DIY: Make Your Own Shampoo & Conditioner... sort of :)

So as some of you know, if you read my blog, I have been trying to go "noo poo". And the first week i tried it, it was terrible! I've since learned that I made some mistakes. First of all, I was washing my hair every day. And with the no poo method, you're really only supposed to wash it once every few days. Also, I may have hard water which apparently wasn't really helping the situation and my hair turned to a very waxy texture. Very not pretty. Even my boyfriend was complaining and he never says anything about my hair!

So I gave my hair a few days with normal shampoo and conditioner, while doing some more research and came up with a new method for me. So now, I'm going to share that with you! 

So first let's start with the shampoo. You're going to need:

1 tablespoon of Baking Soda

1 cup of Water (Now, I boiled mine because it's supposed to help if you have hard water)

You take those ingredients, put it into a bottle & shake it up real good. Please let it cool BEFORE you apply some to your head!!!! Just apply to your scalp.

Easy, huh? Now we can do the conditioner. You're going to need:

1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

1 cup of Herb Tea (see below)

Take your ingredients and put them into another bottle & shake them up! And AGAIN... let it cool BEFORE you apply to your head! Just spray it on the ends of your hair.

Now the Herbed Tea. I read online that some herbs can be beneficial for your hair & scalp. Basically you take 1 cup of boiling water and steep a herb bag in it for an hour or two. Here are some herbs and what the benefits of them are for your hair. The ones with the * are the ones I used:

Catnip Traditionally believed to promote hair growth
Chamomile Can help to keep the scalp and hair follicles healthy so that new hair grows well
Comfrey Can soothe and heal scalp irritations
Elderberries Have traditionally been used to add color tones to graying hair

Fennel* Treats itchy scalp and dandruff, counters shedding and premature hair loss, strengthens the strands

Lavender* Gives hair a healthy shine
Lemon Balm Leaves a fresh citrus fragrance on the hair
Lemongrass Has astringent properties and can be effective in toning the scalp
Lemon Verbena Leaves a fresh citrus fragrance on the hair
Nettle An astringent herb that is beneficial in the treatment of skin irritations and itching
Parsley This common plant can be helpful in relieving skin irritations
Rosemary* Is said to enhance the color of dark hair and to help control dandruff
Sage An astringent for oily hair. Can also be beneficial for damaged or fragile hair
Thyme* Has antiseptic, tonic and astringent properties
Yarrow Acts as a tonic for the hair

I tend to do the  baking soda & apple cider vinegar once every three days. My head is pretty oily on the third day, so I may have to cut back on the baking soda a bit. Here's wish me (and you) luck on this epic journey to No Poo!