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feathers
July 28th, 2013, 06:00 PM
I saw this (http://www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz/make-your-own-herbal-shampoo/) on craftgawker... and while I don't know too much about hair science, I don't see how it would possibly work as shampoo. Mostly oils and an infusion of "herbs of your choice"? I don't know, maybe the small amount of witch hazel would do something? Aside from the doubtful cleansing properties, I don't think the oil and water would mix.

What do you think, LHC? Is this just something stupid somebody invented for a magazine? Can straight coconut oil actually work as a cleansing agent? (I know cleansing agents can be made from coconut oil...) What does witch hazel do for hair?

curlytwirlykate
July 28th, 2013, 09:38 PM
I can tell you with certainty that my hair would HATE this... and I can say that because I've tried a very similar recipe in the past.

First of all, it doesn't emulsify, so you have to shake it up before using it.
Secondly, the oils just sit on my hair. And I have no idea what the witch hazel does, but I assume it gives one a squeaky-clean feeling. The combo of both meant squeaky, dry ends and a very greasy scalp that would NOT wash out.

As for oils for cleansing -- yes. Coconut oil is a FANTASTIC cleanser, but you need some very hot water and some friction to get it out. It works great as a facial cleanser: just massage it into your face, and buff it off with a hot washcloth. But this does NOT work in hair, because you'd have to do a ton of scrubbing to get it out of your hair. Breakage, breakage, breakage!!

Leeloo
July 28th, 2013, 09:42 PM
I would not try this recipe

Wildcat Diva
July 28th, 2013, 11:20 PM
It's got to work... Because you can't put anything on the Internet that isn't true.

amanda_the_tall
July 28th, 2013, 11:23 PM
It's got to work... Because you can't put anything on the Internet that isn't true.

Lol my dad goes around and says "I'm a french model" all the time from that commercial! :p

jeanniet
July 29th, 2013, 01:01 AM
I don't see how it could be good for your hair. The witch hazel is an astringent, so that would be a drying agent, but I don't think it would counteract all that oil. Plus, as curlytwirlykate said, it wouldn't emulsify--not to mention that in a cooler climate (here), the coconut oil would solidify. If you were going to all the trouble of steeping herbs, why not just make a shampoo from herbs traditionally used to cleanse, such as soapwort or soapnuts?

feathers
July 29th, 2013, 08:10 AM
Thanks everyone, that's what I thought. It seems like there's a lot of DIY hair advice floating around the internet that has apparently been made up by people who know nothing about hair. But we know better at the LHC. :)