DIY Shampoo Recipe for All Hair Types

This DIY shampoo recipe has been tried and tested for all kinds of different hair types, and we're excited to share it with you! If you've ever gone the “no-poo” route (where you don't use commercial shampoos to wash your hair), you know it can be difficult. But, a DIY shampoo is not that – it's a natural alternative to commercial shampoos, which is obviously much better for your hair.

Why Commercial Shampoos Are Bad For Your Hair

Commercial shampoos are laden with chemicals and ingredients that we can't even read or pronounce. Just look at the back of a shampoo or conditioner bottle – you'll see a HUGE list of ingredients. Unless you're a chemist, you won't know or understand any of the ingredients. Unfortunately, most of those ingredients can be drying to the hair and scalp, and even worse, can also be carcinogenic.

Ingredients like sulfates and parabens can completely destroy the hair. Parabens are chemicals that are used to prevent bacteria and act as a preservative, but can cause some serious skin irritations such as dermatitis and rosacea. Sulfates have been linked to cancer, and they can also cause eye irritation. If you're going to use commercial shampoos, we recommend you purchase shampoos and conditioners that are free of sulfates and parabens.

Benefits of DIY Shampoo

So if we know all of that, why not make our own shampoo? Homemade shampoos are actually pretty easy to make, and over time, will hydrate the hair and bring it back to health. The ingredients are usually all natural and you can almost always customize your DIY shampoo to your preferences.

• No parabens and sulfates
• No hurtful chemicals
• Contains only natural ingredients
• Does not irritate skin, eyes, or scalp
• Moisturizes and hydrates
• Prevents dandruff
• Inexpensive to make
• Safe for kids

DIY Shampoo Recipe With Coconut Milk

This DIY shampoo with coconut oil is tried, tested, and true. The reason we love this recipe is because it contains coconut milk. Just using Castile soap, for example, is simply not enough, and can actually leave hair tangled and greasy. This recipe works for ALL hair types including natural hair, dry hair, oily hair, curly hair, and kids hair. Feel free to customize this recipe to your preferences. Play around with different essential oils, or just use what you have on hand.

You'll Need:

• 1/4 cup Castile soap
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 20 drops essential oil of your choice (lavender, tea tree oil, grapefruit oil, orange oil, peppermint oil, rosemary oil, etc…)
• 1/2 tsp olive oil or another carrier oil of your choice such as coconut oil, sweet almond oil, avocado oil, etc… – Optional, for dry hair

Directions:

1. To a clean shampoo bottle, add all of the ingredients and shake well.
2. Add the olive oil only if you have dry hair.
3. If you're using a pump bottle or dispenser, add about 1/4 cup of distilled water.
4. Shake well before each use, and use about a teaspoon or two for every hair wash.
5. Can be kept in the shower for up to 1 month.
6. Rinse hair with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and distilled water – a 50/50 mix is usually best.
7. Follow up with a homemade leave-in conditioner.

Which Essential Oil Should I Use?

As we mentioned above, you can use a combination of your favorite essential oils, whatever you have on hand, or any of the above mentioned essential oils. Most essential oils serve a specific purpose, so let's take a quick look at what each essential oil does:

• Rosemary essential oil: best for thinning and breaking hair. Rosemary essential oil can strengthen the hair follicles and repair weak, damaged, and thinning hair.
• Tea tree essential oil: great for those with an oily scalp and/or dandruff. Tea tree oil can correct scalp problems and also reduce oil production which causes greasiness and buildup.
• Lavender essential oil: great for all hair types. Lavender essential oil promotes healthy hair growth, strengthens follicles, and soothes the scalp.
• Grapefruit essential oil: helps to improve blood circulation and strengthens the roots. Also keeps infections at bay and promotes a healthy scalp.
• Peppermint essential oil: also helps to improve blood circulation and encourages hair growth. Imparts a tingly sensation to the scalp.
• Orange essential oil: great for all hair types, as orange essential oil is a natural cleanser. Also anti-fungal and antibacterial.

Use any of the above essential oils for your DIY shampoo, or combine a few different ones! Grapefruit essential oil and orange essential oil make a great combination for example. Another good combo is lavender essential oil and peppermint essential oil. Don't have any of these essential oils? Use any other essential oil you may have, but just be sure that they are of good quality, and 100% natural. There are a lot of essential oils on the market which are actually fake and not naturally derived.