Almost one year after using conditioners only for cleansing and styling my hair, I started using herbal hair cleansers again in my hair regimen. Although conditioners made my hair feel soft, my scalp always felt coated and itchy. I noticed that conditioners also left a residue on my hair. After leaving some conditioner in my hair, I would then add either flax seed gel or shea butter and it felt like too much product overall.
When using conditioners and styling products my hair would feel sticky or greasy and I was tired of it. I had to wash my hair more to keep my hair looking and feeling fresh.
Once returning to using all natural hair cleansers without conditioners, I again went through a mild form of hair detoxing. I used a few different things to help the process overall and my detox experience lasted for about a week and a half. For some this detoxing period can last from a week to a month or more depending on you hair type and what product you were using. Synthetic shampoo/conditioner ingredients leave a coating on your hair which never wash away unless you use natural clarifiers such as clay. Clarifying shampoos may strip the hair of products, yet still leave more synthetic ingredients behind.
It only took me a few washes to completely remove the “natural” conditioner ingredients from my hair so that I could solely enjoy the benefits of using herbs again. The results have been soft clean hair and a much happier scalp.
If you are an avid shampoo and conditioner user and would like to switch to a herbal based hair regimen, note that it will take some time to get used to. If you have chemically treated hair I greatly suggest using cassia or henna to strengthen your hair strands and naturally fill in the hair cuticle gaps that chemically treated hair needs to be strong. Please note that cassia can add golden tones to blond hair and that henna naturally dyes light or grey hair red while giving dark hair red highlights. You can use premixed henna treatments in various shades that contain cassia or indigo to naturally dye and strengthen hair which you can find here and here. Most products temporarily fill in those the damaged hair cuticle with silicones and quaternary ammonium compounds, yet cassia and especially henna have long term strengthening effects which stay deposited in the hair. Since this article is on herbal hair cleansers we will get into more detail about cassia and henna in another segment. For more on natural hair coloring read this article. You can also see exactly how I used henna here.
One thing that I’ve noticed during my research on cleansing herbs is that no matter what your hair type is, finding the right mix of herbs is different for everyone.
I do like to keep things as simple as possible so I am going to share with you the benefits of each ingredient and also a basic formula that I use when preparing my own herbal washes. Some women prefer oiling their hair prior to using herbal hair washes, yet I tend to avoid as many extra steps as possible and instead include moisturizing conditioning herbs in my cleansing mixes and also use natural leave-in formulations after the cleansing process.
Saponin Cleansing Herbs
Saponin producing herbs with or without a clay is your cleansing agent in your herbal hair cleanser. Saponins are natural cleansing suds which can be found in different herbs. I’ve tried each one of the ingredients that I will mention below and each one did a wonderful job in the place of shampoo without drying out my hair.
Yucca Root
Yucca root powder rinses clean and leaves hair soft and manageable plus is so easy to use. It can also be used with another cleansing herb or clay without drying the hair. Native Americans use the yucca leaves and roots to make soaps, shampoos and other hygiene related items. Read more on yucca root here.
Aritha/Soapnuts
Aritha aka soapnuts is a a natural cleanser that has become extremely popular as an eco-friendly alternative to laundry detergent. Aritha is the Ayurvedic name for soapnuts and has also been used as a natural shampoo for centuries. Aritha was one of the most popular natural shampoo alternatives on The Long Hair Community for all hair types. I’ve used aritha in powder form and found that it takes time for the granules to completely rinse. With herbal powders that are not finely ground you may want to consider putting them in a spice or coffee grinder until they are extremely fine. If using aritha in powder form you can also steep in in hot water as if making a tea and strain out the granules. Using aritha/soapnuts by boiling the whole herb to create an extract is most likely easier to use and rinse from hair.
Soapwort Root
Soapwort root is a gentle cleansing herb with mild suds. Every time that I’ve used soapwort root it left my hair refreshed and clean without feeling dried out. I’ve boiled the whole dried herbs for a few minutes then strained when in a rush, as well as steeped the herb overnight for a concentrated liquid. Both methods worked well, although I was able to get a stronger mix when it was boiled first then allowed to steep. Soapwort root works well on hair that isn’t heavily oiled. Adding clay to soapwort root would aid cleansing heavily oiled hair or oily hair in general. Read more on soapwort root here.
Shikakai
Shikakai is a natural astringent that strengthens the hair roots, promotes hair growth, and clears away dirt and grime from the hair and scalp. It also has a relaxing cooling affect on the scalp while cleansing and conditioning the hair. I’ve purchased shikakai in powder form from my local Indian grocery store. It is commonly mixed with amla and brahmi for hair cleansing and conditioning.
Clays for Shampoo
Using clays for shampoo soften cleanse and detox hair naturally. I personally love using clays in my herbal hair cleansing mixes, yet have also used them alone with aloe vera juice for a super simple and quick hair cleansing solution.
Bentonite Clay
Bentonite clay can be used to clarify, cleanse, and condition hair leaving it soft and fully detoxed. You can use bentonite clay to help detox chemicals from hair as it literally has a negatively charged magnetic pull to attract positively charged toxins to it. Bentonite clay is also the main ingredient in Terressentials Pure Earth Hair Wash.
Rhassoul Clay
Rhassoul clay has been a life changing favorite for my skin and hair care. It is extremely rich in minerals, yet doesn’t have the intense magnetic pull that bentonite clay has so is better for sensitive skin. Yet it still cleanses both skin and hair like no other. It is wonderfully gentle yet powerful. I’ve mentioned rhassoul clay here and here.
Detangling (Mucilage) Herbs
Mucilage herbs add amazing detangling and conditioning to all herbal hair treatments. I always notice a big difference in my herbal hair treatments when I use mucilage herbs. If you have major tangles or curly hair then these herbs are an absolute necessity.
Marshmallow Root
Depending on your preference you could boil whole dried marshmallow root in water to release the mucilage or purchase it in powder form to add to your herbal formulations. They both work well depending on how you want to use it. If you would like to use marshmallow root as a leave-in I have found that boiling the whole herb is a much better method than using it in powder form. Here’s another article previously written about marshmallow root in natural hair care.
Slippery Elm Bark
Slippery elm bark is an emollient and nutritive herb as well as containing extreme amounts of mucilage. It is one of the best herbal poultices for wounds to reduce pain and inflammation. It is extremely soothing for dry hair and scalp and gives any product that much needed slip for detangling hair.
Fenugreek Seed
Fenugreek seed also known as methi has been used to strengthen hair, promote hair growth while also preventing hair fall. It is a known hair conditioner in Ayurvedic hair care. You can extract the mucilage from boiling the seeds or add powdered fenugreek seeds to your herbal hair care products.
Conditioning Herbs
Amla
Amla is a fantastic beauty and health herb which I spoke about in this article. It contains more vitamin C than oranges and is also known as Indian gooseberry. Amla promotes healthy hair growth, prevents hair shedding, keeps hair soft, shiny, and dark, while also enhancing curls for wavy and curly hair. Amla is a potent hair conditioner and can be infused in a carrier oil or used in powder form for simple herbal hair care.
Brahmi
Brahmi is also known as water hyssop, thyme leaved graticola, moneywort, and rau dang. It is used as a brain tonic in Ayurvedic medicine and is a hair conditioner and strengthener. Brahmi strengthen hair at the roots, relieves dry itchy scalp, and promotes thicker and healthier hair overall. You can infuse whole brahmi herbs in oil or use in powder form for hair pastes and other herbal hair concoctions.
Hibiscus
Hibiscus petals is commonly used as a natural beauty cosmetic. Hibiscus also is an amazing hair conditioner creating silky shiny hair and giving an extra rich burgundy color to henna applications. It is a well known herbal tea that helps with stomach and digestive problems as well. You can use hibiscus whole in oil infusions or to create a final conditioning rinse or in powder form for herbal cleansing. Read more about hibiscus petals here.
Natural Humectants
Natural humectants are the perfect ingredient to add to herbal hair products when you feel your hair needs more moisture. Humectants help bind water to your hair and will absorb water from the air to maintain moisture levels. During dry winter months some worry about using humectants in hair care, yet I believe they are only helpful especially for herbal hair cleansers which will be washed out no matter the season. Humectants can also help herbal hair cleansers with powdered ingredients wash out easier. A few natural humectants are vegetable glycerin, honey, and agave nectar.
Creating Your Own Herbal Hair Cleanser
To create a simple one step cleansing and conditioning herbal hair treatment use equal parts of one saponin herb or clay, one conditioning herb, and a mucilage herb and carefully mix with boiling water. Strain herbs that are not finely sifted before adding clays or powdered mucilage herbs. You can create a very liquidity mix or make a paste to create more of a hair mask. Finally add a humectant if you have extremely dry hair. Wait until cooled before applying.
Blending your final mix once cooled will create a smooth product but is not always necessary. Using your herbal hair cleanser in some form of applicator bottle will be the easiest way to cleanse your hair. Some with long hair like to soak their hair in a bowl with a liquid herbal cleanser. Find what works best for you. (Please refrigerate unused portions and use within a week.)
Do you have a special herbal hair cleansing mix that you’d love to share? Tell us more below. Hope you are enjoying your day Beauties!
No More Chemical Hair Care–Part 1
No More Chemical Hair Care–Part 3–Conditioners & Leave-Ins
No More Chemical Hair Care–Part 4–Building A New Regimen
(Image by D Sharon Pruitt)
Renee says
Thanks so much for this post. I’m going to try the cleanser/conditioner. Just wondering, do you steep the ingredients in the boiling water for any amount of time, or just mix?
Recently I discovered that eggs work well for cleaning. I diluted one (I have short hair) with warm water and apple cider vinegar, blended it up, and added a couple drops of rosemary so my hair wouldn’t smell eggy. It’s a strong cleanser, like using actual shampoo. I was surprised I was able to massage it in nicely, too, because of the slip of it. I’m going to try to turn it into something for gentler, everyday use.
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Renee,
I have heard of using eggs to cleanse hair. Eggs also add protein to hair. I’m glad that you’ve found something that is working for you.
I like using clays and herbs since they are so easy to travel with. I’ve experienced that since I’ve stopped using specifically conditioners that my hair doesn’t get dirty as quickly. I think the residue that is left behind from synthetic ingredients actually attracts dirt more quickly. That’s just my theory.
Thanks for sharing and enjoy your day!
Shara says
Will black soap efficiently clarify/detox hair? Also, can’t wait for your article on natural conditioning. I am also working on getting rid of chemicals in my beauty routine. Thanks for what you do!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Shara,
I’ve used and loved black soap, yet the pH of black soap and soap in general is so high. Hair and skin is naturally acidic so anything above a neutral pH can be tricky. Using black soap for hair care is most likely similar in some ways to using natural shampoo bars because shampoo bars are also high in pH and alkaline.
When I’ve used natural shampoo bars, it left the cuticles of my hair completely open which at first I didn’t notice too much of a difference, but then my hair started to dry out and have breakage. If you want to use black soap to clarify hair on occasion, follow it with an apple cider vinegar and water rinse and also use pure aloe vera as part of your leave-in to make sure that the cuticles of your hair is completely sealed. Both apple cider vinegar and aloe vera will help close the hair cuticle.
I recently purchased bentonite clay from the health food store and mixed it with apple cider vinegar as the instruction indicated. The consistency of the clay was completely different mixed with apple cider vinegar than it is with water. Also the pH is better when mixed with apple cider vinegar. This simple combo of bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar is an amazing hair clarifier. Hope that this helps some and you are so welcome. Have a beautiful day!
nami3 says
I’d like to use Shea Butter after I wash my hair. Will the natural cleansers be able to remove Shea Butter from hair?
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Nami3, Yes these natural cleaners will remove shea butter from hair. I love shea butter and use it as well. You may want to mix a saponin cleansing herb with a clay if you do not feel that you hair is to your satisfaction, yet the herbs alone have great cleansing abilities. I usually wash my hair with herbs once or twice a week and apply some oil or shea butter to my hair every night.
Luv says
Love post. I was wondering what you mix your conditioning herbs with and how you remove it from your hair?
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Luv, For the cleansing part of my hair care I mix equal parts of a saponin cleansing herb, mucilage herb, and conditioning herb with purified water and apply with an applicator bottle. I apply this herbal cleanser to wet hair in four sections. I then rinse each section and detangle my hair under running water in the shower. I prefer using a diluted mix. I will get more into herbal conditioning and leave-ins for the next segment of this series. Hope this helps.
Danielle says
Hi there! I absolutely LOVE your blog! I have been messing around with all-natural solutions in hair and skin care for almost a year now, and am completely chemical free! I love the lotions that I make for my skin, HOWEVER, unfortunately, I am not so keen on my hair regime:
My hair is long and I’d say medium thickness, with fine strands. I have dry, loose curls, and my hair splits easily.
I have been no-pooing with bakingsoda and rinsing with ACV for almost a year now. I add coconut oil about once a week to my hair overnight, and occasionally add an egg to the bakingsoda for extra nourishment.Though this method has allowed my hair to become really nice and long, I still feel that it’s too dry.
I am curious to try your above method instead of bakingsoda! I think using only herbs and clays will be better for my hair. I have a question for you: do you follow your hair mix above with any rinse (like ACV?). Let me know what you think, and if you have any suggestions; I’m all ears!
Gratefully yours, Danielle
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Danielle,
I know that using baking soda/ACV is a very popular hair care method in the no ‘poo community, yet I feel that baking soda may be harsh on hair because it is alkaline and hair is naturally acidic. Clays and herbs are amazing for hair cleansing! Since you have already been using a simple all natural hair care regimen already you will not have to go through any transition period.
I do plan to talk more about conditioning and leave-ins in the next segment of this series. Just a thought… Since you do make your own lotions, why not use a tiny bit for the ends of your hair for extra moisture? It is wonderful when we can create our own products that can serve for multiple uses. Stay tuned for Part 3 next week sometime.
Best wishes!
Elle says
I just wanted to say thank you for posting about your Herbal Cleanser. I tried the recipe with a few modifications, and my hair loved it. Words cannot express how much I appreciate the knowledge that you post on your blog and I just want to say thank you.
Dawn Michelle says
Wow Elle that’s awesome! Thanks so much for sharing!
Nellie says
When the student is ready, the master will appear.lol
Wow, this blog is just amazing. Amazing work Ms. Plus you are like incredibly striking. Thank god for the internet. You have some of the most beautiful women in the world sharing all of their beauty secrets. And you know how it is with us sisters and our hair. I’m just like, yeah. Ent-i–waaays I’ll stop gushing….now.
Ok, on to my question. Do you think that it would be counter productive to use a Bentonite clay wash to remove henna from hair?
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Nellie, Thank you so much, you are too sweet! I’m so glad that you like the blog. As for henna and bentonite clay, they work just fine together. I have not found that bentonite clay removes my henna treatments. Hope that answers your question. Have a beautiful day!
Juicesandberries says
Hi Dawn,
I love your website it is truly a wealth of information.
I definitely want to switch up my regimen to ONLY include natural/organic products that I make myself. I just need to find natural alternatives to the things that I use now.
I need:
– a leave in (i use aussie moist conditioner)
– i use vegetable glycerine to seal so that is fine
– a cream
– and a styler i use eco styler gel mixed with world of curlz activator gel (gross i know but i get the most amazing curls)
I like my hair best when it weighted down with product so my curls can hang..
Any advice??
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Juicesandberries, I’m so happy that your on board with transitioning to DIY natural and organic beauty products. It is so rewarding and healthy for you. I’m also going to talk about conditioners and leave-ins in Part 3 of this series so stay tuned. I hope that it will help with your questions. Best wishes!
Bri says
Do mucilage herbs cause build up. I found a recipe for a marshmallow detangler that I want to try but I’m scared of the build up. Also, have you ever tried blackstrap molasses on your hair? It’s awesome. I think you would like it.
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Bri, Mucilage herbs do not cause build up at all on hair. Marshmallow root is wonderful to work with. I’ve never tried blackstrap molasses though for hair or skin care. It is a good source of iron for health though. Best wishes!
Nellie says
Hi again Dawn. Thanks for answering my question. And you are very welcome, I only speak the truth. I will try the bentonite clay wash in the future to remove my Henna, but I used your Green Tea wash instead and it worked like a dream. It actually put moisture into my hair. I am beyond happy with the results of my henna, and am so excited to embark upon a totally natural hair care regiment with the help of your blog.
Sharon says
Hi Dawn, do you still use the Nupur 9 henna, does it cover the grays? Do you have anymore updates on when your hair care line will debut? Thanks Sharon
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Sharon, I do still use Nupur 9 Henna and still love it. Most BAQ henna will cover grays. My personal experience with this is when I have done henna treatments on my parents as I do not have grays myself.
Also I do hope to have my product line out this year. It is one of a few very important creative projects that I look forward to seeing unfold and blossom. Thanks for your continued interest and best wishes with everything that you are currently doing!
Ninka says
Hi Dawn,
thank you so much for all your wonderful tips on natural hair and skin care. You’ve been such an inspiration to me.
I really want to try this hair care. I wonder though, what the herbs to water ratio should be, and also how long to steep the herbs for best results. I have rather oily hair, plus i like using coconut oil before washing my hair. Will this cleanser remove the oil? I’d be very grateful for your answer.
Have a nice day!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Ninka,
You may want to try the herb aritha as it is great for cleansing oily hair. Since you like to pre-condition your hair with coconut oil prior to cleansing, you can simply add a detangling herb like slippery elm and a clay for further cleansing to aritha. These herbal cleansers will remove the oil. Also for excessively oily hair, you may prefer to use a thin to thick paste with the powdered herbs and water versus a very liquidy mix. Add water slowly to powdered herbs until you make a consistency that you like.
When using aritha you can either buy the whole herbs and make a water infusion, then add powdered clay/herbs to the mix. Or buy aritha in powdered form which I have seen at Indian grocery stores. It may take a few tries to figure out exactly what your hair likes. Also there is a transition period that your hair will go through if you have recently been using commercial hair products which really dry hair out and create an imbalanced sebum production no matter what you hair type is. Once your hair and scalp have become more balanced you may decide that you only need one cleansing herb and replace the other with a conditioning herb. I plan to write up sample hair regimens by hair type in Part 4 of this series so keep a look out for it.
Hope this helps!
nami3 says
Hi, Will you write an article on DIY skin and household cleansers too? I’ve been using diluted DrBronner’s soap as hand soap and it is really harsh even though it’s the baby mild one. It’s making my hands super dry and there’s cracking at my wrists. I’ve never had this problem with regular hand soaps. I don’t want to go back to the chemically ones, but I might consider it. Are there any alternatives? What do you use as a hand soap? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks and Sorry,I wrote this comment 2x, but I accidentally wrote the wrong mail.
Dawn Michelle says
No worries! I replied to the first comment 😉
nina says
Hello. I’m going to a spa and will be using a sauna, steam room, and whirlpool hot tub. What can I do to protect my hair from heat and chlorine? If I get chlorine in my hair, how can I clean and remove it naturally? Thanks!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Nina,
I would use a natural oil to coat and protect my hair from the heat and chlorine also as a pre-poo hair treatment. This is the same technique that I would do when swimming in a pool or going to the beach. Apply oil to your hair such as hemp, coconut, almond, olive etc. and either braid your hair or put it in a bun. I would do a high bun if possible or braids pinned up so you do not have to worry about your ends getting wet if you are not planning on fully submerging in water. The oil will prevent chlorine for penetrating the hair as easily.
As for the steam room, this is actually going to be a treat for your hair. Many purchase hair steamers to help deep condition and hydrate their hair. See it as an opportunity for a deep hair conditioning treatment. Cleanse, condition, and style your hair afterwards as normal.
Hope this helps!
Teshka says
Dear Dawn Michelle,
First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for such an educational, informative, inspirational and engaging blog! Your blog has been a true blessing for me for its high quality and exceptionally interesting content.
I had stumbled upon your blog accidentally when I was researching “The Curly Girl Method” sometime last year. You and a blogger named Mahogonycurls have inspired me to try finger detangling which I continue till this day! I have been natural for most of my life (with the exception of 5 or 6 years of irregular experimenting with very mild, store-bought relaxers despite my father’s cautions advice not to do so), I’m 27 at the moment. Parents are so wise…live and learn ^-^ I suppose having brought up in Moscow and observing my beautiful friends’ luscious hair, had made me yearn for “relaxed” hair without understanding what hair relaxing implies!
In 2007, I have decided to start afresh and I could not have been happier! I share your inquisitive mind, and that is why your blog continues to educate me and help me press on with my sincere believe that natural, healthy, sensible and conscious hair and skin care is certainly possible, for you are a living proof of it!!! Thank you for all the hard work, time and love you are putting into this blog!
I have eagerly read all of the 3 parts of “No More Chemical Hair Care.” What a brilliant series!!! It has inspired me to incorporate the cleansing and detangling aspects of the herbal treatment. I feel that my hair will benefit from it tremendously. May I please clarify some things regarding two of the ingredients and the process itself? When you list Slippery Elm Bark, you imply the chopped bark or the powder? And if I choose to use Rhassoul Clay with Amla & Slippery Elm Bark Powder, I should simply take equal parts of each, mix in boiling water, reach desired consistency, cool it down and finally cleanse the hair. Correct? Apologies if my question sounds silly O_0
Have a lovely day -^_^-
Respectfully,
Teshka.
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Teshka,
Thank you so much for your beautiful comment! Your feedback means so much and I’m so glad to help out and inspire! As for slippery elm bark in herbal hair washes, I prefer using powdered herbs. They are easier to use for this specifically. Sometimes I do use whole herbs though. For example soapwort root and aritha come in a dried whole herb from Mountain Rose so I boil the herb and strain it. It mainly depends on the herb.
Yes you can use equal parts of rhassoul, amla, and slippery elm with boiled water for your desired consistency then allow to cool before using. Hope you are having a lovely day too!
Best,
Dawn Michelle
Teshka says
Dear Dawn Michelle,
You are most welcome!!! Thank you very much for the answer! I understand now. I also thought powdered herbs would be easier, but wanted to make sure as I want to do it correctly ^ _ ^ Have a beautiful afternoon!
P.S. So great to interact with a fellow GMU alumna 🙂
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Teshka, You attended GMU too?! I love it!!! Keep me posted on how your herbal hair wash comes out. Talk soon!
Poupee says
HI,
I am feeling so depress with my hair. I have a low porosity hair and always have a greasy, oily hair since I am using shea butter, coconut oil, jojoba, avocado and so on. I never get a curl define, only last time that I used baking soda, than after I did a hair mask with banana and avocado. My hair was not happy after end. I do not know what to do and use. I mostly use homemade product. I have the rhassoul and slippery elm. Please help me, I feel cutting them all.
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Poupee,
I hope that I can help out some with your hair care. For starters let’s try not to focus on curl definition and instead on moisture retention. Moisturized hair will in turn be happy hair since most curly coily hair is naturally dry. Also it’s no fun having oily hair from products sitting on the hair shaft so we’ll look at that too. It is important to create a simple hair regimen and take notes in a journal when you are first learning what works and what doesn’t along the way. Also I just finished this series with Part 4–Building A New Regimen.
Deep Conditioning:
You want to use heat every time you deep condition your hair. Hot oil treatments with olive oil or coconut oil or even a combination of the two may work best. Warm the oil then apply to damp hair and cover with a conditioning cap. Or you could do an oil treatment to freshly cleansed hair and sit under a hooded dryer. No matter when you decide it’s best to deep condition just make sure you use heat in some form.
Cleansing:
You may want to try using bentonite clay with apple cider vinegar for your herbal hair cleanser. You can add slippery elm powder to the mix since you have it as it will aid in the detangling process. I love using slippery elm powder. You may also want to see how the bentonite clay and slippery elm works for your hair mixed with water. Rhassoul clay may not be strong enough for your hair, yet feel free to try it again and take notes during the learning process.
Moisturizing:
If the oils and butters are sitting on your hair, begin moisturizing your hair with aloe vera juice first then allowing your hair to dry some before applying a lighter oil like jojoba oil which you already have or a bit of coconut oil. This DIY Leave-In Conditioner may be the perfect hair moisturizer for you and contains water, aloe vera, vegetable glycerin, and jojoba oil. Using humectants such as vegetable glycerin, honey, or agave nectar may work really well for maintain moisture in your hair without being greasy. Here’s a DIY serum that may help with the same ingredients that I’m already mentioning.
Wheat germ oil is one of my absolute favorite ceramide oils which makes hair strong and flexible. Definitely mix it with your favorite essential oil if you are using it as a leave-in as it has a strong scent. Just note that wheat germ oil can not be heated on the stove or in the microwave a maintain its properties so I wouldn’t use it necessarily for a hot oil treatment in that way. At the same time it may work well applying first and sitting under a hooded dryer.
I believe that stretched hair is more manageable than wash-and-go styles. I love how wash-and-go styles look, yet fell that braiding or twisting my hair makes it so much easier to handle and also helps my moisturizer and oils soak in my hair better. Try deep conditioning prior to and after cleansing hair to see what works best for you. I hope that this helps some and please keep me posted!
Best wishes and I know that you will get through this!
Teshka says
Hello Dawn Michelle,
Yes, I did, class of 2008 -^.^- I will definitely let you know how it goes. I will be placing my orders from MR in a couple of weeks. Thank you for part 4! Also, tomorrow, I will try the banana and coconut milk deep conditioning that you have recommended. Cannot wait 🙂 Have a lovely day!
Warm wishes!
daureen says
This site is awesome… I stumbled across it because I just had my hair dresser fry my hair. This is the second time she messed it up and the first time I ever had breakage.
I’ve been no poo now for over 6 months. I did start to get build up though due to commercial hair conditioners. I was using mostly nexus, which was reasonably good, but then I made the mistake of adding another brand and started getting build up. My hair dressed shampood me recently (immediately after asking me if i was still no poo; she doesn’t listen well). And I confess, I get highlights–bleach, but I doubt I will change that for a while (I like it and want to blend my greys and I don’t like red–henna).
Right now I am sitting with my head in a organic conditioner with keratin and I added and organic egg, green tea, alma, and castor oil. I’ve had it on for hours. I changed the heated towel over the bag on it twice and I’m about to go to sleep. I need to cure my hair and can’t cut it out (I look awful with short hair and I’m in accounting and can’t go around looking like I had my friend put peroxide on my hair. My hair is kind of brassy (not as bad as it was, but still brassy. She bleached my hair, then toned it. The toner darkened it too much (again); then she put a “exfoliate” on it (bleach mixed with conditioner) which lighted my darkened highlights, but lightened my lowlights too, which got red. Then 2 days later, she bleached (highlights) again. She did the same thing to me back in December (minus the exfoliate). I didn’t think she’d mess up again; she has been doing hair 20+ years as an assistant to the top hair stylist around this area. I’m baffled, embarrassed and broken-hearted because it is my birthday tomorrow and I don’t even want to go outside. 🙁
Any advice to cure my hair?
I’m thinking the alma will darken it (there is too much highlights now) and the green tea (match powder) will offset the red/brassiness. I’m willing to do anything but cut it all off. 😀
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Daureen,
I’m so sorry that you are experiencing this. I do hope that you did have a wonderful birthday in spite of it all. Happy Birthday!
I’ve had my hair dyed by professionals and also done box color in the past. Hair dye is a true science as it is never guaranteed to come out exactly the same every time especially when lightening the hair. My experience having my hair dyed a lighter color in the salon years ago was that it smelled extremely strong and felt just as intense as having my hair relaxed when I was young. The chemicals in hair dye are very powerful.
I would consider taking this time to possibly find a new way to create the color that suits your complexion without all the strong processing that traditional hair dyes need. You can find more natural dye alternatives at Whole Foods or other natural grocery stores. You can also find companies like Light Mountain Natural Hair Color or Mountain Rose Herbs that will premix cassia, henna, and indigo to create natural conditioning hair dyes in various shades.
Hair usually grows an average of a half an inch per month. For some it is more, for others less. When you hair is damaged from being over processed from perms, dyes, or relaxers or even damaged from hair products, heat, or rough handling, cutting the damaged hair off will allow you to reach your goal of healthier hair. You don’t have to do anything drastic, yet trimming off a half an inch a month will allow you to get rid of any damage without changing the length of your hair if it is growing at that rate. You can literally twirl tiny sections of hair from root to tip and cut off a pinch of hair with hair shears. This is how I used to trim my hair all over my head in middle school. It works extremely well and is easy to do. Doing consistent protein treatments will keep the hair that you have now strong.
I’m not a licensed hair stylist, yet feel that sometimes it is better to learn to care for your own hair as best as you can while taking simple chemical free approaches. Once you add chemicals into the mix, hair care becomes much more temperamental and complicated in my opinion. I wrote this article on traditional hair dyes, henna, and honey hair lightening which may interest you. Although I have not used honey to lighten my hair, I’ve linked to a women in the article who has used honey to lighten her hair who also explains her process and results. Honey releases a natural hydrogen peroxide when mixed with water.
Please keep me posted on your progress and I wish you the very best.
Sarah says
Hi Dawn! 🙂
I love your blog, and I have been following it *very* closely ever since your post on using honey as a cleanser changed my skin’s life!
I also adore your readers and all of the positive comments they leave, so when I came across this article about yucca root, I wanted to share it with you and with them for some natural beauty inspiration:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/mystery/american/navajoland/yucca.html
The article goes through the wash process of a Navajo family, and it has absolutely inspired me to develop an even more natural hair care routine. No more “products” for me! I am creating a hair regimen that only employs the simplest ingredients from Mother Nature.
Thank you for such an informative, beautiful blog! 🙂 I look forward to learning even more from you!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for your beautiful comment and the link to such a great article too! Going back to our roots for beauty is definitely rewarding and very effective. It can take some time to get adjusted to yet also very affordable. Best wishes on your minimalist beauty journey!
Tasha says
Hi Dawn!
I love your website and appreciate all of the helpful info that your provide. I have locks/twists combo and am in the process of switching to DIY hair products and your site has been very helpful. I’ve just made my first herbal cleanser and am excited to see the results! If this is successful, I’ll move on to the Henna treatments!
Thanks for your hard work and dedication and giving back!
Tasha
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Tasha, Let me know how your DIY Herbal Hair Cleanser works out. It is a lot of fun experimenting with simple herbal beauty. I wish you only the best with your transition to DIY beauty products and thank you for your comment!
Claire says
Hi,
where can I find the green tea wash please? is that for washing the henna out once colored? Do I read it is ok to use clay for this too?
thanks
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Claire,
You can use any natural hair cleanser to wash out henna. You can also find the recipe for the DIY Green Tea Cleansing Hair Rinse here.
Best wishes!
C. says
Hi Dawn,
I discovered your blog around 6 months ago when I got fed up with commercial products and decided to go back to nature which became a hobby of mine and a slow lifestyle change. It’s been a struggle that I’m loving to learn from! I’ve struggled with some diy “poo” and “no poo” routines to suit my fairly oily, lightly wavy Mediterranean hair especially since there is so much information on natural hair care for curly girls but none for girls like me. How do you keep your hair smelling fresh between washes?
Dawn Michelle says
Hi C,
I like to use essential oils to add fragrance to my hair. I wrote about it in this article.
As for seeking more information for those with wavy hair or to learn from others about different no ‘poo methods, definitely check out the Long Hair Community Forum Boards. I’ve found that no matter what your hair type or texture is that you can learn from others. At the same time it is important to learn your own hair needs. In the beginning it can help to take some notes down in a journal about what is and isn’t working to look back on for reference.
Hope this helps <3
Bianca says
Hi Dawn!
Lovin your blog! I have a couple of questions. My hair was dyed blonde professionally last summer and it severely damaged my fine wavy hair. Since then I got it professionally dyed back to brown and then fooled around with some semi permanent red shades. Long story short, its been about a year and my hair is still damaged. I do not understand how because I have cut it into many short bobs throughout the past year. If hair grows an average of 1/2 in per month then my hair should be back to “virgin hair” right now, but its not and my ends (especially the front pieces) are dry and weak.
I have done natural hair care for awhile (other than dying my hair lol) but i am interested in your poo free concoctions. If my hair is oily, but has very dry ends what mix do you suggest?
Also, I am scared to try henna to repair my hair because I have read online that some women experience more birttleness and dryness after using henna. I read that since it coats the hair it doesnt let moisture in (although i know it is suppose to keep moisture in too). Should i try it?
Sorry for the long post but i real value your input 🙂
Thanks :))
Leah says
Hi, i really love your blog and am seriously considering doing the all natural hair care. I wanted to know, if you could recommend any cleansers for persons who swim frequently, in pools and in the sea.
Thanks in advance
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Leah,
I just wrote this article today on natural and curly hair care at the beach. I offer hair care tips from just returning from my own beach holiday. In terms of the specific hair care products that I used at the beach, I will be selling them very soon. I will release a launch date as soon as I’m sure I have everything in order. In that article though I linked to herbal hair cleansers for an outline on how you can create your own.
Best wishes!
Jeanie Farley says
Dawn Michelle,
Thank you for all of your efforts and research that you out into your blog. I have been enjoying your hair series. I have been on the path to change my hair routine for awhile. I live in Alaska where it is very dry. I have just below shoulder length wavy/curly brunette hair that is fine in texture but thick. I used to style straight as it straightens easily but 3 years ago decided to embrace my natural self.
My question. I purchased herbs yesterday, Yucca Root (powder), fenugreek seed (seed), amla (powdered supplement). I felt these would work best with my hair. I also have marsh mallow root. I have a question in mixing the mucilage herb (fenugreek seed or marsh mallow root) with the powders. I understand I can mix to my preferred consistence but what confuses me is the amounts. Am I mixining equal amounts of the mucilage or the actual herb. Example: 1 tsp yucca, 1 tsp amla, 1 tsp fenugreek seed OR 1 tsp fenugreek seed musilage? Maybe you could explain now you would mix powders with herbs that have to be strained. I just want to make sure I get the correct amount musilage as it help so much with defanging. I tried to grind down my fenugreek seed to make a powder but it left big chunks. Next time I might just try to find it in powdered form.
Thank you again for all your trial and error. You are extremely inspiring and I LOVE your teachings.
Sincerely,
Jeanie Farley
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Jeanie,
When I am mixing herbs for my hair cleanser I use all powdered herbs instead of the whole dried herb. Since you have the whole herb I would boil and steep the herb then strain. I would then add a teaspoon to a tablespoon of the other herbs. Use a tablespoon of the other powdered herbs if you need more cleansing properties to your mix. Add as much of the stained marshmallow/fenugreek that you need for the length and thickness of your hair. I hope this helps. Let me know how it turns out. Best wishes!
Kari says
I was wondering what you would suggest for a daily cleansing and conditioning routine for me. I am a personal trainer, so I do hard exercise almost every day and as such I can’t go without washing my hair daily or my scalp starts to itch from sweat. My hair is thick and wavy (but not coarse) and it isn’t overly oily or overly dry, but if I don’t use conditioner every time I wash my hair tangles very easily and seems very thin and flat. I already use a homemade leave-in conditioner with jojoba oil and essential oil that I spray on after I wash, but I would really like to get rid of store-bought shampoo and conditioner. I don’t like putting anything ON my body that I wouldn’t put IN my body. Thanks!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Kari,
You may want to think of using an apple cider vinegar hair rinse which you could infuse with herbs for your scalp or even an herbal hair rinse for daily cleansing. If you were using a traditional shampoo previously your scalp may need some time to adjust to a no ‘poo regimen. I wrote about my personal experience going no ‘poo here.
It will take some time to transition to a 100% natural hair care regimen based on your personal hair needs. It will take some trial an error especially through the transition. You may want to wash your hair in braids to prevent tangles as well. I hope that this helps some.
Kari says
I also spread coconut oil on my hair once a week and leave it on for a couple hours before washing it out.
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Kari,
Coconut oil is a great natural conditioner for hair!
milly says
Hi,
I’m really glad I found this site, it is super informative.
I’m from South Africa and a lot of these things are hard to find. Especially the mucilage herbs, are there any substitutes I could use? Are they really needed?
Thanks
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Milly,
I’m not sure if you are able to get your hands on flax seeds, yet they provide a lot of mucilage which you could use in place of some of the other recommended herbs. They help with detangling the hair so it just depends on how easy you are already able to detangle your hair. Have a beautiful day!
Melissa says
Hello,
I was wondering what natural products do you recommend for oily, thin hair? I want to develop thicker and balanced hair, but I rather use more organic materials.
Thanks! 🙂
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Melissa,
I feel that what you use to cleanse your hair is most important no matter your hair type. If you are switching to 100% natural hair care you will have a transition period. I talk some about my experience here. In Part 4 of this series I wrote all about developing a chemical free hair care routine for all hair types. I hope that this is helpful to you!
Best wishes!
Kari says
I have started using the herbal hair rinse instead of shampoo, an acv rinse instead of conditioner, and a leave-in conditioner with jojoba oil and I love how my hair feels now! Unfortunately, now that I don’t have anything weighing my hair down I am finding it is full of static and can’t wear it down or it sticks to my face. Would you have any suggestions for this? I have tried researching it and all I am finding is putting chemical hair products on the hair to stop it. Thanks!
Alishia says
Hi,
Thank you for all of the information. I have learned a lot. I stumbled across your article because I was on a search for homemade shampoo. You refer to this as the Herbal Hair Cleanser…are you using this like a shampoo or is this something that you do periodically? Also, are you now aware of a way to make the cleanser last longer than a week? I can’t imagine…with my schedule…having to make this on a weekly basis.
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Alishia,
Yes I am using my herbal hair cleanser as a replacement for shampoo. I use a powdered herbal mix that I premix and put in a container. When it comes time to wash I put a few scoops in an applicator bottle add water and shake up when I’m in a hurry. If I have more time I use boiling water which I later pour into my applicator bottle once it has cooled. I also have some of the herbs listed above in dried whole form. In that case I will sometimes make a tea and strain. I keep it pretty simple.
I have a ton of herbs that I’m trying to use up so I create different mixes often. Also I use up one applicator bottle filled with the herbal mix each time I wash because of my hair length and thickness. I remake a new batch each wash day. I think I’m used to it so it doesn’t take that much time for me. I recommend refrigerating any leftovers for those who might make more than they will use.
Hope this helps!
Lisa says
Dawn Marie, you are by far and away the most treasured resource I have found for nontoxic hair and skin care. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with the rest of us. <3
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Lisa,
Thank you so much for your beautiful message! It is extremely appreciated! Best wishes with everything <3
Tracey says
Hi Dawn Michelle,
Thank you for this website. I had recently started using organic products when I first came across your site and it has really advanced my knowledge and the products I use! After a few tweaks here and there, I came up with an herbal hair cleanser that I love. It makes my hair really soft, curly (and darker).
It consists of 1 tbsp. each of soapwort, fenugreek seed, and whole amla.
I steep that overnight, strain, and add 2 tsp. each of fenugreek powder, nettle leaf powder, rosemary powder, horsetail powder. I then blend it and it comes out as a dark green paste. I shampoo it through and cover with a plastic cap for about 2 hours, then wash it out in the shower.
Here is my question: This weekend I followed my regimen, but I got soooo busy with chores that I was unable to wash the cleanser out for hours (like 4 or 5 hrs.) And once I did, it was a little dryish/ looked fuzzyish, felt a little coated. I wish I could describe better, but it was just not the usual soft texture. My argan oil restored my curl a bit but it still feels a little off. Do you have any suggestions on how I can balance this out? Maybe a clarifying recipe? I thought of maybe skipping this week’s wash (but it’s my “therapeutic me time”) or buying a clarifying shampoo (but I don’t like store brands anymore) So I’m a little stumped.
Thanks for any help you can offer.
Tracey:)
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Tracey,
I would do a vinegar rinse or even a bentonite clay/apple cider vinegar wash to clarify your hair. I completely understand when you say that you no longer are interested in using commercial hair care. I love herbs and clays for hair care.
I also feel like the DIY Herbal Hair Cleansers are extremely effective without using them as a hair mask at least not for every wash. I like to apply it to wet hair and then rinse after 5-10 minutes. I hope this is helpful for you. Best wishes!
Tracey says
Hi,
Thank you for the suggestion. I will do a vinegar rinse as I do not have bentonite clay. I googled around to find out how to go about this, but am picky with what information I trust. Can you suggest how I might do a vinegar rinse. Do you think it will cause my hair to lighten? because I always heard it was for DIY highlights.
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Tracey,
To create an apple cider vinegar rinse mix 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to 1 cup of water. You can also infuse the apple cider vinegar with herbs if you like. It is best to use raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar if you can find it. They sell the Bragg’s brand at most places and I’ve been told that the apple cider vinegar at Trader Joe’s is also unfiltered if not raw too. Also I’ve never heard of using apple cider vinegar rinse to lighten hair before. I have heard of using honey to lighten hair though.
Hope this helps!
Sarah says
Hi, Dawn Michelle!
I’m trying to get into the whole chemical-free lifestyle, and I just came across your website. You are basically my hero right now. From everything that I read in this article, I want to try to create a cleanser with yucca powder as the saponin, fenugreek as the mucilage herb, and amla as the conditioner. Maybe with some agave nectar as well. Most of the herbs are offered whole or powdered. Which would you recommend? I know you said it can be more liquidy or pasty according to one’s preference, but is there like a minimum ratio of herbs to water that you should use to have their properties be most effective? Sorry for all the questions, it’s just that this is my first time doing this and since I’ll be special-ordering some of these ingredients, I want to be sure I don’t mess up! Thanks for all your help.
Love, Sarah
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Sarah,
Definitely use equal amounts of each herb. I prefer using powdered herbs for this DIY Herbal Hair Cleanser. The amount that you use truly depends on the length and thickness of your hair. You can try by starting with 1-2 tablespoons of each herb and mixing with water until it has a yogurt like consistency. If that is still thick for your preference you can then add a bit of water for a more liquidy mix. You will also know after your first couple of washes if you are making too much or not. With DIY beauty you really learn to understand exactly what your skin and hair likes and why. It is a bit of trial and error but so empowering!
Best wishes!
Therese says
Hey Dawn Michelle,
Just found out about the quit shampoo movement. I have always wondered how the people of yore cleaned things like hair and skin for surely no one had access to things that foamed and smelled like “summer rain” or “arctic chill” in order to clean themselves back in those days.
Not using shampoo really makes sense and I’m considering going through with the process as I don’t want to be washing my hair all the time and actually will go through greasy days so that I don’t dry out my scalp too much.
I have a question though, how well do these DIY mixes store? I confess to being extremely lazy and don’t imagine I would find myself very happy if I had to mix up a new batch of stuff every time I wanted to clean/condition my hair. It sounds like after the transition from shampoo to none the frequency with which one’s hair needs cleaning is drastically reduced. I guess if you had to mix up a new batch every time you wanted to clean your hair it wouldn’t be too bad but ideally I’d like to not have to do that every time.
Can you tell me how long every thing lasts? Do you store things in the fridge or can you just leave it on the bathroom counter like usual?
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Therese,
I have found that most of my DIY concoctions will last in the refrigerator for a least a week. There are no preservatives added. Whenever you create a beauty product that has water or aloe vera, it needs to be refrigerated. With the DIY Herbal Hair Cleanser I usually premix equal portions of the herbs that I am using and store the mixture in a clean glass jar. I like to create a new batch each wash but have also used portions that were refrigerated successfully too.
Best wishes!
kala says
Do these cleansers remove chlorine ( swimming pool) from the hair. I will start my swimming classs this summer and I need a cleanser for the hair. Would you recommend a hair regimen for me ?
Thank You
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Kala,
I’m not an avid swimmer and the chlorine in pools really irritates my skin so I can’t speak from personal experience. I would suggest a good swim cap though to protect your hair in general. Chlorine can cause a lot of damage overtime to your hair. In terms of caring for your hair at the beach check out this article which shares what I did to care for my hair and what I used. I hope that it will give you some ideas that will translate to caring for your hair before and after swimming.
Best wishes!
Rachel says
I think I must have misunderstood, because I had a terrible experience with the bentonite clay.
I mixed 1Tbsp powdered Yucca, 1Tbsp Bentonite clay, 1 Tbsp powdered marshmallow root. I steeped 1 Tbsp Hibiscus flowers in 1 cup water until cooled, the reheated the hibiscus tea until nearly boiling. Then I stirred the hot hibiscus into the dry mixture until a consistency of slightly runny shampoo formed. I then processed this in my blender until very smooth, about 60 seconds in my Vitamix. I added two drops of Lavender oil.
I used about 1/6th of this mixture to wash my hair, and it felt smooth and slightly sudsy. But when my hair dried it was filthy. I had taken care to rinse it several times, but it felt like there was clay all over my hair!
I have an extremely sensitive scalp, so about every 3-4 months I quit all shampoos and do the baking soda/apple cider vinegar thing for a week until the irritation calms down. After going a week without shampoo, I thought I’d try something else instead of returning to regular shampoo. Instead, I washed my hair with a thin mixture of Dr Bronners this morning, and after I could still feel the yuckiness in my hair I broke down and shampooed it twice with Aussie.
I am so frustrated! I followed the 1:1:1 ratio outlined, but it made my hair feel dirty, not clean. Up until this point my scalp was lightly oily just from not washing in two days, but my hair was clean, soft, and shiny. After this my hair was dull, heavy and had a dry sticky feel. How is clay supposed to clean your hair when it seemed to just sticky like, well clay, to mine?
Should I try again, this time without the clay?
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Rachel,
What is your hair type? Also if you are still using any type of commercial shampoo your hair will most definitely go through a no ‘poo transition when you approach your hair care with natural ingredients. I shared my experience with it here.
Another BIG factor with no ‘poo is hard water. If you have hard water the minerals in the water leave a disgusting film on the hair which commercial shampoos and soaps rinse away with ease. Using a water filter in the shower helps like nothing else. I have hard water where I live and without a shower filter I don’t think I could successfully enjoy my simple hair care regimen.
Lastly you may want to see if your hair prefers yucca as a gentle shampoo over the clay. Yucca alone has both cleansing and conditioning properties so your hair may not need the hibiscus and marshmallow root mixed in which are conditioning herbs. You can also try using a cleansing herb alone first then doing a herbal cleansing rinse afterwards with hibiscus or marshmallow so you have a better idea how the herbs are working for your hair type. Aritha/soapnuts is another great cleansing herb for hair.
If this is your first time trying herbs as a hair cleanser just know it takes a few tries to create the best combo for your hair needs. Going the chemical-free hair route is a very individual experience for everyone. The benefits definitely outweigh the trial and error in my opinion. Take your time and let me know if you have any other questions.
Hope this helps and best wishes!
Daniela says
I’m so delighted to find your blog! I have been researching natural haircare and I have found most blogs are either only about the baking soda/ACV technique or using a lot of “natural” products. I am a minimalist on all fronts and believe that we do not need to spend lots of money on more products to solve all of our problems.
My hair history: I have been without shampoo/conditioner since August 2013. I used 100% organic products for many years prior to that (John Masters Organics Bare line). I also have a very clean and healthy lifestyle. For the month of August I tried the baking soda/ACV. The transition seemed very easy. Then I tried only water washing until just last week. I definitely went through transition phase with this method, and my hair has continued to change and transition over the months. The key piece of my regime has been hair brushing. I use a Boar Bristle brush to pull the sebum from my scalp to the ends of my hair. All was going well until February I noticed that my hair was almost too soft & my curls disappeared. I also began to have some dandruff on my scalp, which I have never had before. I started brushing more often, which was helping a little, but the dandruff was still there. After a lot more research I decided to try a bentonite clay treatment. I did not do enough research and ended up having terrible results. My hair was like dry straw, and so brittle that I suffered a lot of breakage.:-( the next day, I still felt like I had a lot of clay in my scalp and I was forced to use baking soda to remove it after which I used an ACV/honey rinse. My hair returned to soft and smooth and manageable after that washing, But my ends are still very dry and split, plus all my beautiful sebum is gone. That’s where I am now.
After a lot more research, I found out that bentonite Clay is very alkaline, & that’s why many of the recipes mix the clay with ACV. I followed different recipe and only mixed the clay with water. So I am very curious about your use of clay as a hair treatment. You do not suggest mixing the clay with ACV, yet you describe it working like a gentle cleanser and conditioner. I however had literally the opposite effect. Would love to hear your thoughts about this as I am completely scared to ever use clay on my head again. Perhaps I would mix it with ACV to balance the pH, but I’m curious how it is that you use clay without using some kind of pH balancer? Also, I am concerned that the clay stripped all the oils from my scalp. And am concerned about any cleanser whatsoever, including the herbal ones you have suggested doing the same thing. Do the herbal saponins not strip the hair of its natural oil? If so, why? Doesn’t any soap including natural saponins strip oil? Isn’t that the nature of a cleanser?
Thanks so much!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Daniela,
When I use clay for hair cleansing I always add other herbs to my mix which I mention in this article. The other herbs do bring down the pH of the cleanser. Also you can use both aloe vera juice or apple cider vinegar with clay for the best pH balance. You can see my most updated hair care products/ingredients here.
I am really loving using herbal infused apple cider vinegar heavily diluted with water as a shampoo and focusing on deep conditioning with simple natural ingredients. I’ve tried both co-washing and water only and noticed that both methods created scalp irritation for me. That is why I use herbs mainly or herbal infused apple cider vinegar to cleanse my hair and scalp. Hope this helps <3
Marian says
Hello Dawn,
I wear my hair in a very short buzz cut/shaved style. Most shampoos are geared toward making hair shinier or making curls smoother, but clearly none of those things are a concern to me (lol). I need a suggestion for a shampoo that will keep my scalp clean, moisturized and flake-free. Thanks!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Marian.
For a simple shampoo alternative which will also keep your scalp clean and healthy you can try using an apple cider vinegar rinse. I love to infuse raw organic apple cider vinegar with herbs for extra hair and scalp benefits as well as for the herbal scent. I then mix 1 cup of purified water with 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. I put the mix in a spray bottle and spritz my hair and scalp, then massage my scalp, then finally rinse. Let me know if you try this and how it works out for you.
Best wishes!
Kate says
I swim 3 x times and I need to wash my hair often to get rid of the chlorine from the pool. In the past I tried many Organic products that irritated my scalp( dandruff, itchy scalp). What would you recommend?
P.S. my hair consists of spiral/ corkscrew curls!!!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Kate,
I replied to your question in the comment section of the other articles which you also asked this and wanted to share my answer here too so you can find it with ease. Let me know if you have any other questions.
“My best advice for swimming 3 times a week or even once a week in chlorine is to wear a rubber swimming cap. By wearing a swimming cap you are preventing all of your hair from soaking in very drying chlorine and you can also use this opportunity to deep condition your hair. I also suggest saturating your hair with oil before swimming to prevent your hair from absorbing any chlorine that may seep into the edges of your swimming cap. I wrote this article last year for about caring for your hair at the beach but some of the tips also apply here.
One of the best solutions for a happy and healthy scalp is to use apple cider vinegar diluted in water as a natural cleanser for hair and scalp. I like to infuse my apple cider vinegar with herbs then I add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to 1 cup of water. I do also enjoy the bentonite clay and coconut milk mix as a simple DIY Cleansing Conditioner, yet have recently been using herbal infused apple cider vinegar and a DIY banana conditioner.
Most importantly I feel that covering your hair with a swim cap is a crucial step for protecting your hair since you do swim so often in chlorinated water. Another reader also mentioned that she uses a swim cap to cover her hair when she does her henna treatments as an eco-friendly solution to using plastic caps or grocery bags. I thought that was an incredible idea! I hope this helps some and best wishes!”
Kate says
What do you think of green green clay for hair ?
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Kate,
I’ve tried bentonite, red clay, and rhassoul clay for hair yet not green clay. Each clay is a bit different but it is worth a try. Please let me know what you think if you do try it yourself. Best wishes!
Daniela says
Hi again… been continuing to LOVE your blog. Thanks!
OK, I could use some advice. I admit I’m feeling pretty overwhelmed with all your different options for natural DIY hair care, and wondering what to choose right now. Since my 1st and disastrous experience trying ONLY bentonite clay w/water a couple months ago, my hair has NOT bounced back :(. I have tried many a ACV rinse, honey rinses, and your green tea rinse, but my hair still feels super dry like straw. So, I am contemplating what to do next. I am wanting to try one thing at a time and not invest in lots of herbs (at least just yet). Clearly my hair needs it’s moisture back, but it tends not to do well with straight oils because it gets greasy looking fast, and then I need to find a way to “shampoo” out the heavy oil slick. And Aloe Vera by itself isn’t enough right now. Any advice?
Thanks!!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Daniela,
A super easy and inexpensive conditioning treatment is with bananas and coconut milk. It must be blended extremely well or blended and strained. This will moisturize your hair like no other. At least I hope so.
When your hair feels like straw it is in desperate need for moisture which for me is just water. I fully saturate my hair with water at least two times a week. Now that it is warmer I’m working on deciding how often I want to fully saturate my hair. My hair loves water.
When you apply oils to dehydrated hair, they usually end up just sitting on your hair. I like to only add oils to my hair when it is soaking wet and I don’t use too much. An oil to try which I’ve found to soften my hair more than any other oil is wheat germ oil which I originally wrote about here. It is actually a new again favorite for me despite the nutty scent. I just add essential oils to it. It is a high linoleic oil too so I use it on my skin too without worry.
I hope this helps you and please keep us posted!
Daniela says
PS – I have thoroughly read your Conditioner & Leave Ins post, but I just don’t know which one makes the most sense for me to try right now.
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Daniela,
It really just depend on your hair texture and how you style your hair. Also I share different 100% natural hair regimens for different hair type here. What is your hair type and texture?
Kate says
My concern is getting rid of products build up from previous shampoo and conditioner. I want to try to begin diy recipes for my hair . I will be purchasing African South American and Asian oils and powders for my hair and skin. I need to learn to make a shampoo or a cleanser. I will do clay mask but I want to make a shampoo. My hair does not like acv rinses except for rose water and green tea. My goal is to master a deep conditioner, leave in, and flaxseed gel because my hates certain ingredients that’s in most organic or conventional products. I know my hair likes honey but I’m not sure about coconut yet. My hair is extremely damaged smh. I already began the diy recipes for my skin and face my complexion has improved and I don’t suffer from chapped irritated lips. I will be trying the fruit enzyme mask next. I found the hair powders in my health food store.
FYI I stopped using lotions it never works for me smh
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Kate,
If you are concerned with getting rid of product build up then definitely check out this article. Also many of the DIY products for hair care on my site are extremely simple to make. I don’t make complicated recipes so I’m sure that you will be able to master creating your own simple hair care products. Finding what works well for your hair will literally be trial and error though.
The many recipes that I share here are from the trial and error that I’ve experienced with my hair and skin over the past years. Definitely take notes and even keep a hair journal so that you have documentation of what is working and what is not. This also includes keeping track of your recipes and how you tweak them to suit your needs. Also here is an article on transitioning damaged hair to healthy hair. Although the article is geared towards chemically treated and heat damaged hair, the suggestions can hopefully benefit anyone with damaged hair. I hope that it is helpful for you and please keep us posted on your progress!
Best wishes!
Riley N. says
Hi Dawn Michelle!
Want to say first that I LOVE your blog! Thanks to you I try to find ways to approach my hair and skin care in more natural ways.
I had a question. I know some ingredients my hair likes so far based on using items that included: hibiscus, rhassoul, yucca root, amla, brahmi, and marshmallow root. I’d like to incorporate an herbal hair cleanser into my cleansing regimen (currently co-cleanse 3X/month & clarifying/chelating poo 1X/month) but I still plan to use some commercial/synthetic products. Would I suffer any adverse effects from doing both of these?
I’m long-term transitioning to relaxer free & I don’t want to do anything that would freak my hair out and make me consider wanting to relax again. Thanks in advance!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Riley,
Incorporating herbal hair care into your regimen is always wonderful. You may find over time that you actually prefer it better to synthetic products. I find that many commercial products strip the hair dry creating a consistent cycle of using more conditioning and leave-in products to replace what was stripped. I’m currently on a water only hair washing regimen which I share in detail in this article my journey to extremely simple product-free hair care. I did slowly transition to this new regimen through herbal hair care.
Hope this helps & best wishes!
Mary says
Hello,
I have fine, wavy hair and a while back I felt like my hair was losing its curl and color and basically looked unhealthy, so about a year ago I started doing ‘no-poo’ washing with baking soda and ACV, but when I came home from college my hair was acting very strange. My hair was very difficult to comb through in the shower and felt like straw afterwards. I began researching for a ph balanced all natural hair cleanser and started using this vegetable glycerin and aloe vera mixture. At first it seemed to work, but now my hair is extremely greasy once it dries and I thought maybe it was because I might be in a transition period but I would think that this should be a very short stage since I have been no-pooing for a long time. My sister has also been having the same problems and is trying a honey and water mixture and might try a coconut milk and aloe vera mixture. What do you think of these mixtures and how my hair has been reacting? Should I switch to the herbal wash and if so should I use a clay? Also do the herbal mixtures ever go bad?
Thank you so much, your article has been very helpful.
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Mary,
I’ve tried more herbal, clay and honey hair washes than can be mentioned. It really is trial and error and discovering what works best for you and the results that you desire. It looks like you are still doing the trial and error stage. You may like to try yucca root or soapnuts/aritha as a hair wash alone to help with the greasy feeling once or twice then try mixing the cleansing herbs with a mucilage and conditioning herb if you need one. Yucca root has both conditioning and cleansing properties which you can read more about here. It is so freeing and healthy not to use store bought products and instead simple organic herbs for hair care. I wish you and your sister the best!
Magdalena says
Hi Dawn, firstly I wanted to say thank you for your incredible blog and all of your advices! Thanks to you slowly I am changing my life and it gives me so much happiness. Recently I have used your cleanser/conditioner (rhassoul clay, shikakai, amla, honey, marshmallow and boiling water). When my hair got dry I actually realized that it is really fat. I added exactly the same amount of every ingredident. Do you think it is because I haven’t wash it out of my hair well? I would be really thankful for your answer! Big hugs from Germany!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Magdalena,
You actually have two cleansing ingredients in your hair wash. If your hair is dry that could be one of the reasons. The rhassoul clay and shikakai both are great hair cleansers as is. Using them together is most likely an overkill. Using natural hair care does take some trial and error. You may have to try a few different combinations to figure out what works best for you. Try the shikakai, amla, marshmallow in powder form or as a tea as described here. You can also try the rhassoul clay and honey as another wash. You may also enjoy using aloe vera as a leave-in to help with the dry feeling that you are experiencing now if you like to use a leave-in product for your hair. Aloe isn’t too expensive and can be used for skin and health as well. Take notes on your recipes and results to help you with the process. I hope this helps!
Magdalena says
Hi Dawn, yesterday I tried shikakai, amla and marshmallow root, as you recommended and it worked PERFECTLY for my hair! Instead of beeing oily, it is soft, shining and strong! Thank you so much for help! I stay connected with you! I also changed completely my skin regimen and after one month I could see spectacular result! Thanks to you the life seems simply to me. Big hug!
Dawn Michelle says
Hi Magdalena,
Sweet! I’m so glad this combination worked so well. Keeping things simple is the best way to go in my opinion. Best wishes!