Most store-bought shampoos are packed with synthetic detergents, fragrances, and preservatives. Making your own is simpler than it sounds, takes a few minutes, and lets you know exactly what goes onto your scalp. The three recipes below use ingredients you can find in any kitchen or natural shop.
If your hair turns greasy a day after washing, you're far from alone. Plenty of women feel forced to wash every day or every other day, while others get away with washing once or twice a week. Sometimes that's down to genetics, but often it comes down to how the hair and scalp are cared for. One rule applies across the board: if your hair is oily, skip heavy products such as butters, rich plant oils, and formulas loaded with synthetic ingredients.
Before You Start: A Word on pH
A healthy scalp is slightly acidic, with a pH of roughly 4.5 to 5.5. Liquid castile soap, the base of the first recipe, is alkaline, usually around pH 8 to 10. Used on its own, it can leave hair feeling rough and dry. The fix is easy: after washing, rinse with diluted apple cider vinegar (about 1 tablespoon per cup of water) to bring the scalp back into balance, then rinse with cool water.
1. Coconut Milk Shampoo
Coconut has a scent almost everyone loves, and it's gentle on the scalp. Its nourishing fats help add shine and soften dry hair, which makes this shampoo a good everyday option. Because you mix it yourself, you know every ingredient is clean and natural, and it suits every hair type.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup liquid castile soap (a plant-based liquid soap)
- 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 20 drops essential oil of your choice, such as chamomile or lavender
- 1/2 teaspoon almond oil or another oil you like (use less if your hair is oily rather than dry)
How to make it
- Whisk all the ingredients together until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into a glass bottle.
- Shake well before each use, since the ingredients naturally separate.
Storage: coconut milk is a fresh food and spoils quickly, so keep this shampoo in the fridge and use it within about a week. To make it last longer, freeze portions in an ice cube tray and thaw one in the fridge the night before you wash.
Bonus: the same mixture doubles as a gentle body wash.
2. Lemon and Cucumber Shampoo
This one is all about freshness. The citric acid in lemon helps cut through grease and residue, while cucumber cools and soothes the scalp. It suits all hair types, though it works more as a clarifying rinse than a foaming shampoo.
Ingredients
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cucumber, peeled
How to make it
- Blend the lemon juice and cucumber until you get a smooth, thick paste.
- Apply it to your hair and massage it into your scalp.
- Rinse thoroughly.
You can also leave it on for a few minutes as a refreshing hair mask.
Good to know: lemon can dry out the ends, so always follow up with a good conditioner. Rinse the mixture off completely and avoid going out in strong sun straight afterward. Citrus juice left on the skin can react with sunlight and cause a burn-like rash called phytophotodermatitis. If you have a sensitive scalp, test a small amount on your skin first.
3. Sea Salt and Olive Oil Shampoo for a Dry Scalp
On its own, salt dries hair out. Combined with olive oil, which locks in moisture, it becomes a two-in-one treatment: the salt gently exfoliates the scalp and lifts away flakes, the olive oil hydrates, and lemon juice helps remove excess oil. Regular scalp exfoliation like this can help keep dandruff in check.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
How to make it
- Mix all the ingredients together.
- Wet your hair, then massage the mixture into your scalp and hair for a few minutes.
- Rinse well with a mild herbal or silicone-free shampoo.
- Finish with a final rinse so no residue stays behind.
Massage gently. Salt is abrasive, so this scrub is best used once a week rather than every wash. After this treatment, hair looks fresher, cleaner, and healthier.
