Shampoo Formula: baking soda (without aluminum)
Rinse Formula: vinegar
For the shampoo, I put about a tablespoon of baking soda in a jar, and add a cup of warm water. Mix it first, and spread it throughout your scalp, and massage it in well.
For the rinse, I put vinegar in a spray bottle, and saturate my scalp. Make sure you rinse well. Avoid getting vinegar in your eyes.
It takes a few washings for your scalp to adjust, but then your hair becomes soft and manageable.
Source: I read it somewhere, I can't remember where, but have been using it for the last 6 months, perhaps it was even this website!
By Linda H from Ontario, Canada
This page contains the following solutions.
This is a recipe for all natural, chemical free shampoo. It smells great and is very moisturizing. A little goes a long way, it is very concentrated and lathers beautifully. My hubby is very suspicious of homemade products, but he actually loves this! :)
Take 1 cup of water and add 1 Tbsp. of baking soda into an empty bottle. Shake well. Distribute evenly through your hair and then rinse.
If you need a PH balanced shampoo use Bicarbonate of Soda and water. Some brands of coloured dyes of the more vibrant types instruct that a PH balance shampoo be used before applying the dye.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I was wondering if anyone knows how to make their own shampoo?
Heather
I guess I'm wondering why you would want to?
Most shampoo you can get for under $1 or free and the medicated ones aren't something you really can make.
Other than using Vinager once in awhile to help with greasy hair, I don't know of any others, sorry
You can make shampoo out of soapwort. I have to, as I have a chronic scalp condition which is irritated by some of the stuff that is in shampoo.
All I do is boil up a handful of soapwort root in a pint of water with a sprig of rosemary. Simmer for 5 minutes, leave until cold, then strain. You don't need the rosemary, but it smells nice. You could use another herb, if you like.
Bottle it, and put it in the fridge, it should keep for 2 weeks. To use it, massage ot gradually into your hair, combing it in. It won't foam up much, and it is very watery. Then rinse it off with plenty of warm water. You won't need conditioner, as it is very gentle and won't strip the hair of all of its natural oil. It won't feel squeaky clean like bought shampoo leaves the hair, but it WILL be clean, you have to take a step of faith in it until it is dry. It really is great for flyaway, frizzy hair. You can grow soapwort in the garden, it has pretty pink flowers.
Hope that is helpful.
I have found lots of recipes for various items (shampoos included - although I haven't tried them yet) at
Hope this helps,
Terry Lynn
4 oz of castile soap with any scent is that available plain, peppermint, eucalyptus.
1/2 oz of rosemary - stimulates the hair follicles and helps to prevent premature baldness
1/2 oz of sage has antioxidants and keeps things from spoiling and is antibacterial
1/2 oz of nettles acts as a blood purifier, blood stimulator, contains a large source of nutrients for hair growth
one empty 8 oz plastic bottle, or any other empty shampoo or soap bottle.
Mix the herbs in a mason jar, which has a lid. Boil 2 cups of distilled water. Add 3 heaping tablespoons of the mixed herbs into the boiling water. Pull the boiling water and herbs off the stove. Let the herb mixture sit for 30 -40 minutes. Put the 2000mg of MSM into the herb mixture after 30 minutes of cooling. After 40 minutes and the MSM is melted, strain the herbal mixture into a bowl.
Pour 2 to 2 1/2 oz of strained herbal tea into the 8 oz plastic bottle. Now, pour the 4 oz of castile soap into the 8 oz plastic bottle. Cap the bottle and shake to mix the ingredients.
The shampoo is now finished and ready for use.
www.associatedcontent.com/
when you have an extremely sensitive scalp, most shampoos are not tolerated well.
For me if I use regular shampoos, I end up with a systemic allergic reaction.
I came across this book on making your own shampoo due to allergies and it's been awesome for my hair. You can find more information here:
I don't know either
You would want to if you don't like the idea of exposer to chemicals that can cause allergic and even deadly reactions.
There are many good reasons to avoid commercial shampoos and personal care products. Being frugal also means being a good steward- not just of our immediate resources, but our planet's resources too.
You can actually wash your hair with a little baking soda and rinse thoroughly, followed by a few spritzes of apple cider vinegar rubbed in and rinsed out. Your hair will need about two weeks to fully adjust, but after that, it will be just as nice, if not nicer, then it originally was.
There are many good reasons to avoid commercial shampoos and personal care products. Being frugal also means being a good steward- not just of our immediate resources, but our planet's resources too.
You can actually wash your hair with a little baking soda and rinse thoroughly, followed by a few spritzes of apple cider vinegar rubbed in and rinsed out. Your hair will need about two weeks to fully adjust, but after that, it will be just as nice, if not nicer, then it originally was.
What is the process for making homemade shampoo?
Ricky
Lots of folks have switched from the chemicals used in shampoos as it was making them ill. One person used 1 tablespoon baking soda mixed in with 1 cup of warm water. For a rinse and detangler: 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, to 1 cup of warm water was used as a rinse and a detangler! I recently found out about shampoo bars: got one from J R Liggett; it works fabulously on my hair; at first, i didn't like the "feel" of my hair after using; it's because it does not strip your hair of oil, but when it dried, it was fabulous! So, don't use bar soap on your hair, but do Google "bar shampoo" and make your own shampoo bars!
It is apparently very easy to do. Along with making your own regular "bathing" soaps in a variety of ways, including even using slow cookers! The chemicals in the soaps are the very reason that many of the soap factories were opened.
I am actually very impressed with the results of the shampoo bars: and will undoubtedly be making my own shampoo bars shortly! I am heading for the library to get more details before trying any of them: I already use "soap ends" of a local soap factory i am fortunate to live near!
Also, the lathering is wonderful! And I am thinking that using the same recipe for shampoo bars can easily be modified a little to make your own "dish washing liquids" which would be chemically free, no plastics!
Way to go!
I am trying to make goat's milk shampoo! Any good scent ideas?
Lavender, citrus, coconut
How about refreshing and invigorating scents such as Eucalyptus and Lemongrass
My favorite scent for shampoo is mint, preferably peppermint. It is very relaxing and not overpowering. Blessings on your venture!
Does anyone have any good and cost effective recipes for shampoo and conditioner? The ones I have seen seem like the ingredients would cost more than commercial shampoos.
By Beth Maccombs from Neldonville, OH
I think you are right. So go to Dollar store, get what you need. Good luck.
I use baking soda to wash and vinegar to rinse. Just mix the baking soda with water and use like shampoo and then rinse with about 1/2 cup vinegar 1/2 water mix. Rinse well. Hope this helps.
Soap nuts would be a great option here, however it does take a little effort on your part. They need to be lightly boiled down. Uses include; shampoo, body wash, laundry wash, hand wash, dish wash. As it is 100% natural, there is less likelihood to be a reaction, however even this should be tested on a small area on your wrist first. Also you have the option to add your own organic/ natural fragrances. Soapnuts can be purchased cheaply on Amazon. Sorry I'm not sure on a conditioner for hair nor clothes.
My son (13) has started water-polo and needs to get the chemicals out of his hair and eyes. Any suggestions for homemade shampoo or eye drops?
My sons, too, play water polo. I don't recommend making any of the saline recipes you might find on the internet. I'm from Australia & things here cost heaps more than in the US. Still, a 1 litre bottle (about 1 quart US) of saline solution sold at your local optomerist (I don't know what they are called ther - the people who fill prescription eyeglasses & contact lenses) is REALLY cheap. Use a clean or sterilised eyewash cup - available from any chemist / drug-store (if you want to be ultra cautious boil it for 10 mins & seal it in a clean plastic bag), fill with the saline solution & use the saline solution to wash your son's eyes at the end of the game. Actually, plain boiled water will do as good - you just have to wash the chlorine from the eyes. Any shampoo on the market (even the cheapest) should deal with the hair. If he has a particularly sensative scalp, just make sure he goes straight to the showers after a game and washes his hair. Hope that helps, KIM
for eyedrops, i suggest few grains of sugar dissloved in a spoon of clean water .its safe, natural & even cures conjenctivitisas per my granny :).
Just realized your post was way back in '05, your son is probably playing for his college team by now. Anyway, this isn't homemade, but any clarifying shampoo will remove chlorine as well as the expensive swimmers' shampoos. Here in the US Pantene makes a nice one that's pretty inexpensive. And though you didn't ask about ear drops for swimmers, one part white vinegar and one part rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol makes great drops for preventing otitis externa (swimmers' ear).
I use an herbal organic bar soap for my hair and I want to convert it to liquid version. Is there anyway I can do that?
By LYZ
I make liquid soap from a bar by grating some, putting it in a large bowl, adding some water and giving a quick buzz in the microwave. Seconds at a time - it tends to boil over. When it's melted stir like mad and add boiled water until it's the consistency you want. I don't make too much at a time and never tried it on hair, much cheaper than buying liquid soap though.
Anyone know how to make sulfate free hair shampoo and/or conditioner? I especially want the conditioner.
By Kate from New Orleans, LA
I am looking for recipes for homemade shampoo.
By karen from Lakeville, MA
If you have color treated hair and want to make your own shampoo and conditioner from natural ingredients, here are some ideas. It's best to avoid harsh ingredients to prevent the colored dye from fading prematurely.
Chamomile not only makes a soothing tea, it has many medicinal, beauty, and bath uses as well. Make this shampoo from dried chamomile flowers, leftover bar soap, glycerin, and boiling water. This is a page about making all purpose chamomile shampoo.
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Does anyone have a recipe for a hair shampoo from natural ingredients. I've heard a raw egg will do wonders but this is something that gets too expensive to use on a daily basis. Andrea from Manitoba