These homemade shampoo bars will naturally nourish and strengthen your hair! Most salon or store-bought shampoos are expensive and full of chemicals. Try this easy and affordable shampoo recipe that is perfect for travel and so much fun to make!
Our skin is our largest organ, and it will absorb what we put on it. There are many toxins that we can’t control, so it’s important to limit the ones we can.
Most of the shampoos and soaps on the supermarket shelf are full of chemicals. They may make your hair sparkle and shine, but what is the long term effect of those chemicals on our bodies?
I don’t want to take the risk to find out, so I decided to make homemade shampoo bars. I love using them because they are:
- Nourishing. Aloe vera oil, jojoba oil, and castor oil are excellent for keeping your hair silky and soft with enough moisture to keep it from drying out.
- Hair strengthening. Herbs such as rosemary, sage, nettles, and arnica are really good for hair growth and strength.
- Made using a hot process soap-making method. I prefer it over the cold process, since you can use the bars right away. Cold process soap has to cure for about 4 weeks to reach neutrality.
Here’s What You Need for Shampoo Bars
- Dry herbs (rosemary, sage, nettles, arnica, etc.)
- Water
- Lye (Sodium Hydroxide)
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Avocado Oil
- Castor Oil
- Aloe Vera Oil
- Jojoba Oil
- Coconut milk
- Essential oil of your choice** (optional, I like to mix orange and peppermint, rosemary and lavender, or single oils like eucalyptus, cedarwood, and lemon). I use Young Living oils and HERE is why. However if Young Living is out of your reach, I’ve heard great things about Plant Therapy on Amazon.
- Kitchen scale (optional, but very helpful)
- Protective eyewear (glasses or light shade sunglasses work great)
- Rubber kitchen gloves
- Crock-pot (there is almost always one at a thrift store)
Note on Ingredients
- Lye. Lye is a caustic substance and needs to be handled carefully. Wear protective eye wear and long sleeves and gloves while making these homemade shampoo bars. Always make sure to pour the lye into the water and not the other way around. It could cause a small explosion! As long as you are careful with handling it you shouldn’t have any problems. This part of soap making is definitely something to do while the kids are otherwise occupied.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Plan ahead by a couple of hours because you need to infuse your water with herbs. Heat your water just to boiling and pour into a glass jar. Add in your choice of herbs and screw on the lid. Let rest for at least two hours so the water will pull out the nutrients and scent from the herbs.
Step 2. Once the water is infused, re-measure it into a large heat proof bowl and add more water if necessary.
Step 3. Wearing gloves and eye protection, measure your lye into a separate dish. Take your water and lye outdoors to mix; they throw off some strong fumes! Add your lye into the water stirring as you pour.
Step 4. Leave the lye mixture outside to cool slightly while you start on the next step.
Step 5. Place the dish that contains the lye into the sink and fill with soap and water and let it soak. You will want to make sure and wash it wearing your gloves.
Step 6. Measure your oils (minus the essential oil if using) into a crock pot and heat on low. Be sure to get accurate measurements to ensure proper neutralization through the saponification process. (This step may take a while depending on the temperature of your home. Soap making is much quicker in summer when the coconut oil is already soft, but you can easily step away for a minute if you need to while the oils melt.)
Step 7. Once the oils are melted, it’s time to add in the water/lye mixture. Wearing your gloves and eye protection again, stir the water/lye into the oils. Place your large bowl in the sink with the other lye dishes to wash when you are done.
Step 8. You need to mix the oils and water/lye mixture to “trace.” This is where the shampoo starts to saponify (making the soap into soap!). The best way to mix it to trace is to use an immersion blender, otherwise you will be stirring by hand for quite some time. However, you CAN use either method, and you should stir or blend until the shampoo looks like pudding.
Step 9. Stir in the coconut milk. This adds a really nice texture to the homemade shampoo bars and nourishes the scalp.
Step 10. Cover the crock pot and let cook for about an hour for the shampoo to cook and reach neutrality. If you let it go a little longer, it’s okay. You can use a pH testing strip to make sure it’s at a pH between 6 and 8 if you’re concerned about the caustic ingredients. I typically don’t and haven’t had any issues.
Using essential oils for scent and hair benefits in homemade shampoo bars
Ps…Add them in after your shampoo has cooked to neutrality. How much you add will depend on your scent preference and the strength of the oil. Keep in mind that it will smell very strong at this point, but once the soap cools the scent will dissipate some. I tend to go on the heavier side so I get a good strong scent.
Step 11. Now it’s time to put your shampoo into a mold! I use a loaf mold. You can easily use a loaf pan, mini-loaf pan, rectangle box, or even a large shallow baking dish (you will cut it differently for this shape mold). Line your mold with parchment paper or plastic wrap and scoop in your shampoo. It will be hot, so be careful. For an extra touch of pretty, sprinkle dried herbs on top.
Step 12. Next, gently wrap the mold in a towel and place in a cardboard box or warm cabinet. If it cools too quickly the shampoo bars may split on the top. Let it set for 24 hours.
Step 13. Once it has set, gently remove from the mold. Cut your shampoo into your desired size bar, but approximately one inch thick is my goal.
Using the hot-process method, the bar is at neutrality by this point so you can go ahead and use it now!
Homemade Shampoo Bar Recipe Tips
- For the rest of the homemade shampoo bars, place in a cardboard box with some space in between each for some air flow. The bars will continue to harden as time goes on. Because this recipe uses a lot of coconut and olive oil it will turn out fairly soft. You should store unused bars in a cool place.
- It is very important to have accurate measurements in soap making, as inaccuracy could cause your shampoo to be too caustic and burn the skin.
- Always add the lye to the water and not the water to the lye, which causes a very bad reaction!
- After using this homemade shampoo bar, I always follow up with a 1:3 mix of apple cider vinegar to water as a conditioner. Spray it on right before jumping out of the shower (and don’t rinse) to soften hair and give it some shine. The vinegar scent dissipates quickly.
FAQs
What can I use instead of shampoo?
I would suggest reading my article on how to wash your hair without shampoo here.
What substitutes would you recommend for coconut milk?
You can use water as an alternative for coconut milk.
Is homemade shampoo better for your hair?
This homemade shampoo bar is beneficial to your scalp and your locks will feel and look healthier!
More DIY Beauty Recipes
- Homemade powdered foundation
- DIY clay-based toothpaste (just like Earthpaste)
- Natural Makeup Remover
- Homemade facial cleanser
DIY: Homemade Herbal Shampoo Bar
These homemade shampoo bars will naturally nourish and strengthen your hair! Most salon or store-bought shampoos are expensive and full of chemicals. Try this easy and affordable shampoo recipe that is perfect for travel and so much fun to make!
Ingredients
- 1–2 Tbsp dry herbs (Rosemary, sage, nettles, arnica, etc.)
- 7 oz water
- 4.4 oz lye (Sodium Hydroxide)
- 10 oz coconut oil
- 9 oz olive oil
- 6 oz avocado Oil
- 3 oz Castor oil
- 3 oz aloe vera oil
- 1 oz jojoba oil
- 3.5 oz coconut milk
- .5-1 oz essential oil of your choice** (optional, I like to mix orange and peppermint, rosemary and lavender, or single oils like eucalyptus, cedarwood, and lemon)
- Kitchen scale (optional, but very helpful
- Protective eye wear (glasses or ligh shade sunglasses work great)
- Rubber kitchen gloves
- 4 qt crock-pot
Instructions
- Plan ahead by a couple of hours because you need to infuse your water with herbs. Heat your water just to boiling and pour into a glass jar. Add in your choice of herbs and screw on the lid. Let rest for at least two hours so the water will pull out the nutrients and scent from the herbs.
- Once the water is infused, re-measure it into a large heat proof bowl and add more water if necessary.
- Wearing gloves and eye protection, measure your lye into a separate dish. Take your water and lye outdoors to mix; they throw off some strong fumes! Add your lye into the water, stirring as you pour. Leave the lye mixture outside to cool slightly while you start on the next step.
- Place the dish that contains the lye into the sink and fill with soap and water and let it soak. You will want to make sure and wash it wearing your gloves.
- Measure your oils (minus the essential oil if using) into a crock pot and heat on low. Be sure to get accurate measurements to ensure proper neutralization through the saponification process. (This step may take a while depending on the temperature of your home. Soap making is much quicker in summer when the coconut oil is already soft, but you can easily step away for a minute if you need to while the oils melt.)
- Once the oils are melted, it’s time to add in the water/lye mixture. Wearing your gloves and eye protection again, stir the water/lye into the oils. Place your large bowl in the sink with the other lye dishes to wash when you are done.
- You need to mix the oils and water/lye mixture to “trace.” This is where the shampoo starts to saponify (making the soap into soap!). The best way to mix it to trace is to use an immersion blender, otherwise you will be stirring by hand for quite some time. However, you CAN use either method, and you should stir or blend until the shampoo looks like pudding.
- Stir in the coconut milk. This adds a really nice texture to the shampoo bars and nourishes the scalp.
- Cover the crock pot and let cook for about an hour for the shampoo to cook and reach neutrality. If you let it go a little longer, it’s okay. You can use a pH testing strip to make sure it’s at a pH between 6 and 8 if you’re concerned about the caustic ingredients. I typically don’t and haven’t had any issues. If you are using essential oils for scent and hair benefits, add them in after your shampoo has cooked to neutrality. How much you add will depend on your scent preference and the strength of the oil. Keep in mind that it will smell very strong at this point, but once the soap cools the scent will dissipate some. I tend to go on the heavier side so I get a good strong scent.
- Now it’s time to put your shampoo into a mold! I use a loaf mold. You can easily use a loaf pan, mini-loaf pan, rectangle box, or even a large shallow baking dish (you will cut it differently for this shape mold).Line your mold with parchment paper or plastic wrap and scoop in your shampoo. It will be hot, so be careful. For an extra touch of pretty, sprinkle dried herbs on top.
- Gently wrap the mold in a towel and place in a cardboard box or warm cabinet. If it cools too quickly it may split on the top. Let it set for 24 hours.
- Once it has set, gently remove from the mold. Cut your shampoo into your desired size bar, but approximately one inch thick is my goal.
- Using the hot-process method, the bar is at neutrality by this point so you can go ahead and use it now!For the rest of the bars, place in a cardboard box with some space in between each for some air flow. The bars will continue to harden as time goes on. Because this recipe uses a lot of coconut and olive oil it will turn out fairly soft. You should store unused bars in a cool place.
Notes
- It is very important to have accurate measurements in soap making. Inaccuracy could cause your shampoo to be too caustic and burn the skin.
- Always add the lye to the water and not the water to the lye. That could cause a very bad reaction!
- After using this homemade shampoo bar, I always follow up with a 1:3 mix of apple cider vinegar to water as a conditioner. Spray it on right before jumping out of the shower (and don’t rinse) to soften hair and give it some shine. The vinegar scent dissipates quickly.
Klara
Can I ask how to make the herbal soak?
Heather (contributing author)
Klara,
Soak your herbs in hot water like you would make tea. Strain out the herbs and use the herbal water as stated in the recipe.
Elizabeth
The best shampoo bar recipe Thanks a lot
Harmony
I would also like to know about the aloe vera oil. Am having a hard time finding in but gel can be found in abundance. Is the oil just the gel mixed with a carrier oil?
I’m in Australia and also suffer from ridiculously oily hair so trying to make your recipe with what I can source here and converting to metric 😉
Thank you so much!
Tiffany
Hi Harmony! We used aloe vera oil in this recipe, not the gel. I’ve linked to the product in the recipe, so if you can’t find it locally, that may be the best option!
Harmony
Thanks Tiffany,
Wanted to make sure. Will keep searching for the oil.
The one you linked to on Amazon unfortunately doesn’t ship to Australia but I’m sure there will be others.
Thanks again for the clarification and the lovely tips! 🙂
Sara
Hi I found this site with this wonderful recipe. It seems really easy, but there is one little thing I can’t find. When you make the cold version, do you just mix everything? No heating at all?
Sharon
Are you using the shampoo bar with hard or soft water? I would like to use a shampoo bar, but they don’t react well with our hard water.
Tiffany
I’m pretty sure our water in CA and now in GA is hard water.
Jenya
Hi! Thank you for sharing this great recipe. How do you turn this soap bar into an actual liquid shampoo? We have gotten used to using a liquid shampoo in our house and I would love to use this as a liquid recipe just don’t know how. Thank you again!!!
Jenny
Question, are you using aloe vera gel, or an infused oil? If you are using gel, are you adding it to the oils and cooking it?
Sylvia
Hi there ☺ I tried your recipe and love it thank you for sharing. Just wanted to know what to do if pH is too low or too high? It hasn’t happened this time but I just would like to know how to react to it. Also do you have a moisturizing hot pressed soap recipe for the body? Thank you for your reply.
Cynthia Esparza
I was just wondering when you measure everything is itwith a kitchen cale or a measuring cup? I think thamay make a difference so I thought that I should ask. Thanks
Jacqueline Maurice
I just made my first batch of shampoo bars. Thanks for the recipe! I can’t wait to try them.
morgan
i am all about going natural and i hate the way store bought shampoos make my hair feel; they leave residues and oils. i would love to try this but i’m uneasy because the recipe calls for so much oil, how does it not make your hair greasy?
Heather
Hey Morgan! During the soap making process the oils soponify and turn into soap as they react with the lye. There is actually very little oil left in the soap and it won’t make your hair greasy. The small amount that is left nourishes your hair. My hair is very greasy and this recipe leaves it soft and shiny with no residue!
brenda
When you infused the herbs, do you strain them and just measure the liquid?
Heather
Hi Brenda! Yes, strain the herbs out and just measure the liquid by weight. Thanks for asking!
Brenda
Yes, I’ve been using a homemade shampoo bar for a long time now….I found the recipe on youtube and it sets up really nice, very easy to make and wow the lather is amazing…My hair feels soo clean and soft…just wish I could find a natural conditioner…
Tiffany
Here’s what we use Brenda: https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2015/02/diy-homemade-conditioner/
Narda
Would you please send me your shampoo recipe?
None of these will work for me
Please send to
[email protected]
Thank you so much !
Karen @ Team Crumbs
Hi Narda,
Here is a shampoo recipe https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/simple-diy-liquid-herbal-shampoo/ and here is another post about washing your hair without shampoo. https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/how-to-wash-your-hair-without-shampoo/
Hope this helps. 🙂
Linda
Is this safe to use on color-treated hair?
Virginia
I have tried making soap in the past but haven’t been able to get it to trace. I believe I have some lye left over so I would love to give this a try! Thanks for the recipe!
Heather Robertson
You may need to check your measurements. Soap is picky! If you are doing cold process soap it may be temperature too. Good luck!
Matthew
Actually you don’t need to wait 4 weeks for the bars to reach neutrality. All soaps(including aged soaps) have a slightly higher PH then neutral(7) the soaps PH settles after about 24-48 hours depending on the recipe. The suggested 4 week waiting period is for the residual water in the bar to evaporate which creates a longer lasting bar. This is true for both hot process and cold process soap.
Tiffany
Thanks for sharing Matthew.
Lauren D
fantastic recipe! I often used the shampoo bars from the cosmetics store “lush” but if I can make my own- so much cheaper and customizable.
I do have a question though- do you use separate tools for soap making and for cooking? Especially the immersion blender, it makes me a little concerned since that didn’t reach neutrality with the recipe. If you do – how do you clean and neutralize your tools?
Thanks! Love your blog
Heather Robertson
Hi Lauren! I do use separate tools for soapmaking and cooking. I was able to find an inexpensive crock pot at a thrift store. You may be able to find a used immersion blender as well. (I haven’t looked for one since I already had one.) When I’m done with all my soapmaking I wash it all in soap and water and make sure to rinse really well. I haven’t had any issues doing that. Some suggest using vinegar to neutralize everything, but I haven’t found this necessary.
Shannon R
Awesome tutorial, Heather!! 🙂
Heather Robertson
Thanks!
Jeannie
I really like this idea, but I’m feeling tentative about spending the money up front to buy these ingredients when it is possible I might end up not liking the final product. Is there a way to purchase a bar from you? Or do you know of a similar product I could try from the store?
Heather Robertson
Hi Jeannie! There is a bit of an upfront cost. If you are wanting to try a shampoo bar I have a shop where I sell them. You are more than welcome to check them out! www.southernvinessoapco.etsy.com
Nancy
Heather, I just checked out your etsy shop! Can any of your soaps be used as shampoo? I didn’t see any marked specifically as shampoo bars.
Thank you!
Dena Norton
Wow! This is fantastic, Heather! I’ve tried “no poo,” but it wreaked havoc on my oily hair and skin. I’ve recently been buying “cleaner” shampoos, but am still not 100% confident they’re free of questionable ingredients. I’m pinning this recipe to try once we’re through the holiday hub bub.
Can I ask a question – to use this, do you just rub the bar between your hands like you would a bar of soap, then apply that to your hair? Thanks! 🙂
Heather Robertson
Hey Dena! I rub the bar straight into my hair. It gives me the best suds to wash with!
kathie marvel
Hi Heather, great recipe! Do I need to rinse with a vinegar rinse?