If the title length allowed it, this homemade rose and lemon balm shampoo would be called “Absolutely awesome rose-lemon balm shampoo that’s better than anything else you’ve ever bought in a store”. Yes, it’s that great.
Shampoos are a huge topic for me because although I have very good hair (thanks, mom!) the occassional stress of having three kids has had its effect. I would like to have my hair for a few decades more and that’s why I think about what I wash it with. I’m not saying that you couldn’t get good and healthy shampoos on a store but I just like mixing my own so much! I have made quite a few, some were really good, other not so much. I’ve learnt from my mistakes and now none of my shampoos will be a failure. Still, this shampoo has really surprised me. Sometimes, when I use homemade shampoos made from soap, my hair feels somehow stiff. Someone needs rinses or conditioners or time to get used to the new feeling.
Nothing like that happened with this shampoo! I have to praise myself for it, I managed to find and ideal water-oil ratio and my hair doesn’t feel weird nor do I need any special rinse. However, I will give you a few tips in case you do.
If you want to get inspired by my other cosmetics recipes, explore the cathegory Cosmetics and Health.
Table of Contents
Homemade Rose and Lemon Balm Shampoo
“Does it lather? Some homemade shampoos don’t…”
Yes, it does. It lathers enough so you don’t need to use huge amounts of the shampoo. I find this characteristic to be equal to the shampoos from the stores. I use the same amount like with other shampoos.
Is it without “chemicals”?
It’s not completely “without chemicals”. There’s no way you could make water-based cosmetics without the “chemicals” if you want to make more than just one dose which you’re going to use immediatelly. You always have to use a preservative in water-based cosmetic products. Of course, I use approved preservatives that you can find also in healthy and ecological cosmetic products.
Price
Pricewise it’s not bad at all! It’s comparable to other “bio” shampoos. The price depends also on how much you pay for the utilities and where you buy the ingredients. That’s why I count the price for the purpose of this tutorial based only on the price of the ingredients. I make about 500 g / 17,6 oz and the ingredients cost 6,5 Euros / 8 USD. You can save some money on the container (you can store the shampoo in a sterilised mason jar).
Supplies
- 10 g of olive oil soap
- 300 g of rose water
- 8 g of coconut oil
- 16 g of cosmetic glycerin
- 10 g of panthenol
- 150 g of coco glucoside (surfactant)
- 5 g of cosgard (preservative)
- 5 drops of lemon balm essential oil
- Bottle
- Bowls
I use weight units only because the surfactant and preservative are a percentage of the total weight.
I normally use olive oil soap in my shampoos because my hair just likes it. I make my own soap or I buy it. Rose water is known for its soothing effect on the skin. Coconut oil is nourishing while panthenol, being a form of vitamin B, prevents the hair from breaking. Lemon balm smells great and it’s used in aroma theramy for its calming effects. We also need a surfactant ti make the shampoo lather properly and a preservative to prevent it from developing mold and other things we definitelly don’t want in oir shampoo.
These are the quantities that work for me. Everyone’s hair is different so there’s a chance you might have to adjust the recipe to suit you 100 %. If your hair is rather dry you might want to consider adding more oil, if your hair gets greasy fast, the solution is not skipping the oil but rather choosing a different on. Ideally one that absorbs well and doesn’t leave greasy film such as sweet almond oil. If you change the quantities, don’t forget to also adjust the amount of surfactant and preservative.
How to make the homemade rose and lemon balm shampoo
Grate the soap finely, pour the rose water over it and stir.
Place the bowl with this mixture in a saucepan with a little water and heat it. Don’t let the water from the pan enter the bowl, heat it just enough to warm up the soap mixture to help the soap melt.
After the mixture cools down, add the oil, glycerin, panthenol, surfactant, EO and preservative.
Stir it a little to make everything blend and fill your shampoo bottle.
How to use it
Use it as any other liquid shampoo. Wet your hair, apply the shampoo and make it lather by rubbing it. Rinse.
Adjusting the recipe, rinse, conditioner
Sometimes you might have the feeling of heavy hair after using a homemade shampoo. I do not have this feeling with this shampoo, however, sometimes there can be a transition period during which your hair gets used to the new shampoo. It is a question to which extend this is ok and my personal opinion is that if it’s a very slight feeling, just give it a try for a couple of weeks to see if it changes. However, if your hair is extra heavy or even waxy, you probably need to change something. My first guess would be that you put too much soap in your shampoo but there can be other factors.
If your skull burns or itches, you might be allergic to one or more of the components of the shampoo in which case you should stop using the shampoo and consult with a dermatologist.
If you want to do something about that feeling of heavy hair, you can use rinses and conditioners. Sometimes it’s enough to spray a little oil into your hair while it’s still wet. I would recomend rinsing the hair in apple vinegar or you can even try herbal infusions. Just boil some water and pour it over the herbs you prefer (camomille, lemon balm…) and rinse your hair with it.
Le me know how this homemade rose and lemon balm shampoo recipe works for you!
