As I said in a previous post, I am poo free and love it! My husband on the other hand, is not. He really prefers to use shampoo to wash his hair daily, which is fine, except the shampoo he “needs” to use is a load of toxic crap. He ran out about two months ago so I decided, instead of spending almost $20 on a bottle of carcinogens I would try out some home made shampoo recipes and see if that helps him with his very bad dandruff.
I tried a few recipes that were okay and tried a shampoo bar too. He was not a fan of the shampoo bar, he said it was too drying. The other recipes did not help with his dandruff. My friend mentioned she uses the Coconut Milk Shampoo by One Good Thing by Jillee and loves it so I made a batch sans essential oils and again it worked well to clean the hair, but not great with the dandruff.
I modified the recipe a little bit for our specific needs and this is what I came up with. My husbands hair is nice and clean without any dandruff or itchiness! Score 1 for natural mamma kind.
Home Made Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
This home-made anti-dandruff shampoo will nourish your hair while soothing your scalp using the power of essential oils. This is a must-have recipe for anyone with dandruff. The recipe is also easily modified for other head and scalp concerns.
- 1/4 C Coconut Milk (You can make your own but I am too lazy and used store bought)
- 1/2 C Liquid Castile Soap (like Dr. Bronner’s)
- 1/4 C Vegetable Glycerin (for thickness)
- 2 tsp coconut, almond, or jojoba oil (I have used almond and coconut and in the summer when the bathroom stays warm coconut is the way to go)
- 3-4 drops each of these 100% Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils (you want the good stuff, fragrance oils can be toxic and you will not get the benefits you do from pure therapeutic grade essential oils like doTERRA): Melaleuca, Geranium, Ylang Ylang, Basil, Frankincense
- Combine all the ingredients, mix well and put into the bottle you will use. I tried re-using an old shampoo bottle but it apparently had a cracked bottom and leaked my shampoo on the counter SO I switched to a peri-bottle that I got from the hospital and never used after having N, and it makes a very good shampoo bottle.
That’s it! It is super easy and works great.
NOTE: I added the glycerin in the last two batches and it thickens up the recipe nicely. The recipe without it works great, but with the glycerin it has more of a “shampoo like” consistency. You can add up to 1/2 C for desired thickness.
Another note, it will separate when it sits, so just give it a good shake before shampooing.
Have you tried home made shampoo? What is your recipe? Do you like it?
I get my essential oils Here, my other oils I work with here and the coconut milk at Sprouts or I make my own with coconut flakes I get from Tropical Traditions.
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I am in Medellin, colombia and get NOT find liquid castile soap (like Dr. Bronner’s). What can I substitute?
Thanks
You can try another gentle natural soap like coconut oil soap (lye is hard on the hair so a gentle natural oil soap). If you can get a bar you can grate it with a cheese grater and add it to the coconut oil on low heat until it melts. I hope that helps!
This looks neat! I have been “collecting” homemade soap, shampoo, lotion, etc. recipes . This is definitely going on my list!
Thanks for sharing with my Super Link Party!
~Susie~
Thank you for joining the Frugal Tuesday Tip. For the reader above, I wonder if shaving castile bar soap into a quart jar and filling with water would make a decent substitute.
This is great! I’ve been looking for a shampoo specifically for dandruff, so very excited to give this a shot!
Thanks so much for sharing at Tiny Tip Tuesday!
Have you tried adding a little vegetable glycerin and some castor oil to thicken it?
I have not but its a good idea! I am making another batch soon. Ill let you know how it turns out.
How to get rid of mounds of daundrff (Scalp Problem)?Ok I have a lot of daundrff in my hair and even if I wash my hair w/ anti-daundrff shampoo/conditioner it still won’t work. And I hate getting teased by my friends so reply ASAP please! Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I used to have bloody scabs before on my scalp but already healed. What are SIMPLE and easy remedies to get rid of a lot of daundrff?
You can try using paste of fenugreek seeds or lemon juice mixed with plain yogurt or a combination of three. Apple Cider Vinegar mixed in water to rinse hair after wash also works well. Massaging scalp with warm coconut oil prior to shampooing also works.
Disclaimer- these are home remedies and results may vary.
Powdered oatmeal will help it to congeal. Just make sure that it’s finely powdered, or else you’ll end up with oatmeal bits in your hair.
Thanks Ill try that!
Eva,
it sounds like you have psoriasis, not dandruff. Do you get a painful red scalp, followed at times by scabs. Does it sometimes hurt to comb your hair? Are you very sensitive to shampoos, conditioners and hair dye? If the answer is yes, then this could be psoriasis and I suggest you go to the doctor. I have all these symptoms that get markedly worse if I use chemicals on my scalp (including hair gel/mouse!)
Hope that helps
Kay
love this!! shampoos you buy at the drug store are full of chemicals. This is a great alternative! Would you recommend using this recipe for every wash, even if you don’t have dandruff?
You can use this shampoo every wash even without dandruff! The great thing about making your own products is that you can customize it to fit your personal needs. This is my post discussing different essential oils to use for different skin problems. The same applies to your hair! If you like a particular scent you can add that too. This recipe is infinitely adaptable to your personal needs! http://www.naturallivingmamma.com/2012/08/13/essential-oils-for-skincare/
I have been looking for a post like this for a while…. My head is so itchy and the longer I nurse the worse it is getting. Gonna try this very soon!!!!! Thank you so much. Also, how do I set up affiliate links like yours to help pay for my soon to be blog/ website?
I hope you like it! You still might have to tweak the essential oils until you find what works best for you, but these work well for us
Ill message you about the blog stuff.
Where can I find the coconut milk? Is that in the food aisle or health and beauty section?
You can use canned coconut milk too!
Nevermind, I see that it’s a milk in the dairy section. This is what I get when I don’t look at the picture carefully before posting. LOL
[...] 8. Homemade Anti-Dandruff Shampoo [...]
[...] haven't tried no-poo (yet) but while doing research about it I found this: Home Made Anti-Dandruff Shampoo | Natural Living Mamma I think the trick is the essential oils. Sorry I can't be more helpful. Reply With [...]
[...] year I posted the recipe I use for my husband’s anti-dandruff shampoo which is one of my most popular posts of 2012. Since then I have streamlined this shampoo thing to [...]
Thanks for this post!! I’m curious…did you choose the combination of the oils for the smell? Or are they all beneficial to the dandruff or shampoo recipe? Thanks again!!
I chose the oils because they are good for dandruff/dry skin/fungal issues (which is also a big dandruff issue).
What kind of conditioner would use after this shampoo?
I would use an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse (1 part ACV 5 parts water) to soften the hair if I need it. I only need to condition once a week or so.
So i’m using the Dr Bonner’s Lavender castilled soap. Can i add lemon oil to it to treat my dandruff?
That should be fine!