Ingredients for homemade shampoo can purchased at a lower prices than most shampoos and the ingredients are non-toxic. Shampoos contain ingredients that strip hair of its natural oils and suppress the body's natural oil production. The process requires temporary adjustment to the feel of your hair, but in the end the result is soft, shiny and clean hair. You can make your own shampoo in a variety of scents with minimal time and effort.
Mix in a small bowl about a 1/4 cup of baking soda with 10-15 drops of castile soap in any scent. Add the water gradually until it forms a runny paste. The castile soap provides a fresh scent and helps create more lather. It can be left out entirely if neither lather nor scent is desired.
Thoroughly wet hair in the shower. Work half of the shampoo mixture into your hair, starting at the forehead hairline. Use the same up-and-down motions used with regular shampoo and massage into scalp with fingertips.
Use the second half to repeat the same process from the neckline forward. Flip head upside-down to shift longer hair out of the way.
Divide longer hair into three or more sections as needed. Thicker hair may require more sectioning. Short hair may require none. Massage into sections with the palms of your hands.
Rinse shampoo mix entirely from your hair. Scrubbing and rinsing may take slightly longer with homemade shampoo.
Fill an empty shampoo bottle with apple cider vinegar. Alternately, you may use a travel-sized shampoo bottle purchased from a store. Touch the tip of the bottle to your forehead at the hairline.
Squeeze the apple cider vinegar from the bottle with your head tipped back. Rinse the vinegar through your hair.
- “Baking Soda: Over 500 Fabulous, Fun, and Frugal Uses You've Probably Never Thought Of”; Vicki Lansky; 2003
- "The No Shampoo Alternative - No Poo"; Christi Colvin
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