How to Make Natural Homemade Shampoo

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.

natural homemade healthy coconut shampoo kid approvedFinally, 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
This homemade natural shampoo smells great, works well, and lathers!

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup coconut milk (homemade or canned)
• ¼ cup liquid 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:

1. 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.
2. Shake well to mix.
3. Keep in the shower for up to a month.
4. 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.

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