Our Favorite Ingredients for Natural DIY Hair Care

If you’re going to make your own natural hair care products, you probably want to be choosy about ingredients. After all, what is natural? The definition of natural seems to vary from brand to brand, and it’s not regulated by any government agency. We have some favorite natural ingredients that will work great in DIY hair care products. Hopefully that makes the decision making process a little easier.

Beneficial oils For Natural DIY Hair Care

If you’re making a conditioner, a hair mask, or other moisturizing or conditioning treatment, oils are going to be your best friend. Oils are emollients, which means that they coat your hair strand and help protect it from moisture loss. Some oils can also improve hair texture by softening hair and making it more flexible. Finally, oils can help improve hair manageability, increase hair strength, and help prevent frizz.

Here are some of our favorite natural oils for DIY natural hair care products:

• Argan oil. Argan oil is great, especially for folks with grey or damaged hair. Argan oil improves hair flexibility by making it softer. This also makes your hair silkier to the touch and shinier.
• Sweet almond oil.Sweet almond oil is one of the lightest fixed oils in DIY personal care. That makes it perfect for helping to condition and hydrate fine hair, which can be weighed down by heavier oils.
• Jojoba oil.Jojoba oil is actually a natural liquid wax. It has qualities similar to the sebum produced by your own scalp, so it’s perfect for helping to hydrate and condition your locks.
• Avocado oil. You might have heard how healthy Avocado oil is in cooking, but it’s great for your hair, too. Avocados are full of antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and vitamins A, B-5, and E.

Essential oils for hair care

Essential oils are called essential oils because they contain the essence of the plant. They don’t just smell great, either. Some of them are great for your hair, too. We have an article all about Our Favorite Essential Oils for Hair Care if you want more details.

• Tea tree oil. Tea tree essential oil has become a very popular ingredient in hair care products, and for good reason. Tea tree oil helps keep your scalp clean and healthy, and great hair starts with a healthy scalp.
• Rosemary essential oil. Rosemary essential oil doesn’t just smell great, it can also help keep your scalp and roots healthy.
• Peppermint essential oil. Peppermint essential oil may help balance the oil production in your scalp, which is great for both dry and oily hair types.

Botanical extracts to use in DIY hair care

We can’t talk about natural homemade hair care without talking about botanicals. Plants have been a part of our diet and our personal care traditions for millenia, across the entire world. Here are a few of our favorite plant extracts for taking great care of your hair.

• Calendula extract. Calendula extract contains minerals and antioxidants, and it’s a great extract for conditioning and adding shine to your hair.
• Green tea extract. Green tea has been used in personal care for centuries. It’s full of antioxidants and vitamins C and E, both essential for healthy scalp and hair. Green tea extract is great for hair care.
• Seaweed extract. Seaweed extract contains a lot of beneficial compounds. One of those is the proteins; they strengthen hair and add body.
• White birch concentrate. White birch concentrate contains vitamin C, B vitamins, phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium. It’s a great way to nourish and strengthen your hair naturally.

Natural additives for DIY hair care

When we hear the word “additives,” we often think of unnecessary chemical ingredients added to products. In this case, additives are just ingredients that you add to your hair care products to promote cleansing, conditioning, and even styling properties. Here are some great natural additives for your DIY hair care products.

• Hydrolyzed protein. Your hair is made of keratin, which is protein. If you have porous or damaged hair, adding some protein can help strengthen your hair and prevent breakage. Try Liquid Silk, our hydrolized silk protein.
• Activated charcoal.Activated charcoal may help deeply cleanse your hair and scalp, helping to remove excess oil that can weigh hair down and contribute to acne of the scalp.
• Glycerin. Glycerin is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol, and it’s a humectant. Adding it to your DIY hair care products is great for dry skin.
• Bentonite clay. Including clay in hair masks and other products can help clarify your hair and scalp. Clarifying products remove oil and product build up from your hair and scalp, helping them to look healthier and more beautiful. Bentonite clay is a great option.

Check out more hair care additives for some great ideas.

Natural Surfactants?

Surfactants and detergents aren’t what we think of when we think of natural ingredients, but surfactants are important in making your own shampoo. Different surfactants promote shine, lather, and cleansing. Some even condition. 

• Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate. Also known as SLSA, this surfactant is mild and versatile. It promotes a rich lather, and rinses off easily. It’s made from natural coconut oil and palm oil.
• Potassium cocoate. Potassium cocoate is a potassium salt derived from coconut oil. It produces great lather and helps cleanse. It also contains glycerin, a conditioning agent.
• Cocamidopropyl betaine. Also known as CAPB, this surfactant is derived from coconuts. It’s a mild cleansing agent that also has conditioning properties. 
• Sodium cocoyl isethionate. This is a very mild surfactant that’s famous for being used in baby products. It’s derived from coconuts, and ours is in a Foaming Noodles format that doesn’t become airborne as easily as powdered surfactants.

We hope you found this helpful. It may seem like you can’t make natural shampoo and conditioner, but you can. Even surfactants and emulsifiers can be derived from plants, which makes gentler and cleaner DIY hair care products possible. Bramble Berry offers these hair care ingredients and more so you can find everything you need. Check out our hair care projects to learn how these ingredients are used in hair care products. We also have some great hair care kits with detailed instructions to help you get started.