Mint & Rosemary Shampoo

Wash your tresses with this all-natural shampoo that not only cleans, but also contains active ingredients to nourish your hair and scalp. Peppermint and rosemary lend a fresh fragrance and a botanical solution for many hair care woes. While plant proteins and pro-vitamin B5 ensure that each strand is strengthened and conditioned.

A natural shampoo recipe with active ingredients that nourish the hair and scalp.

Ingredients

Instructions

Makes 200g.
First measure the weight of the stainless steel pot or glass beaker that you will be making the shampoo in. Write down this weight. Also write down what the weight should be once you add the weight of the final shampoo (200g). For example, my pot weighs 202g, and with the final shampoo it should weigh 402g (Calculation: 202g pot + 200g product = 402g).
Prepare Phase C: Combine all Phase C ingredients together – the glycerine, xanthan gum and Geogard Ultra powder into a paste. Set aside.
Weigh out the required hydrosol for the recipe.
Prepare Phase A and B: Now divide the hydrosol into two parts. Place the first half in your pot/beaker from step 2 (for heating). To the remaining half of the hydrosol, add all the Phase B ingredients (decyl glucoside, wheat protein, d-panthenol, essential oils). You don’t have to be exact with halving, just pour out what looks like half of the measured hydrosol.
In the pot/beaker which now contains half of the hydrosol, bring that rosemary hydrosol to a boil.
As soon as the hydrosol starts boiling, add the SCI flakes/powder to the boiling hydrosol until it has dissolved completely.
When the SCI is dissolved, remove the pot/beaker from the heat.
Combine Phase A and Phase B: Stir in the prepared Phase B ingredients into the melted SCI. This includes the other half of the hydrosol, decyl glucoside, wheat protein, d-panthenol and essential oils. It may take a while for the thick d-panthenol gel to dissolve.
Add Phase C: Then stir in all Phase C ingredients – the glycerine paste that was set aside in step 3.
Replace evaporated water: Now weigh your pot/beaker again and top-up with hydrosol until the final product weight is achieved (which you wrote down in step 2). Eg. My pot weighed 386g here, so I added 16g hydrosol in order to achieve the final weight of 402g. You are replacing the water content that evaporated.
Cool Down Phase: Cover your shampoo and let it stand for a few hours. It will thicken and turn opaque as it cools down. You should see the final shampoo texture in about 3 hours when it has completely cooled down.
After at least 3 hours, you can test and correct the pH if necessary to be between pH 4.5-5.5.
Transfer your shampoo into a sterilised bottle and use within 3 months. This shampoo will work in a pump bottle or squeeze tube.

Notes

Safety Precaution: Be very careful not to inhale SCI! Even when you’re measuring SCI flakes, particles always become airborne. Always wear a well-fitted mask. I even hold my breath while measuring SCI, and then step outside to breathe while SCI settles down again.
Batch Sizes: You can multiply or divide the quantities to make a larger or smaller batch. If this is your first attempt, then I recommend halving the recipe quantities and testing the shampoo on your hair type first.
pH Testing: When I make this recipe, the shampoo tests at pH 4.5 which is perfect for hair. Therefore, I don’t have to correct the pH of this shampoo. You should do your own pH testing to be sure that your product is pH balanced. Always test at room temperature with a digital pH meter or pH strips. To correct upwards add a couple of drops of a 25% sodium bicarbonate or sodium hydroxide solution. To correct downwards add a few drops of a 50% citric acid solution. Stir in thoroughly and re-test. Repeat until the desired pH is achieved.
You can use any essential oil blend – just replace with a total of 1.5g essential oils.

mint and rosemary shampoo formula_natural nerd

Recipe Variations & Substitutions

Surfactants:

I really don’t recommend substituting the surfactants in this recipe. Nevertheless, if you must substitute then the best 1:1 replacement for SCI will be Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (SLSa). For the decyl glucoside, the best 1:1 substitute is coco glucoside . I wouldn’t use lauryl glucoside in this recipe, because the shampoo will be way too thick.

Trust me when I say that I have tried many different natural surfactant blends, and this is the best. It’s taken three months of development and dozens of sample formulations to get here. Of course, you can go down the same road and use any blend of surfactants to find what works for you.

Rosemary Hydrosol:

If you’d like to be more cost-effective, then you can replace the hydrosol with plain distilled water or deionised water. You can also substitute with any other botanical hydrosol or floral water instead (like rose water).

Active ingredients:

You can replace the hydrolysed wheat protein with any other hydrolysed protein (eg. rice, quinoa, keratin protein etc.). You can replace the d-panthenol gel with dl-panthenol powder, which is easier to work with, but synthetically produced. You can use any essential oil blend. You could also exclude the active ingredients and replace with more hydrosol / water instead.

Xanthan gum:

You can use another thickener, like guar gum or carrageenan. Just bear in mind that each thickener has different properties in terms of how much it will thicken the product (more or less than my recipe) and what it will bring to the product texture, clarity and scent. If you want to add some conditioning properties to your shampoo, you could use a cationic gum.

Geogard Ultra (Preservative):

You can use any water-soluble, broad spectrum preservative which is compatible in an acidic pH range. Just remember to adjust my recipe according to the manufacturer’s instructions and usage rates, and to test and correct the pH accordingly.

homemade natural shampoo recipe with sci and decyl glucoside_natural nerd

Cost & Shelf Life

Cost price: R68 per 200g if you use distilled water instead of rosemary hydrosol, and R158 per 200g with rosemary hydrosol. (Costs accurate at time of writing in 2023)
Lasted me about: 1 month in a household of two people, with each of us using about a tablespoon of shampoo 1-2 times per week.
Estimated shelf life: 3 months if stored in a sterilised container, and out of direct sunlight.

Challenge

Working with SCI requires more effort than other surfactants, but it’s gentleness, excellent foam and palm-free status more than make-up for it.
Cost of using rosemary hydrosol doubles the price of this shampoo. To save money, rather use distilled water instead.

Cherry on Top

Sulfate Free
Silicone Free
Curly Girl approved ingredients
Multipurpose: This doubles-up as a pH balanced body/hand wash.
Vegan Friendly (but check the source of your SCI, decyl glucoside & d-panthenol with your supplier)
Palm Free: The surfactants are typically derived from coconut sources (but please do check with your supplier).
Contains no cocamidopropyl betaine: which is a common ingredient that many people have an allergy / irritation to (including myself).
Aromatherapy benefits from essential oils. Rosemary and peppermint are particularly known for improving alertness and focus – perfect for a morning shower!

diy natural shampoo recipe without cocamidopropyl betaine_natural nerd south africa

Ingredients

Rosemary Hydrosol: is the distilled by-product of making rosemary essential oil. Hydrosols have similar therapeutic properties to their essential oil equivalent, but in a milder and water-based form. (buy here)
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate: or SCI is a mild, natural surfactant derived from coconuts. It is the primary cleanser in this recipe which provides dense and stable foam without stripping the hair. It is also responsible for the white colour and thickness of the shampoo. (buy here)
Decyl glucoside: is a natural surfactant that is derived from plant sources. Depending on the supplier, it can be derived from corn, coconut or palm oil. This non-ionic surfactant supports the SCI in the recipe and boosts lather (buy here).
Vegetable glycerine: is a natural humectant that will help the hair retain some moisture, thereby making it more manageable after being cleansed. It is also necessary to hydrate the xanthan gum. (buy here)
Hydrolysed wheat protein: is also known as phytokeratin. Protein gives your strands their strength, flexibility and elasticity since hair is primarily made of protein. (buy here)
D-Panthenol Gel: is the naturally derived version of pro-vitamin B5. It conditions and improves hair shine, softness and strength. It restores the lustre of dry, damaged and frizzy hair. As an anti-inflammatory, it also helps to condition the scalp and treat dry and itchy scalp. Fun fact: Pro-vitamin B5 is the same key ingredient in Pantene Pro-V shampoo, as it’s name suggests. (buy here)
Xanthan gum: stabilises the texture of the product by gelling the available water in the shampoo (buy here).
Peppermint EO: Relieves the scalp of irritation, stimulates hair growth and helps control excess oil. (buy here)
Rosemary EO: stimulates blood supply to the hair follicles, which promotes healthy hair growth. It helps eliminate microbial activity which is often a cause of hair problems. Its anti-fungal properties help treat/prevent dandruff. (buy here)
Geogard Ultra: is a broad-spectrum preservative which is approved for use in certified organic products. It is approved by COSMOS/ECOCERT, NATRUE and SOIL association. It is composed of sodium benzoate and gluconolactone. (buy here)

diy natural shampoo formula with sodium cocoyl isethionate_natural nerd

Safety Precaution

Please be very careful not to inhale SCI or any other solid surfactant! Even when you’re measuring SCI flakes, tiny particles always become airborne that will irritate your lungs. Always wear a well-fitted mask. I even hold my breath while measuring SCI, and then step outside to breathe while the SCI settles down again. Leave your mask on until the SCI has been melted down into a liquid/ paste form.

How has this shampoo recipe worked for your hair type? Please share in the comments section below.

diy sulfate free shampoo recipe for curly girls_natural nerd

Not sure where to find these, or other ingredients? My shopping guide may help you. Are you new to essential oils? Please read how to use them safely.