http://www.care2.com/greenliving/basic-herbal-shampoo-conditioner.html
Basic Herbal Shampoo and Hair Conditioner Formulas
Adapted from The Herbal Home Spa, by Greta Breedlove.
Achieving great-looking hair without synthetic chemicals is not difficult, nor does it need to be expensive. With a few common kitchen ingredients and some specialty oils, herbs, and flowers, you can create a variety of treatments that your hair will respond to quickly.
The time you invest in creating these easy formulas will be rewarded with healthier, more radiant hair.
HERBAL SHAMPOOS
Choose herbs for your shampoo that will enhance your hair color and texture, and that address any special needs you may have. You can mix and match herbs from the following lists to develop an individualized combination that is best for your hair.
Dry: Comfrey root, avocado, elder flowers, orange blossoms.
Normal: Dandelion, horsetail, clover.
Oily: Watercress, strawberry leaf, white willow bark, lemon grass.
Ethnic: Comfrey, nettle, cherry bark, olive oil.
Shine: Egg, raspberry, nettle, vinegar, quassia.
Manageability: Yogurt, cherry bark, beer.
Softness: Cherry bark, burdock root, olive oil, marjoram.
Dandruff: White willow bark, birch bark, comfrey, nettle, peppermint, vinegar.
Growth: St. John’s wort, nettle, sage, basil, rosemary, onion juice.
BASIC SHAMPOO FORMULA
Ingredients
2 tablespoons liquid castile soap
1 cup spring water
¼ cup fresh herbs (2 tablespoons dried)
1 teaspoon almond or apricot kernel oil
2 drops essential oil
To make:
1. Place herbs in a clean 10-ounce glass jar with a lid.
2. Boil the spring water and pour over the herbs.
3. Cover and let steep for 10 to 20 minutes.
4. Strain the liquid from the herbs into a bowl.
5. Add the liquid castile soap and almond or apricot kernel oil and mix thoroughly.
6. Scent with essential oil and mix again.
7. Bottle in a plastic container with a spout or a clean recycled shampoo bottle.
Yield: Approximately 24 shampoos
HERBAL HAIR CONDITIONERS
Herbal hair conditions help make hair more manageable and often impart a smoother and softer texture. They are especially good for those who cannot live without hot rollers, curling irons and blow dryers.
Jojoba Conditioner
Ingredients
1 cup rose floral water
1 tablespoon jojoba oil
10 drops vitamin E oil
To make:
1. In the top of a double boiler, gently warm the rose water.
2. Once rose water is warm, add jojoba oil.
3. Pour the mixture in a blender and add the vitamin E. Blend at high speed for 2 minutes.
To use:
1. Wet hair with warm water.
2. Pour the conditioner onto your hair and scalp, massaging in thoroughly.
3. For damaged hair or extra conditioning, leave on for several minutes, perhaps while bathing.
4. Rinse thoroughly with warm water.
5. Shampoo lightly and rinse again with cool water.
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18 comments
add your comment »My husband uses a 3 minute hair dye for grey blond color. It never touches the scalp so it may be safe to use. It comes with a little wide tooth comb to comb through the hair.
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I have the thickest, most tangly hair on the planet (lucky me), and have spent most of my years double- and triple-conditioning my hair. I used to use synthetic shampoos and conditioners (like Nexus Humectress) that cost a fortune but were reasonable effective at keeping my hair soft. That is, until I discovered the most moisturizing and softening shampoo and conditioner that I've ever used, that just so happens to be totally natural. It is Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose line, and it is absolutely wonderful! I have recommended this product to dozens of people, and they all rave about it. You can read more about it here:
http://www.thegreatergreen.com/naturalbeauty/haircare/aubreycondhoneysuckle.html
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I have found a shop local to me and in talking with the owner, I found out that she does have a website where you can shop online. I use two of her products for washing my hair. Keep in mind that my hair is down to my waist, so washing it is not that easy and managing it is another issue. She makes on-site a Castor Oil Shampoo bar and I have used her Tea Tree soap bar when she may have been sold out of the Castor oil. Both are great and I do not have to follow with a conditioner since they are both conditioning. I can actually comb straight through my hair without trouble or stressing my hair and waring out my arms. www.dandesoap.com and she carries a lot of the herbs mentioned above, but I think you have to email her because I did not see a "add to cart" option beside them. The shipping is reasonable although I am able to go there in person. I hope this helps and I do recommend these shampoos, even though it takes a little get use to using a bar versus a liquid, but it's safer and better for me and I don't have the scalp itching and flaking that I use too.
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I dont believe these hair care recipes would be good or should be stored and you couldn't use this at one time. It seems to be alot of time and energy used for a one time shot. I use hair care and body care products that have no harmful preservatives (parabens or formaldehyde) and are infused with nutritionals.I do believe in buying from companies that practice "Green" in their production/office and this company does that as well. There are times when making things at home just doesn't make sense to me.
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Where do you find comfrey root and white willow bark?
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In order to prevent premature greying of hairs ,make it a habit for an early age itself, from 1 year of age for your daughter to use the oil prepared out of Curry leaves.
Curry leaves has got the inherent property of "Beautifying the hairs".
Curry leaf oil is prepared by extracting the juice of the leaves and onion by grinding it,and filter it in athin piece of cloth, so as to discard any foreign particles.
Take some coconut oil in a vessel and heat it,then pour the extraction of curry leaves,onion.Heat it over a low flame ,until water contents begins to deminish from it.
Cool it and pour it in a bottle and use it regularly.utmost care should be taken to remove the water contents ,while heating the oil, if there is even a single water droplet present in the oil there are chances for oil spoilage.
From,
Leni Vincent,KOLLAM (KERALA)
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Green gram is bengal gram in absence of its upper coat
Leni Vincent
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Crush Chinarose leaves ,mix it in water and mix it and squeeze itby diping your hands in the bowl containing water and Hibiscus leaves(China Rose).
Similarly u can use its flowers too.
These flowers have proven for its property of new hair growth, especially for those who have a regular fall of hairs.
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My husband and I tried this recipe but it made our hair really oily... Any suggestions on how to avoid that?
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I think you can use rubbing alcohol to store it, but not for long because the herbs potency diminishes
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