I love to keep things as simple as possible. The truth is that when you make your own herbal hair products at home, you may get frustrated if you create too many different products, or don’t know how to use them. Instead of going back to chemical hair care out of frustration, I will share with you two sample hair care regimens for different hair types including what I do for my hair.
I feel like every week I have a new understanding or unique revelation with my hair. For example I’m testing out a new theory for the single strand knot problem that I encountered over and over again last year. Being flexible to try a few different hair care techniques and ingredient combinations are important when building a new all natural hair care regimen. You will discover that all of your hair needs can be met by nature.
Dry Hair Care Regimen (What I Do)
I wash my hair now once a week since my hair is maintaining its proper moisture levels throughout the week. If it is not maintaining its proper moisture levels, I will wash my hair midweek. During a midweek wash I will skip Step 1.
Step 1: Deep Conditioning
Henna treatments keep my hair strong, manageable, and easy to detangle. My henna treatment is also my deep conditioning treatment. I deep condition my hair 2-3 times a month. Godrej Nupur Mehendi Henna is my go to henna.
I premix my henna treatment the night before which includes body art quality henna and canned organic coconut milk. In the morning I add either hemp or wheat germ oil to my henna mix. I apply my henna treatment to dry hair. I leave my henna treatment in for 1-3 hours or more depending on my schedule. For the specifics on this recipe and application method read Henna For Hair 101. For more strengthening and conditioning options read Part 3 of this series. Cassia is another wonderful option for deep conditioning hair without imparting the rich color that henna provides.
Step 2: Cleanse
After rinsing my henna treatment completely in the tub, I follow with my herbal hair cleanser. I recently used an herbal mix of yucca, brahmi, and slippery elm for my herbal hair cleanser with great results. Learn more on how to combine herbs for a hair cleanser in Part 2 of this series.
I apply my herbal hair cleanser outside of the shower in four sections. I do this so I do not have to stand in the shower for a long length of time doing my hair. I keep the herbal hair cleanser in my hair for 10-15 minutes, then prepare to rinse and finger detangle my hair in the shower. I very gently use a wide tooth seamless comb on the last 1-2 inches of my hair so that no tangles can form at the ends of my hair. This new technique makes finger detangling the bulk of my hair easier.
Step 3: Moisturize & Style
I use aloe vera juice or an herbal hair tea like catnip in a spray bottle to moisturize and leave-in my hair or as a hair rinse. I also enjoy using 100% Pure Vanilla Bean Body Cream as a hair moisturizer/leave-in. The 100% Pure Body Cream leaves a gorgeous scent on my hair as well as has ingredients that are healthy for the body and do not pollute the water. If I get tired of vanilla bean there are a bunch of other scents to choose from. I also make my own hair lotion, yet absolutely love 100% Pure products.
Another option is to apply a hair butter such as shea butter mixed with other carrier and essential oils on top of my spritz or to use alone. To style I usually braid or twist my hair. For a naturally curly wash-and-go style, I will use a natural oil and/or flaxseed gel.
My hair regimen takes about two hours excluding product preparation which I do on another day, and the length of time I leave henna in my hair which varies. During my henna treatment, I usually either do some work at home or even take a nap if I’ve had a long week.
Oily Hair Care Regimen
If you have been using commercial hair care products, or products that are not pH balanced, your scalp is most likely imbalanced and producing even more oil than it naturally would. Drying chemical shampoos can make your hair actually produce more oil/sebum to compensate. Balancing out your natural sebum production will improve the look and feel of your hair over time.
Although you may experience a transition period without this chemically drying hair cycle, this will be the most important thing that you can do for growing healthy hair in the long run. Depending on the thickness and length of your hair, excess sebum production may be more or less tolerable. Here is a sample regimen for oily hair types.
Part 1: Deep Conditioning
Deep conditioning the hair should be used as needed as oily hair already produces enough sebum which is a true natural conditioner for hair. Conditioning the hair prior to washing is probably one of the easiest methods when using natural conditioners. Oiling the hair with coconut oil is very popular amongst all hair types as coconut oil is one of the few oils to penetrate the hair shaft and also strengthens and moisturizes hair strands. Olive and avocado oil also penetrate the hair shaft and make great conditioning oils.
If coconut, olive, or avocado oil are too heavy on your hair, jojoba oil is most similar to our natural sebum and so much lighter. For your deep conditioning treatment, concentrate your natural oil of choice from mid-shaft to the ends of your hair. Leave-in for at least 20-30 minutes before washing out.
Another choice for deep conditioning the hair is with natural hair coloring/conditioning treatments. Cassia is wonderful is you are not looking for color as it is also called neutral henna. Cassia treatments will give golden highlights to hair and will be completely unnoticeable for darker hair colors.
Cassia and henna can really make a difference for all hair types while preventing the damage that traditional hair dyes cause. You can find premixed henna, cassia, and indigo hair coloring/conditioning treatments by Mountain Rose Herbs and Light Mountain Natural Hair Color. Find more articles on henna here.
Part 2: Cleansing
Aritha and clay washes are extremely helpful for cleansing oily hair. A sample hair wash for oily hair would be with aritha, bentonite clay, and marshmallow root. The marshmallow root will help with detangling the hair as well as provide gentle conditioning. Aritha is pretty amazing on its own too.
A good scalp massage will help break up sebum and dirt prior to rinsing out the herbal hair cleanser. There are definitely other cleansing herbs that can be used for creating an effective hair cleanser for oily hair as well. Read more on herbal hair cleansers here.
Part 3: Hair Rinses
Using an herbal, vinegar, or aloe vera rinse can provide the hair with amazing shine while also further aiding the detangling process. A hair rinse will close the hair cuticle which is very important for healthy hair in the long run. Whether you decide to use the rinse as a leave in or actually rinse with water afterwards depends on your hair needs. Herbal hair rinses can be made like a tea. Use one tablespoon of vinegar to one cup of water for a vinegar rinse. Aloe vera juice can be used undiluted. Always use a wide tooth seamless comb to detangle your hair. Investing in a quality hair comb can really make a difference with the overall health of your hair.
Part 4: Light Oils & Styling Gels
Using a light oil focusing on the very ends of your hair will keep the most fragile part of your hair protected. You will only need a few drops. A few favorites for leaving in hair are jojoba, grapeseed, or coconut oil. Some prefer to apply oil to wet hair and others to dry hair. Try both to see what works best for you.
If you have wavy or curly hair definitely consider making flaxseed gel or even the gel from dried marshmallow root as a styling product. Both flaxseed and marshmallow root are mucilage herbs which will create a gel from boiling and straining. You can read more about how to make flaxseed gel here and about marshmallow root here. Marshmallow root will produce a lighter gel of the two herbs.
Modify these sample regimens as needed for your own hair needs and preferences. Also share any natural hair care tips and techniques you love. If you haven’t read the three other articles from this series, check them out and let me know what you think! Best Wishes!
No More Chemical Hair Care–Part 1
No More Chemical Hair Care–Part 2–Herbal Hair Cleansers
No More Chemical Hair Care–Part 3–Conditioners & Leave-Ins
(Image by D Sharon Pruitt)
Daisy says
My regimen is quite different.
My rinse and cleanse are kind of the same regimen, I first put apple Cider vinegar all over my scalp to completely cleanse, but I don’t wash it off. I then put a mixture of clay and water on as a cleanse. Sometimes I mix the vinegar with clay. I detangle when I’m putting the apple cider vinegar so when the clay is on my hair is detangled.
I then wash then condition with a Shea Moisture organic conditioner. I have found nothing works like it. I’ve bought organic conditioners from whole foods, etc. Nope, this bottle is amazing!
After, I use coconut oil all over the hair and some carrier oils on the scalp.
When I feel like deep conditioning, I open the fridge and see what can be used.
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Daisy, Thanks for sharing your regimen! Clay and apple cider vinegar is a very easy mix which works extremely well. I love that you go to your fridge for your deep conditioner!
Vicky says
Hi Dawn! I would like to ask for your advice in connection with coconut oil. I´ve been looking to include it as a daily moisturizer, but I´m having a hard time finding the right brand, since some seem to be advertised as food while others are labeled as skin care products, but they all seem to be just coconut oil. Is there a difference between edible oil and cosmetic oil? I usually shop on iherb, do you know any of the brands they sell are good choices for coconut oil for skin care purposes? I should be looking for organic, raw, unrefined oil, right? Any other tips to finding the right one? Thanks!!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Vicky, Look for organic extra virgin coconut oil. I find the best value of extra virgin coconut oil at Trader Joe’s. I usually buy edible ingredients as much as possible. Peace & Sunshine!
Lana says
Hi Dawn,
Thank you for providing so many options and natural ingredients for us to work with.
I’d like to apply the same simplicity to my hair products as I have to my skin products, as I think it would help my hair too, but the problem for me is most of these things yield a good amount of product that must be refrigerated and used quickly. I’m just not going to use 8 oz. of gel or hair conditioner every week, at least not until my hair (hopefully) grows longer. Do you have any alternative recipes/ingredients that don’t need to be refrigerated (for a cleanser, conditioner, detangling leave-in and styler) or any natural products you do recommend for any of these that wouldn’t need to be refrigerated?
Also, I’ve tried ACV and water mix to cleanse, but can you overdo it if you use it 1x/week? Sometimes my hair feels drier after I use it.
For reference, I have fine but corkscrew curly hair that breaks pretty easily. Trying to grow it out but it’s constantly dry and frizzy, seems to just coil back on itself instead of get longer, haha.
Sorry for the long comment! I appreciate your time. And thank you for the article link on Honeysuckle extract in your other post.
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Lana,
I’m glad that you’ve been able to create a simple skin care regimen, and I’m sure that you will also be able to create a simple hair care regimen as well. I prefer to keep things as simple as possible. In general I only use three products: deep conditioner, cleanser, leave-in. I tend to mix the first two on the days that I plan to wash my hair and the leave-in is a butter or oil mix. If you use an oil mix or herbal oil infusion, or even a butter for your hair, neither has to be refrigerated or preserved. Only items mixed with water or aloe vera need to be preserved. The deep conditioner and cleanser I use up completely on wash day so do not worry about refrigerating any product at all.
You may want to make smaller batches of products by dividing the recipe in half and modifying it best for your own use. Also if you make flaxseed gel, try freezing it in an ice cube tray, and defrost one cube at a time as needed. As for the apple cider vinegar and water mix, you can either dilute the apple cider vinegar more with water and also add a humectant to your cleansing or conditioning treatment for more moisture. Apple cider vinegar and water can be very drying sometimes although is perfect for clarifying hair.
Best wishes!
Lana says
Thank you so much, Dawn, this is super helpful and you made some clever suggestions! I just had a few more questions:
1) If I’ve been using commercial natural hair products, like the ones from DevaCurl and Shea Moisture, do I need to do the oily hair routine first or can I just clarify with the ACV+water and start with the dry hair routine? My hair is really dry and frizzy.
2) I’m confused on the cleanse/deep condition part – you say at the top of the article that you cleanse once or twice a week and just deep condition 2 or 3 times per month, but you say that you mix deep conditioner with the cleanser when you wash your hair (except with a midweek wash). So wouldn’t you technically be deep conditioning it every week? Is the other 2 or 3 times per month in addition to the weekly mixing of the deep conditioner and cleanser? And does this mean you use henna on your hair every week? Or do you just add an oil to the cleanser?
3) Which – oil mixture, hair butter, or flaxseed gel – would be the best leave-in to help me tame the ridiculous amount of frizz and flyaways that I get with having such fine curly hair? It must be breaking off or something, because no matter how much gel or oil I try to smooth over the top like an hour later my hair has a huge amount of frizz on the crown again.
4) When you finger detangle after applying the cleanser, do you do it while it’s still in before you rinse it out? And if I use clay instead of a cleansing herb, would it dry my hair out?
5) How do you refresh frizzy or tangled hair between washes? Or do you? I feel like once my hair is dry, if I do anything to it at all – spray with water and conditioner, smooth over with oil – it just gets worse 🙁
Thank you, I really appreciate your time. I’m very tired of spending $19 for a bottle of hair gel and $11 for a small bottle of hair conditioner that just really aren’t getting me much of anywhere. You are an amazing person for helping me and others find a better way!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Lana,
Hope this helps…
1. For dry hair use the dry hair care regimen.
2. My deep conditioning treatments always includes henna. Also my deep conditioning treatment is my conditioning step before I wash my hair.
3. Hydrating (aloe vera, vegetable glycerin, etc. in your conditioner or cleansing process) your hair is what helps to eliminate frizz. Whether you use a butter or oil depends on what your hair likes best.
4. I finger detangle my hair mainly while I’m rinsing out my hair cleanser. I always include mucilage herbs for detangling slip and moisture.
5. In between wash days I braid my hair at night. I always use an oil or butter before braiding and for extra moisture spritz with aloe vera as needed.
Sometimes product buildup doesn’t allow moisture to enter your hair properly. You may want to do a clarifying cleanse with bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar before beginning a new routine and/or once a month or as needed. Best wishes!
Lana says
Thank you, Dawn, that was really helpful! I’m proud to say I’ve given this all a try with some pretty great results. My hair feels amazingly moisturized and my scalp feels a lot better, with a lot less buildup. I look forward to continuing this new routine, but would appreciate some help working out a few kinks:
Graininess: I used Trader Joe’s light coconut milk and the Rajasthani henna (forgot to put in oil after letting it sit, whoops) but found it was still somewhat grainy with tiny lumps in it. It was smooth enough to apply to my hair. Also seemed like the dye didn’t release as much and it was mostly green on the bottom (left it overnight). Also, my shampoo mix was with Fenugreek powder, amla powder, Moroccan red clay and honey and that was also pretty grainy. I added boiling water to all the herbs and then mixed in the honey at the end and let it sit to cool off, but little bits of congealed dark brown rubbery stuff formed in it and were hard to rinse out of my hair. Any ideas on how to get everything to combine more smoothly? Or do I have to put them in a blender if I want them smoother?
Messiness: Oh, lady, I am telling you I somehow managed to get henna on my forearms, dripping down my forehead a bit, and the brown shampoo mix on my shower walls. I know you separate your hair into 4 sections with henna, but can you share any other tips that help the process for henna and shampoo/conditioning steps be quicker and not so…everywhere? Ugh.
Thank you SO much for the tip about the 100% pure body cream as a hair styler! It’s the best styler I’ve ever used on my hair, especially the best CG-friendly one. The amount of moisture and curl definition it imparts is amazing. AMAZING. I can even use it to redefine frizzed-out face-framing curl ends, which nothing else has been able to. It also makes me insanely crave a vanilla cupcake every time I use it, haha. The aloe also makes a pretty good refresher for dry bits, so thank you for that tip.
Also, I found Nourish makes an organic body butter with good ingredients (shea butter, sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, olive oil and vitamin E) in a few different scents. I purchased some as well to compare it to the body cream. I think it might be too heavy for me as an all over styler, but could be good for someone who wants to style with heavier butter/oils. I’ve been using it on my ends and to smooth away flyaways.
I’m also going to look for some hibiscus powder at the local Indian grocery store to add to my shampoo and/or henna.
Thank you 🙂
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Lana,
I’m so glad that your experience with your new hair regimen is so much better! As for the messiness of henna, I used to put newspaper down all over the bathroom before each application when I first started using it. Now I don’t put anything down and I’ve become used to the process of applying henna without the mess. I have been using henna since 2010 so it takes some time to get used to. Now I can literally just slop it in no problem. As for the graininess of your henna it could be the type of henna that you used. All henna is not created equal and some is ground finer than others. I still love and use Nupur 9 and Reshma henna and do not experience any graininess with my henna mix. I have noticed that certain Ayurvedic powders such as amla, shikakai, aritha, etc. to be grainier than the clays and herbs that I have used. I have found it helpful to add more water to those mixes or even add more mucilage herbs. Glad that you like 100% Pure too! Their lotion smells amazing!
Best,
Dawn Michelle
Lana says
Oh, also, I did use a shower cap and gloves at least.
Dawn Michelle says
Those two items are necessities with henna! I’m glad that you are enjoying the benefits of henna. Have a great day!
Lana says
Hi Dawn,
I just wanted to give an update:
When I added oil to the henna mix, it smoothed out and turned into a creamy consistency, so problem solved! 🙂
The culprit of the small bits in my shampoo mix I have found is the powdered fenugreek. I made it without the amla powder, and it still formed small congealed bits. Do you think if I switched to powdered slippery elm it would be ok, or would I possibly have the same problem with any powdered mucilage herb? I’m lazy; I don’t want to have to boil the herb for an extraction! Lol.
Thank you again for all this advice.
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Lana, You can use any powdered mucilage herb that you like. If you’re finding that your mixing isn’t smooth you can blend it smooth with a stick blender, mini food processor, or actual blender. Glad your henna mix turned out better too!
Peace <3
Lana says
Or powdered marshmallow root.
Dawn Michelle says
Marshmallow root is one of my favorite herbs to use for hair care!
cheryl. rodriguez says
My husband is having hair thining n is falling out!! Any recvomendations??
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Cheryl,
Hair thinning is complicated, yet with a lot of diligence and consistency some have found that natural remedies were extremely helpful. For starters please know that our hair is the LAST part of our body to get nutrients. Therefore having a healthy diet is extremely important. Steer clear of all processed foods and eat as many fresh organic hormone-free food as possible! If your husband has been eating a lot of processed foods a detox may be in order so that his body can easily and properly assimilate the new healthy foods that he is eating.
Exercise is also important as it stimulates the body and of course the scalp. You can do scalp massages to increase scalp stimulation. The health of the scalp is important as it is where our hair grows out of.
Lastly I’ve seen a few unique topic solutions for thinning hair online. I have not personally tried these solutions myself yet have read and/or seen some videos about them. The first one is applying fresh onion juice to the scalp. Onions are extremely high in sulfur which is necessary for hair growth. I’ve also seen garlic juice as another option. Eggs are also high in sulfur and can be used to create a hair mask with honey and olive oil.
A few Ayurvedic herbs that I have used that can also help are henna, hibiscus, brahmi, amla, and bringhraj. Please google this information and find what you feel will work for your husband. Best wishes and keep me posted!
Adrienne says
Hi Dawn,
Great article! I just wanted to clarify, you mentioned for the deep conditioning part to put coconut oil(or your oil of choice) mid shaft to upward and leave on for 15-20 min. Were you saying to put the coconut oil on and then whatever products your using for your deep conditioner or are you saying use solely the coconut oil for the deep conditioner and leave on for 15 min before washing out and proceeding to the hair wash method with your clay of choice etc?? Please clarify, thanks so much! 😉
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Adrienne,
You can use coconut oil or any oil of your choice as a deep conditioning pre-wash treatment. In this series I also mention other conditioning options which I will link again here which you can also use for deep conditioners. I use henna as my deep conditioning treatment, and I also posted a recent hair regimen here. After deep conditioning you can proceed to cleansing your hair. Also you may be interested in the DIY Cleansing Conditioner. One step to cleanse and condition!
Best Wishes & Happy Holidays!
Dima says
Hey Dawn,
Your website it a big encouragement for those who want to go all natural everything like myself. I have a question. From time to time i like to make my own conditioner with BTMS (behentrimonium methosulfate) & cetearyl alcohol blended with water or green tea. However, i havent read anywhere that says those waxes are not a good option to use. What is your take on it?
Thanks in advace, Happy Holidays
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Dima,
BTMS is an quaternary ammonium compound and cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Both can cause contact dermatitis and also pollute the water. My skin and scalp are extremely sensitive, and these types of ingredients caused me a lot of irritation which is one of the reasons why I completely stopped co-washing well over a year ago. I wrote about these ingredients in Part 1 of this chemical free hair care series.
I also feel that these types of ingredients made my fine strands too soft which made them susceptible to breakage more easily. I wrote about my transition off of commercial products here. I find that using unrefined shea butter after spritzing with aloe vera to keep my hair moisturized and defined. If I need more moisture I will spritz my hair with water lightly at night, place in loose twists or braids, and cover with a conditioning cap for an overnight steam treatment. You can see my current hair regimen here.
Best wishes!
Dima says
Aahh, yes. I appreciate the quick response and sources to back up yor informaition. I will most defiantly refer back to those atricles mention!
Thank you
Dawn Michelle says
You’re so welcome Dima <3
Dima says
1 word: AMAZING!!
I did this regimen to a T and i said to myself that i think my natural hair product search is FINALLY OVER!
Dry detangle: coconut oil
Deep condition: banana baby food
Shampoo: yucca root+hibiscus+marshmallow root
Condition: Suave naturals (I’m weening myself off slowly)
Leave-in: catnip tea spritz/Shea butter
Dawn, thank you so much for taking the time to experiment and share with the community your research!!
Dawn Michelle says
Yaaa Dima! I’m so happy that this worked so well for you! Glad I could share and that it was helpful. Have a beautiful day!
Neta says
Michelle, I just recently use Light Mountain Color the Grey and had great results. I use a flat iron and wonder what you would recommend to use on my hair before I use the flat irn.
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Neta,
I’m glad you had a great henna experience! For flat ironing hair you could try using small amounts of coconut or avocado oil if you are not acne prone or even grapeseed oil. These carrier oils deal well with high temperatures.
Personally I hardly ever use heat styling just because it can cause hair breakage. Definitely use hot hair tools with caution and at low temperatures if you are trying to grow your hair longer.
Best wishes!
Gia says
Hi Dawn,
Just wondering if using the henna/coconut milk is a good combo for coarse hair. I have extremely thick, coarse, dense hair. Do you know of any herbs/oils/natural potions to soften coarse hair?
Thanks!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Gia,
Henna and coconut milk is an amazing combination for anyone with dry hair. I honestly wouldn’t recommend any other henna mix especially if you have dry hair no matter the hair texture or density. This combination makes rinsing henna easier than any other method that I have tried before.
Also for softer hair I would suggest not using harsh hair cleansers/shampoos. My favorite hair cleanser which I used as a shampoo substitute is a diluted herbal infused apple cider vinegar. A super simple conditioning treatment is bananas and coconut milk. Lastly wheat germ oil makes my hair softer than any other oil I have ever tried. It is a ceramide oil which penetrates the hair shaft as well. I hope this helps!
Best wishes!
Ailin says
Hi!, Thank you so much for so much information!
I have curly hair, a little softer and not that close up (sorry, i dont know how to described it in english, i think it is a 3b type). What do you do between washes? like for styling and everything?, just plain water?
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Ailin,
I’ve actually been doing a hair regimen incorporating water only hair washes most of this year which I’ve written about in this series. I wear my hair in braid and twist outs, yet much of the time my hair is in a high bun like pictured here, or twisted updo like the one I shared here. I plan to do a new hair regimen article soon. <3
Anonymous says
Do you have any recent pictures of your hair?
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Anonymous,
Check my Instagram for my latest pictures. I plan to be putting up more this week. Have a great day!
Christina says
Hi Dawn
So I’m ready to try this but I am not sure of the proportions to use. I was going to first start with the combination you recommended for oily hair (aritha, bentonite clay, and marshmallow root). You have mentioned it is a trial and error type of situation, but would love some direction as a starting point.
How much of each ingredient to how much water?
Should I steep in a mason jar overnight?
Thanks!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Christina,
Use equal portions of each herb. Add enough water to make a watery paste. The amount of herbs and water used depends upon your hair length and thickness.
If you are new to no-poo you will experience a transition period. Don’t be discouraged as everyone goes through this. If you have other questions let me know.
Best wishes!
Jessica says
Hi Dawn,
I would like to use soapnuts and bentonite clay for a hair cleanser since that is what I have on hand right now. As for the soapnuts (I have whole nuts not powder), how much do I boil and how long? Also, when do I had the bentonite clay and how much (I would like to make a paste)? Thanks for any help!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Jessica,
Although I’ve used both soapnuts/aritha powder and bentonite clay I have never done this combination especially with whole soapnuts. Here is a general summary of how I would. Exact proportions I would not have though. Boil a few whole soapnuts in water (maybe 16 oz) and simmer for 5-15 minutes. Strain the liquid and cool. Then add enough bentonite clay to create the consistency that you desire. Store in a clean container and refrigerate or freeze any unused portions. Best wishes!
Jessica says
Correction on my last post, I meant to say “when do I add the bentonite clay?” 🙂
April says
Hello:) So I’ve been on a yr long frustrating journey to use all natural hair care to no avail, when I came across all your post on hair care I couldn’t wait to try it, so I ordered everything from mountain rose herbs. Well, the first time I did your 1T. each of yucca powder, brahmi powder, and fenugreek powder, it was ok but my hair was pretty stringy and weighed down and I had to wash sooner than normal, today I tried washing with rasshoul clay, which made my hair feel great when rinsing, which is more than I can say for everything else I’ve tried so far, i.e. bar soaps, rye flour, etc…) and then I put fenugreek that I had let sit in distiller boiled water because I thought I’d need more detangling due to the fact that I have thick wavy hair, but fine strands that tangle so bad, and every natural attempt leaves it so tangled! However, once I put the fenugreek it felt stiff and straw like, so I washed again with the clay, but it was still SO stiff it was like one big clumped STIFF piece of hair that didn’t even move, and forget combing through it, I tried, then got back in shower and applied john Masters conditioner so I could at least comb it:( I am at wits end with all this, i started this for health, then cost, but the cost of trying so many things and not having any work is adding up, and the stress of failure and bad hair is driving me nuts after all my efforts, time, and money! With all your wealth of knowledge, do u have any help or explanation as to why that did that to my hair or what I might have done wrong?! Also, I tried the pumpkin seed oil for facial cleansing and within a few days saw bump like pimples/cyst come up especially around jaw/lower half of face, any suggestions? I have fairly dry, very sensitive skin, with occasional acne just since about 27 yrs old, I’m 37 now… Thanks for any help u can offer!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi April,
I went through the exact same thing with my hair trying a ton of DIY natural hair care products and concoctions (much more than I have shared on this site) until I came to the hair regimen that I use now. You may want to clarify your hair then deep condition it if needed. My favorite hair clarifier is bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar. It doesn’t smell the best but you can add some essential oils and it does the job like nothing else!
As for skin care, if pumpkin seed oil isn’t working for you stop using it and try another simple cleansing method or high linoleic oil. Definitely look into the ingredients of the makeup you use if you wear it as well as diet and stress levels. Whole body healing is the best approach to healing our skin. This article may help as well.
Best wishes!
Krista says
Hi, I have a 1 yr daughter with very curly/frizzy hair. I have tried everything I have been told to do with her hair but nothing seems to help. The back and sides of her hair are the worst from laying on it. It’s very friable/breakable in the back especially. Not long enough to really braid and sometimes knots right up to her scalp. I don’t bush her hair when dry and was told to never use shampoo on her because young children don’t produce enough oil anyway. Do you have any suggestions on what I can do to help her hair? Something a 1 yr old will tolerate?
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Krista,
I honestly couldn’t fit everything I wanted to reply back to you in the comment section so I wrote an article about Curly Hair Care for Babies which I hope will help you. Best wishes to you and your little one!
Deppi says
Thank you so much for these incredibly informative series!!! I am so excite
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Deppi,
You are so welcome and I’m wishing you the best with herbal hair care. Keep me posted on your progress.
Vanessa Webster says
Hi Dawn Michelle,
I’m loving your website and your natural lifestyle! It’s been my go site for a while now, you are very inspirational 🙂
I’d love to use all natural homemade recipes for my hair, and have tried a few things, but I’m struggling.
I have brunette below shoulder length caucasian fine curly hair, S-waves that are delicate and require persuasion! I live in London, UK so we mainly have damp weather here. I’ve been using organic and natural products for some time now and hope to transition at least in part to using purely natural homemade recipes.
I’ve tried coconut oil, as a deep conditioning pre-wash treatment, as well as other oils like avocado, but my hair definitely does not like coconut oil, my hair goes stiff and stringy even when washed out, and I have real trouble scrunching out the gel cast once dry. Other oils have a similar effect.
I’ve tried yucca root to wash my hair, but it didn’t wash all the product out of my hair and it still felt unclean. It didn’t seem to work at all, even when leaving it on for a while.
I’ve tried both rhassoul and bentonite clays but my hair doesn’t like them at all. They really dry it out, leaves it oddly stiff and again I struggle to scrunch the gel cast out (although my curls do tend to pop more, it just doesn’t feel nice). I’ve tried rinsing with apple cider vinegar afterwards but it has no effect. Sometimes it’s like some of the clay has stuck to my hair rather than rinsing out. Very odd.
I reverse wash which my hair seems to like, although my hair is still dry and is missing that leave in product step. Marshmallow root gel and flax gel both appeal but I struggle here too.
I tried extracting mucilage from both marshmallow root and the powder, I tried it on the hob and overnight in a jar. All I got was a cup of very slightly slimey water, and then that slight slimeyness just disappeared, leaving murky water.
So as you can see it seems each thing I try just does not work, or my hair just doesn’t like it. It’s driving me a bit nuts!
What am I doing wrong? Is my hair really that difficult? Do you have any suggestions? You seem to have had great success with the things you’ve tried. I’ve read many of your posts and all 4 parts of your no more chemical hair care series. I’m becoming a bit frustrated that I’ve not had one thing I’ve tried work.
The only thing I do like is amla powder which I mix with aloe vera juice. My curls love it but there is no moisture in the paste, and that is what my hair lacks. I know that my hair likes MMR and flax gels because I found a combi gel that a small handmade company sells, and my curls really pop. I’d just like to be successful at making it myself.
Anyway sorry for the essay! Any suggestions you or any forum participants may have would be most welcome! Have a fabulous day!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Vanessa Webster,
Trial and error is a part of the process sometimes and I know it is not fun at all. I’ve only shared things that went well and not the ton of hair mishaps I’ve had along the way. My hair is also fine and does not like coconut oil. At the same time your hair may like jojoba oil or another carrier oil as a prepoo.
Lastly if you haven’t had success with clay washes, or yucca root, have you ever thought of trying a shampoo bar? I’ve currently been using a simple olive oil soap followed by an apple cider vinegar rinse which I shared here in my current hair regimen, yet it is about finding what works for you.
Is the water hard in London? If so installing a shower filter will make a world of a difference. I talked about natural hair care and hard water here. It is almost impossible to get away using 100% natural products when the minerals and chemicals in hard water leave a film on your hair. Lastly here is how I make flaxseed gel. Flax seeds offer much more mucilage than marshmallow root alone. I hope this helps!
Vanessa says
Hi Dawn Michelle,
Thanks so much for the reply. I’ve been experimenting with all sorts of things but I guess the frustrating part is my hair looking bad when something doesn’t go right. I wash my hair twice a week so living with a mishap for several days isn’t fun! Up in a bun it goes or if truly disastrous I will wash it again. Usually it’s just lank or dry and stiff looking, or it might look OK but it won’t feel OK, and that’s important too. I also do worry about its condition as well as its appearance. I don’t want any breakage and I quite often have the dreaded halo frizz.
Yes unfortunately London’s water is extremely hard and I already have a filter. Perhaps moving to the seaside where it’s softer will make my hair look good 😉 I remember once going on holiday to Bulgaria where the resort was fed by a local spring. My hair and skin were wonderful! Maybe I should move there…
I’ve already got some flaxseed on the way as I’ve known about its gel for some time, mainly to bind gluten free baking goods, so perhaps it can double up as a hair gel too!
Perhaps I’ll try a shampoo bar, but these tend to be made of castile soap, and I’ve tried liquid castile soap shampoos before with dire results, even with an ACV rinse afterwards.
I’ve just recently seen your clay and coconut milk conditioning cleanser and it does appeal, mainly for its simplicity. Maybe clay for me needs something moisturising in it. I’m a bit wary of coconut milk though as I used it as an alternative to the oil a while back and that’s when my hair troubles started, not sure why. Any hoo I’ll try it out. Perhaps it might work with banana too, and a bit of amla. My hair does seem to get on with a banana puree treatment, I use an organic banana baby food! If all else fails I’ll go back to my trusty 100% Pure shampoos, I’ve seen you’re a fan of theirs too, they have wonderful products!
Thanks again for the advice, have a great day!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Vanessa,
My experience with shampoo bars has been very different than using liquid castile soap. Not all shampoo bars are created equal though and instead I now use a plan olive oil soap which only has three simple ingredients… saponified olive oil, water, and sodium chloride. I understand the need to have you hair look and feel good so you are not alone there. Finding what works best takes time. Best wishes!
Violet says
Thank you for this series on herbal hair care! I’ve been using a combination of equal parts rhassoul clay, fenugreek powder, and hibiscus powder to cleanse my hair for the past week. The problem is that my hair is so oily! It doesn’t look or feel clean after a wash. Is this what you meant by a “transition period”? Do you have any suggestions for managing the excess oil during the transition?
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Violet,
If you were previously using traditional shampoos your hair and scalp has been stripped of its natural oils for way too long. These natural oils are not bad, yet they will be inanely imbalanced with the use of many commercial products. For some the transition period is excess oil for others it is super dry hair. To manage stretch out your washes, and make use of beautiful updos. Using a wooden brush/comb or other natural bristle brush/comb if your hair does well using hair tools will help too. There are recipes for making your own dry shampoos to help cut down on the oil as well.
Lastly if you need another option to alternate with, try using a shampoo bar which is all natural and will effectively clean your hair and scalp without stripping away all of the natural oils your scalp produces. I currently use a shampoo bar twice a month followed with an apple cider vinegar rinse. I used to dislike shampoo bars before my scalp balanced itself and started producing more sebum. Now that my hair is no longer dry, I can effectively use them. I will be hopefully sharing some options once I finish trying a few out. I hope this helps!
Merliah says
Hey Dawn!
I’m so happy to have found a natural blogger with the same type of hair like me🙏 Love your posts!
I have a question: Do you comb your hair?
Because I always do, in the shower, and every time I comb out a huge amount of hair, I hate it. Like literally a hand full. Also, it takes a lot of time, about one hour. If I only use my fingers my hair is not completely detangled.
I had used water only for about a year (with ACV rinses and oil conditioning). It didn’t really work, I still had waxy build up and loads of tangles. Then, recently I washed my hair twice with baking soda. I got rid of all the build up through that (yay!) but my ends got extreeemly dry! They feel so bad! And now my hair is even harder to comb.
It has gotten really thin over the year, so I thought of buying a natural conditioner, because I can remember that my hair always detangled pretty well with a conventional conditioner. Do you think the mucilage herbs would work in my case? I’m looking for something to easily comb my hair in the shower with.
Thank you for blogging❤️
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Merliah,
I am currently locing my hair so I stopped combing it last year. You can find my last curly hair regimen here though which is zero waste and worked really well for me. At that time I was using a detangling brush. Water only didn’t work 100% for me which is why I included a few natural solutions. I hope this helps!