Home » Natural Remedies » Natural DIY Dandruff Shampoo (moisturizing and gentle)
Published Last Updated By Lori Ryman 14 Comments
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The past few years I’ve been using some natural ways to treat my dandruff once a week or so but it always seems to come back, so I started making and using my own natural DIY dandruff shampoo. This has luckily eliminated my dandruff.
I just started using my natural DIY dandruff shampoo about 2 months ago when my dandruff got worse. I’m not sure if it got worse because of the cold winter weather or dry heat. Either way, what I was doing previously once a week was not enough to eliminate my dandruff. So now I use this shampoo every day or every other day depending on how often I wash my hair and the dandruff is finally gone!
Why You Should Make Your Own:
I ended up making my own natural DIY dandruff shampoo because I couldn’t find any natural ones without chemicals in the store.
Most commercial dandruff shampoos contain harmful ingredients that I don’t want absorbing into my skin, and I’m even more careful with watching what I put on my skin now that I’m pregnant. Dandruff shampoos typically contain coal tar, recorcinol, formaldehyde, and sodium lauryl suflate. According to the EWG, these are listed as a high hazard and can affect the central nervous system.
How this Natural DIY Dandruff Shampoo Works:
This combination of ingredients will moisturize and soothe your scalp while eliminating and preventing dandruff.
The coconut milk and coconut oil are hydrating and moisturize the hair and scalp. The coconut oil works well combined with castile soap, which is a natural vegetable based soap. Castile soap works just like regular shampoo because it lathers and will help remove excess oil from your hair which makes it look dirty and greasy. The tea tree oil is another essential component to the mixture because it is antifungal and helps fight fungi that can cause dandruff.
Natural DIY Dandruff Shampoo Recipe
Ingredients:
- ½ cup coconut milk
- ½ cup liquid castile soap
- ¼ cup vegetable glycerin (optional) – This helps thicken up the mixture to more of a shampoo consistency. But, it’s still effective without it.
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil or jojoba oil
- 10 drops tea tree essential oil
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a dish and mix well.
2. Pour the mixture in a bottle to store it. I pour it in old shampoo or castile soap bottles. That way I can just squirt it out like regular shampoo in the shower.
3. Shake it before each use.
4. Wash your hair with it just like regular shampoo.
5. Optional step: – Use a natural conditioner afterwards. I like to pour some apple cider vinegar over my hair. It works as a natural conditioner. It also helps eliminate dandruff too. So it’s especially helpful.
Other Option for a Natural DIY Dandruff Treatment:
Alternative Option 1: If you’re looking for a quick way to eliminate dandruff without making your own natural DIY dandruff shampoo, you can do a coconut oil hair mask. Just apply coconut oil to your scalp and massage it in. Leave it on for about an hour and then shampoo out. This works great but, it may take 2 shampoos to remove all of the coconut oil. Every time I do it though, it completely eliminates my dandruff.
Alternative Option 2: Take 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or jojoba oil and mix in 3-4 drops of tea tree essential oil. Massage the mixture into your scalp and leave on overnight. Shampoo it out in the morning.
About Lori Ryman
Lori Ryman, BS, MS, has been dedicated to researching natural alternatives for the past 15 years. Lori has a background in research methods, health, and nutrition. She started with an Interest in natural alternatives to improve her own health and she continues to share natural DIY projects, recipes and natural alternatives with millions of viewers on treasuredtips.com.
Lori’s research for posts is based on peer reviewed evidenced-based research. Lori is a published author in a peer reviewed research journal. Her work has been covered by MSN, The Huffington Post, wikiHow, The New York Times, and many more.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
R.
What do you think about adding Activated Charcoal? Trying to replace the tar coal in the T/Gel Neutrogena shampoo. Is it even necessary?
Reply
Lori
I haven’t tried it with activated charcoal myself.
Reply
Alisha Hibbard
How long will this last?
Reply
Lori
It lasts me a few months.
Reply
Easter Law
do i need to keep this shampoo in the fridge because it’s made with coconut milk?
thanks.
Reply
Lori
You don’t have to keep it in the fridge. It will just last longer if you do.
Reply
Sammy
Can I use another oil instead of coconut or jojoba? Both oils make me break out): could I use help or rosehip?
Reply
Lori
Yes, you can use any type of oil.
Reply
Lloyd
I mix backing soda and organic lavender oil,with one-cup water to was my hair/then i use apple cider vinegar to condition it. My hair is always shiny and super clean! I only have to use the backing soda about once/or twice a-week.
Reply
Lori
That’s great!
Reply
Lynn
Do you know if this would be effective on scalp psoriasis?
Reply
Lori
Yes, it is very soothing and hydrating.
Reply
This sounds great, I will definitely give it a try!
Pinning, pinning, pinning! 🙂
DianaReply
Lori
Awesome!
Reply