Homemade Shampoo #2

I am calling my blog #2 in honor of Melissa’s original go at making shampoo.

I thought I was being cleaver about going to a meet-up event where someone was going to show a group of us how to make natural beauty care products. I have had books and intentions on doing this very thing for a number of years. When I went back to look in one of my older books I discovered that my book was actually advising to use some questionable ingredients. When I took it to the workshop, the instructor said that yes, these products were no longer being used. I came back home and was so disgusted that I immediately got rid of the book before I was able to record the offensive ingredients – problem #1.

At the class/workshop we were shown how to make face cream, an exfoliant facial/body scrub, lip balm, and shampoo. All of the products were made using natural ingredients and recipes from Rosemary Gladstar (who I have met and interviewed for a previous class), and Dina Falconi who are both known as authorities in herbals and natural products. The most fascinating product made was the facial cream which was a somewhat complicated process of first mixing the solid and liquid oils after the solid ones were melted, then they were blended once they had reached the same temperature, and finally whipped in a food processor. I did not think to bring a camera with me but one of the other students did. I asked her to send me one of the pictures so I could use it in my blog and she said she would. After sending her two emails requesting the picture and not receiving any response in return, I do not think I will be getting a picture to add – problem #2.

The exfoliant seemed simple enough to make as long as you have a coffee grinder that you can use to grind nuts and seeds. We were given some of the lip balm and face cream to take home and try. While the mixture of scents in the face cream are not particularly to my liking, it does seem to be a good moisturizer as does the lip balm. Only one container of shampoo was made and one of the other students bought that, so I decided to make my own. I used the basic recipe that we were given along with a couple of adaptations and eyeballed the measurements. We were told that with a little oil in the mixture, you may not need to use a conditioner. With the amount of hair that I have and the fact that I always need to use a fair amount of conditioner to keep the tangles at bay, this sounded like a good idea. So I used a little extra oil in the mixture – problem #3.

I should have learned from Melissa’s experience, but no. I had been successful in the past at making an herbal rub and medicinal teas so I was a bit too cocky in my attitude toward using the recipes. The result was, as you can imagine, not good. I did not even manage to leave the shower to get a proper greasy head shot. I had brought my old shampoo in with me and had to use it after my homemade version to get the oil out and then use conditioner. The picture above is of the ingredients I used to make the shampoo as well as the finished product. I even made my own nettle infusion to get the benefits of the herb I normally drink to help me with my hormonal balance. I also added some vitamin E to help with the health of my hair. I’m sure the ingredients would have worked fine if I had used the correct proportions.

I then took Melissa’s advice from her more successful venture at shampoo making and added a little more of the Dr. Bronner’s and a little bit of vinegar. The result looks the same and while the smell is not quite as pleasant with the vinegar, I have now managed to have a shampoo that I can use. I am still not able to use it without conditioner though. It cleans but leaves my hair too tangled on its own. I will have to go back to experimenting at a later date. As far as trying to make conditioner, I went to Whole Foods and after carefully reading many labels bought a conditioner from Aubrey Organics that appears to be made from all natural biodegradable products and even is packaged in a recyclable container. I have not tried it yet, but am feeling much more confident in my purchase than I would presently be in my own endeavor.

Basic Shampoo Formula
This basic formula provides the framework upon which to devise your own customized shampoo. Note that if you would like to increase the detergent effect of a shampoo, simply add more castile soap. And keep in mind that if you do not use up a batch of shampoo within a couple of weeks, it is best to store it in the refrigerator.
6-8 oz. herbal infusion of choice (1 cup of dried herbs in 1 quart of hot water – sit for 4-8 hrs and strain liquid)
3 oz. of liquid castile soap
¼ teaspoon carrier oil of choice (virgin olive oil is heaviest, apricot oil is lighter, etc.)
up to 60-70 drops of essential oils of choice
Pour strained infusion, liquid castile soap, carrier oil and essential oils into a jar or squeeze bottle, cap and shake. It is ready for use. Always shake these shampoos before use. Makes about 9-11 oz. of shampoo.

Variations: The amount of essential oil you use will depend on which ones you choose and the effect you are trying to obtain. You can omit the carrier oil if your hair is very oily, or add more if your hair is very dry. Additional ingredients, such as aloe, tinctures, etc., may be added to this basic shampoo recipe to adapt it for various hair and scalp needs.