have traditionally been used as an expectorant, and in Ayurvedic medicine as a treatment for eczema and psoriasis. Soap nuts contain saponin, a natural detergent. The soap nut shell absorbs water and releases the saponins which circulate as a natural surfactant in the wash water, freeing dirt, grime, and oils from clothing.
Soap nuts can be used to make a really easy natural shampoo or body wash that is soothing to eczema or psoriasis. Soap nuts shampoo is also incredibly inexpensive to make and completely natural. Tip: If you make a full batch, store in ice cube trays and freeze for individual use sizes or store in a peri bottle in the fridge and just take out when you shower.
If you aren’t up for making it and want a more involved (but still natural) solution, you can buy pre-made Soap Nuts Shampoo.
Soap Nuts Shampoo Ingredients
- 5 soap nuts (I got mine here)
- 3 cups of water
- 5 drops lavender essential oil (optional)
Soap Nuts Shampoo Instructions
- If you have one, place soap nuts in a small muslin bag.
- Place in a medium saucepan with 2 cups of the water and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of water and simmer for 10 more minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cook.
- Squeeze out the bag until it suds. Rinse with cool water and squeeze in to the pan again.
- Store in a glass jar in the fridge until use.
- To use: Massage a small amount in to hair and let sit for 5 minutes. Rinse well. Can also be used as a soothing wash for skin, especially in those with eczema and psoriasis.
Have you ever used soap nuts? How did you use them? Tell me below!
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I’ve been using soap nuts to wash my LOs cloth diapers and absolutely love them! You posted above that you can use the solution as a body wash to soothe eczema. This winter has been brutal on my 4 mos old skin. Do you think it’s gentle enough to use on baby? We have been using water only but since I’ve been applying breast milk to her back and legs, I feel like she needs a little more than water to get her clean. I call her my little buttermilk baby lol! Thank you in advance 🙂
I’d give that sweet baby probiotics.
Random yet related question- Is it safe to also put a little baking soda in with these guys when using it for laundry? Just to be extra certain that smells come out? After reading a ton of reviews, I found that to be the most common complaint; smells remaining.
I use vinegar for smells (we have 6 kids 7 and under and usually use cloth diapers, so we are hard on the laundry). I just got my soap nuts to try (out of options due to crazy allergies) but vinegar and borax or washing soda seem to take care of most smells for us. I put 1/4 cup vinegar in a downy ball and will add that much or up to a 1/2 cup for REALLY stinky stuff. Takes care of diaper smells and most others, including the musty-I-forgot-the-laundry-smell. 🙂
Absolutely, we have hard water so I use baking soda in the wash every time. I use about 4-5 soap nuts with about a half cup of baking soda and I fill the fabric softener cup full with vinegar. My laundry smells fine(and my husband calls me the super sniffer as I can smell everything!). You can also use wool dryer balls with essential oils on them, but make sure you rub the dryer balls together where you put the oils on or else they leave oil stains on your clothes. (Just meaning, rub the oils into the balls so they don’t have the wet spots right as you put them in the dryer.)
Hi there! I tried the no poo method (I agree I need the poo!) and the coconut milk shampoo (left my hair snarly and greasy). Would you recommend I try the soap nuts shampoo? I have very fine, thin hair.
I would definitely say give it a go as iv tried no poo and coconut etc and many more but the soapnuts recipe is by far the best. I added xanthan gum to thicken it so its spreads easier. I love it!
Hi Katie and all, Think I can help with a few of the comments & questions here. The shells (the dried skin & pulp) are what contain saponin. The saponin is the active ingredient in the soap nuts (soap berries). Mountain Rose sell them with their seeds/pits. Think of them like bing cherries. The seeds/pits have no usefulness, and are half their weight. Keep that in mind when shopping. De-seeded are worth much more. Aritha powder has been used for ages in hair care, & offers many benefits. Many won’t enjoy the experience though of either the liquid or powder when used as a shampoo. (I didn’t at all, except I’ll add some powder to the “pre-made” when I want to exfoliate my scalp. It feels really good! Rinse well.) I usually only recommend them as an occasional treatment for hair & scalp. Just doesn’t cut it as a good shampoo where lather is nice. The “pre-made” NaturOli shampoos are a different ballgame. They are all-in-one shampoos & conditioners. Letting the ingredients tell the tale: “100% Complete and Full Ingredient List: Sapindus Mukorossi Aqueous Extract, Aloe barbadensis Gel, Vegetable Glycerin, Lauryl Glucoside, Saponified Olea europaea Oil (Olive Oil Soap), Panax Ginseng Extract, Japanese Green Tea, Olea europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Nasturtium officinale (Water Cress) Extract, Hibiscus Leaf Extract, Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Hamamelis virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Olea europaea (Olive) Oil, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba (Guar) Gum, dl-Panthenol (Provitamin B5), Citric acid.” You can see there’s much more to it than just soap nut liquid or powder. Frankly, the formulas are so good, some may need a few washes to “detox” their hair of old residues. If so, either Argan oil, or NaturOli’s serum are helpful as the hair acclimates to “all natural” hair care. There’s tons of reviews on them that folks can read. They truly do restore a beautiful, natural balance to the hair, and leaves the scalp much healthier, too. – HOPE THIS HELPS A FEW OF YOU!!! Happy upcoming holidays! Chris (Author/SoapNuts.Pro, Founder/NaturOli)
UPDATE: the MRH soap nuts are now deseeded! I have used both forms & the deseeded seem to be “soapier”. I have washed my dog and horse laudry w/ homemade soap nut detergent and amazed at how clean & fresh it comes out. I am eager to try the shampoo. I am a swimmer so I hope it works. Re: the smell, it is vinegary, but does not leave a vinegar smell after washing.
My fiance loves using body wash so I’ve been trying to find a method to try for him. I will try this 🙂
I make a liquid out of soap nuts and keep some in the fridge (for cloth diapers) to use within a few days and then freeze the rest in ice cube trays. The liquid will become rancid in the fridge after a week or so.
I’m sorry, but this is new to me. Why would it need to be stored in the fridge between uses?
I really want to make this for my mum for christmas, but I’d like for it to be a bit thicker than what I suppose your shampoo with this recipe will be.
Do you think I can use Arrowroot or a similar thickener to get it to be more gel-like? Would it be a good idea to use aloe vera gel in it?
I’m thinking I’d love to try to make it with aloe gel and arrowroot as additions to this recipe to get it more gel-like, and because I’ve read that aloe vera gel is fantastic for hair. Do you think that’ll be a success?
i bet you could just cook it down to boil out some of the water to make it concentrated and then add those other ingredients after.
I know this comment is from several months ago but I’ve read a lot about flaxseed gel you can make by boiling the flaxseeds and many people use that on their hair with great results, that may be an option for thickening.
Add xanthan gum to thicken. Its great!
How much xanthan gum
how long would this keep in the fridge? can this be make with whole soapnuts or does it need to be just the shells?
does it smell very strongly of the nuts? I use them for laundry already and find that the nuts smell horrible. Really wouldn’t want that on my head 24/7
no it doesnt, I add in essentials oils and it smells amazing wet and wonderful when dry 🙂