Shampoos, Conditioners and Rinses for Your Hair

Herbal Ingredient List:

• Burdock: root helps prevent dandruff
• Catmint: leaves encourage hair growth and soothes scalp irritations
• Chamomile: flowers soften and lighten hair
• Flannel Mullein: lightens hair
• Goosegrass: tonic and cleansing, helps prevent dandruff
• Henna: red hair dye and conditioner
• Horsetail: non-fertile stems and branches strengthens the hair
• Lavender: antiseptic, antibiotic, stimulates hair growth, and degreases
• Lime: flowers clean and softens
• Marigold: lightens hair color
• Nasturtium: for hair growth
• Parsley: enriches hair color and gives a nice luster
• Rosemary: tonic and conditioner, one of the best herbs to use, gives luster and body, also slightly darkens the hair
• Rhubarb: the root makes a yellow hair dye
• Sage: tonic and conditioning, darkens the hair
• Southernwood: encourages hair growth and helps prevent dandruff
• Stinging Nettle: tonic and conditioning and helps prevent dandruff
• Witch Hazel: leaves and bark are astringent and cleanses oily hair

Herbal Shampoo for Oily Hair

• 2 tbsp. dry peppermint
• 2 tbsp. dry spearmint
• 1 tbsp. dried sage
• 1 cup water
• 2/3 cup baby shampoo

Combine herbs and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to steep for 20 minutes. Strain out the herbs and mix the baby shampoo with the herbal water. Pour into an empty, used shampoo bottle.

Dandruff Treatment

• 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2/3 cup boiling water
• 2/3-cup cider vinegar

Place the herbs in the bowl. Pour in the boiling water. Cover and allow to steep for 20 minutes.Strain into the bottle, add the vinegar, and shake. Store in a cool dry place. Shampoo and rinse the hair thoroughly; massage a small amount into the scalp. Between shampoos, massage in a small amount before going to bed. This can help eliminate dandruff.

Chamomile Shampoo

• 1 handful fresh or dried chamomile flowers
• 1 3/4 cup boiling water
• 3 tablespoons pure soap flake, OR save leftover pieces of soap.
• 1-tablespoon glycerin
• 5 drops yellow food coloring (optional)

Place the flowers in a bowl and cover with the boiling water. Let stand for 15 minutes, then strain into the other bowl.Clean the first bowl. Combine the soap and hot infusion in it. Let stand until the soap softens - a few minutes. Beat in the glycerin and food coloring until well blended. Pour the mixture into the bottle. Keep in a cool dark place.

Fruit Conditioner

• 1 avocado (peeled and mashed)
• 1 cup coconut milk

Combine mashed avocado with some coconut milk. Mash together until it's smooth and about as thick as shampoo. Comb it through the hair and let sit for 10 -15 minutes, wash out.

Banana Conditioner

• 1 ripe banana
• Few drops of almond oil

Massage into your hair and then allow to work its wonders for about 15 minutes. Rinse with soda water and then shampoo and condition as usual.

Rosemary Conditioner

• Rosemary essential oil

Add a few drops of rosemary essential oil to the palms of your hands, work through out your entire hair.

Homemade Hair Rinse

• For shiny hair, rinse with cider vinegar; one half cup to every quart of water.
• If natural highlights are what you're looking for, use chamomile tea, or make your own rinse by steeping chamomile flowers in hot water, then strain.
• Remove build up caused by hair sprays and other products with a rinse of Witch Hazel.

Whichever one you use, make sure you catch the liquid in a bowl if you want to rinse your hair more than once.