Homemade herbal shampoos and hair growth

Everyone wants thick, rich, gorgeous hair, right? With few exceptions, we’re pretty confident in saying that. Now, the way to get that kind of hair is through using expensive designer shampoos that cost a fortune, right? Well, not necessarily. The thing is that there are lots of things that go into having great-looking hair. They include everything from nutrition and lifestyle to the products you use, and it’s all to affect one thing: hair growth. That’s what makes your hair look great. Now, we’re not talking about guys that look like Patrick Stewart using shampoo to bring back their hair. We’re talking about the fact that your hair looks best when each follicle produces strong, silky hair strands that don’t break and don’t fall out prematurely – because when your hairs are not only strong but also long-lasting, your hair will look better overall. Optimum hair growth is, therefore, essential for great hair.

Is there a way to ensure you get the maximum amount of hair you can get at any one time? Well, there are certainly ways to help it along, and one of the most popular ways is by using homemade herbal shampoos. But do they really work?

First, let’s look at the common ingredients in common, store-bought shampoo. One of the biggest ingredients in these shampoos is something called “surfactants,” or detergents. These ingredients strip your hair of accumulated oils and dirt, and to create the foamy bubbles we commonly associate with shampoos. You’ll see these ingredients on the label typically in the form of lauryl sulfates and laureth sulfate. The problem with these ingredients is that they can irritate sensitive skin, especially the scalp, and by taking all the oil off of our scalp can cause our skin to overproduce oils in response, leading to really greasy hair the moment you stop using them.

Other common ingredients include methylparaben and propylparaben. These chemicals act as preservatives, ensuring that shampoos can stay on the shelves for a long time, making sure that they won’t “go bad” and can still be bought months or years after being made. The problem? These chemicals can also irritate skin, causing allergic reactions that can shock the hair follicles and cause them to shed hairs prematurely.

Combine these with perfumes and all other manner of artificial ingredients, and it’s no wonder lots of people can’t use normal shampoos without suffering.

Enter homemade, herbal shampoos. As the name suggests, these are shampoos that are so simply that you can make them yourself at home, and unlike store-bought shampoos, don’t contain the artificial chemicals and synthetic ingredients associated with skin irritation and side effects. That means you can get all the benefits of a shampoo without damaging your hair, and more importantly, irritating your scalp to the point of shedding. That means herbal shampoos might be a great way for many people to avoid unnecessary hair breakage and loss, and can therefore prevent some kinds of hair loss.

What kind of ingredients go into herbal shampoos? You’ll find lots of different recipes, so there’s no single “right” way to go about it. Ingredients include shikakai, an Indian shrub whose fruit has a small amount of acidity, which means it can clean your hair and scalp of oil and dirt without completely stripping it. There’s also soap nuts, also called reetha, which contain saponins – natural surfactants, just like laureth sulfate, only easier on your hair and better for the environment as well.

What are the downsides of herbal shampoos? Well, it depends on what you consider a “downside.” Homemade herbal shampoos require you to, well, make them yourself. This might be more work than some people are interested in doing, but if you have the ingredients, a stove, and a pot, you’re pretty much already set up to make it. All it takes is some time. Additionally, not all natural hair formulas are great for all people. Some “natural” ingredients people promote, such as apple cider vinegar, can actually do more harm than good if you don’t dilute them properly. Always double check on all ingredients in a formula before setting out to try it yourself. The upside to there being so many different formulas, however, is that you can pick out the one that’s best for you, based on your natural hair and sensitivities, and you can control what goes in by altering or completely changing the formula to your specifications.

The world of natural home remedies is vast, complicated, and a little confusing, but if you’re willing to do the research, you might just be able to find the best natural herbal shampoo for you. That means you’re on your way to better hair growth, shine, and strength – and best of all, it might just end up saving you money!