Homemade Shampoo, Conditioners & Color Enhancers
57 Comments 
Looking for cheaper alternatives to washing your hair (or something with more natural ingredients)? I’ve moved the homemade shampoo, conditioner and color rinse recipes and tips onto this page for better organization, there’s a lot here to get you started. Enjoy!
Make Shampoo Bars With This Tutorial Found At craftster.org
Bar Tutorial: These shampoo bars are becoming popular since they are made from natural ingredients rather than harsh chemicals that many commercial products contain. It does take a week or two for your hair to adjust to the different soap, so if you do try this method–make sure to give it some time before deciding whether or not this is for you. Keep in mind that conditioner won’t be necessary, so there is some cost savings here too.
I haven’t tried these yet but I’ve come across many positive reviews (and they’re especially popular for traveling–no worries about bottle leakage in your luggage), if you have any experience with bars (doesn’t have to be with this recipe), please share your tips and experience in the comments area below–I’d love to hear them!
Try This Alternative For Shiny Clean Hair
The No Poo Alternative: Here’s how to cut shampoo out altogether, the idea is to massage a baking soda and water paste into your scalp then rinse off with an apple cider vinegar & water rinse. The writer advises that there will be a transition period while your hair adjusts to being chemical free, but after that it looks wonderful!
Organic Hair Powder: Instead of washing your hair, a small amount of this mixture is worked in (at the roots) and the powder will absorb excess oil.
Ingredients: organic arrowroot powder, kaolin clay, organic horsetail powder and essential oil of your choice.
tendcollective.blogspot.com
Herbal Recipe: A lovely way to utilize herbs and flowers from the garden, this is made with dried rosemary, dried rose petals, liquid castile soap, aloe vera juice, jojoba oil, pure rosemary essential oil and boiling water. Greenery items are only suitable to use if pesticide-free (remember, you’re washing hair with this). Easy to make!
DIY Conditioner: See this article for a recipe to make your own conditioner, ingredients are: water, guar gum, xanthan gum, organic oil (such as olive, canola, almond, or sunflower) and rosemary oil. Shelf life is about one month (or keep refrigerated between uses).
Herbal Rinse: This recipe not only helps condition and nourish your hair, it also helps remove much of the buildup from commercial hair products.
*Note: Some herbal combinations may affect light colored hair (blondes, grays) or dyed hair color. You should be ok since it’s such a small amount of herbal vinegar that is well diluted in water, but just a heads up to test a small patch of hair first.
Ingredients:
Bottles Of Homemade Herbal Vinegars
Apple Cider Vinegar
Fresh Herbs: lavender, rosemary, basil, sage
Citrus Peels: lemon peel, orange peel
Directions:
- Take a sterile jar of any size and fill half way with your chosen herbs and citrus peels, make sure they are pesticide free.
- Next fill the jar to the top with apple cider vinegar.
- Seal, store in a cool, dark place and shake daily for three weeks. Strain & refrigerate the infused vinegar.
- Take 2 TBS of the herbal vinegar and put into a 12 to 16 ounce spray bottle. Top with water.
Spray as much as you need on your hair after washing (first wash off shampoo, shake spray bottle before using), massage into scalp, rinse off. No application of commercial conditioner is needed.
Honey Helpers
Bring Your Hair To A Healthy Shine With Honey
Ingredients:
1 tsp honey
4 cups warm water
Directions:
- Mix together the honey and water.
Use:
- After washing hair, douse it thoroughly with the honey mixture. Dry hair as you normally would, do not rinse the mixture out.
Conditioner
Ingredients:
1/2 cup honey
2 to 4 TBS olive oil (depending on hair type, use lesser amount for oily hair)
Directions:
- Mix together the olive oil and honey then massage well into your hair until evenly covered.
- Cover your head with a shower cap and allow the treatment to set for 30 minutes.
- Wash very well then rinse thoroughly.
Natural Color Boosters
Here’s an easy way to give your natural hair color a boost without harsh chemicals or dyes. I have some highlights enhancing rinse recipes at the bottom as an alternative for those of you no longer using shampoo.
Healthy & With Lots Of Color
Directions: Mix 1 cup of shampoo with 1 cup of the following:
- Blondes: Steep 1 tablespoon chamomile, calendula or powdered rhubarb root in 1 cup boiling water for thirty minutes.
- Brunettes: Add 1 cup strong black coffee *OR* 1 cup water in which you have steeped 1 tablespoon powdered black walnut shells, allspice, or cloves for thirty minutes.
- Redheads: Add 1 cup red wine and/or real orange juice, *OR* 1 cup water in which 1 tablespoon red hibiscus or 2 tablespoons red clover have been steeped thirty minutes.
To Brighten Hair:
- Beat an egg white into a cup of shampoo, leave this mixture on your hair for 15 minutes before you wash it.
- Blondes: Mix shampoo with an equal amount of strong chamomile tea (2 or 3 tablespoons to 1 cup of water).
- Dark Hair: Add 1/4 cup of crushed fresh blackberries to a cup of shampoo and use this mixture to wash hair.
- Redheads: Use raspberries instead of blackberries.
- Black Hair: Make hair shiny by mixing strong, freshly brewed black coffee half and half with shampoo.
Source: Ageless Natural Beauty By Sally Freeman
Bring Out Highlights:
Simmer the ingredients over low heat for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and strain. After washing hair as you normally do, rinse with the infusion twice (you’ll need to catch the first rinse with a big bowl so you can use it again for the second rinse).
- Blondes: 1/4 cup dried chamomile blossoms; 2 cups distilled water.
- Brunettes: 1/4 cup dried rosemary or sage leaves; 2 cups distilled water.
- Redheads: 1/4 cup dried calendula blossoms; 2 cups distilled water.
Tip: The more regularly you use these color and highlights enhancers, the more effective they will be (and last longer).
can I use white vinegar?
I use white vinegar and it works awesome!
I’ve been ‘poo free for almost a year, and I absolutely love it. I use baking soda mixed with water in a bottle, and I pour it over my scalp. I’m partial to diluted lemon juice as opposed to ACV for a rinse, but that’s just how my specific hair type turns out best.
I also add honey to my baking soda mixture. It’s very soothing for my scalp, which tends to be very flaky and itchy.
i am also ‘poo free! it’s awesome. in the baking soda i add a couple of drops of lavender EO, smells yummy, and i use a lemon chamomile, acv rinse. it works great for my pin straight, baby fine, never held a style hair. i’ll never go back to shampoo =)
Okay, 2 testimonials from ladies with straight, baby-fine hair, just like mine. I have to give this a try. I’ve been looking to get away from sodium lauryl sulfate & other chemicals anyway.
Is this ok for color treated hair?
I use liquid castile soap mixed with water and a bit of canola oil for my hair and a white vinegar rinse about 2x per week. It took a full week of transition. I have moderately long curly hair and found I need a bit more castile soap that what is recommended.
I don’t have frizzy hair anymore, I can go longer than a day without washing and it doesn’t feel nasty oily.
No way I’ll go back to commercial poo/conditioner.
I switched to baking soda and vinegar about three months ago. It took a good six weeks for my hair to “convert,” but it did, and I couldn’t be happier. My hair is so soft and silky now that I can hardly keep my fingers out of it. I have very thick hair, so it works well for thick hair, too. I love this method!
Meagan,
Nope, it strips the color out. Voice of experience.
Can you pre-mix the baking soda and water so you have like a weeks worth a
Yes you can!! I do all the time and I love it.
This is to Meagan:
Did it strip all the color out? Or just part of it?
I would like to strip all of my off if its safe.
I want some feed back on this…please. Before I use a professional chemical.
Diane
Hello
This is great! However, my mother mentioned that it’s possible apple cider vinegar might make hair turn white earlier than normal?
Does anyone know anything about that?
Please let me know
Thanks!
I’ve been using the soda and vinegar on my hair since January, and it’s great. I use white vinegar and it seems fine. I mix soda and water in an old shampoo bottle and shake before applying. After rinsing with water, I spray vinegar/water using spray bottle that sits in the shower next to the soda bottle. I also use the vinegar spray for cleaning the shower.
Does the vinegar make your hair smell weird? Have you tried adding things like essential oils to the vinegar?
The first few times you use vinegar it will smell strong but you adjust fast. I tried using essential oils but it made my hair more oily than I liked it to be.
Im about to try this.. but can you add soemthing to this to make your hair stronger? Or like thicker?
i found that the method feels like it actually thickens the hair, had a bit of trouble blow drying it but if you let it dry naturall not only does it hold any curls it also doesnt go stiff/straw like.
this was great alternative as i found my hair to be falling out less than when i was using even the medicated shampoos. less expensive aswell- brilliant!
is it okay for everyday use?
do you pour the ACV dilution directly into the scalp?
thanks!
This is a fantastic idea, but I have very fine hair and it grows so slow.
I massage my scalp twice a day and have let the hair color grow out (almost
95% out now), cut my hair very short back in December and it’s still short.
I have a touch of gray which I don’t like but plan to use lemon juice this summer to give it a frosted look. Do you know if this new “poo-free” helps stimulate the hair growth? If you know of anything I can do to get my hair to grow, please let me know.
Thanks.
Lucy
I have no scientific proof, but I’ve taken a B12 supplement for years….recently I found out that Vitamin B12 encourages hair growth…..guess that’s why my hair is so thick that all my hairdressers over the years have commented on it….it grows long very fast also….give it a try. I take 1000mcg per day of vit B12.
Add some MSM to your diet. It is a supplement used mainly for arthritis. It thickens your hair and makes your nails nice.
Different hairdressers have told me that taking prenatal vitamins will increase your hair growth. It’s probably good for your health too!
Biotin is a vitamin you can get at walmart and take up to 5 times a day. This works really well for me!
I am very interested in trying this! What does your hair look like during the “transitional period”?
ive found that it can come across as a bit dry within the first couple of days but after that it was fine, some light application of baby oil can fix that (very light), after that the scalps natural oils take over and the hair feels better.
This came just in time for me!!! My 11 year old daughter doesn’t do well with regular shampoos because of overly sensitive skin (eczema on the scalp) that makes it look as tho she has HORRIBLE dandruff. She’s hitting the age where she is VERY self conscious and has resorted to just wearing ponytails all the time to hide it. The shampoo we’ve had to use is VERY expensive for a VERY small bottle. I have been looking for ways to make my own shampoo for her and this is a WONDERFUL idea!!
Thanks sooooo much! I’ll be starting her on this tonight (and probably myself too! LOL)
ive heard goats milk soap products are good for eczema but then again that may be just for skin.
You may also want to try a little bit of tea tree oil in the baking soda mixture, I have heard it can be very effective in cases like your daughter has.
I think you may try coconut extract for a healthier hair. It can make your hair more stronger.
Just started this week sans ‘poo. One thing that immediately stunned me: I can still get a comb through my hair, despite the lack of conditioner! I have fairly long highlighted hair and never dreamed of attempting to go without conditioner. I’m happy! My question: how often does one “wash” one’s hair with this soda/acv mix? I washed my hair every other day with shampoo. Any thoughts?
good question! you’ll be able to tell when your hair is ready to be washed again, it should get greasy just like the shampoo, however i’d be careful as daily washing tended to dry my hair a bit, try every other day or better every third day. Also it depends on how much product you’d use for styling etc and the fact that its highlighted could mean it would dry out easier as dying strips the hair of nutrients while in the process of stripping the colour.
Oh happy day! I never dreamed my thick, curly waist length hair wouldn’t need conditioner! Not only that, before I never wore it down because it would tangle so horrendously, with a big rat’s nest at the back of my neck. Since going ‘poo free, I’ve worn it down 3 times!!! I bought some unrefined shea butter and I use it on the ends, whcich tend to dry out, and the bit of frizz at my temples and widows peak. The vinegar leaves it so soft and pretty. I can’t tell if the acv is making it a tad darker or not. I also like the fizzy chemical reaction, it’s very invigorating.
Yeah, my hair was down to my waist and it was thick, but bone straight. I used to have to wear it up all the time otherwise I would look like I had an afro at the back of my head by the end of the day! I had it curled once and it was a bit of a relief but I had to use so many products to keep it like that for even a week, and it was sill pretty bad if I wore it down.
I tried this a few times and it worked like magic (:
My hair is soft and shiny and I can wear it down whenever I want now!
Being able to wear your hair down feels pretty good (:
Hi Angel. My hair is down to my waist also. A thing that might help. I made a satin Pillow case. This way my hair NEVER gets tangled, nor does it get ratted, which causes split ends. I’m
Does anybody know if this will work for african hair?!
Yes, but you have to pay attention to how your hair responds to it and adjust the recipe accordingly. If your hair seems dry, use less baking soda and/or let the acv sit a little bit longer. Don’t increase the acv mix too much (2 Tbs of ACv should be max) Generally if you feel you need more acv, let it sit longer or increase it by 1/4 ts. You can also go one day with wash, and acv rinse, then next day just acv rinse. Tea tree essential oil is a nice additive to the baking soda although you may not like the smell, it will dissapatte as your hair dries and you can add another oil for scent…lemon grass oil is another option.
What is the ratio of baking soda to water that one would put into an old shampoo bottle? I mean are you all talking 1 cup baking soda to like 2 cups water?
And what is the ratio then of vinegar/lemon juice to water that one would spray on? half and half??
ok~ a couple of things for your no poo newbies! I went to Long hair forum and curly girls forum too and did research for a while before I went completely no poo-a year and 2 months ago- I have fine curly to wavy hair- I stopped using regular shampoo cuz it would irritate my scalp and my hair kept falling out and it would itch too. I’ve done the baking soda and water with the vinegar very nice for deep cleaning the baking soda is and the vinegar balances your ph that the baking soda takes (cleans) anyhoo after a couple of mos. of the rinses I read about using Suave conditioner instead and it works very well use the cocoa natural one and it’s cheap too and not as drying I found out. THIS WORKS VERY WELL FOR AFRICAN HAIR which mine resembles in elasticity. With the conditioner you massage the scalp and work it into the ends you want to let it sit on your head for a couple of minutes like while your shaving etc, and let it work- Suave natural cocoa has glycerin in the ingredients which is the same what is in castille soap but it’s not as drying- the reason you massage is to loosen the sebum (oil) from your scalp- my hair is thicker, almost no broken ends when I get a trim, the hair dresser doesn’t look at my hair anymore and make a face like what kind of products are you using- I also brush my hair bent at the waist with a gentle brush to increase circulation and I also scritch (you’ll have to look up that one) scritching is what we do when you take a comb and kind of scratch your scalp but your being a little gentler-I would recommend visiting those forums- go easy on the baking soda after your hair get’s used to not being washed and don’t forget your hair is meant to have it’s natural oils on it, that’s how it’s protected!
have a great day
I have fine, fine hair that is getting white rapidly. I am going to get it cut tomorrow and get the ingredients for this. I use biotin. It makes my nails grow and my hair, too, but doesn’t seem to fill in in the thin spots on top.
Try MSM. I mentioned this in an earlier reply. And also Biotin supplement. MSM is a supplement used for Arthritis. It thickens the hair. Biotin helps keep hair strong.
I and my daughter use pre-natal vitamins. Makes our hair and nails grow fast! Neither of us is pregnant.
I tried “no poo” but it didn’t work for me because the acv worked well the first time or two but then made my hair very dry. Then, I mixed a half cup of castile soap (liquid) with 6 cups of chamomile tea to make a batch of shampoo that lasted for several months. It lathers beautifully and my hair feels clean. I use my fingers and a wide tooth comb to gently scrub my scalp then rinse the soap out using the comb to make sure there are no tangles. My hair feels heavy (can’t think how else to describe it — definitely not the same feel as store bought shampoo and conditioner) but when it dries it feels normal.
I have a fair amount of grey hair that tends to be unruly but the castile soap tames it right down. Also, I only have to wash my hair twice a week instead of daily with other shampoo/conditioner.
Castile soap is known for making hair very dry….I always use essential oils or Olive Oil when I wash my hair. Just a little….
Hi, could you tell me the ratio of baking soda to water? Also how much cider vinegar to use at a time? Thank you in advance
In an old bath and body works body wash bottle I use up to 4 tablespoons of baking soda and the rest water. But I needed more baking soda than other people so you just have to experiment.
i am about to try this but i don’t know if i am still supposed to use conditionder or not can anybody help?
Lynn hi. You do not need to use Store Bought Conditioner…..What I do is use Soda Water on my hair for the Shampoo mind you with a little essential oil or olive oil as I wash it. I always rinse my hair with ACV dilluted with water. I keep it in a spray bottle actually and just spray my hair. also at the same time I use the same sprayer and spray down my walls and shower curtain. No soap scum, no mildew etc. Keeps the bathroom very clean.
1 Tablespoon Baking Soda to 8 oz. water
1 Tablespoon ACV to 8 oz. water
This is a good place to start, but don’t be afraid to play with ratios until you find the best mix for you.
If you have hard water like me you may find you have less than good results with the no’pooing unless you use distilled or boiled water. I boil my water for 5-7 minutes then let cool before mixing my BS in.
Here is my preferred hair treatment:
1 Tablespoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Honey
6-8 oz. water
In a squirt bottle – scrub scalp very well then leave on an additional 1-2 mins.
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
6-8 oz. water
in a squirt bottle – scrub scalp very well then leave on an additional 1-2 mins.
A lot of gals prefer fresh squeezed lemon or chamomile tea for their rinse (instead of ACV) but I have not tried those yet. Do keep in mind both of those alternatives will bleach out your hair some when exposed to sun.
Another thing to note: BS is drying, if your hair is too dry reduce the baking soda a bit or try adding honey as I have.
I haven’t seen this type of question….
I have a huge scalp perspiration issue. Can this mixture be used on a scalp with lots of perspiration? Thanks
i have been ‘poo free for a week now and i LOVE it! i add in a tsp of honey and 4 drops of tea tree oil to each 8 oz. i have only had to use it twice this week and no conditioner of any kind needed. i don’t even need to use a brush anymore, i just run my fingers through my hair and it is ready to go. i have body and shine! never thought it would be this awesome!!! thanks a bunch for the recipe!! keep them coming!!
I have natural spiral curls that I color. I currently have a chemical color in but have thought about using henna instead. How badly does this strip color? Any info would be a big help in my decision. Thanks.
A friend of mine had a little girl with beautiful curly, black hair. This is a black child. The white lady she worked for told her to use a baking soda paste to wash the baby’s hair instead of shampoo. My mother said all of the child’s hair fell out. My hair dresser said to use a baking soda hair rinse for dandruff. It works. Usually, though, one uses vinegar rinses because the hair should be acidic. I wouldn’t attempt changing types of hair color without consulting a hair expert/stylist.
I have a question…. Sorry if it’s really long or unneccessary information.
I have colored my hair several times in an attempt to lighten my hair – my natural color is black. My roots are coming back in, my hair grows slow so I only have about 2 inches or 3 of the black after probably 6 months or more since I colored. I want to dye it black again to hide the brassy color that resulted when I tried to lighten it. My hair is straight but can get a little wavy since I got a perm almost 4 years ago it gets wavy when wet and it will curl when I want it to but it doesn’t hold up well. My hair is very fine but I have a lot of it, which seems to fall out.
My question is… I have been reading comments and everybody says homemade shampoo will strip the color. I want the brassy orangey brown color off my ends but will it lighten my real hair? I wouldn’t think so but I want to be sure before I try this. Also will it help reduce damage? I’ve read some other comments claiming it does. I also don’t want my hair to be flat so I hope this does not make it go flat. I absolutely HATE flat hair I actually love to tease my hair when I have the energy but fibromyalgia seems to get in my way of that. If this will add some body and volume to my hair I would just absolutely love it.
Maybe somebody else with a similar situation with their hair has tried this and can help me
Hi everyone. I have taken the pludge and I’m in 4 days and I must say my hair looks really good. I do think I’m using to much BS and today I used lemon juice. After reading post I have gooten a better idea on what I need to do. Question; do i rinse BS out with water then add ACV spray to my whole head or just the tips or the scalp and then rinse? Iam so excited to see what it will look and feel like next week.
Will this work for people with oily hair?
I’ve been trying the No ‘Poo for a little bit now using the recipe listed somewhere in here. I have fine, soft hair, and love that the No ‘Poo gives my hair some texture. However, I live in a pretty dry climate and have been battling static in my hair like crazy. It’s driving me insane–enough to make me go back to commercial shampoo and conditioner for a while (but I hated it!). I add honey to my BS rinse, but what else can I do to decrease the static in my hair?