Homemade Shampoo/Conditioner Recipes!

[Annibelle]

I've been looking for a thread like this, but I can't find one-- it doesn't help that my search feature only works occasionally. :rolleyes: Anyway, I've been googling and have found a couple of recipes that I really want to try. Please feel free to share your own! I really want to become a little more self sufficient and have a better idea of what's going in my hair. :)

From Chefmyrakitchen (http://www.chefmayrakitchen.com/how-to-make-your-own-shampoo-conditioner-herbal-shampoos-choose-herbs-for-your-shampoo-that-will-enhance-your-hair):

BASIC SHAMPOO FORMULA
Wha’Cha NEED
2 tablespoons liquid castile soap
1 cup spring water¼ cup fresh herbs (2 tablespoons dried)
1 teaspoon almond or apricot kernel oil
2 drops essential oil
Wha’ Cha DO
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

CONDITIONER:

What’ Cha Need:
1 cup rose floral water
1 tablespoon jojoba oil10 drops vitamin E oil
What’ Cha Do:
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.

[spike316]

*notes this for future use* looks interesting!

[Annibelle]

Natural Hair Conditioner

· 2/3 cup water

· ¼ teaspoon guar gum

· ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum

· 1 tsp organic oil, such as olive, canola, almond, or sunflower

· 5 drops rosemary oil

1. Put all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until emulsified.

2. Transfer the conditioner to an old plastic lotion tube or pump bottle that’s been thoroughly cleaned. Use within a month or store in the refrigerator between uses.

From: http://www.readymade.com/blog/fashion/2011/02/25/make_your_own_hair_conditioner/P2/

[Annibelle]

Natural Shampoo for Normal Hair
Ingredients
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup liquid castile soap
1/2 teaspoon organic sunflower oilor other light organic vegetable oil

Directions
Mix together all the ingredients. Store in a bottle. Use as you would any shampoo, rinse well.

Chamomile Shampoo
Ingredients
6 organic chamomile tea bags
4 tablespoons pure soap flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons pure vegetable glycerin

Directions
Steep the teabags in 1 1/2 cups of boiled water for 20 minutes. Remove the tea bags and discard. Add the soap flakes to the tea and let stand until the soap softens. Stir in glycerin until well blended. Keep in a dark, cool place in a sealed bottle.

Wonder of the Desert Shampoo for Dry Hair
Ingredients
1/4 cup liquid castile soap
1/4 cup organic aloe vera gel
1 teaspoon pure vegetable glycerin
1/4 teaspoon organic avocado oil or other light organic vegetable oil

Directions
Mix together all the ingredients. Store in a bottle and always shake well before using. Apply to hair and allow to sit for a few mintues. Rinse well with cool water.

From: Longlocks.com

Researching these is really fun! :cheese: I hope I'll like the results. I'm not sure which I'll try first... gotta get some ingredients this weekend!

[morrigan*]

Do anybody knows how to make creamy conditioner (like store bought) ?

[Annibelle]

Do anybody knows how to make creamy conditioner (like store bought) ?

I think that things like guar gum and xantham gum make the conditioner creamy like that. :)

[Java]

I am only hesitant to use castile liquid soap because of the high alkaline PH. http://www.cleanersolutions.org/downloads/msds/751/Liquid%20Castile%20MSDS.pdf

I am very interested in finding alternatives to use in home made shampoo! I also wanted to say I had a bad experience with castile liquid getting in my eyes when I was using it as a body wash. It burned for at least 30 minutes, so be careful around eyes at least.

[Annibelle]

Ooooh, thanks for the info! I'll have to think up an alternative. :)

[Neecola]

Castile soap is just saponified oils like the shampoo bars, so if you do use it as shampoo, just be sure to follow with an acidic rinse to adjust the pH. I haven't been able to use castile soap in my hair due to my hard water...turns my hair into a stiff, coated mess even after an ACV rinse. Haven't even tried shampoo bars for the same reason.

Great thread, BTW!

[Gulbahar]

Do anybody knows how to make creamy conditioner (like store bought) ?


I think that things like guar gum and xantham gum make the conditioner creamy like that. :)
Hm, no. You need a conditioning emulsifier like Behentrimonium methosulfate/chloride/whatever. That's what they put in store-bought conditioners.
I'll post a basic recipe later today.

[morrigan*]

Hm, no. You need a conditioning emulsifier like Behentrimonium methosulfate/chloride/whatever. That's what they put in store-bought conditioners.
I'll post a basic recipe later today.
I think I ask you for a recepie a few days ago on some other thread :D. I would really like to know how to make conditioners. :o

[Annibelle]

Hehe, me too! :p Please teach us, guru! :)

[Gulbahar]

I think I ask you for a recepie a few days ago on some other thread :D. I would really like to know how to make conditioners. :o
Yes, you did ask. Sorry I haven't responded yet - I was a little busy. :o

Hehe, me too! :p Please teach us, guru! :)
:rolling:

Ok, so this is what I wrote in another thread about making conditioners (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=74986&page=4).

This one is a very simple recipe that you can always modify by adding stuff or leaving things out.
(You can use teaspoons to measure, they usually are about 5ml.)

1 tsp behentrimonium chloride
0.5 tsp cetyl alcohol (another emulsifier, you don't need it here - I never use it)
1 tsp jojoba oil (or any other oil, you can experiment!)

Mix this and heat it - either in the microwave which is the easiest way, or in a bain-marie - until the solid stuff has completely melted.

At the same time you boil water (distilled or just mineral water):
90ml water (or tea)
Then you add the hot water to the oil mixture while stirring very well with some electric mixing thing. For this little recipe I normally use a cheap milk frother.
It should mix very fast and resemble a kind of milk. Don't worry, it thickens later when it's cooled down.

This is very basic, so you can pimp it up a little.

When the mixture is lukewarm you can add for example
1 tsp. panthenol
1tsp. protein (whichever you like: silk protein, keratine, wheat protein...)

If you use it all up in one go you don't need any preservative. But if not you have to add something! This stuff keeps fresh in the fridge only a couple of days.Once you've tried this you can go crazy on experimenting: different oils or mixtures of them, soy milk or tea instead of water, plant extracts - you get the idea. Adding essential or perfume oils is great too.
I sometimes make a thicker conditioning cream by using only half the amount of water. I use this as a detangling cream.
Store-bought conditioners mostly contain a detergent as well to make them rinse out easier, but I find that this isn't necessary even for CO washing. If your hair thinks otherwise you can always add a very little amount of a mild detergent (your favourite shampoo would do too if you don't want to buy the extra detergent).
:)

[Annibelle]

Thanks so much for the recipe! I'm gonna feel like a chemist looking for these ingredients. :p

How long have you been making your own conditioner? Do you always make your own? Does it tend to be cheaper or more expensive than just buying off the shelf?

[morrigan*]

What is behentrimonium chloride ?
I have no idea where to get it.

[Gulbahar]

What is behentrimonium chloride ?
I have no idea where to get it.
Where do you live? US or elsewhere? There are many internet shops for buying these ingredients.
Behentrimonium chloride is a cationic emulsifier and surfactant that plays an important role in most conditioners. It makes the hair soft and smooth and less prone to tangles.

[mora]

It's not really a conditioner recipe but you could try catnip treatments (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=118) as an alternative to conditioner. It's easy and cheap to make.

[Annibelle]

It's not really a conditioner recipe but you could try catnip treatments (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=118) as an alternative to conditioner. It's easy and cheap to make.

That's really interesting! Would I have to let the catnip sit on my hair for a while, or could I rinse it out like conventional conditioner???

[mora]

That's really interesting! Would I have to let the catnip sit on my hair for a while, or could I rinse it out like conventional conditioner???

I believe that ktani, who really did a lot of testing on the optimum way to use catnip for conditioning and coloring (light yellow that probably wouldn't show on your darker hair) her hair, does something like a catnip deep treatment where after applying the catnip, she puts a bag around it and leaves it on her head for around an hour.

I've used it the way ktani describes but sometimes I also just let it sit for a few minutes in the shower after I apply it. In both methods (bagged for a longer time or just applied for a few minutes), it's rinsed out afterwards.

There's a whole thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=476) about it, if you want more information besides the article. ktani also seems to be really great at answering questions about it in that thread and is the real expert on the topic.

ETA: The shorter method is fine for me to "condition" in the sense of reducing tangles and providing some moisturizing. The longer method does seem more conditioning but I tend to wash my hair more than once a week and using the catnip like a deep treatment that often sometimes leaves my hair too conditioned. I'm also a bit lazy to let it sit for that long more than once a week. :shrug: I'll also sometimes just use a regular conditioner if the laziness extends to not wanting to make the catnip tea.

[morrigan*]

Where do you live? US or elsewhere? There are many internet shops for buying these ingredients.
Behentrimonium chloride is a cationic emulsifier and surfactant that plays an important role in most conditioners. It makes the hair soft and smooth and less prone to tangles.

I live in slovenia. I could go to Austria to buy things, but not too far.
The problem is that i don't know how it's call in our country :confused:.

[Viperalus]

Thanks to all for your recipes. I will definitely try a couple of these. :)

About catnip, is it the same that they sell at pet stores intended for cats?

[Annibelle]

Viperalus, it is the same thing you buy in pet stores! :) I've also read that the kind in pet stores is better quality than the kind in health food stores...

I haven't tried the catnip yet. I'm giving my hair a break and using my usual S/C after a shampoo bar experiment gone awry on my scalp. :( Also, SO said that catnip has a very strong odor. Is this true? And will the smell stick in my hair? He already complains about the ACV! :p

[mora]

I've used catnip from pet stores and while it does have an odor, I can't smell it after rinsing it out. For reference, I also dislike the smell of ACV and never adjusted to it although I can now tolerate white vinegar rinses. :shrug:

ETA: The catnip odor is not really unpleasant to me. It seems like more of a herbal or grassy smell.

[Viperalus]

Thank you both!

P.S. as a newbie I'm having difficulties with the abbreviations, but hopefully there's Google. OK, I found out what ACV stands for :p

[ktani]

Thank you both!

P.S. as a newbie I'm having difficulties with the abbreviations, but hopefully there's Google. OK, I found out what ACV stands for :p

Here is the catnip article I wrote. I hope this helps. http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=118.

I hear you on the abbreviations, lol. I have been here a while and still forget what some translate to, lol.

[In2wishin]

I think I ask you for a recepie a few days ago on some other thread :D. I would really like to know how to make conditioners. :o


Hehe, me too! :p Please teach us, guru! :)


The easiest and most basic conditioner is 7% BTMS and 93% water. Melt the BTMS, boil the water, and mix together with a whisk or electric mixer.

You can add oils, panthenol, protein, cones, and anything else that works well with your hair but keep the total additives to no more than 5%.

I always make my test batches in 100 gram amounts. It is much easier to tweak and calculate that way. I choose to not use a preservative so I make enough at one time to fill my 16oz bottle and I always use distilled water.

[morrigan*]

The easiest and most basic conditioner is 7% BTMS and 93% water. Melt the BTMS, boil the water, and mix together with a whisk or electric mixer.

What is BTMS.

[ktani]

What is BTMS.

Behentrimonium Methosulfate - a quaternium compound, and there is a thread on it too, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=1201

[In2wishin]

Hm, no. You need a conditioning emulsifier like Behentrimonium methosulfate/chloride/whatever. That's what they put in store-bought conditioners.
I'll post a basic recipe later today.


What is BTMS.

morrigan*: sorry. It is the acronym for the stuff Gulbahar was talking about.

[morrigan*]

morrigan*: sorry. It is the acronym for the stuff Gulbahar was talking about.
Okay :) Thanks.

[Viperalus]

I had already found the article about the catnip. Thanks for the link about the BTMS also.
:)

[ktani]

I had already found the article about the catnip. Thanks for the link about the BTMS also.
:)

You are very welcome.

[Littlewing13]

Interested in making my own products (& possibly trying out CO), but still learning whats what....

Can I use another emulsifier (I found an olive based one at http://www.aussiesoapsupplies.com.au/oliv-emulse.html) or is BTMS the best to use? I'd like to keep all ingredients as natural, organic & chemical free as possible.

Also if I did want to whip up a big batch, which preservative is the best/gentlest/paraben free?

Could I potentially add henna &/or honey for a deep conditioner & colour gloss?

[arielágua]

Hello. I am very interested in these recipes too.
I heard about of 'flour shampoo'. But don't know any details about it yet.
I will search further and post. :)

hugs

p.s.- does anyone already knows anything about flour based shampoo?

[earthnut]

I'm planning to make my own conditioner. I found a recipe that was water, oil, and a humectant. I was planning to use olive oil and glycerin. I could also substitute aloe vera gel for the glycerin. A little vitamin E as a preservative. Maybe a little vinegar and essential oil. Anything else I need? I'd rather not use ingredients that need refrigeration.

For shampoo, I use very little, and am thinking of switching entirely to baking soda as an occasional clarifying rinse, unless I need to remove chlorine from my hair, in which case I need an antichlor.

[adrenaline]

Hey there! :) Fortunately I found this thread ^^
I´m using self-made shampoo (and other products) for almost 2 years, and I´m very happy with it. Currently I prefer to wash with self-made soaps, but I make also self-made shampoo. I haven´t figured out the perfect recipe yet but I´m continuously working on that. I usually use the surfactant called Plantapon SF http://bit.ly/1N2yOKr (is it allowed to post about individual chemical ingredients? I don´t want to be responsible if someone use it the false way :oops:). I can use it only with water (and citric acid to depreciate the pH value), or mix it with different ingredients. I experimented a lot with butters and oils, like cocoa butter and coconut oil, to make my shampoo very soft and creamy. But if I use these ingredients, there is a need to add an emulsifier so the emulsion stabilizes. I don´t know the right ratio of all ingredients to make my shampoo in every aspect perfect (consistency, stable emulsion, ...), so unfortunately I can´t post a recipe! But I love to make my own products and an advantage is, you can be flexible with your ingredients and only put there what you need :) Nice thread!

[hollygolightly]

Yesterday I found a book about aloe vera and its uses. And I came across a conditioner recipe and I remembered someone here asked for one. I couldn't find the tread I was thinking of but i'll use this one since it has the same purpose.

For two cups of aloe vera conditioner:

• 1 cup of rose petals
• 3 TBSP of aloe vera juice
• 2 TSP of honey
• 2 TSP of almond oil
• 2 cups of hot water

Let the rose petals sit in the hot water until the petals get white. In a mixing bowl mix the aloe vera juice, honey and the almond oil then add the rose water and stir.

Apply from mid to ends and wrap on a towel for 30 minutes and rinse. Store for no longer than 2 weeks in the fridge