Both whole herbs and essential oils can be used to promote hair and scalp health. Many of the commercially available products leave a residue on your hair that can dull its natural shine, and may even contain toxins such as phthalates. Common household apple cider vinegar, diluted with water leaves hair soft and shiny, invigorates the scalp, and eliminates dandruff, all for mere pennies an application! Good quality castile soap can be used as a shampoo alone, or as the base ingredient in natural hair care remedies. Once you get started on making your own herbal shampoos, hair rinses and scalp treatments, you will never go back.

Old-fashioned rosewater
leaves hair shiny and soft

My favorite way to use herbs for hair care is to used cooled herbal teas as hair rinses. Easy, and much more effective than the so called "botanical" commercial hair products that contain bare trace amounts of herbal extracts. Cooled chamomile tea used as a hair rinse brings on the highlights in blonde or light colored hair. Add lemon juice to enhance the effect. Use rosemary, nettle or sage on dark hair. Fresh herbs work best, however good quality dried herbs will do.

Using Aromatherapy

The effectiveness and scent of these natural hair treatments can be augmented by adding a few drops of your favorite essential oils. Tea tree is a good choice if you have problems with dandruff, the astringency of lemon and/or grapefruit helps with oily hair. Always use a light hand with the essential oils, a few drops go a long way.