Customized hair care is a booming business on the internet. Just how is it done? Basically, an online quiz—about hair type and health, desired care outcomes, and perhaps lifestyle and environment—determines each individual’s formulas. Naturally, these personalized products are much more expensive than drugstore or even salon brands. But you can drastically cut hair care costs and still customize your own safe, natural products with organic carrier oils and pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils.
Use “Essentially You” shampoo and conditioner for daily or routine care. (The shampoo also doubles as a body wash!) For intensive moisturizing, do an occasional hair mask with our hair conditioning serum. All of these recipes take no more than 5 minutes to make!
For more information on essential oils for hair care and hair conditions, see the 10th editions of Modern Essentials and the Modern Essentials Handbook under “My Usage Guide: Hair.”
The castile soap in the shampoo acts as a mild cleanser, while the vegetable glycerin is a non-greasy moisturizer and humectant (meaning it helps your hair retain moisture).
Essentially You Shampoo
Ingredients & Supplies:
- 1–2 tsp. (5–10 ml) Sweet Almond Oil or other carrier oil*
- 2 Tbsp. (25 ml) Vegetable Glycerin
- 15 drops essential oil**
- ¾ cup (175 ml) Castile Soap
- ¼ cup (50 ml) distilled water, or enough to top off the bottle
- 8 oz. Plastic Bottle with Disc-Top Cap
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to the bottle in the order listed.
- Shake until thoroughly mixed.
- Squeeze a small amount into the palm of your hand, and work through wet hair.
- Rinse with warm water.
- Repeat, if desired.
Essentially You Conditioner
Ingredients & Supplies:
- 1 cup (250 ml) water
- 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 10 drops essential oil**
- 8 oz. Plastic Bottle with Trigger Spray Top
Instructions:
- Mix ingredients in the 8 oz. spray bottle.
- Shake bottle before each use.
- Spray throughout layers of hair.
- Leave in for 5 minutes for essential oils to penetrate hair shaft and follicles.
- Rinse with warm water.
*Custom Carrier Oils
Balancing oil production (all hair types): Sweet Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil
Controlling dandruff: Sunflower Oil
Moisturizing: Olive Oil, Sunflower Oil
Softening and conditioning: Sweet Almond Oil, Fractionated Coconut Oil
**Custom Essential Oils
All hair types: rosemary, lavender
Beard hair: rosemary, lemon
Children’s hair: lavender
Dandruff: lavender, wintergreen
Dry hair: geranium, sandalwood, lavender
Dull hair (improve shine): Roman chamomile, lavender
Fragile hair (strengthen): clary sage, lavender, thyme
Itchy scalp: peppermint
Oily hair: basil, cypress, thyme, lemon, rosemary, petitgrain
Thinning hair (stimulate growth): rosemary, lavender, thyme, ylang ylang (also clary sage for estrogen balance)
Blending Essential Oils for Hair Care
Here are some oils you can pair with our recommendations for great-smelling combinations:
Basil: cypress, geranium, lavender, peppermint
Clary sage: lemon, petitgrain, cypress, geranium, sandalwood
Lavender: most oils (especially citrus), clary sage, geranium
Lemon: geranium, peppermint, sandalwood, ylang ylang
Peppermint: basil, cypress, lavender, lemon, rosemary
Petitgrain: clary sage, geranium, lavender, rosemary
Roman chamomile: lavender, geranium, clary sage
Rosemary: basil, lavender, peppermint
Sandalwood: cypress, lemon, ylang ylang
Thyme: rosemary
Wintergreen: basil, cypress, geranium, lavender, peppermint
Now go do personalized hair care like a pro!
Do you have a leave in hair conditioner ?
We don’t have a recipe for leave-in hair conditioner, but I have used plain coconut oil with great results.