HOMEMADE HERBAL SHAMPOO RECIPE - Only 3 Ingredients

Hey there, if you grew up in India, do you remember your school days?, We never wore our hair untied, we went to school with two braids that were well oiled. And that hair oil was prepared by our Mums or Grannies at home with hibiscus, gooseberry and a lot of other herbs that nourished our hair. And we washed our hair with homemade shikakai i.e soap pod mixture which was a blend of many herbs that nourished our hair.

My Funny Hair Story

I have to tell you my funny hair story, I used to have my hair up to my knees when I was in school. It bothered me so much because I could not wear a ponytail, which I fancied soo much in those days. Wearing your hair in a ponytail felt like you are very fashionable, and having to braid your hair felt like you are handcuffed. Other girls were soo jealous of my long hair, but I was jealous of their short hair, and the different ways they could style it, whereas I was made to wear 2 braids all the time.

Whenever I asked my mother if I could cut my hair, she always replied vaguely that I should wait for an auspicious time, such as when the moon was waxing, so my hair would grow back along with it. But when the moon was waxing, she would come up with another reason. When I asked too frequently, she would simply become angry and leave the room.

She could never explain to me why my super long braids were so important to her. Those were my childhood days, I guess if you grew up in an Indian household, you would have memories like this about the obsession for long hair. If you have such fond memories, please do comment them below the post, it will be really nostalgic to read them.

Busy Mornings

I did cut my hair after I started working, because it became really difficult for me to manage it on my own. Many of us have short hair these days for convenience. It makes life much easier in the mornings, you only need 5 minutes to do your hair in your busy mornings. But we need to have healthy hair without any hair fall, premature greying, or dandruff. We basically aim for a shiny, healthy and strong hair.

My kids have a long hair too. Contrary to my childhood, I want to cut their hair now, but they want long hair, these days all the girls love long hair, I think its the effect of Disney princesses, they all have long hair don’t they?? It’s making its effect on girls I guess.

Even though its hard to make their hair in my busy mornings, I try to keep their hair and scalp healthy and strong, I use homemade herbal shampoo to wash our hair. I have already shared my Grandma’s special hair oil we make at home which stops your hair fall and increases your hair growth.

Many Shampoos to Choose From

When we were kids, there were not many shampoos or cosmetics around. The only thing we used to wash our hair was with the homemade herbal shikakai powder, which is a blend of many herbs. We didn’t have any hair fall issues those days, or premature grey, which I have seen even some kids are having these days, or dandruff, or hair split ends. We didn’t have any of those hair related issues.

But nowadays, there are so many types of shampoos available, that are loaded with many harmful chemicals. It not only damages your hair, it affects your skin too. I make this pure herbal shampoo at home which we use regularly. This shampoo recipe is 100% totally herbal. All the ingredients I use are easily available. In India you can buy them easily in Ayurvedic herbal shops, but I don’t get them in London, so I buy them online. It’s easier that way for me.

I’ll give you the links for all the herbal items at the end of this post. It will make it easier for you to buy the ingredients.

You only need 3 ingredients to make this easy herbal shampoo at home. I am going to give you 2 versions of herbal shampoo recipes in this post, one for normal hair and the other for dry and frizzy hair.

Shikakai (Soap pod)

I use Shikakai in my herbal shampoo, it has been used traditionally for hair care in India since ancient times. It is one of the Ayurvedic medicinal plants. This has very low PH levels, which preserves your hair’s natural oils. It works as a shampoo and detangler at the same time. Shikakai also prevents and eliminates dandruff. It nourishes hair , making it grow faster and stronger.

Dry Reetha (Soapnut)

The next important ingredient is, Reetha. If you have dull hair, Washing with reetha provides shining and silky hair. When it comes in contact with water, it creates mild suds that resemble soap which is very useful in creating herbal shampoo.

This plant is rich in saponin, which makes your hair healthy, shiny, and lustrous when used regularly. If you have sensitive scalp then reetha is the solution to wash your hair. This is an excellent alternative for people who are allergic to sulfates and parabens in the commercial shampoo. The natural saponins in reetha not only cleans hair, they add shine and body and make hair look thicker and smoother.

You don’t need the seeds of reetha, we are going to use only the shells. The seeds need to be discarded. But my kids always make some craft with it. You can paint them in different colors and put them in a glass bowl as a table decoration, or you can stick them around your tea cup coasters, you can use your imagination not to waste these beautiful looking seeds. But if you have very small kiddies, don’t give it to them, if they put in their mouth, they might choke on them.

Amla (Gooseberry)

Gooseberry contains the highest levels of vitamin C on planet earth. Its a great conditioner. It’s a super food to your hair that strengthens hair roots and reduce premature pigment loss from hair, and stimulates hair growth. If you have dandruff issues, then using amla/gooseberry on your hair removes dandruff naturally without damaging your scalp.

Ingredients

100 g Shikakai / Soap pod (Acacia concinna)
100 g Dry reetha / Soapnut (Sapindus mukorossi)
50 g Dried Amla / Gooseberry

Method

Remove the shells off the Reetha(soapnut). Crush the Reetha shells coarsely in a mortar and pestle or in a mixer grinder.
Break the Shikakai(soap pod) into pieces, that way it won’t damage the mixer blades. And grind this into a coarse mixer.
And also crush the dried Amla(gooseberry) into a coarse powder as well.
Mix all the 3 powders together. And this is your herbal shampoo base. You can store it in a container and use it for months. It will be easy when you have busy life with kids, you don’t have to make this base every time you want to use it on your hair. Lets see how to make the herbal shampoo with this base.
Add 2 tsp of herbal shampoo base to 2 cups of water and heat it in an iron pan (you can use any pan, but I have found that boiling it in an iron pan makes it rich in iron and it promotes hair growth. Let it come to a boil and then reduce the flame and simmer it for another 8 to 10 minutes. The longer you cook the more concentrated the shampoo will become. If it’s too thick you can always dilute it with some water.
Once it cools down cover it with a lid and leave it overnight, the liquid will turn to a darker colour.
In the morning, crush the Reetha, Shikakai, and Amla mixture with your hand. Strain it with a cheese cloth or cotton, and squeeze all the liquid out of it.

How to Store It?

You may think its a long process, but actually its not, it just needs some planning. You need to plan and boil it the day before you wash your hair. Yet to do this every time, before you wash your hair, can put many off. And you cannot make a large batch and store the liquid in the fridge, as it will turn bad.

But what I normally do is, I freeze the mixture into ice trays, and use it as and when required. You can take out 2 to 3 cubes (more or less depending on the length of your hair) just few hours before you want to use it and leave it outside in a bowl, and it will be ready by the time you take your shower.

How to use this herbal shampoo?

Use just as you will with a normal shampoo. Wet you hair first, then massage this herbal shampoo on the scalp, and move towards the ends of your hair. Massage your entire hair with it. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and then rinse.

This Shampoo Suits All Hair Types

This shampoo is suitable for all hair types. It will not strip the natural oils from your hair. This is probably the original pH balanced shampoo. If you have very dry and frizzy hair you can make a make a special version of this herbal shampoo. I will show you how to make it.

Special Herbal shampoo for very dry and frizzy hair

Take 4 tbsp fenugreek seeds. It is, also called methi seeds. They are rich in protein, iron, and vitamins that are helpful to prevent both hair loss and dandruff. It deep conditions the frizzy hair.
Grind it into a powder
Add 1 tbsp Neem powder. Neem prevents any infections in the scalp, protects us from hair thinning and balding. I will give you the link here for high grade Neem powder.
Store this mixture in a bottle. There is one more secret ingredient to deep condition your hair, which I will tell you once we make the shampoo with this.
Add 2 tsp herbal shampoo powder (the one that we have already made) to 2 cups of water in an iron pan.
Add 1 tsp of Fenugreek and Neem powder to it and bring it to a boil. Simmer it for 8 to 10 minutes and switch off the flame.
Cover it with a lid and leave it overnight.
Next morning, crush the Shikakai, Reetha and Amla pieces by your hand. And then Filter it using a cheese cloth or cotton.
And here is my secret ingredient to deep condition your frizzy hair, Mix 1 tbsp coconut milk with your herbal shampoo. Coconut milk makes your hair extra conditioned if your strands are prone to dryness. It also contains vitamin E and fats that fight damage and deeply condition your hair. Coconut milk is one of the best things you could pamper your hair with.

Where can you Buy the Herbal Shampoo Ingredients?

If you live in India, these ingredients are available in ayurvedic herbal shops, But always buy these herbs from a reputed seller, so you know what you are getting is pure herbs. I don’t have Ayurvedic or herbal stores in London, so I usually buy them online. Initially when I bought a few years ago, I was not happy with the quality, so I bought it from few vendors online and figured out myself who sells the high grade herbs. I will give you links at the end of this post if that’s helpful to you.

This homemade herbal shampoo is a great natural cleanser. It is free from chemicals like Sulfate, parabens, and other additives, and moreover packaging – no more plastic bottles. It is mild, having naturally low pH and will not strip the natural oils from your hair.

Usually, no conditioner is needed, as shikakai is a natural softner and detangler. But if you have frizzy hair then use the shampoo recipe No.2. It deep conditions your hair. If you have never used these herbs before, do a patch test to see if you are allergic to any of the ingredients. If you have used this, please share your experience and result below this post. I would love to hear from you.

Good Luck 🙂