Great Homemade Shampoo Recipes

There are several reasons to use homemade shampoo. Some involve cost, but mostly it is a desire to use natural ingredients and avoid contact with the many chemicals most manufacturers use. Additionally, there are some great remedies for dry hair and dandruff. Of course, many people consider homemade shampoo to be part of herbal skin care, and very beneficial for the scalp.

Homemade Shampoo for Normal to Dry Hair

Ingredients:

2 cups distilled water
2 Tablespoons chopped soapwart root (this is a dry ingredient carried in nearly all health food stores
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon verbena
1 teaspoon Catnip

Directions:
Bring the distilled water to a boil. Reduce water to a simmer and add soapwart chips; let simmer for 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, remove from heat, and allow to cool. Strain mixture to remove the soapwart chips, pouring liquid into a bottle. Homemade shampoo should be used in one week, otherwise refrigerate.

Homemade Shampoo for Dandruff

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons dried rosemary
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 Cup Distilled Water
½ Cup white vinegar

Bring water to a boil and add herbs. Simmer for 20 minutes covered. Strain water to remove herbs, and allow to cool. Mix with vinegar and pour into a bottle.

Note: You can also massage a small amount of this into your hair before going to bed, which will help cure dandruff. This also helps eliminate acne and eczema in the scalp regions.

Homemade Shampoo for Oily Hair

Ingredients:

1 Large Egg
3 Tablespoons Castile Soap
¼ Cup Citrus (lemon, grapefruit, or lime)
3 Tablespoons grated orange peel
2 cups distilled water
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Separate egg white from yolk. Beat eff white until foamy. Blend yolk in separate dish with the castile soap. Bring water to a boil, add orange peal, and citrus. Remove from heat and add baking soda. Allow to cool, and mix in soap/egg yolk mixture. Blend in fluffed egg white. Store in cool location for about a week.

Storing and Using Homemade Shampoo

When you buy shampoo from a store, it contains preservatives. One of the appeals of using homemade shampoo is eliminate exposure to these preservatives. However, your homemade shampoo recipe will only last at room temperature for about a week, which is similar to homemade body lotions. You can make a larger batch and store excess in a refrigerator, however after removing from the cool temperature, the shampoo will only last about 3-4 days.