Herbal Hair Care
By Kathleen Halloran

I don't normally think too much about hair�mine goes its own way without much help or fuss from me beyond regular washing and conditioning. But one morning as I was slathering high-priced, pH-balanced, sold-only-in-salons shampoo onto my scalp and massaging glorious suds right down to my split ends, I looked more closely at that ingredient list. Methylchloroisothiazolinone? Ammonium laureth sulfate? It occurred to me that I had no idea what this stuff was that I was so blithely slopping on my head. The alien words were tucked in among more comforting ingredients such as yarrow and geranium, but in my mind I pictured a laboratory full of frizzy-haired scientists subjecting braids and ponytails to torturous experiments.

Tremendous hype surrounds hair care products, and each product purports to do special things for specific types of hair. But nature has provided the means of caring for hair for centuries. Why couldn�t she do it for me?

So I embarked on a two-week experiment in which I did without commercial products and used only simple plant materials on my hair. I didn�t expect that my split ends would vanish or that my hair would suddenly become so lustrous and silky and bouncy that men would stop me on the street to run their fingers through it. All I wanted was a product, harvested from my garden instead of the marketplace, that would leave my hair feeling and looking good.

What I discovered is that homemade herbal products are not only effective, but kind to the hair. I wasn�t willing to start my workday by foraging in the forest and pounding roots with rocks; there are limits to my curiosity and my time. But I found many of the ingredients for hair care in my garden and my kitchen cabinets. What I didn�t have on hand was available from a health food market or by mail order.

I learned that I could get my hair clean with the natural saponins and gentle suds of plants such as soapwort and yucca root, both easily grown perennials that are hardy in many parts of the United States. They didn�t produce the billowing foam I was �accustomed to in commercial shampoos, but the lack of lather didn�t �affect their cleansing power. And I could feel the softening effect on my hair within the first week. Detergents, the cleansing agents in most shampoos, can strip the hair of its natural luster and silkiness, particularly if used daily. Soap plants are nonalkaline; compared to commercial soaps and detergents, they are mild cleaners, and they don�t leave deposits that build up on the hair.

I made a trip to the library to try to penetrate the mysteries of shampoo chemistry and figure out what is in the average commercial shampoo. The sur�factant�the cleaning power�is usually ammonium (or sodium) laureth sulfate, or sometimes ammonium lauryl sulfate, and the zillion-syllable �methyl� words usually refer to preservatives. Other additives include thickeners, foam boosters, pH adjusters, emulsifiers to keep the ingredients from separating, opacifiers to make the solutions opaque, conditioners, and ingredients that add color and fragrance. The main ingredient of shampoos and conditioners is water�75 to 90 percent in shampoos and as much as 95 percent in conditioners.

Deciphering the list of ingredients helped explain why my herbal hair preparations aren�t like the Prell I can grab off the shelf of the nearest store. Herbal solutions take a bit of thought and time. They can�t be stored for long because they contain no preservatives, and they tend to look and smell �earthy�, unlike the smooth, creamy, colorful lotions that pour so thickly out of store-bought bottles.

I was less successful in finding out what ingredients in the chemical makeup of herbs affect hair and in what ways. Almost every book on the cosmetic uses of herbs includes a section on hair care, but I found little information to explain why, how, or even whether herbs affect hair. I can speculate that herbs with emollient properties might be good for dryness, and that astringent herbs might help counteract oiliness, but all I know for sure is that certain herbs have long been recommended for specific hair types.

My fair, dry hair wasn�t a mass of tangled straw, as I half expected it to be, after my first herbal shampoo and rinse. I found I got the conditioning I needed from rinsing with infusions of burdock, elderflower, stinging nettle, and other herbs from the chart on page 53; these didn�t seem to leave the heavy feel that some commercial conditioners do. My hair was manageable and easy to comb.

Chamomile and lemon juice, traditional rinses for blonds, gave my hair a hint of sunshine: I don�t think it was my imagination, although I�m allowing for the possibility. Chamomile and rosemary are often touted as color enhancers, but they are not dyes or bleaches, and the results are not at all like those of chemical dyes. The rinse must be caught in a bowl and poured over the hair again and again until patience runs thin, perhaps 10 to 20 times; otherwise, the infusion washes down the drain before it has a chance to do its job.

For the sake of time and convenience, I also made a small supply�what my household could use up in a couple of weeks�of an herbal shampoo with castile soap as its base. Though castile is made from olive oil and is milder than many other soaps, it is still alkaline and will leave a film on the hair unless neutralized with a rinse containing vinegar or lemon juice. Shampoo advertisements have encouraged us to think about pH balance, and the reason became clear to me one morning when I forgot to add the vinegar to a rinse formula. My hair felt brittle and fragile. At the first opportunity, several hours later, I rinsed my hair with the correct formula. My hair �immediately felt stronger and smoother.

My two-week trial run has been extended indefinitely; I like my herbal hair. I still resort to commercial products when I�m caught in a time crunch, but I use my own shampoos and conditioners whenever I can. I usually find the preparations pleasant and the time manageable. I can fix an afternoon cup of chamomile tea while I brew the same herb in a rinse for my hair. Outside, my garden now has a �shampoo section�, and just for fun, I found an old sink to use as a planter.

Herbal Hair Products You Can Make
The recipes that follow are flexible; they are meant to be guidelines. One of the greatest advantages to making herbal hair preparations at home is the opportunity to experiment and find out what works best for your own hair. The accompanying chart suggests some herbs to try.

Always make and store herbal hair preparations in nonreactive containers; otherwise, you might find your hair turning an unexpected hue. I steep my herbs in an enamel bowl and store leftovers in the refrigerator in a plastic shampoo bottle. Before trying any new herb concoction on your scalp, dab a bit of the preparation on the inside of your elbow and cover it with a plastic bandage. Wait for 24 hours and then check for redness or itching. If you don�t see or feel any allergic reaction, the preparation is probably safe to use on your head.

Herbal Hair Care: 5 Hair Care Recipes
By Kathleen Halloran

Shampoo
Herbs containing saponins that can be used for shampooing hair include soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) and yucca (Yucca filamentosa, Y. glauca). Soap-bark chips, which come from the Chilean evergreen tree Quillaja saponaria and are available from some suppliers of herb products, are a good choice for oily hair. All have a gentle cleansing action.

Finely chop 2 tablespoons fresh or 1 tablespoon dried soapwort root or leaves and stems, or substitute a similar amount of yucca roots or soap-bark. Add 1 cup warm water and agitate until suds form. If desired, use half the amount of water and add the sudsy solution to an infusion made by steeping, then straining, a handful of other herbs suited to your hair type.

Massage the preparation into your scalp, about 1/2 cup for average-length hair; rinse with water and repeat soaping if necessary. The solution, odorless when fresh, may begin to ferment and smell unpleasant in a few days so make only enough to use up in a short time.

Follow this shampoo with an herbal conditioning rinse (see below).

Castile Shampoo
Make an herbal infusion by pouring 4 cups boiling water over 5 tablespoons of the dried herb or herbs of your choice (see chart), or use a couple of big handfuls of fresh herbs. Chamomile flowers are often used for light hair, rosemary or sage for brunettes. Cover and steep for 30 minutes. Strain out solids, add 4 ounces of flaked or liquid castile soap, and stir.

This will make about 1 quart of shampoo, which will keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. Follow it with the herbal conditioning rinse below.

Conditioning Rinse
Used after first rinsing out your shampoo with plain water, this vinegar solution will neutralize the alkalinity of castile or commercial shampoos, remove any hard-water residue, and leave hair feeling soft. It�s made up fresh for each shampoo.

Choose herbs for the conditioning effects appropriate to your hair type (see the chart below). Infuse 2 tablespoons dried herbs, or a couple of handfuls of fresh ones, in 4 cups boiling water. Cover and steep for 30 minutes, then strain well. Add 1 tablespoon cider vinegar. Other vinegars can be used for the same acidifying effect, but cider vinegar has a pleasant scent.

Pour this solution through hair over a basin or bowl to catch the flow, then repeat the motion about 20 times.

Setting Gel
The familiar house plant Aloe vera has a role in the herbal hair salon. The gel from the freshly cut leaf serves as a setting gel; it leaves hair shiny, dries quickly, and tames curly hair. Use the gel as you would any other setting gel, or try it as a mousse, letting the aloe dry on the hair and then brushing as you blow-dry.

Dry Shampoo
In between shampoos, or when you are traveling or ill or in a hurry, try this dry substitute. Part off sections of your hair in rows and sprinkle arrowroot powder on your hair and scalp. Work it in with your fingers. Leave it on for a few minutes to absorb hair oils, then brush hair thoroughly until it shines.

Herbal Hair Care: Henna As A Natural Attraction
By Kathleen Halloran

The urge to go a little wild above the hairline seems universal and ageless. For at least 5000 years, people have turned to henna (Lawsonia inermis) for their hair dye. No color can change an image or free a spirit quite like red, with which most people associate the henna hues. But the coloring agent from this tropical shrub or small tree now covers the color spectrum, delivering black, tawny, even blond shades in addition to the traditional vivid red. Although henna has long been combined with indigo or logwood to obtain other colors, a spokesman for one firm of henna importers told us that they use the leaves, flowers, and stems from three different kinds of Lawsonia to produce basic red, black, and neutral hues. (Botanists today recognize only a single species.) Those colors are then combined in varying proportions to produce a palette of a dozen or so intermediate shades. The red comes only from the leaves.

Through the centuries, henna has been a traditional cosmetic in Middle Eastern and Oriental cultures, used for coloring not just hair, but nails and skin. Even today, the powdered leaves are used to create decorative patterns on the skin of Indian brides. It has also been used as a dye for wool, cotton, and silk; henna-dyed cloth was the wrap for some Egyptian mummies. The essential oil from the flower has been used in perfumery, and the plant reportedly has had medicinal applications for headaches, skin irritation, and several diseases including leprosy and smallpox.

Henna�s biggest appeal to the Western world is that it offers a harmless alternative to commercial dyes. Concerns in recent years about the safety of hair dyes containing coal tars has focused more attention on natural dyes such as henna that are extracted from plant parts. With a track record that dates to Biblical times, henna has been proven safe to use.

Henna colors by coating the hair strand, at the same time adding shine and fullness, particularly on oily or fine hair. Because it does not strip the natural pigment, henna is a good choice for the timid or for people who want only to highlight their original shade.

Henna dye comes as a green powder made by pulverizing the dried plant parts. Use 8 ounces, or 16 heaping tablespoons, for average-length hair, twice that for long or very thick hair. The powder is mixed to a thick paste with hot water and applied to the hair. (Wear rubber or plastic gloves unless you would like matching hands and nails, and always work over a sink because this is a messy process.) Cover your head with foil, a plastic bag or an old towel to hold in the heat. The length of time the henna is left on�generally from half an hour to two hours�helps determine the intensity and duration of the final color. Then rinse it well.

As it is unrefined, henna is not as predictable as commercial dyes. The results are sometimes surprising. A sage rinse may help tone down a hue that is too red or lessen the garishness that can result from overuse. People who buy the pure henna in bulk rather than one of the shades of packaged henna sometimes add spices such as paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, coffee or tea to obtain subtle shading effects and a distinctive fragrance. Acids such as lemon juice and vinegar in a rinse can enhance gold or coppery highlights.

The henna color will last for two to three months, gradually fading from the hair, unlike dyes that reveal conspicuous roots as the hair grows out. The frequent use of henna can dry the hair, but adding olive oil or egg yolk to the henna paste can counteract this problem. Wait until the henna is completely out of the hair before switching to a chemical dye or having a permanent because the chemicals may not penetrate the henna coating evenly.

Herbal Hair Care: The Guinea Pig Report
By Kathleen Halloran

Here at Interweave Press, we now have more redheads than usual. We hennaed.

Barb, who has always had red hair, is now a fiery copper-top whose curls draw a smile from across the room. She used a copper shade, and at first she didn�t seem to appreciate the intensity of the color. But while digging through old photographs she realized that this vivid red is close to the natural color she had when she was younger. We think she�ll like it once she calms down and stops shopping for hats. Kathleen put strawberry blond on top of her light brown hair. The difference was slight�about like turning on an orange light nearby�but it was enough to make her feel a bit daring. And SarahJean is positively frisky these days. Using the pure red henna over her long, light brown hair, she ended up with bright and buoyant red curls. She has been reported rearranging furniture and exhibiting other uncharacteristic behavior.

Linda and Nancy tried the neutral henna and felt a little cheated because, despite the time and mess they devoted to it, the effects were hardly noticeable. As the package said, the product was colorless. The conditioning it delivered wasn�t worth the effort.

The verdict, at least among the redheads, is that henna is plenty of fun. We�re debating which shades to try next.

I use henna every 3 -4 months and I love it.  It will cover some gray and makes my hair feel softer (I always mix a couple of tablespoons of olive oil or an herb infused oil with the henna)  Rose hip infused oil will give a red tinge as will teas that have hibiscus in them.  Mountain Rose offers some terrific hennas, well worth the mess and time necessary.  Right now I'm an auburn with the gray around my face slightly lighter, the girls at work said I looked "sun-kissed"!!

This is fantastic!!! I have really bad problems with my hair and have to use three conditioners together just to keep it tamed down. If I didn't have to use commercially produced shampoos with chemicals in them, my hair might not be so damaged all the time. I don't color or use any sort of heat at all. I don't even use sponge curlers because my hair is naturally curly, but I still have really damaged hair. This might be my answer.

Thank you so much!!!

I always thought about doing this. Since I am black, it is very hard to buy a hair product that actually works, and I have tried many. You never know which one to trust and it just gets more and more expensive for me. I will have to try your recipe and see what happens. maybe I could develop my own.