Learn How To Make Your Own Shampoo and Conditioner

Going natural can be expensive. To save money most natural have gone DIY in where they make hair care products on their own. Today you will learn how to make homemade shampoo and conditioner using African Black soap and an Avocado.

Black Soap also known as Osé Fudu is a popular soap used in West Africa. It is made from roasted plants such as cocoa pods, palm tree leaves, plantain skins, and bark from the shae tree. This soap is said to have properties that are effective in cleaning the scalp and hair by removing build up and dandruff.

Avocado is a tropical fruit from central America. It has many functions but when it comes to hair it can be used as a conditioner that rejuvenates the scalp by combating oxidation. This is made possible by its rich source of vitamin A and E.

Vitamin A promotes skin maintenance and cell differentiation. It aids in skin maintenance by inducing the secretion of sebum which lubricates internal portions of the skin. When the skin is left unlubricated, dry and flakey (dandruff) skin arises. Vitamin A also induces the proliferation and differentiation of new hair cells which leads to the production of hair.

Vitamin E's sole purpose is to prevent oxidation, a reaction that destroys various cells in the body. It also increase blood circulation which delivers oxygen to the tissues and organs of the body.

 

Making Black Soap Shampoo
Now to the exciting stuff. In this last portion I will teach you how to make homemade shampoo using African Black soap, and conditioner using avocado. All of the materials can be purchased at you local beauty and grocery store. The Black soap can be purchased online via ebay or amazon, and at your local Halal and African store.

Utensils (Tools) Needed
**FYI: click on the highlighted words to see how a tool look.

• A medium cooking pot
• One plastic cup or mixing bowl
• A spoon
• Funnel
• One empty bottle preferably an applicator

Shampoo Ingredients

• African Black Soap 
• Two cups of water
• 2 tablespoons of plant oils (learn about the health benefits of plant oils)
• 2 teaspoons of pure honey (softens hair)

Directions For Preparation

1. Boil two cups of water in a cooking pot. 
2. Take 1/3 slice of the black soap and then break the sliced portion into small pieces. 
3. Bring water to a boil. Remove your water from the heat and pour it in the cup or bowl. 
4. Pour the pieces of black soap into the cup or bowl that contains the hot water. Let the soap sit in the hot water until it melts. 
5. After the soap melts poor the honey, oil, and apple cider vinegar into the soap solution. 
6. Stir the new solution
7. Using the funnel transfer the shampoo to the applicator or bottle.

Application

1. Apply the shampoo on your hair in the same way you would apply regular shampoo. 
2. When done store the Black soap in a plastic bag. If you have some Black soap shampoo left over keep it sealed in the bottle to prevent air invasion.

Need a demonstration? View this tutorial by @napturally85. If the video does not work click here.

Alert: If air happens to come in bottle, the shampoo will turn into a grayish fatty substance. This is normal and the shampoo is still of good use.

Making Homemade Avocado Conditioner

Utensils (Tools) Needed

• Mixing bowl and spoon
• A Blender or juicer
• Funnel
• Applicator or bottle

Materials (Ingredients) Needed

• One ripe avocado
• 1 tablespoon of honey and plant oil of your choice
• 2/3 cup of aloe vera and fresh lemon juice

Preparation Directions

1. Cut the avocado into pieces fit for blending.
2. Blend the avocado in a blender or juicer until a paste is formed. Do not forget to add water (one ounce of water). 
3. Pour the blended avocado in the mixing bowl. Add in the plant oil, lemon juice, and aloe vera, and mix the ingredients together.

Application.

1. Apply the avocado conditioner in the same way you would apply regular conditioner. 
2. Let it sit for 10 minutes. 
3. Rinse out conditioner as usual.

Need a demonstration? Watch this tutorial by @Naturallyphilo. If the video does not work click here.

Alert: The conditioner will spoil within a week so do not leave room from leftovers. Finish that thang unless you wash hair on a daily basis. Make sure you wash out the conditioner to prevent remnants. This is not leave-in-conditioner so the avocado will spoil on your hair and bring about spoilage bacteria such a mold.

Thanks for reading. Have questions? Comment below. If not already, like and follow us on Facebook.

Credibility: This post was written by Onyinyechi Anyanwu, B.S. in Dietetics and Nutrition.