Teach Me Tuesdays: DIY NO-POO Method "Shampoo" Recipes

I have been slowly going down the list of chemical free cleansers and household cleaners this year. I have heard of natural shampooing and the reasons for going El'naturel' for a few years, but nothing has been as compelling as the simple paragraph I recently read from MomsAWARE BLOG HEALTH'S JOURNEY:

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"Our hair is made up of fiber, much like wool that comes from sheep or Kashmir goats. With at least 100,000 hair fibers on our head, it makes sense to treat our hair much like we would a cashmere sweater. Most commercial shampoos contain chemicals like sodium lauryl sulfate, which strip much-needed moisture and amino acids. Why not switch from the "heavy-duty cycle" to "delicate" and try these natural alternatives?"

SO that being said, I have started down the natural "NO-Poo Method" of cleansing my hair on the "Natural Cycle". I have only tried #1 & #5, so far, the rest are some I have found on this site:

1. Baking Soda-- Dissolve about 1 tablespoon of baking soda in just enough water to make a paste. Apply this to your roots only; work it in and let it sit for a minute. (Having ready made in travels sized containers like pictured above is a great idea) I have used a picnic condiment bottle with a long nozzle to make sure the baking soda stays in the root area.
   
   (Next STEP IS IMPORTANT! YOU need to do this to lower PH- use only on ends) After you rinse the baking soda out, pour the apple cider vinegar over the ends of your hair, let it sit for a minute and then rinse it out. That’s all there is to it!  Pour about 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a cup and add water. (Having ready made in travels sized containers like pictured above is a great idea or in a spray bottle. ) I also use a similar bottle for ACV rinse. This is the easiest and cheapest, I have a delicate scalp so this formula isn't one I use the most, only when I run out of rhassoul clay.
2. Castile Bar Soap.--Shampoo can be as simple as an all-natural, fragrance-free soap. Either grate the bar and make liquid soap, or moisten it and use the resulting lather to cleanse your hair. A little goes a long way! {Blogger "momsAWARE" offers a chemical-free, all-natural coconut castile bar soap, available at thier Online Store.}
   What seems to be most important is to be sure to use a pH-restoring conditioner such as apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, or coffee grounds to bring the hair back to its natural pH level of approximately 5.6.
   
   Greta Breedlove, author of The Herbal Home Spa, offers these suggestions for shampooing your hair:
   • Wet hair thoroughly and use a small amount of shampoo, a dollop about the size of a quarter.
   • Put the shampoo on your hands. Rub together to form lather before applying to your hair.
   • Use your fingertips, not your fingernails, to massage the shampoo into your scalp.
   • Rinse hair thoroughly, then shampoo again.
   • Rinse again thoroughly, using the coolest water possible for the shiniest hair.
   • Pat hair dry; avoid rubbing.
   • Gently comb hair. (Consider a natural bamboo comb.)
3. Birch Shampoo.--Adapted from the book Better Basics for the Home by Annie Berthold-Bond. Birch was a major ingredient of nineteenth-century shampoos. Birch contains betulin, which is beneficial for hair loss. (See momsAWARE's article Five Ways to Stimulate Hair Growth for more help on hair loss.) The following recipe uses a birch herbal infusion.     To make an herbal infusion, pour 2 c. boiling water over 2 tbsp. birch bark or birch leaves. (Herb sources include  Mountain Rose Herbs.)
   • 1 c. birch water (directions above)
   • 4 oz. raw apple cider vinegar
   • 1 oz. liquid castile soap
   • 1 tsp. vegetable glycerin
   Combine ingredients in glass jar. Shake well. This formula can be stored at room temperature for up to 6 months. Note: The high salicylic acid content of birch makes it beneficial for dandruff. Add tea tree oil to the above recipe for added benefit.
4. Egg and Lemon Shampoo.--Adapted from the book Green Beauty Recipes by Julie Gabriel.
   • 1 egg yolk
   • 1/2 oz. olive oil
   • 1/2 oz. liquid castile soap
   • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
   • 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
   Combine egg yolk with olive oil. Add remaining ingredients and stir slowly. Wet your hair and massage well. Leave on for 30 seconds or more. Rinse with lukewarm water. (REALLY IMPORTANT TO USE COOLER WATER, UNLESS YOU WANT SCRAMBLED EGGS!!)For oily hair, use even less or no oil. Rinsing with straight beer is really nice will give you a bouncy rinse to curls and straight hair.
5. Rhassoul Clay. {This is my chosen shampoo I LOVE rhassoul clay, the benefits are amazing ck this link for more info as to why I believe so. NOW  after one week, I am not so thrilled w/my hair, after 20 years in the salon industry I am used to my hair feeling differently. I am going to try this, but not sure I can stand the withdrawal...} Rhassoul clay has been used for hundreds of years for skin and hair care. This shampoo method involves some trial and error, but may be worth it for those who desire a thorough cleansing of the scalp and hair.

To create your clay shampoo: 

• Combine 2 tbsp. rhassoul clay
• 1/2 c. filtered water.
•  Allow this to hydrate for several minutes until the mixture reaches a spreadable consistency. 
• Add more warm water if needed. 
• This should keep at room temperature for 1-2 weeks, or longer in the refrigerator.

 Directions for shampooing: 

• Apply liquid paste to hair and scalp.
• Comb through to distribute clay mixture. 
• Rinse thoroughly. 
• Comb through again and rinse one more time. 

I really prefer the Clay over the Baking Soda

For more information, see momsAWARE's helpful article on Rhassoul Clay.

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