Natural Shampoo Alternatives

**mellie** · November 2nd, 2008, 07:04 AM

Since I started the "Natural Conditioner Alternatives" thread, I thought it might make sense to make another one for Shampoo!

Please list here your tried and tested all natural, homemade shampoos!

Here's mine (I can't take credit for it though, it is from the book "Beauty Secrets of India".)
***
Soapnut Shampoo

1 c. whole soapnuts
1 c. water
1 T. lemon or lime juice

Soak soapnuts in water overnight. Take out the soapnuts, dry them and save in a plastic bag for one more use. You should have 8 oz. soapnut liquid. If not, add enough water to make 8 oz. Add the lemon or lime juice, pour into a squirt bottle and keep in the fridge. Shake before use.

When using, shield your eyes with one hand as the liquid will burn your eyes if it gets in them. Squirt through your scalp and rub lightly (it will run down your ends so don't worry about them). Leave on a few minutes then rinse out.

***
P.S. This liquid is also great for handwashing dishes and wiping down counters, as it is antiseptic and antibacterial.

P.P.S. Also, I notice a LOT less shedding when I use soapnuts!

ETA: Here's a closeup pic of my hair after a few weeks of exclusive soapnut shampoos:

**ChloeDharma** · November 2nd, 2008, 10:43 AM

I have some powdered soapnuts (reetha) that i've never used, i might try them though.
My reliable one is Shikakai, though i don't have just one way that i use it. The simplest one though is i add a few teaspoons to a jug and pour on some boiling water, stir, leave to cool down then pour over my hair working it into my scalp. I leave that on for a few minutes then rinse and apply whatever conditioning concoction i'm using that wash.

**mellie** · November 2nd, 2008, 10:45 AM

Your hair so pretty! Is Shikakai what you usually use?

**ChloeDharma** · November 2nd, 2008, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by mellie

Your hair so pretty! Is Shikakai what you usually use?

Oh bless your heart darlin!

Recently i've been lazy and mainly CO washing, but yes, usually i use the shikakai as a wash then another blend of conditioning herbs afterwards, though i have added a teaspoon of shikakai to the conditioning herbs before as a kind of herbal 2 in 1 thing which can work ok.

Your hair is looking stunning i must say, you got the shine a pantene commercial promises!

**mellie** · November 2nd, 2008, 11:19 AM

Shucks, thank you! That's the soapnuts! :-)

**HotRag** · November 2nd, 2008, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by ChloeDharma

Recently i've been lazy and mainly CO washing, but yes, usually i use the shikakai as a wash then another blend of conditioning herbs afterwards, though i have added a teaspoon of shikakai to the conditioning herbs before as a kind of herbal 2 in 1 thing which can work ok.

What herbs do you use for conditioning?

And, doesn't your hair become dry from shikakai?
(I have just tried soapnuts, and just one time two days ago.)

**ChloeDharma** · November 2nd, 2008, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by HotRag

What herbs do you use for conditioning?

And, doesn't your hair become dry from shikakai?
(I have just tried soapnuts, and just one time two days ago.)

No, it's never become dry from using shikakai, though i never have used it on hair that hasn't been thoroughly oiled.
The conditioning herbs i use vary, but powdered methi seed is always included (left overnight for it to swell and release the mucilage) others i include are amla, brahmi, bhringraj, kapur kachli. I sometimes mix some yogurt with it for extra conditioning, or aloe or honey...just depends on my mood really.

**Akiko** · November 2nd, 2008, 03:46 PM

I tried shikakai, amla, rice rinse water and combination of these.

Now I am pretty much settled with this recipe.

=========
300 ml of rice rinse water
2 teaspoons (10ml) of shikakai powder
1 teaspoon (5ml) of amla powder

Add shikakai and amla to rice rinse water. Bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes over low heat. Let it cool. Strain with tea strainer. Use half of it per hair wash. I pour the liquid in a Rubbermaid dressing bottle with small tip. Pour over my scalp and rub. Put on a shower cap. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Rinse.
=========

Rise rinse water is white translucent water you get when I rinse regular California rice before cooking. There is saponin in rice rinse water. When I shake rinse water, it bubbles up like very diluted shampoo.

When I used shikakai alone, or rice rinse water alone, it did not clean my oily scalp well. It was still oily. So I combined the two. Amla adds body to my hair. But if I add too much amla, my hair does not feel silky. So I just add half the amount of Shikakai.

Also I feel a significant difference when I boil and simmer shikakai soup (?). I wonder if someone else here has similar experience.

When I just added powder in hot water, the liquid was somewhat drying for me. So I needed to pre-oil my hair. But if I boil, shikakai liquid not only cleans but conditions my hair, making it easier to comb. My hair feels like I used regular conditioner. Smooth. Also it is not so drying. I don't need to pre-oil.

I seem to be able to extract something from powder when I bring to a boil and simmer.

Saponin is found in variety of grains, such as wheat, soybeans, red beans and chickpeas. But I have not tried any of them yet.

**HotRag** · November 2nd, 2008, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by ChloeDharma

No, it's never become dry from using shikakai, though i never have used it on hair that hasn't been thoroughly oiled.
The conditioning herbs i use vary, but powdered methi seed is always included (left overnight for it to swell and release the mucilage) others i include are amla, brahmi, bhringraj, kapur kachli. I sometimes mix some yogurt with it for extra conditioning, or aloe or honey...just depends on my mood really.

Thank you for your answer.