“Do you have experience with alternative hair washes? Like mud for instance?” My Pilates Instructor Lin asked me one day. Lin and I share the same hair destiny – the fine and fair kind.
Anyway, the question immediately associated me with 70’s communes and nodding hippies with greasy long hair and might have been the unconscious reason why I had sneaked around this kind of solution in my research for healthy, delicious alternatives to conventional shampoos.
“I’ve worked with this girl.” Lin refered to blogger Cecilie Blaksted. “And her hair now is absurdly beautiful.”
That last sentence made me quite curious so I threw myself straight into the experiment because my inanimate spiky hair combined with the dream of Jennifer Aniston hair had for years driven me to use buckets of expensive shampoos and hair treatments – and to be fair it did make my hair look and feel nicer, but I also know that:
- The fine look, among other things emerged through the content of silicone and other chemicals.
- No matter how nice the hair looked, my scalp was less glamorous.
- I felt bad on a daily basis pouring things like:
sodium laureth sulfate, laureth-5 carboxylic acid, amodimethicone, sodium chloride, polyquaternium-10, ppg-5-ceteth-20, sodium methylparaben, peg-55 propylene glycol oleate, propylene glycol, salicylic acid, ethylparaben, butylphenyl methylpropional, alcohol, hexyl cinnamal, parfum, and much much more…
All over me, (I copied this ingredient list from a very expensive shampoo, note that there are two endocrine disrupters – parabens in it).
So after a rather hesitant detox period, I can now say that I only use my own homemade hair products – and I love them. My hair is dishier than ever. The scalp is fine and there is no more snow on the shoulder pads.
A little about the active ingredients of the recipes
Rhassoul clay
It is silica and magnesium-rich clay that blends extremely well with water making its application to the hair and skin a smooth and delightful experience. This clay has been used for over 1400 years as a soap, shampoo, and skin conditioner, and the finest spas across the world currently utilize it for its therapeutic benefits.
The clay is quarry mined from deep beneath the Atlas Mountains in Eastern Morocco. It’s sun-dried and untreated.
Clinical studies and testing on Rhassoul found that it can increase skin elasticity, and even skin tone, reduce blemishes and blackheads and reduce skin dryness or flakiness. It is gentle and can therefore easily be used daily.
Apple cider vinegar:
This simple rinse helps to close the hair cuticle and restore pH.
Pure-Castile Soap:
This is just a no-shit soap that’s also a good foam base for homemade shampoos. It’s organic, sustainably produced, and contains mostly of water, coconut oil, palm oil, hemp oil, jojoba oil, citric acid, and vitamin E.
Coconut milk
Contains large amounts of fatty acids, which acts as a natural moisturizer for the hair and skin. In addition, coconut milk contains lauric acid, which with its antibacterial and antiviral properties helps fight the free radicals that our skin and hair almost daily are exposed to.
Raw honey:
Cold extracted unpasteurized honey has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal properties, which helps to reduce dandruff, itching, and redness of the scalp. In addition, the minerals and vitamins together with the honey’s ability to absorb water make raw honey an efficient moisturizer. Furthermore raw honey has the ability to repair damaged hair or eliminate long-term shampoo buildup.
Hair detox
Another consideration when transitioning to natural shampoo is the use of silicone in many commercial brands. Silicone coats the hair much like plastic to give it slip and shine. If you have been using a shampoo with silicone or other chemicals your hair will need to detox – a process that can take up to a few weeks depending on the types of product previously used. During this process, hair can feel very dry and tangle easily. As the follicles shed the coating they will begin to be able to drink in moisture, but this can take time.
The following recipe for the clay wash is also excellent as a treatment. Leave the clay in the hair for 5 minutes or up to 20 minutes (do not let it dry!) and rinse out with warm water. It will remove toxins and make the hair really clean, shiny, and voluminous.
The hair’s needs change over time
Keep in mind that your hair’s needs change over time. I alternate between the clay wash and the coconut shampoo and I use essential oils to balance an either too oily or too dry scalp. There are suggestions for fragrance mixtures under the recipes.
Two effective recipes
Clay hair wash
Ingredients:
Hair wash:
- 1-2 tbsp. Rhassoul clay (for medium length, thick hair)
- 2-4 tbsp. water
- 1-2 drops castor- olive- or jojoba oil (optional)
Follow with this shine boost rinse:
- ¼ – ½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ – 1 cup of Water
- 8 drops of Essential Oils of choice (I’ve used peppermint – definitely wakes you up)
How to use:
Wash:
- Blend the clay part, oil, and water until the mixture is smooth and about the consistency of yogurt.
- Mix the apple cider part (tip: the liquid is easier to distribute in the hair from a small bottle).
- Bring the clay and the vinegar mixes to the bathroom.
- Wet hair.
- Start by dipping the hair ends into the clay mixture then pour the rest over the head and massage into the hair and work down to the roots. Repeat until all hair is coated.
- Leave 2-5 minutes (if detoxing leave up to 20 minutes and cover with a shower cap and a towel – not let dry!).
- Rinse thoroughly with warm water until the water running from the hair is clear.
The shine boost rinse:
- Pour the vinegar mixture into the hair. Avoid hitting the eyes – it is harmless, but it stings.
- If your hair is long you can put it in a bun and then pour the rest of the mixture over it.
- Leave in for 2-3 minutes.
Note: In the heat of battle one might find the bathroom looking like a mudslide, but not to worry it’s very easy to rinse off and all worth it.
Coconut honey shampoo:
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup Pure Castile Soap
- 1/4 cup homemade or canned coconut milk* – homemade seems to work best.
- 1/2 tsp. olive oil (optional – for dry hair)
- 20 drops of essential oil (like peppermint or see the fragrance suggestions below)
- Empty shampoo bottle
How to Make Homemade Shampoo:
- Combine all ingredients in a shampoo bottle.
- Shake well to mix.
- Keep in the shower for up to a month.
- Shake before each use.
- Use about a teaspoon every time you shampoo.
FRAGRANCE SUGGESTIONS:
For hair loss: Grapefruit/Cedarwood. Or Rosemary/Cedarwood
For dry scalp and dandruff**: Lemon/Cedarwood/tea tree
For oily hair or scalp: Bergamot/Cypress/Jasmine. Or Mandarin/Jasmine
*) Tip: freeze the rest of the contents of the coconut can in cubes using an ice cube tray so you can use it for future recipes.
**) Remember that dandruff can be a symptom of much more than a wrong shampoo brand and is very often stress-related.