What is the Best Natural Shampoo?

Two Criteria for Finding The Best Natural Shampoo

The best natural shampoo is the one that best meets two basic criteria:

1. Contains the least amount of artificial additives
2. Meets the specific needs of your hair.

There are plenty of choices in natural shampoos, so you may have to experiment with several brands and products before you find the best one for you. Not all natural shampoos are purely "natural" because it is the artificial additives that make most commercial (and natural) shampoos give hair its shine, create volume, and produce a sudsy lather. Therefore, it is important to know about the common chemical ingredients found even in many "natural" shampoos. It is also important to know what natural ingredients best treat specific hair needs.

Chemical Additives in Shampoo

Nearly all shampoos on the market contain at least two chemical ingredients, even natural shampoos: propylene glycol, and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). Propylene Glycol is the ingredient that makes hair feel silky; and SLS is what creates a nice lather of soapy bubbles when you mix it with water. Other common additives include alpha-hydroxy acids, formaldehyde, and methyl methacrylate. The reason manufacturers can include these and other chemical ingredients in "natural" shampoos is because there are currently no legal guidelines or boundaries to control the ingredients in shampoos and other hygiene and beauty products.

Dangers of Chemicals in Shampoo

The dangers associated with these chemicals include skin and eye irritations, allergic reactions, headaches, and even potential impairment to internal organs such as the heart, liver, and brain as well as the immune system. Some chemical additives can increase the skin’s sensitivity to the sun, thereby posing a higher risk for skin cancer. When different products are used together such as shampoo and conditioner, or shampoo and other hair care products, carcinogenic compounds can form causing further potential for health risks.

Remember, these are all chemical additives found in many "natural" shampoos. You can steer clear of these chemical additives if you make your own natural shampoo. To make a natural shampoo that best meets the needs of your hair, include ingredients that address the special characteristics of your hair.

Natural Shampoo Ingredients

Sage: Sage contains an antioxidant that works as an antibacterial. This serves to prevent damage to hair from the harsh elements in the environment.

Rosemary: Rosemary helps to strengthen the hair follicles. This is particularly good for thinning or balding problems.

Nettles: Nettles purify and stimulate the blood flow. As a result, nettles support hair growth. This is also good for thinning or balding problems.

Lavender: Lavender is good for problems with dandruff as it helps to reduce the signs of a flakey scalp.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar strips residual build-up of commercial products and the effects of air pollution. The acidic composition of apple cider vinegar balances the alkaline levels. It also serves as an antibacterial so it helps protect the hair from damage.

Aromatic Extracts: Lemon, lavender, and vanilla extracts leave the hair with a fresh, clean aroma without the harmful chemicals found in other aromatic additives.

So What is the Best Natural Shampoo?

Experiment with different natural shampoos to find the one that is best suited for your hair. You may find however, that the best natural shampoo is the one that comes from your own kitchen. Making your own natural shampoo is the only way to be sure that all the ingredients are 100% natural. Keep in mind, however, these basic rules:

• If you have dry hair, you will need more essential oils;
• If your hair is naturally oily, cut down on the amount of oils;
• While natural shampoos will not lather like commercial shampoos, the cleansing qualities are not compromised (ie. natural shampoos still clean your hair just as much as chemical-based shampoos).

Roll Up Your Sleeves and Make Your Own Herbal Shampoo - Update Published February 19th, 2012

Though there is an endless supply of commercial shampoos on the market, making your own shampoo is appealing for many reasons. You can control the ingredients that you use and you can control the formula’s fragrance along with its conditioning and strengthening properties. In addition, you will likely save a lot of money over purchasing commercial shampoos.

For example, when you buy a regular bottle of shampoo, you will probably be paying anywhere from $2 for cheapo shampoos similar in formula to dishwashing liquid to $30 for high end brands. Most people buy shampoos in the range of $5 - $15. When you make your own shampoo, you can usually make a huge supply of shampoo for $10. You can then derive about 5 to 10 normal sized shampoo bottles from that supply over time.

This means that homemade shampoo will probably cost you 5 to 10 times less than commercial brands. If you want to have luxurious ingredients in your home shampoo, it will cost a little bit more, but keep in mind, before you spend, that you can get great effects from cheaper natural ingredients like honey, olive oil and lavender essential oil.

The only thing with homemade shampoo is that you cannot make a lot and save it because it might go rotten. Keep the ingredients separate until you are ready to make shampoo, so they do not spoil. Some formulas work well when frozen, but you have to experiment and use your discretion to determine what will first freeze well, and then defrost well.

Get Started

Cones are any beauty ingredient that ends in the word cone, like silicone or dimethicone. If you use hair products with cones in them, then you will need to use a regular cheap shampoo like Suave or White Rain, or baby shampoo as your base, because these brands have sulfates in them.

Sulfates are the only things that will remove cones. A gentler formula that removes cones contains coco-betaine, and you will find that in Organix shampoos and Burt’s Bees shampoos, but these shampoos are rather expensive ($8 - $12 for about ½ quart or less). If saving money is your goal, then your base soap/shampoo should cost less than $10 for a ½ gallon.

If you do not use cones in your hair styling products, then you can use castile soap as your base. Though castile soap provides less suds than traditional shampoo does, this is normal and your hair is still getting clean when you use your homemade castile based shampoo.

Another thing that you should expect is that your shampoo might come out thinner than commercial shampoo. Part of the reason for this is the nature of castile and thinner sulfate bases that you will use, but the other reason is that you will be using rich ingredients like honey, oils and moisturizing herbs in your recipe that will have powerful effects on your hair, but might thin out your final recipe.

Sulfate Base

In order to make your sulfate shampoo, you should mix 2 parts of your sulfate base with one part herbal tea (see list below).

Castile Base

There are no hard and fast rules when you are diluting your castile base with tea. You can start with a dilution of 1 part castile soap to 3 parts tea (see list below) and see if you like it. You can adjust more or less castile soap or tea until you reach your desired consistency. Your measurements might also change when you add the other ingredients.

Adding Ingredients

Teas and Foods:

When you are choosing herbal teas to add to your shampoo base, there are a variety of herbs that are great for any hair or scalp condition. Whether you want fuller hair, softer hair, longer hair, detangled hair, dandruff and dermatitis relief or strengthening, there are bound to be some herbs and treatments that you can purchase from your local organic store that will satisfy your needs.

• A mixture of comfrey, burdock, rosemary and nettle will restore the natural balance to your hair.
• For dry hair, add 1/8 to ¼ cup of avocado, coconut or olive oil and 1/8 to ¼ cup of honey to your shampoo. You will not get many suds with this blend, but you will have soft, well-moisturized, clean hair.
• If you constantly suffer from dry hair, avoid excessive sun, heat styling tools, cheap hair styling products and chlorine. Make sure to wrap your hair nightly in satin and sleep on satin pillowcases.

Essential Oils:

For many, it is best to add essential oils based on smell. Once your shampoo has reached a smell that is palatable to you, chances are this is the best blend for your hair. If an oil is an especially strong one like peppermint, then you might want to start very small, even if the smell is non-existent. You can always build up from there.

For most shampoos, you will use anywhere from 5 to 30 drops of your favorite essential oil(s) depending on how many oils you are using in your shampoo.

Herbal Teas and Foods

• Looking for growth? Try nettle, basil, sage, onion juice, rosemary or St. John’s Wort.
• Looking to combat dryness? Try elder flowers, preferred oil, comfrey root, or orange blossoms
• Looking for herbs that work with normal hair? Try horsetail, dandelion and clover.
• Looking for help with oily hair? Try strawberry leaf, watercress, lemon grass or white willow bark.
• Looking for shine? Try raspberry, vinegar, quassia, or flax seed gel.
• Looking to condition very curly or kinky hair? Try nettle, preferred oil, comfrey or cherry bark.
• Looking for softness? Try burdock root, marjoram, or cherry bark.
• Looking for manageability? Try yogurt or cherry bark.
• Looking for dandruff help? Try birch bark, nettle, peppermint, comfrey, white willow bark, or vinegar.

Essential Oil Ideas

• Lavender is calming and soothing, great for dandruff, and skin conditions
• Peppermint is invigorating, and some feel that it stimulates growth. It is also good for dandruff or psoriasis.