Herbal Shampoo

Disclaimer: This information is in no way intended to be a substitute for modern medical care. Do not self-treat any medical complaint without the guidance of a licensed health care provider.

      Whether you're young or old, male or female, a soft, shiny, healthy head of hair is quite a blessing. Weather, chemical processing and inappropriate hair products can harm your tresses, however, stripping them of luster and silkiness. Using the right shampoo for your hair type is important, especially if you have fine or normal locks, which do best with special, gentle care. Fine hair may be limp and lifeless; a shampoo that restores body can work wonders. Normal hair is easier to maintain, but it, too, can benefit from a mild shampoo, which can leave it soft and shiny.
      Both types can be stripped by the cleansers in commercial shampoos over time. Natural shampoos are milder and just as effective.

Drying hair properly
      After you take a shower or a bath, use a towel to gently squeeze out the excess water. Don't rub your hair with the towel; this can roughen the surfacces and cause tangles, leading to broken hairs. After gently drying your tresses, comb them carefully with a wide-toothed comb that has rounded teeth. Don't pull at snarls in your hair. Instead, use your fingers or the comb to work them out.

Application
      Wet your hands and pour a little shampoo, about the size of a quarter, into your palm. Rub your hands together until the shampoo begins to lather slightly. Apply it to your hair, massaging your scalp with gentle circular motions until a thick lather forms. Then run your hands down over the rest of your hair while gently working in the lather. Rinse your hair and, if necessary, repeat.

Distilled water for clean rinsing
      Water that has been distilled is extremely pure; it is free of sodium and trace amounts of solid matter, unlike other kinds of water. It is a good ingredient for natural shampoos, as it doesn't contain minerals that can build up in your hair.

Essential oils for scent and shine
      Lemon essential oil can give your hair a healthy shine. Peru-balsam oil conditions fine hair and makes it easier to comb. Rosemary oil is also good for natural shampoos, since it contains components that help invigorate and strengthen both your scalp and your hair.

Gentle herbal shampoo as a base
      A good base for natural shampoo is a mild herbal shampoo, which can be found in many health-food stores. Buy a soap-based shampoo made with coconut, soy, olive or palm-kernel oil. Another good choice is an herbal baby shampoo. Avoid shampoos that include olefin sulfate, lauramide DEA, cocamide DEA, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, sodium C14-16 or cocamidopropyl betaine, as they tend to be too harsh.

Alternatives for healthy hair
      If you don't want to make a natural shampoo but want something mild, try diluting your normal shampoo by half with distilled water. You can also add essential oils for fragrance; lavender and rosemary oils are good choices.
Daily scalp massages spread your skin's natural oils to the hair shafts. Use your fingertips to massage your scalp for 3 min. each day before shampooing.

Shampoo

For normal hair

For fine hair

  1. Bring the distilled water to a boil in a small pot. Then remove it from the heat and stir in the shampoo.
  2. Allow the mixture to cool until it is at room temperature.
  3. Add the essential oils and blend.
  4. Transfer the shampoo to either a glass or a plastic bottle and use it to wash your hair every day.

Take Care! The essential oils in these shampoos may irritate the mucous membranes if they come into contact with your eyes, so you should always keep your eyes closed when you're washing your hair. If some shampoo does get into your eyes, rinse it out immediately with plenty of water to prevent irritation. Pregnant women and epileptics should avoid using bay-laurel, lemon and rosemary essential oils, since they can trigger contractions or seizures; lemon oil can also cause photosensitivity.

Neutralizing Rinse

      All shampoos are a little alkaline; in areas with hard water, they may leave a light film on your hair or your scalp. If you live in a region where the water is a problem, use an acidic rinse after every shampoo to neutralize the hair's pH. Mix 1 tsp. of vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice with 2 cups of warm water and use this mixture as a final rinse.

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Sources:
      All information provided in this article is the result of research using (but not limited to) the following books and guides: Herbs for Health and Healing, Rodale; Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, Scott Cunningham; Magical Herbalism, Scott Cunningham; The Complete Guide to Natural Healing, International Masters Publishers; Earthway, Mary Summer Rain; Teach Yourself Herbs, Susie White; Natural Beauty from the Garden, Janice Cox; Nature's Prescriptions, Editors of FC&A Medical Publishing, and The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies, Joe Graedon and Theresa Graedon, Ph.D