Of all the DIY products and recipes out there, shampoo can be one of the trickiest to convert to because so many just don’t seem to cut it.
The beauty of this homemade shampoo recipe is that the castile soap is a great cleanser and will leave your hair feeling just as fresh and clean as with store bought shampoos—just without the nasty chemicals!
Want to learn more about essential oils? Get The Ultimate Beginners Guide to Essential Oils. Over 30,000 copies sold! Get Your Copy Here!
Shelf Life: 2-3 weeks in the fridge
Benefits: The castile soap and honey gently cleanse your scalp, while the coconut milk adds moisture and shine.
Tips and Tricks: Because this shampoo is so moisturizing and doesn’t strip your hair, you won’t need to use conditioner. However, we do recommend following up with an apple cider vinegar rinse because the castile soap can leave build up on the hair.
Simply add 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to 1 cup water and pour over hair and scalp after shampooing and rinsing. ACV is amazing for your hair and scalp, and you can leave the rinse on your hair without washing it out (the vinegar smell will disappear as your hair dries!). Don’t use this rinse more than twice per week.
Also, because this shampoo is runnier than most store bought shampoo, you can store it in a foam pump bottle. If you’re using a regular shampoo bottle, squeeze the shampoo directly onto your scalp rather than into your hands and then onto your hair.
Variations: Sub lavender and rosemary oils for essential oil of choice. Our soap nut liquid recipe also makes a great shampoo!
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Watch the video below for a step-by-step tutorial for making this homemade hair shampoo recipe.

Homemade Hair Shampoo
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup organic coconut milk
- 2/3 cup castile soap
- 1 to 2 tbsp raw honey
- 2 tbsp hot water
- 1 tsp oil (for very dry/damaged hair only)
- 20 drops essential oil
TOOLS AND SUPPLIES
- 2 bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk
- Funnel
- Sanitized shampoo bottle
Instructions
-
In a bowl, whisk together raw honey and hot water to form a paste.
-
Add castile soap and whisk until evenly mixed.
-
In a separate bowl, empty can of coconut milk and whisk. Organic canned coconut milk typically separates, so you’ll need to mix the cream with the liquid.
-
Add coconut milk to the honey-soap mixture and add essential oils.
-
Using a funnel, pour mixture into your shampoo bottle.
Recipe Notes
As we mentioned, converting to natural shampoos can be tricky, and what works for one person won’t necessarily work for another.
There are many different ways to cleanse your hair naturally, so you may want to play around with them until you find one that works for you.
Honey, clays, soap nut liquid, eggs, and rye flour can all be used to naturally cleanse your hair and scalp!
Also, if you’ve been using commercial shampoo for a long time, your hair and scalp may go through a transition period when you switch to natural versions.
If you’re not into the DIY route, we highly recommend Carina hair products. Their shampoos and conditioners receive a 1 on the EWG rating scale, and they are amazing!