Homemade shampoo bars with natural ingredients are the best way to avoid the surplus of concerning chemicals in traditional hair care products
Many shampoo bar recipes hailed for their moisturizing properties include tallow, otherwise known as rendered beef fat. If you would prefer not to rub animal fat all over your head (!), shea butter and soothing bentonite clay make great vegan alternatives. Here, lavender essential oil also makes a cameo.
Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup coconut oil in liquid form
3 tablespoons shea butter
1/4 cup castor oil
1/3 cup cool water
1 tablespoon lye
2 teaspoons lavender essential oil
2 teaspoons bentonite clay
Steps
Mix clay with a drop of water (just enough to wet it) and let sit.
Mix together water and lye as previously described.
Mix together oils and shea butter in a separate bowl.
Pour lye mixture into fat mixture slowly, then mix with a hand blender until it starts to thicken.
Turn the blender off, mix in clay and essential oil, then stir by hand until you reach a pudding-like consistency.
Pour liquid soap into mold, cover, and let sit for 24 hours.
Remove from mold after 24 hours and cure for at least four weeks.