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For this I generally use castile soap. This is a very pure and mild
liquid soap made from olive and coconut oils and is very good for the hair
and skin. Unfortunately any shampoo made by this method will be very
runny; I haven't yet worked out a way to thicken the shampoo
satisfactorily. I keep mine in a plastic bottle; when I have to use it I
squeeze some shampoo into the lid and pour it onto the top of my head.
Basic Castile Shampoo
Mix 1 part liquid castile soap to 2 parts herbal infusion. Add 1
tsp glycerin per 200 ml shampoo, if desired; it facilitates mixing, also 1
capsule of
St.
John’s Wort. (promote hair growth!)
Shampoo for Blondes: use chamomile or calendula marigold infusion
Shampoo for Brunettes: use rosemary or sage infusion
For Oily Hair: use yarrow, lemon balm, thyme or lemongrass infusion.
For Dry Hair: use chamomile, red clover, comfrey or chamomile infusion.
For all hair types: parsley, linden (lime flower), rosemary or nettle.
Essential oils can also be added to shampoos, both for scent and for
their herbal properties. Some to try are: rosemary, basil, marjoram,
lemongrass, lemon and lavender.
Herbal shampoo
2 tablespoons catnip
1 tablespoon castile soap
1/4 cup boiling water
Place boiling water in a cup and add catnip. Allow to steep for 10
minutes. Add castile soap to cup. Mix well. Apply entire portion to wet
hair and lather well. Rinse with cool water.
A natural shampoo combination using honey, for dry, damaged or treated
hair:
2 cups liquid castile soap (lavender from a health food store is best)
1/2 half cup of honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon
vitamin B
liquid.
Blend and use one teaspoon per washing massaging into the scalp.
Back to Contents.
Conditioners
Apple Cider Vinegar Conditioner
The best conditioner you can use after a gentle herbal shampoo is a
weak vinegar rinse. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a liter of
water and use this as the final rinse. It works even better if you can
catch the run-off in a bowl and use the vinegar water several times. It
restores the PH balance of the hair and leaves all hair types soft and
shining. Use the following herbal vinegar recipe to add the properties of
herbs to your rinse.
Herbal Vinegar for Hair
Fill a jar or bottle about half full with a combination of some or
all of the following herbs: rosemary, sage, chamomile, catnip, yarrow,
lemon peel, orange peel, basil, lavender. Fill the bottle or jar to the
top with vinegar - use a good quality apple cider vinegar or white wine
vinegar. Seal and shake every day for a few weeks. Strain and use a
tablespoonful in your final rinsing water.
Essential Oil Conditioner
After towel drying the hair, put a few drops of rosemary oil in the
palm of your hand. Coat your brush or comb with the oil by rubbing it in
your palm, and comb the hair with it. Rosemary oil is very good for the
hair, and the strong green scent fades as the hair dries. As it is a
volatile oil, it does not leave the hair oily. You can mix the rosemary
oil with either lavender or basil oil.
Hot Oil Treatment for Damaged Hair
This is to be used before shampooing, once a week. Simply warm a
little olive or coconut oil with
vitamin
E and apply to the scalp; work well through the
hair to the tips. Wrap head in a warm damp towel (dip it in hot water and
wring out) and then in a large shower cap to prevent loss of heat. If the
towel cools down, reheat it. Leave on for 20 minutes and then shampoo
well.
Hot-oil hair treatment
3 tablespoons pure jojoba oil
2 capsules of vitamin E
Warm the jojoba oil and apply it to your hair, starting at the ends and
working up to the top of head. Wrap hair in a towel and relax for an hour,
or leave the oil in overnight. Rinse and shampoo hair as usual. Do once a
week, more often if your hair is extremely dry.
Yogurt Conditioner for Dry and Flyaway Hair
Whisk together 4 tablespoons of natural, unflavored yogurt and 1
egg. Apply after shampoo and massage thoroughly into the hair, leaving on
at least 5 minutes. Rinse out thoroughly with plenty of lukewarm water
(not too hot, or you'll end up with cooked egg in your hair!)
Leave-in conditioner for dry hair
handful of fresh rosemary
handful of fresh mint leaves
1 cup cider vinegar
In a glass jar with a lid, drop the rosemary and mint leaves and cover
with the cider vinegar. Seal the jar and leave for two weeks. Strain the
potion. After shampooing, pour a tablespoon onto dry hair and leave in.
Conditioner for oily hair
1 lemon
1/4 cup cider vinegar
Wash, slice, and de-seed the lemon. Whir lemon in a blender to a smooth
pulp. Filter through muslin. Mix with the cider vinegar. After shampooing,
blot hair with a towel and rub lemon-vinegar mixture into scalp. Leave on
5-10 minutes, then rinse with cool water.
Conditioner for fine hair
2 strips kombu (Japanese seaweed)
3/4 cups boiled spring water
Steep kombu in spring water for 30 minutes. Remove the seaweed. After
shampooing, massage into hair. Rinse.
Hair Egg
Conditioner
1 teaspoon
baby oil
1 egg yolk
1 cup water
Beat the egg
yolk until its frothy, add the oil then beat again. Add to the water.
Massage into the scalp and throughout your hair. Rinse well.
Hair
Conditioner One
Combine mashed
avocado with some coconut milk. Comb it through the hair and let sit for 10
-15 minutes, rinse out.
Hair Conditioner Two
Mayonnaise is
a great conditioner for dry hair.
Depending on
the length of your hair, apply approximately 1/2 cup of mayonnaise to
your dry hair. Work into hair really well and then cover your hair
with a plastic bag, allowing to set for about 15 minutes. Rinse
thoroughly and then shampoo as usual.
Dandruff elixir
4 or 5 drops tea tree oil
1 tablespoon jojoba oil
2 capsules of
vitamin E
In a glass jar with a tight lid, combine ingredients. Shake well. After
sectioning wet hair, dab mixture onto a clean cotton wad and stroke along
the scalp. Wrap hair in a towel and let sit for 2 hours. Work shampoo into
hair with a little water to remove oil. Rinse.
Dry Brittle
Hair Treatment
1/2 c
Mayonnaise
Shampoo, few drops
Luke warm water
2 capsules of
vitamin
E
1 Teaspoon of
vitamin
A
For conditioning dry, brittle hair. Mix mayonnaise with shampoo add enough
lukewarm water to mix. Apply to hair after a regular shampoo. Leave on 10
minutes and then shampoo out.
Back to Contents.
Herbal Rinses
Hair can be kept soft and shiny with herbal rinses. Pour the infusion
over the hair after washing it and rinsing thoroughly. It's even better to
use a bowl to catch the infusion in as it runs off the hair, and to pour
it over the hair several times. Regular use of some of these infusions
will add tints and highlights to the hair.
For Brunette Hair: Use
an infusion of rosemary, sage, parsley or catnip. Rinsing with a pot of
black tea will darken the hair if used over a period of time, and a
tablespoonful of lemon juice in the final rinse will eventually add
highlights.
For Blonde Hair: Use an infusion of chamomile
or marigold. A tablespoonful of lemon juice in the final rinse
will help lighten the hair over time, but also tends to be drying.
For all hair colors and types: Yarrow,
catnip, nettle and parsley make excellent rinses to improve shine and
condition.
Remove
Hair Build-up
1/4 cup
vinegar
1 cup water
After
conditioning the hair use this as a final rinse. Leaves your hair soft and
shiny.
Remove Conditioner
Buildup
Baking soda
removes conditioner build-up from your hair. Rub in and rinse thoroughly,
then shampoo with your regular shampoo.
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