As you make your way to the shampoo aisle of your local drugstore, you start browsing all of the bottles on the shelves to select your choice. You see a lot of brightly colored labels promising you fuller hair, more volume, less dryness, more shine, and a whole laundry list of other benefits.
It sounds great, right? All is perfect in the world—until you start to read the ingredients list on the back of the bottles and discover that the shampoos are loaded with harsh chemicals that may lead to dry and brittle hair.
Some harmful ingredients to avoid are sodium lauryl sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, and ammonium xylene sulfonate. I know it’s easy to just select any shampoo and be done with it, but it’s really essential that you choose a brand that keeps your hair as healthy as possible. Natural shampoos protect your hair and keep it soft and shiny.
You may have never thought about making your own shampoo at home, but it’s actually easy.
You can control what’s in it, and the best part is you can choose the scents! If you have dry hair, you should choose ingredients such as avocado or orange blossoms for optimum hydration. If you’re looking to add softness, settle on adding cherry bark or olive oil.
It’s easy to keep dandruff at bay by including peppermint or vinegar in your shampoo. Do you have normal hair? No problem! Just add dandelion or clover. Adding sage, basil, or nettles helps promote hair growth, leaving your hair long and lustrous.
Making the shampoo is not difficult at all and you can interchange any of the ingredients above depending on your needs. Be creative and make your shampoo smell amazing!
Here is a recipe to use at home:
- • 2 tablespoons liquid castile soap (an olive oil-based soap made in a style originating in the Castile region of Spain)
- • 1 cup water
- • 1/4 cup fresh herbs or 2 tablespoons dried herbs
- • 1 tablespoon almond or apricot oil
- • 2 drops essential oil, such as lavender or peppermint
First, boil the cup of water. While you do that, place the herbs in a clean 10-ounce glass jar. Once the water has come to a boil, pour it over the herbs. Cover the jar and let it steep for 10 to 20 minutes. After, strain the liquid from the herbs into a bowl.
Next, add castile soap and almond or apricot oil to the liquid. Mix all three ingredients thoroughly. Once the ingredients are mixed properly, add essential oil to the concoction and mix well. That’s it! Store in any clean plastic bottle or container. Use as you normally would with any other shampoo.
Homemade shampoo is wonderful. Not only are you saving money by creating your own shampoo, you’re saving your hair too from further and future damage! Be creative and experiment with different herbs and essential oils.
If you don’t have time to make your own shampoo, some great all-natural shampoo brands found in the drugstore are NouriShea, Avalon Organics, Burt’s Bees, and Aubrey Organics.
The brand Kiss My Face offers a castile soap that is 100 percent natural and smells great!
You’ll feel much happier knowing that your hair is healthy, cleansed by natural ingredients, and washed by a shampoo that you created.
Eco18 is a collective of creative-writing individuals from different backgrounds with a common goal—to live a healthier, more natural lifestyle. Their combined expertise, humor, and opinions explore green and sustainable in a practical, fun way. www.eco18.com
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