8 Homemade Coconut Oil Shampoo Recipes For Beautiful Hair

Switching to natural shampoos is great for your and the environment. You can try one of the homemade coconut oil shampoo recipes from our list to pamper your hair within a budget. Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid (1). Its derivative, sodium lauryl sulfate, is a natural cleanser often used in commercially available shampoos. Coconut oil deeply nourishes your hair as it can penetrate the hair shaft. It keeps your hair strong, too (2).

Hence, using coconut oil-based shampoos for hair is a good idea. Check out the recipes below and make your own shampoo at home.

8 Homemade Coconut Oil Shampoo Recipes For Beautiful Hair

1. Easy Homemade Coconut Shampoo

This is the easiest homemade coconut oil shampoo and uses very few ingredients. It also takes less than 5 minutes to make.

You Will Need

• ¾ cup water
• ½ cup castile soap
• 2 teaspoons table salt
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons jojoba oil
• 20 drops coconut fragrance oil

What You Need To Do

1. Pour the water in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for half a minute.
2. Pour in the castile soap and blend gently without making too many suds.
3. Add the salt and mix well.
4. Finally, add the oils and stir until well incorporated.
5. Store this in a squeeze bottle and use it as required.

2. Moisturizing pH-Balanced Shampoo

Hair fiber has a pH of 3.7, while the scalp has a pH of around 5.5. Shampoos should not be higher or lower than those two levels (3). A study showed that nearly 68% of shampoos have a pH level greater than 5.5, which is not good for scalp health (4).

An imbalance in the pH levels can lead to fungal or bacterial infections. Most hair care products contain alkaline chemicals. As a result, the pH levels increase, and the alkali in the shampoos reacts with the natural sebum (acidic). Here’s how you can make a pH balanced shampoo.

You Will Need

• 1 ½ cups coconut oil
• 1 ¾ cups aloe vera gel
• 20 drops of any fragrant essential oil

What You Need To Do

1. Mix the oils and gel in a bowl with a wire whisk.
2. Pour this into a jar and refrigerate.

The shampoo does not form soapy lather because it doesn’t have baking soda or liquid soap, both of which increase the alkalinity of the mixture. But it can be applied in the same way. The refrigerated mixture is thick and has a pudding-like consistency. Massaging your scalp with it removes the dirt and also improves blood circulation, which increases hair thickness. You can wash the shampoo away with water. If you feel your hair is greasy, wash it with a cup of apple cider vinegar.

3. Coconut And Honey Shampoo

Even if you make your own shampoo with liquid soap, coconut oil, and fragrance, it is not much better than the store-bought shampoos, chock full of chemicals. This is because the pH of the soap is quite high, and therefore, is still pretty harmful to the hair. To make a more balanced shampoo, you can use the following recipe.

You Will Need

• 1 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup aloe vera gel
• ¼ cup distilled water
• 2 tablespoons raw honey
• 1 teaspoon lavender essential oil
• 1 teaspoon rosemary essential oil
• ½ cup liquid castile soap (you can also omit this if you are okay with a lather-free shampoo)
• 1 teaspoon avocado oil (use if you have dry hair)

What You Need To Do

1. Slowly stir the honey in lukewarm water until it is evenly mixed.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients barring the soap and blend well.
3. Stir in the soap but do not do it too much as that will form unnecessary suds.
4. Pour this into a squeeze bottle and store in the freezer.

Shake the shampoo well before use, as the ingredients separate, which is normal. The shampoo lasts 2-3 weeks in the fridge, so store it in several small bottles. When you use a bottle, keep it in the fridge and store the rest in the freezer.

4. Coconut Oil Shampoo For Dandruff Problem

Coconut oil can penetrate the hair shaft and disintegrate fungi, preventing dandruff. Coconut oil has antimicrobial and antifungal properties, which may help keep fungal infections and dandruff at bay (5), (6). The key to getting rid of dandruff is soothing the scalp using essential oils (7).

You Will Need

• ½ cup coconut milk
• 1 cup liquid soap
• ½ cup glycerine
• 4 teaspoons coconut oil
• 10 drops of essential oil (buy the therapeutic grade for best quality)

What You Need To Do

1. Combine the coconut oil and glycerine in one bowl, and soap and milk in another.
2. Slowly trickle in the oil mixture in the soap and milk mixture. Stir it to mix well.
3. Add the essential oil and store it in a shampoo bottle.

Again, like the coconut and honey shampoo, this one also separates on sitting out for long. Shake it before using it. You can skip the glycerine in the recipe, but it does give the shampoo a thicker consistency. It also makes the hair much softer. However, you can skip it if it makes your hair sticky.

5. Coconut Milk Shampoo

Coconut milk contains plenty of healthy proteins and nutrients (8). These nourish the hair and give it a luscious texture.

You Will Need

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• Hot water

What You Need To Do

1. Mix the oil and milk.
2. Massage the mixture onto your scalp for a few minutes and leave it for better absorption.
3. It creates a sticky, mask-like layer. Rinse it with hot water. It cleans the scalp very well and removes dirt, excess sebum, and dandruff.

6. Dry Coconut Shampoo

Sometimes, transitioning from work to party means spending a precious hour on shampooing, blow-drying, and styling. These are the times when you need a hassle-free dry shampoo. However, dry shampoo also contains lots of chemicals. If you want a nourishing shampoo, it is best to switch to your own DIY dry coconut shampoo.

You Will Need

• 4 tablespoons organic cinnamon bark powder
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon coconut milk powder
• 1 tablespoon finely powdered oatmeal
• 10 drops of lavender oil (or an essential oil of your choice)

What You Need To Do

1. Combine the powders with a whisk.
2. Add the essential oil and mix.
3. Use a large makeup (blush) brush and dust your hair and scalp with the powder.
4. Comb your hair to get rid of excess powder.

The cinnamon and coconut milk powder act as a conditioner, so the result is thick, shiny hair that smells heavenly.

7. Coconut Shampoo And Conditioner Combo

Coconut oil is really good for your hair texture.

You Will Need

• 1 cup Dr. Bronner Castile soap (it contains organic oils and vitamin E and is natural)
• 3/4 cup coconut oil
• 20 drops of coconut fragrance
• 10 drops of vanilla extract

What You Need To Do

1. Mix the oil and soap gently to prevent lathering.
2. Add the fragrance and extract to add a nutty and exotic fragrance to your shampoo.
3. Store in the fridge in an old, empty shampoo bottle. It lasts for a month.

8. Coconut Deep Conditioner For Curls

If you have extremely curly hair and live somewhere humid, frizz is a constant problem. Your hair puffs up like an unkempt ball of wool and feels rough to touch. This type of hair requires deep conditioning at least once a week.

You Will Need

• ¼ cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons raw honey
• 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
• 5 drops of lavender essential oil

What You Need To Do

1. Mix the milk, oil, honey, and yogurt in a blender until a smooth viscous cream is obtained.
2. Add the essential oil and fold through the cream.
3. Part your hair into sections and dab some of the conditioner onto your hair.
4. When the entire hair is covered, comb it through.
5. Let this sit for nearly an hour. After that, shower as normal.

Hair sprays are full of chemicals, but at times, their uses far outweigh their disadvantages. Hence, you can make this easy DIY coconut oil hair spray.

Coconut Hair Spray

You Will Need

• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 2 cups distilled water
• 5 drops of coconut fragrance

What You Need To Do

1. Use a hand blender to combine the coconut oil and water in an emulsion.
2. Once the emulsion is formed, stir the coconut fragrance and store it in an aerosol bottle.
3. Shake well before using, in case the emulsion has separated. Spray lightly onto frizzy hair for best results.

Benefits

There are various benefits of coconut oil, such as:

1. It reduces hair loss. It has been used as a hair loss treatment in India for centuries. It improves the quality of hair and strengthens the roots.
2. It helps in cooling down the scalp. If the scalp sweats too much, the sweat and the sebum clump together with dandruff and dirt to form a thick, smelly layer of debris on the scalp. This damages the hair and prevents the natural oils from reaching the tip of the hair. As a result, you have dull, undernourished hair. Coconut oil shampoo reduces sweating and also helps in getting rid of dandruff.
3. Coconut oil helps in retaining moisture. If you live in a hot climate, the moisture in your hair evaporates easily. Dry, frizzy hair is very normal in these conditions. Using coconut oil prevents this.
4. Coconut oil is a better conditioner than most of the chemical ones available from high-end hair care brands (9). Coconut oil keeps your hair shiny and soft throughout the day and even later.
5. Most of the anti-dandruff shampoos contain coconut oil for a reason. Coconut oil massages treat dandruff and also keep it at bay.
6. Coconut oil melts on heating and solidifies when cold. As a result, it makes styling the hair much easier. When you massage it on the scalp, your body heat melts it and helps it spread quickly. When rubbed on the hair, it becomes more viscous and acts like a styling cream or gel.
7. It protects the hair from lice infestation. The lice treatment formulas contain harsh chemicals that may damage hair. Using coconut oil smoothes the hair so that the consequent combing for nits and lice becomes easier.
8. During winter, some people get boils on their scalp. This can also happen when staying out for long hours in the sun. Massaging with coconut oil prevents these boils and also pops them quickly.
9. Split ends decelerate hair growth. Hence, you need to trim them regularly. Regular application of coconut oil can help prevent split ends altogether.
10. Coconut oil also prevents premature graying of hair.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can coconut oil damage your hair?

No. Coconut oil can not damage your hair. However, excessive use of oils on the hair can lead to product buildup on the scalp, clog the follicles, and lead to hair fall.

What should I mix with coconut oil for my hair?

Using coconut oil by itself on your hair will have plenty of benefits. However, you may also mix it with other hair oils, apple cider vinegar, honey, essential oils, hibiscus powder, and many other ingredients to make a mask for added benefits.

Is homemade shampoo better for your hair?

Yes. Homemade shampoos may work efficiently on your hair. Moreover, they are cost-effective and good for the environment.

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Anjali Sayee

Anjali specializes in hairstyles and hair and skin care and has written over 200 articles in these domains. Her philosophy... more