Natural Hair Care - Shampoo From the Pantry

Fashion minded women have been mixing their own hair care potions from ingredients found in their pantry for hundreds of years. Some recipes have been handed down from generation to generation remaining intact. Others are completely individual, altered depending on what is in the cupboard or what the ‘cook’ feels like using. You may recognize some of these recipes, shared with me by friends. They may seem very strange to you. They are all natural.

From BellaOnline Editor Rae Schwarz:
Rae never uses shampoo. Instead, she mixes brown sugar with conditioner to cleanse her hair. The sugar acts as a scrub to remove soil. She usually mixes 1 tablespoon brown sugar to three tablespoons of conditioner but says that she mixes in more brown sugar when she needs a more cleansing mix.

Forum member, Aiteall uses the same recipe, substituting baking soda for sugar although she had to play with and adjust the amounts. Too much baking soda left her hair in “one big dreadlock.”

Doing away with shampoo is not harmful to your hair. The conditioner will remove dust and light soil while leaving it soft. Adding the brown sugar or baking soda will help in cleansing. Sugar has the benefit of not removing the natural oils while baking soda is more aggressive.

My Grandmother’s recipe for redheads:
Apple cider vinegar – This rinse removes product build up and soap residue, seals the cuticle and leaves your hair shiny.
Recipe – Stir 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into ½ cup warm water. Use as a final rinse after your shampoo and conditioner.

My Grandmother’s recipe for blondes:
Lemon juice is the main ingredient of this recipe to remove product build up and soap residue, shine your hair and seal the cuticle.
Recipe- Use 2 tablespoons lemon juice in ½ cup warm water. Use as a final rinse after your shampoo and conditioner.

The acidic nature of vinegar and lemon juice will remove light product build up and will also cause the cuticle to tighten, creating shine. Apple cider vinegar is reddish-brown in color – perfect for redheads and brunettes. Lemon juice will slightly lighten and brighten blonde hair.

Sea Salt – I’m told that this recipe removes excess oil and product build up.
Recipe – Dissolve 2 tablespoons sea salt in 1 cup of warm water. Pour it over your hair and leave it on for about 5 minutes. Rinse and follow with your shampoo and conditioner. Epsom salt may be used in this recipe instead of sea salt.

The sea salt may remove oil and build up, but I suggest that you do not use it more than once or twice a month. It may be irritating to your scalp and drying to your hair and scalp.

Over the centuries women have come up with their own remedies for hair care, from the garden or the pantry. The recipes listed are all very interesting and have a certain amount of benefit. I didn’t find any that are harmful. As a hairdresser, with color-enhanced hair, I will feel safer sticking to my LC Legacy Shampoo and Conditioner. However, if I’m ever stranded at home with no shampoo, I’ll know what to do!