Homemade Hair Shampoo Recipes

Wow, loved the way my hair felt so clean, and I only tried the EC formula with the baking soda and water, wonderful! My hair is still looking clean and not static in it since I didn't even use conditioner of any kind. I will try it again maybe once or twice a week. I want to find a recipe here for a conditioner too possibly, although not sure I'll need it. I want to try the lemon and cucumber next, then the ACV shampoo. I could use each on different days so I'm not over doing. I think instead of every day (which I've shampood my hair almost every day of my adult life.) Very excited about actually bettering myself by eliminated one chemical at a time. Thank you EC and the many contributors!

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Hi All, Well this is a response to Sylkiestrands from Wichita, re: baking soda

While I respect your profession the statement you made about baking soda does not operate in the manner you are explaining. For one baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is an amphoteric (reacts as an acid or base). It is not like the chemical alkaline/acid that you use in your hair care products which are of a different alkaline/acid and/or strength. Your average household baking soda does not compare. When added to water the sodium separates from the bicarbonate. Both performing their jobs. Now as to opening up the cuticles no it will not do such a thing. But yes it will help to strip and/or remove acidic/alkaline impurities. The key word is impurities. Things that are not natural to the hair. If your hair is highly acidic or highly alkaline the baking soda only works in a natural way to bring your pH down to a normal range. It will not in any way make it more acidic or increase the alkaline.

If that is too hard for you to grasp look at it this way. If you have an upset stomach (highly acidic) and take baking soda it will not make it worse it will only neutralize the acids because it acts as a mediator. If you spill battery acid and add baking soda it will not make it worse. It will even neutralize battery acid. If your hair has a high alkaline measurement baking soda will only neutralize it. Even though it is more of an alkaline base. Just like Apple Cider Vinegar is acidic, it will not make your hair more acidic, but it helps to maintain a neutral balance. These products are not harmful because they are natural neutralizers. And I am sure you are aware that pH is EVERYTHING!

As a cosmetologist you are dealing with processed chemicals. Many may have started out natural but if one molecule is changed it will make a big difference. Just keep in mind when advising clients on a product that can possibly help them in a situation when you are not available. If a client does a home perm/relaxer and does not wash it out properly the chemical is still working on the scalp. It begins to itch or burn. A quick wash with baking soda can help to neutralize and bring the pH level back down and wash out the impurities.

Now if that is still too hard to grasp. Let me let you in on a secret. Your body is made up of sodium bicarbonate. That is why it is so natural to you. Sodium Bicarbonate are widely used throughout the hospital. Don't believe it. Ever know of someone who went into cardiac arrest, diabetic shock, metabolic acidosis, certain drug overdose or severe dehydration. Well, sodium bicarbonate is what is given IV because as stated earlier it neutralizes a bad situation. (this is only for medical usage only may I add, do not try this at home the strength is entirely different)

Well, after all that I hope the info clears up any further questions about baking soda. Just my professional medical opinion. From one professional to another. And all others who just wanted to know.

Tiff

re: Dandruff. Rain water is the very best to shampoo with and then the most wonderful rinse you will ever use. Leaves your hair shiny and soft as baby hair. You will be thrilled. If your rain water is not perfectly clear when you collect it, let it settle and then carefully strain through a coffee filter. Do not collect the rain water in aluminum. Enjoy!

I shampoo one day a week and have never dyed my hair and it's 3 feet or so long and straight with fine strands. I only use wide tooth combs on it. When I have hair fall I use my own urine to stop the drop. 100 hairs a day is normal.

You catch your urine and if you desire you can use your shampoo and then rinse and then pour urine on your head and wait as long as you can and then rinse out. It leaves a lovely oil and thickens the strands and hair drop stops, except the normal amount. Urine also has hormones in it and hair and hormones are a happy team. Urine is sterile and very healing of bacteria and fungus on the skin. Most animals pee on their feet.

I have a lot of comfrey and use it daily as a foot soak. I fill a stockpot ( gallon?) with water and wait an hour while chlorine dissipates then I heat it with 7 big leaves 10-12 inches long, and a sprig of mint and then pour it in a foot soak pan with Tablespoon apple cider vinegar. I dump this out on the drip line of trees in my yard, we have over 200 of those.

I decided to try the mint and comfrey mixture when it got a nice dark color on my hair, a cup of it. I used no shampoo and put it on my hair when it is wet and let it sit and then rinse. My hair usually tangles but not now. It is full and combs easy and feels like it has oil in it as cream rinse would leave.

I drink comfrey and mint tea and eat the leaves. 5 small leaves 6" long and a sprig of mint. I make tea out of it until the water doesn't turn dark anymore, then I eat the remains.

I also add the flowers to my tea drinks

Comfrey has been known to heal bone problems 20 yrs old and heal skin wounds so quickly you have to be careful the infection is healed before using it. In history people ate comfrey salads in season like lettuce.

Very good points. Table salt is 50 to 100% more toxic than borax. But you want your french fries drenched in it. There have been incidents of death caused by ingesting too much water in too short a time; a form of hazing at some colleges. It is important to remember than many things that are necessary for life can be toxic in too large a dose. It is all in how the substance is used and in what quantity.

I've been using baking soda as a standard basis of my home - made natural shampoo but I've also begun experimenting with other products to create scented products for a more refined yet still cheap and cheerful product that can be made at home.

If you want free weekly tips for keeping your hair shipshape on the cheap let me know and I'll send you a link to my website.

Cheers! Rob

First, let me say, I am a cosmetologist. I am not a "hairdresser. " Not that I think there is anything wrong with that, I am just more concerned with the chemistry of my industry.

We, humans, are more acidic than not. Our hair and skin registers on the pH scale as more acidic so... Using baking soda as a shampoo acts like a softener. You'd think this is a good thing but... Let me put it this way:

Think of a strand of hair like a snake. The cuticle of the hair (it's protective layer), looks like scales when micro'd. It's more acidic so when you put an alkaline like baking soda on those scales (causing a chemical reaction), it's going to blow them open and make them stand up. A snake wouldn't want it's scales doing anything but lying nice and flat because, then, what's the point? The scales are supposed to protect the inner layers of the strand of hair. If they are not lying flat against the shaft you will be more prone to tangles, the hair will look more dull, and after time your hair will weaken and break.

Also, in school, we used baking soda as a primer to strip those clients that came in with box color (NASTY STUFF! ) from hair before we used the chemical lighteners (bleach). The baking soda works, somewhat, to strip some of those larger color molecules out of the scales of the cuticle. Hair color? Alkaline! Needs to get in there and make the color molecules stick! Perms work off the pH scale, also. The perming solution is very alkaline and blows the cuticle WIDE open so that the very structure of the protein bonds found inside the layers under the cuticle can be broken (softened), and when the neutralizer (acidic), is put on it reforms (hardens), those bonds back into the shape that you have forced it into (rods).

If you use this science and logic, it makes sense to use an apple cider vinegar solution, as a shampoo, instead (which we all know from grade school science projects), is an acid. Hair loves it. It does strip the nasty product buildup and brings the (beneficial) natural oils down to a manageable level. Plus, because it is acidic it helps make those scales seal down tight.

Very definitely a big fat YEA on borax! I have been using only this for over 6 years on my very long, curly colored (red) hair. I make a rinse of borax and water and use it maybe once or twice a week. The rest of the days I just use conditioner. My hair is very soft and healthy and is the one thing I get complimented on the most.

I see everyone here asking for exact ratios and frequency of use but please relax. I have found borax to be very gentle, you can't make a mistake. I put a very imprecise amount, anywhere from a couple teaspoons to maybe a quarter cup in a plastic one-cup measuring cup and fill the rest with water. The amount doesn't depend on anything except what fell out of the box! Then just tilt your head back and let it pour through. Usually I will massage the scalp a little to make sure I get out any hair spray or conditioner build up. Pretty simple.

Although I don't have oily hair, I also don't have dry hair. I would classify it as normal, maybe a little on the fine side and I only need to wash it once or twice a week. I love this because it's natural, it really does leave my hair in great condition and it's so very cheap!

Hello Jean Pierre, if you can find 20 Mule Team borax powder in France, they sell pure borax. If it's not available in your area, look for pure sodium tetraborate powder. This is another name for borax.

I would appreciate receiving tips on how to use baking soda as shampoo. Thanks.

WARNING!

Hi, After using baking soda as my shampoo and apply cider vinegar as my conditioner for 4 months, my hair is severly damaged!

The highly alkaline baking soda had damaged my hair, making it dry and frizzy with heaps of split ends. I googed to find out why and found that pH balanced shampoo is very important!

Your hair has a pH of between 4 - 5. Baking Soda has a pH of 8-9!

...Diluting/Mixing it with water to try to balance the pH doesn't work! (I googled it) Research has shown that DILUTING baking soda with water or other liquids DOES NOT LOWER THE pH, so even when its mixed with water it still has a very alkaline pH of 8 or so.

Indeed, baking soda is considered a clarifying agent/shampoo and it is suggested that it not be used every single day.

Sylkiestrands, interesting explanation! I tried baking soda on my hair but it became very dull and dry, so I stopped right away! Now I was interested in trying out borax as someone advised here but if I am not wrong borax is more alkaline then baking soda so according to your explanation wouldn't be good. What do you think? I was going to try it today but maybe I will wait for your answer!

I just wanted to share a simple and effective (not to mention easy on the wallet) recipe for dealing with a dandruff-ridden scalp: honey and sugar shampoo! I make this by mixing approximately equal parts sugar and honey. . . The result: a well-polished scalp, and increased hair growth from the honey! A great follow-up is an herbal tea rinse with a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice for extra cleansing and shine. Believe me, this works a lot better for my dry hair and scalp than most shampoos I've tried and is healthier in the long run. I've also tried the egg and honey shampoo Alice from Germany posted here earlier, and it works wonders! Alice, thank you!

This is the same formula I use for my dark blonde hair. 1/4 cup borax per (or a few inches in the bottome of a ) one liter bottle filled with warm water.

I keep a bar of castille soap, an old shampoo bottle filled with borax and water, and a water bottle filled with lemon juice and water in my shower. That's it.

I tried the borax formula with baking soda and didn't like it as much as straight borax. Also, the combo seemed to create more crystals in the bottle which were annoying. I still get crystals from the borax though. I were less lazy, I'd strain the crystals from the cooled water/borax mix through a mesh screen before pouring into the bottle.

I rinse with lemon juice mixed with water. Pretty much in the same proportions - an inch or two in the bottom of a water bottle, the rest is water.

I just buy some organic bottled lemon juice from Costco. It's not the best tasting (prefer fresh for food) but it's 100% lemon, and works well as a rinse.

Apple cider vinegar works better as a rinse, although both lemon and ACV work as totally awesome conditioners. Like most people, however, I don't want to smell like a pickle. Lemon is a very acceptable alternative because I want my hair to have lighter highlights.

I only partly, very, very quickly, rinse the lemon out of my hair before turning the shower off. Again, if I weren't so lazy, or if I were recommending this to a friend, I'd say "run the lemon juice through a mesh strainer" but I haven't noticed any pulp bits in my hair. It provides the added bonus of highlights.

Another bonus, perhaps, is that I seem to have less acne issues on my face and back since using this on my hair. I tend to let both the boron and lemon juice dribble onto then stay on my skin for a while (lazy person's toner) while I shave my legs and soap up other areas.

I'd be interested to know if anyone else has noticed improved skin with this "shampoo" formula.

My hair tends to be oily - as does my skin and needs to be washed daily. On particularly oily-hair days, I use a little of my coconut/castille bar soap on the areas of my head/hair that seem oiliest (near my ears and forehead), lather it up, then proceed to add the borax.

Someone else mentioned that the hair feels waxy while wet (with the borax solution). That is true. It's very weird feeling -- for me, it feels as though I doused gobs of oil onto the ends of my hair when I've finished massaging into my hair and am ringing out the borax while rinsing it (my hair is long). But when dry, it's just looks and feels soft and luxurious; and it ends up less oily than when I used regular shampoo.

Also, even if you want to continue using your shampoo, I highly recommend you at least try lemon juice (if your hair is light, or if you intend to rinse well) because it's just the best conditioner I've ever used other than the stinky apple cider vinegar. No more tangled rat's nests after the shower and all day long. It's amazing.

My hair is completely straight and is of average thickness. I'm not sure how well this would work on other hair types but other reviewers with curly hair seem to agree it's great.

This formula isn't a science - maybe someone else out there has it perfectly proportioed for maximum benefit but I agree with other reviewers who say to relax on the meassurements.

I like this much better than shampoo and it's so cheap! Would like to work out how to add in some chammomile to help with the highlights. Not sure whether to mix that with borax or lemon juice. If anyone has ideas, would appreciate them.

Last thought: I read somewhere that for the first week or so, the hair can seem more oily than usual using this formula. I wasn't really able to tell for sure but I think that is true. (Just remember to use soap or other shampoo as needed while going through this transition.)

Baking soda/bicarb actually 'digests' proteins quite efficiently and many a cook uses a pinch in their marinade to tenderize meat. Yes, it will eat away at hair dyes and colouring if not used judiciously.

It can also be very drying if used too frequently and, conversely, can also exacerbate oily scalp conditions.

Personally, I avoid using baking soda/bicarb, preferring to wet my hair, then apply Aloe Vera gel to my scalp and hair, 'scrub', and then rinse.

Years ago I picked up a small book of old timey cleaning recipes from the 1900s. In the last century before there was store bought bottles of cleaning concoctions people made their own products. Women with the long hair used Borax Water to clean their hair very efficiently. The recipe I use is 1 cup of Borax to 1 gal of very hot water. Let it sit for 24 hours and shake it occasionally. Use only the water from this jug to wet your hair and just squeeze through, don't scrub. Rinse throughly and if needed do a vinegar rinse to clean any buildup.

When you are low on the borax water I add water and/or borax to keep the level right in the jug.

I hope this helps.

Hello!

I've been commercial-product-free for nearly 6 months & it's AMAZING! A few things I'd like to add:

STEP 1: Baking soda/water shampoo (1:5 ratio) should be mixed in cold water, Shake before & during application) applied to a DRY scalp (so you can maintain control over solution) via condiment or hair-coloring bottle) and massaged lightly. Extending this mixture to the ends of the hair *after the first use* will strip the hair and make it dry/frizzy. If this mixture gets in your eyes, it will feel like when you're swimming in the ocean with your eyes open. :) You can let this sit on your scalp if you're inclined. The conditioner sitting makes more difference. With the Baking Soda 'poo, for longer hair, I put up in pigtails to keep ends from getting scrubbed. Try it once- you have nothing to lose & I hope you are as happy as I am!

STEP 2: *RINSE WELL* with your regular shower temp/water before proceeding or your scalp will exfoliate & you will look like you have the worst case of dandruff in your life.

STEP 3: Conditioner: Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) (also 1:5 ratio with water) can be either poured or sprayed into the hair. I got a large spray bottle from a dollar store that has markings for mix-ratios & holds a liter; this lasts a looooong time. :)

Step 3 and 1/4: While this sits on my hair, I usually scrub body down with Baking Soda (I make a thick water-paste to control it better, then *before rinsing body*, spray down with ACV conditioner mixture (spraying over my hair again, too) and sort of scrub down with it.

STEP 4: Rinse well from head to toe all at once. Wrap hair in towel until shower complete.

STEP 5: Usually, the dead skin will start to come off the body during the rinse process, so I often scrub down with Baking Soda again. I just got Borax today, so I am going to see how the second sloughing goes with that. Incidentally, if my heels have gotten thick, the mixture literally makes the skin on my feet come off with my fingernails by the wrap-up of the shower as opposed to soaking forever!

I have very long hair and I have zero problem getting a comb through *after* towel drying!! PLUS, it only seems to take about 15 minutes for my hair to dry! I would not have believed it if I hadn't tried this myself!

Also, natural-bristle brushes will do wonders distributing the natural oils.

To test my experience, I used the commercial shampoo/conditioner & my hair ended up, well- crappy! No body, no luster, thin and "hay-wire"! 'Took about 20 min to dry with hair dryer)

I only have to shampoo once every 4 days. Immediately following my first wash/condition (where the Baking Soda went the length of my hair), my hair felt thicker, was a LOVELY shade of brown with red highlights and WAVY! Honestly, I feel and look like a movie starlet!! And I will be 40 years old Oct, 2009!

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED:

* Don't use white vinegar- it doesn't have the same effect and stripped my hair down to a dry mess.

* You can vary the ratios, if you want to try it, but I came back to this ratio for my hair.

* I tried adding Tea Tree Oil, Cinnamon Stick, Vanilla Bean to shampoo & conditioner & found that I didn't "need" any of these, but they were better when added to ACV mix & shaken before spraying. I personally found the basic 2 ingredients, separately, were the most effective for me.

* I found that the daily Baking Soda/ACV body washing actually made me feel more content.

* I only use Pure Cocoa Butter in stick for as a moisturizer now.

* When mixing with castille (sp?) soap, the soap left a film that I disliked; I tried this on the hair & body only because of my "addiction" to the sudsing effect of commercial products.

I hope some of you enjoy this!

what is the best way to get rid of hair loss in women? I have tried massage, aloes, castor oil. I did not follow any instructions in terms of measurement. just went by hear say and experimented.

HI U TRACY, , , , , , , , , , yep, our ancestors knew this hundreds of years ago. Yoke for the hair and white for the face. Works every time.

Your delight has made us all ecstatic. You have made our day. Too bad this knowledge gets lost over time. Thank you for resurrecting .

======ORH===============

It's quite true that Boron is a chemical element and Borax is more well known as sodium tetraborate. But boron never ever exists as the free element boron in nature.

I went to a well known health shop recently and found some boron supplements. On checking the back list for the ingredients it said the capsules contained Sodium Tetraborate -- or Borax. Anyone can verify this for themselves in any health shop like I did. Personally, I really can't understand the fear about borax -- I use it internally and externally quite often in water mainly as an anti-fungal, but if people prefer to pay more for "Boron Tablets" than for something as cheap as 20 Mule Team Borax, then this is simply up to them.

Some also complain about the purity of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda or 20 Mule Team Borax and seem to implicitly trust the purity of the compounded tablet. I made the mistake of buying European made Magnesium Citrate tablets the other day. They were huge -- nearly an inch long -- but only contained 400 mgs of Mag Citrate. When I checked the back list it had several additives -- Mag Stearate, Stearic Acid, Calcium Diphosphate, Cellulose starch(??), Silica, Titanium Dioxide and Vegetable Glycerin. So I crunched one of the pills to powder and put it on a teaspoon -- I know what 1000 mgs looks like on a teaspoon and lo and behold it was over 1000 mgs.

So my question is this -- if that huge pill contained only 400 mgs of mag citrate then what did the other 600 mgs contain ? Hint: Think Codex Alimentarius.

Secondly, I have mentioned several times on EC that sodium tetraborate is less toxic than common table salt. What is advised as a borax dosage by Ted from Bangkok represents a micronutrient dosage -- nowhere near a dangerous dose.

You can also easily verify this by checking the MSDS(Material Safety Data Sheet) for sodium tetraborate and sodium chloride(table salt) online and compare the LD50 dosages (lethal median dose) for yourself. MSDS is the absolute bible for usage, toxicity and disposal of all chemicals and is the main standard used in the world today.

Intirb, I have read the wiki site you quoted and could not find where it stated that if borax mixed with water it becomes boric acid. Maybe I missed it. What I did find though was in the refrence section #16 Here is the link: http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/8663/1/IJCT 12(4) 488-500.pdf On page 12 it states that borax when mixed with water becomes an alkaline solution. I have just disolved borax in water, enough borax till no more would disolve, and tested it with my ph meter and it reads 9.1 If you click onto the boric acid link, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boric_acid , within the link you gave it says "Boric acid may be prepared by reacting borax (sodium tetraborate decahydrate) with a minral acid, such as hydrochloric acid: Na₂B₄O₇·10H₂O 2 HCl %u2192 4 B(OH)₃ [or H₃BO₃] 2 NaCl 5 H₂O" Also if you scroll down to the Toxicology section it says "Based on mammalian median lethal dose (LD₅₀) rating of 2, 660 mg/kg body mass, boric acid is poisonous if taken internally or inhaled in large quantities. However, it is generally considered to be not much more toxic than table salt. ^[4] The Thirteenth Edition of the Merick Index indicates that the LD₅₀ of boric acid is 5. 14 g/kg for oral dosages given to rats, and that 5 to 20 g/kg has produced death in adult humans. The LD₅₀ of sodium chloride is reported to be 3. 75 g/kg in rats according to the Merick Index. Long term exposure to boric acid may be of more concern, causing kidney damage and eventually kidney failure (see links below). Although it does not appear to be carcinognic, studies in dogs have reported testicular atrophy after exposure to 32 mg/kg bw/day for 90 days. This level is far lower than the LD₅₀. The rate for a death to occur in adults is 5 - 20 grams per kilogram of body weight. So for a person who weighs 60kg (132 lbs) that equates to 300 - 1200 grams.

You say it states that borax is toxic especially to infants, I could only find that Boric Acid solutions used as an eye wash or on abraded skin are known to be particularly toxic to infants, especially after repeated use, because of the slow elimination rate. (21) This is taken from: Goodman and Gillman's: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 6th edition, chapter on Antiseptics and Disinfectants, page 971. I find it interesting that a few sites (who talk about borax being toxic) quote this as a reference but there is never a reference where this came from. I would still err on the side of caution in regards to infants.

There is NO WHERE on EC that borax is recommended at these levels, not even close. Nor is boric acid recommended to be taken orally. Plus it is only recommended to be taken 4 days on and 3 days off.

I am told by my colorist that baking soda would inadvertently remove the professional coloring from my hair? Is it like sulfates in that regard?

Hi Janie, it would be interesting to know whether it is true or not! I also have dyed hair and was about to try to wash it only with baking soda as some people seem to have very good results with it but no one ever says whether their hair is colored or not.

I used baking soda as a 'shampoo' to wash my roots with and then I used apple cider vinegar to rinse my ends with; the results are amazing!!! My hair is soft and full of body. My hair is really long and I am not sure what results it will elicit when it is tangled, but so far I am extraordinarily pleased with the outcome!

You know borax is technically listed as a poison, right? Even cockroaches won't cross a line of borax & almost nothing bothers them.

Here are some medical and U. S. government fact sheets about its toxicity:

• http://www.homestead.com/ipmofalaska/files/Borates.html
• http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0410.html

SD Fincher

Borax is highly toxic to anthropods and kills them in minutes (if they eat the borax). Cockroaches, mites, etc are arthropods and "groom" themselves and eat it.

i make my own shampoo with egg yolks. i just whip up 3 egg yolks and rub it into my wet hair. sometimes i add a drop of lavender oil. wait a few minutes and rinse out very, very well with cool water. then i take a lime or small lemon and squeeze it into a liter of water and shake it up. pour this all through your rinsed hair and then rinse again with cold water. this will even take off a pre-poo coconut oiling!!! and it makes your hair very shiny and soft.

Baking soda reduces oily hair and cleans up product build up. Mix 1/4 to 1/2 (more for longer hair) of baking soda with water and mix it with water to make a thick paste. Put the paste on wet hair and scrub into roots/focusing on the more greasy areas. Scrub in and leave in for 5 minutes, then rinse.

Your hair will feel dry or cottony when its wet, but once dry it will be soft. You can use conditioner after use, but not needed. I used this on my oily hair without washing my hair with shampoo first, actually i didnt use shampoo at all, and my hair was swqueeky clean!

I agree that baking soda is a useful cleanser. I think that people should be careful of the heavy toxins found in most commercial products. There are some good naturals out there on the market that use very pure ingredients and blends. Does Baking Soda cleansing have any negative side effects?

Hi~ I would like the information you wrote about, concerning home-made shampoo. Thank you in advance!!

What do we use for making dry hair shine but scalp dry and oil free?

Bicarb is awesome depending on where you get it. In Australia there's only really one brand that every supermarket sells (blue box). It's pure white and goes dissolves really easily.

I do the 'vodka/bicarb skin clean' regularly and have been soap free for ages. It's awesome when I use that Australian Brand.

After spending some months in Fiji and now New Zealand I've discovered that all brands of sodium bicarbonate are not equal. Every other I have tried has been comparatively nasty.. only partially dissolves.. remains grey coloured instead of pure white, is abrasive on my skin.. smells slightly of urea. I question it's purity and how it might affect my health.

My point is not to judge the bicarb skin cleaner as bad if the product you buy is gritty and won't fully dissolve. An ultra pure version of the stuff may not be available in your country. This being the case, try one of the alternatives.

I am currently using a method called the maximum hydration method that uses ACV and BS with a variety of other applications to the hair with amazing results. I apply the regimen every 3-5 days followed by a conditioner for a minimum of 30 min and bentonite Clay. Again phenomenal results. How often are you treating your hair? BTW I have kinky/coily hair and never have washed my hair daily.

Baking soda or Bicarb which it is called here...is fantastic to wash hair with I use 1/4 cup of bicarb mixed with a cup of warm water in the shower and just tip onto my hair and rub for just a couple of seconds...then rinse...its amazing when it dries its like ive used shampoo... soft and bouncy if hair is a tad dry at times...iI just add a very small amount of organic conditioner to the ends ..and yes I use organic cold pressed coconut oil for a monthly deep condition...

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Hello! I would like to let you know, that I have tried an "all natural shampoo" today. I just mixed two egg yolks (organic) with a bit of honey and put it on my wet hair for about 10 min while taking a bath with ACV. Then I rinsed it with lukewarm water and a tablespoon of ACV for an "extra shine". It works wonderful and the hair looks and feels great after this procedure. Please note that the original ancient formula also contains a teaspoon of cognac. By the way...the white of the egg can be used as a wonderful facial cleanser! Give it a try and you will be amazed about your wonderful hair!

WOW! This is great i never knew Borax could do so much! I've been using it for almost two years to wash my hair and body with. My hair is soft and shiny, like baby hair and i'm 54 years old! I rinse with 1/4 teas. of citric acid mixed in a pint of water. Together they are the best! No more itchy scalp, no more chemically laden shampoo! Now i'm going to try using it to get rid of Candida!

With respect to the safety of borax.

1.Yes it hydrolyses (is split up when in water) into boric acid and a salt. But it is actually quite a complex situation. Some of it will also form a borate anion (charged particle) which acts as an alkali. This means that overall it acts as a buffer (pushes mixtures back to neutral when they become too acidic or too alkaline, either of which would be undesirable on your hair or skin). So you need to read information about borax, not boron or boric acid, to find out safety data - as it will be describing the overall situation, not just part of it.

2. Most materials are toxic or dangerous if used to an extreme. For example, Warfarin is used as a heart medication, but is also a rat poison. Vitamin A is toxic in excess. Drinking alcohol can also be toxic if you consume enough in one go. Just because something is toxic if you consume enough, doesn't make it dangerous in small quantities. Borax is used in food, health supplements and eye washes. So it is probably reasonable to assume its is safe diluted on your hair.

3. If you are going to read information like safety data sheets, or pharmaceutical information, make sure you read it all, and check what it means if you don't understand it. The 15 to 20 grams quoted as being toxic, is as already pointed out by Maria, is 15 to 20grams PER KILOGRAM OF YOUR BODY WEIGHT. That is a lot (especially if you weigh what I do)!

4. I am not a cockroach or ant. The method that borax uses to kill insects is not a mechanism that works on humans. It may sound dramatic to say it is a poison, but it's not relevant to human use.

5. Be aware when reading Material Safety Data Sheets that different countries have different rules about what is included and how it is said. They are intended as guides for professional or laboratory use not really for consumers. Its a good idea to read them to look for dangers but it is necessary to put them in context.

For example, some will say to wear gloves when using all materials in a laboratory. For example the UK version for table salt says this. The requirements to wear gloves can sound sinister, as if you need to do it to avoid terrible skin problems, but in fact it is a standard comment for most things.

Try looking up the US MSDS for acetic acid (the main ingredient that along with water makes up kitchen vinegar) http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9922769. It lists all kinds of dangers of skin exposure and toxicities.... it's even corrosive to metals (Borax data looks like no problem at all by comparison), but knowing that these are referring to extreme circumstances, and that in vinegar it is greatly diluted, I am happy to use it (diluted even further) to rinse my hair.

If you mix baking soda and shampoo in your hand once a week it will not only remove all hair spray, styling gels, and other products, it will remove impurities from the water and lighten your hair. I learned this from my hair stylist! Also, mix baking soda with hair conditioner in your hand and condition the ends of your hair it will give your hair more volume, body and health.

Regarding beautiful, healthy hair... There used to be a Doctor on TV in the UK named Dr Miriam Stoppard. She was a Medically trained Dr, but fully believed in working with the human body the way that it was CREATED to work, NOT drug it and injure it. She said that 'The Human body is all SELF Cleansing, but I will just mention Hair here.

She asked for an audience member who would volunteer not to wash their hair for 2 years. After ages and no one seeming willing she asked a girl with extremely long hair she noticed debating it with her friend if she would try it, and she agreed. The following year she returned and said her hair was amazing and you could see a huge difference as well.

She said for 2 or three months her hair smelled musty, which was probably all the toxic shampoo and conditioner coming out. Then it became so healthy thick and shiny it was like her hair was reborn. Two years later, a national newspaper tracked her down to see if she had stayed off washing it. She said it was even better again and she would never ever put soap and water or anything on it as it was fabulous and getting better all the time.

Her friend's who were laughing at her for the first few month's walking around with dull lank smelly hair. All admitted they were NOT laughing now and were all envious of her beautiful tresses.

Hi Kimberly, thanks for telling us that your hair is colored. Mostly people forget that detail but it is really important as colored hair reacts differently from natural hair! I think that I have a bit the same quality of hair you have, except for the curls, I don't have any! I am going to see if I find Borax in a pharmacy (Switzerland is not big on anything but pharmaceuticals, unfortunately, at least in this canton). Right now I am trying washing with conditioner and it seems to be working well although I have only done it twice. Let's see how it works out with the Borax. Baking soda as a rinse or instead of shampoo didn't work because my hair became very dry.

Hi Kimberly, do you rinse the borax from your hair? If I understand well you put a couple of tspoons in a cup of water?

Isn't the arsenic in borax a health concern?

There is no arsenic in borax.

BORAX FOR HAIR DERMATITE

good morning I am french which type of borax can I use for hair shampoo thanks JPS

20 Mule Team Borax is sold on the same aisle as laundry detergent.

Do you use baking soda mixed with water or the powder on its own to wash the roots of your hair? I have dyed hair, no idea whether this will work...

I mixed approximately two tablespoons of the baking soda, with some water, and I made a paste out of it, then I applied it to my scalp and I massaged it in. You may require less, or more, depending on your hair type...mine is long, so I tried 2 tablespoons...and then I mixed the vinegar with water as well.

So, did you just use the vinegar on the tips or did you use it on all the hair?

I do this too ad I find a half gallon container, fill the bottom half an inch to an inch of apple cider vinegar then fill the rest with water and dump it in my damp hair then I rinse it out in a minute.

Are you using water from the faucet or shower head to wash your hair in or filtered water? I do not have a whole house filtration system, will this still work?

I think you make a good point here. It is very easy to assume we know the reputation of a certain chemical when really we are confusing it for something else or just not accurately educated. This was very helpful for me! Thank you

Is there boxes of powdered food grade Borax that can be bought at pharmacies like Rite Aid, Walgreens, CVS and stores like that? I've seen Borax on this site recommended for internal use for some ailments, but have no idea where to find it. I asked at a very good health food store and they said they don't carry it. Can the same product that could be taken internally also used as a laundry additive and therefore available at large supermarkets in the laundry section? Thanks in advance for even partial answers on where to get borax.

Accomplicekim - I have been following the Lorraine Massey protocol for about two months now and it has worked wonders for my hair. I always thought that pregnancy had contributed to my bad hair(curls gone, dries out etc.) but it turns out that sulphates in shampoo don't suit me anymore. Anyway because this is working so well I am always looking for alternatives to sulphate shampoo's. So I have a question. This system involves using conditioner & brown sugar as a shampoo and then condition as normal. This allows the natural hair oils to work their way down the hair shaft but also leaves a lot of product on the hair. When I want to colour my hair (and, boy, do I need to) I have to use a sulphate shampoo first. This irritates the living daylights out of my scalp and tears my hair assunder again. Do you think that if I followed your way would a colour take in my hair without the sulphate shampoo first. Also, Are you using the cocoa butter on your body skin or on your scalp. Thanks.

I think that it is important to moisturize our scalps too. In fact, I believe stimulating the scalp and moisturizing is important. Someone else pointed out the benefits of the natural bristle brushes.

Start colouring your hair with henna. I'm 32 and most of my hair is white already, and it makes me look very tired :( I started using henna instead of commercial colouring, and oh boy is my hair beautiful now :)

Also I would deeply recommend argan oil as conditioner, especially since henna and baking soda both can dry out the hair. Argan oil, try and get it pure is the BEST oil I've ever tried on my scin and hair. It is made from argan tree, which is only to be found in morocco, and it is one of the most nutritious oils we have, much more than coconut and olive.

Also, I used to pluck my eyebrows really thin ever since my teenagers, a year ago I stopped and tried making it grow back out, and it was just so thin :( I've been rubbing argan oil in it every night for a month, and I can already see it is much much fuller. So I have started rubbing my lashes as well :) good luck ladies, and thank you for the tips you shared :)

Do you use the Argan Oil before you rinse your hair, before you wash, a little big every day?

Thank you for the baking soda/ACV/Argan oil tips! I will start using them as suggested here and report back ladies!

FYI, Most pure Argan Oil comes from Israel, been using it for a while now on my hair with great results. Plenty of argan tree orchards there as well.