Nowadays, more and more people are turning to make their cosmetic products. The idea to make cosmetic products at home is not new; people have been making various cosmetics for centuries.

 

What are The Benefits of Homemade Cosmetics?

For those who do not wish to spend money on cosmetics that only has great marketing strategy but lacking in everything else, homemade cosmetic is a great choice. If you make your cosmetics, you will save a lot of money.

The ingredients one needs to make, for instance, skin lotion or shampoo are much cheaper, and the probability that one already has it in his or her kitchen is very high.

The most common ingredients we need are sugar, salt, fruits, vegetables, honey, yogurt, and olive oil, and we all have them in our house.

On the other hand, when we are buying cosmetic products, we are also paying for the brand, the packaging, tradition, status etc. The price does not necessarily tell us about the product.

The products you can make at home are always more eco-friendly. One knows what is in the product he or she uses. In other words, we are in control of the amount, quality, and type of the ingredients that go into our cosmetics. The great advantage is that when we make it, there would be no synthetic products in it.

Another benefit of homemade cosmetics is that you can choose your fragrance and experiment with different recipes.

 

How Can You Make a Natural Shampoo?

Recipe for Coconut Shampoo

All you need for the perfect homemade shampoo is coconut milk.

For the recipe you will need:

• ¼ cup of coconut milk
• 1/3 cup of liquid castile soap
• ½ teaspoon of Vitamin E oil
• 20 drops of essential oil of choice (peppermint, lavender, rosemary, orange, or the combination of those)
• ½ teaspoon of almond oil for dry hair (optional)

Mix these ingredients in an old shampoo bottle or jar and shake it well to mix it. Keep it in the shower for about a month and shake it well before every use. About a teaspoon is enough every time you shampoo.

This natural shampoo is also great for kids, although it is not tearing free. Liquid castile soap is a combination of olive, hemp, and palm oils with potassium hydroxide. This soap is unique because the glycerin is left in it, so the soap retains more moisturizing capabilities. When buying castile soap, make sure it is labeled with “organic”.

 

Recipe for Shampoo with Dried Herbs

Another natural and healthy shampoo includes dried herbs in the recipe.

For the recipe, you will need:

• 8 oz of distilled water
• 2 teaspoons of dried rosemary
• 2 teaspoons of dried rose petals
• 3 tablespoons of aloe vera gel
• 3 ounces of liquid castile soap
• ¼ of teaspoons of jojoba oil
• 30 drops of pure rosemary essential oil

First, you need to place the rosemary and the rose petals in the jar and to fill it with boiling water. Place the lid over a jar and let it steep for a minimum of 30 minutes. Strain it and let the liquid cool to room temperature. Then you should place the liquid into a shampoo bottle; add the castile soap, and jojoba oil and essential oil. Finally, add aloe vera gel and it is done.

When using it, shake it well, and keep in mind that this shampoo will last for several weeks, therefore, keep the portion in the fridge to prolong the shelf life.

As for the herbs, one can experiment with it. Instead of the herbs mentioned above, you can use chamomile, calendula, nettle, sage, black walnut hulls. Beside jojoba oil, you can use almond or sesame oil.

Choose the herbs you will find the most suitable for your hair. For instance, chamomile is for light hair, while sage is for dark hair; Lavender controls oil production, and rosemary oil is a stimulant.

As for the oils, you can experiment with them as well. One can also add vitamin E or tea tree oil for astringent properties.

 

Baking Soda Shampoo Recipe

Baking soda is excellent for removal of the buildups on the scalp. On the other hand, baking soda tends to dry hair out, thus you should use vinegar to rinse the hair for a fluffy feeling.

For the recipe, you will need:

• ½ a cup of baking soda
• water

Mix it with 3 cups of water, and put it in a plastic or glass container.  Shake it before you use it and apply it on the scalp, scrubbing in it. Rinse it with ½ a cup of apple cider vinegar or regular white vinegar.

For the best results with this shampoo, it will take two weeks.

 

The Cons of Using Homemade Shampoos

Some of the disadvantages of homemade cosmetics are time and patience. If you do not have it, do not make cosmetics that need more than a few days to complete.

The other thing one should pay attention to is the expiration date. Moreover, one needs to know the characteristics of the ingredients used in products.  Otherwise, although natural, these products can also have side effects when spoiled or expired.

Due to the lack of chemicals, homemade cosmetics may take longer to work than the products bought in the stores. One should not expect fast results with homemade products. Without synthetics, homemade products have a shorter shelf life and spoil faster and easier.

 
Reference:

Byers, D. (1996). Natural Body Basics: Making Your Own Cosmetics. Gooseberry Hill.

Byers, D. (2007). Natural Beauty Basics. Square One Publishing.

Dweck, A.C. (2010). Formulating Natural Cosmetics. Allured Pub Corp.

Farer-Halls, G. (2006). Natural Beauty Recipe Book: How to Make Your Own Organic Cosmetics and Beauty Products.  Quarry Books.

Peebles, K. (2009). How to Make Homemade Natural Shampoo. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Silva, R.S. (2013). Make Shampoos At Home Using Natural Ingredients: Discover recipes for quality natural hair shampoos. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

 
Image credit: DepositPhotos.com

 
Last article update: 8/22/2019