DIY Shampoo Bar Without Lye

Sharing my awesome DIY shampoo bar without lye AND melt and pour recipe that you are bound to love!

I’ve used Castille soap melt and pour soap base,  olive oil, castor oil, black molasses and a blend of essential oils.  

Since I’m using a soap base, there is no need to handle lye and this is a very easy recipe to create! This recipe is great if you have dark, brown, dry, thick and coarse hair. If you have oily hair, you can skip the castor oil.

Plus, you can make at least a dozen of them in the price of 2 of the most expensive spa bars you will find in your nearest supermarket.

Why Make Your Own Shampoo Bar?

It may have never occurred to you that you could easily make soaps at home without lye. Life in this big modern world molds you that way, but the need for a stress-free weekend under a budget might force you to think out of the box. This recipe requires the least amount of effort and is super fun to create!

The recipe may intrigue you to customize your own shampoo bar, but it may take you a while to master it, and if so, do not be disappointed. Nevertheless, it is simple and will only require an hour of your time to have enough soap for months to come. Other benefits of a DIY shampoo bar melt and pour include:

• It is Cheap!

As mentioned earlier, you can make a dozen or even more in the price of 2 luxury massage soaps. For example, two lush shampoo bars may cost you over $20, but why buy an expensive soap when you can buy ingredients worth $20 and make a batch that will last for months.

 

• It is Customizable!

DIY shampoo bars are also customizable, so you can even add your favorite ingredient like ground coffee beans to make the soap more fragrant. You can even settle them in a different shape, so if you want a triangular shampoo bar, all you need is a silicone mold.

 

• It is Fun!

I cannot stress enough how fun this activity can be, not to mention a bonding opportunity for the family. Just slip on your gloves, get a spatula, nice looking silicon molds and start experimenting!

How to make DIY Shampoo Bar without lye

You can follow my recipe below but feel free to customize it based on your hair type by following my recommendations below.

Ingredients DIY Shampoo Bar 

• Castile (Melt and Pour Soap Base)

It is a liquid soap base that was originally made with olive oil, tracing its origin back to Aleppo. Today’s inflation has made soap makers shift towards vegetable oil.

Hair Benefits: It provides gentle cleaning and a smooth lather, cleansing the scalp of excess product build-up and sebum.

 

• Olive Oil

Originated from Greece, olive oil has since been used widely for its amazing lubricating properties.

Hair Benefits: It helps grow thicker and longer hair, and repairs damaged strands. Olive oil also helps prevent fungus, dandruff as well as dry and flaky skin.

 

• Castor Oil

Extracted from the seeds of the Ricinus Communis plant, castor oil is native to the tropical areas of Asia and Africa.

Hair Benefits: It beautifully complements the scalp with the help of omega-6 fatty acids and ricinoleic acid to enrich the scalp. It also improves blood circulation, contributing to long and beautiful hair.

 

• Black Molasses

This is a thick dark syrup, emerging after the third boil of molasses syrup that is a product of refined sugar beets or sugarcane.

Hair Benefits: With a dense nutrient composition like Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese, it helps improve hair growth and deeply conditions the scalp and hair.

• Vanilla Essential Oil

Originating from Mexico, vanilla essential oil is extracted from the Vanilla planifolia, also referred to as common vanilla.

Hair Benefits: Not just as a carrier oil, but as the main ingredient too, vanilla essential oil helps promote hair growth and leaves hair silky and smooth.

• Patchouli Essential Oil

Made popular by the indigenous practice of Indians and being used for centuries, it was widely recognized by Europe in the 1840s for its unique aroma.

Hair Benefits: It is widely used to straighten out tangled hair, reduce dryness and dullness, leaving them soft, shiny and flawless. It also helps reduce problems like oily scalp and dandruff.

 

• Rosemary Essential Oil

Derived from Rosmarinus Officinalis, a plant that belongs to the mint family, it is often identified by its distinct fragrance that is an energizing, citrus-like scent.

Hair Benefits: It strengthens blood circulation in the scalp, stimulating hair growth and preventing dandruff, dry or itchy scalp. It also helps reduce premature graying.

How to Use my DIY Shampoo Bar Without Lye?

You will have noticed above that the ingredient list does not include lye (Sodium Hydroxide – Caustic Alkali). Without lye, you cannot make soap, however it is the ratio in the recipe that matters. The melt-and-pour recipe above includes a pre-saponified mixture so you would not have to handle the lye, or worry about handling it.

 

Anyways, getting back to the point, just like you shampoo your hair, you will have to:

1. Wet your hair
2. Create a lather by directly rubbing on to your scalp and hair, or rub it in your hands and massage the lather onto your scalp.
3. Enjoy your spa-like bath and rejuvenate your senses
4. At the end, use a rinsing product that has apple cider vinegar or rinse with your preferred organic conditioner.

Customize Your Shampoo Bar Based on Your Hair Type

You do not need to follow this DIY Shampoo Bar recipe strictly. Here is how you can customize it according to your hair:

Blond Hair

• Chamomile Essential Oil – Maintains your natural or colored blond locks, keeping them shiny and moisturized.
• Jojoba Oil – Whether your hair is bleached or naturally blond, Jojoba oil moisturizes and softens hair, leaving them silky and manageable.

Black / Brown Hair

• Coconut Oil – A great base for natural hair, leaving them darker and shinier
• Sage Essential Oil – Helps darken hair, minimizes graying, and relieves you of an itchy scalp.
• Rosemary Essential Oil – Helps bring an amazing shine to your natural hair, giving thicker locks and eliminating dandruff

Thick Hair

• Castor Oil – One of the best remedies for faster hair growth with more volume.
• Olive Oil – Thick hair need extra care. Olive oil penetrates deep into the scalp and is absorbed readily, leaving hair thick, healthy and swaying.

Thin Hair

• Grapeseed Oil – Rich in Vitamins, emollients, and antioxidants, grapeseed oil helps thicken hair and prevent hair loss.
• Argan Oil – Keeps your hair straight and shiny, adding extra volume to your thinning hair. It also cuts down on the frizz, leaving your hair straight, shiny and manageable.

Dandruff & Itchy Scalp

• Tea Tree Essential Oil – Clearing blockages and pores in the scalp, all you need to do is to gently massage the oil into your scalp for 10-15 minutes, and your dandruff and dryness will vanish.
• Rosemary Essential Oil – Offers a complete dandruff treatment, leaving your hair shiny and itch-free.

Hair Loss

• Castor Oil – Speeds up hair growth and volume, and reduces dryness and hair loss.
• Lavender Essential Oil – With antimicrobial properties, it helps combat fungal disorders and other bacteria, leaving your hair strong, shiny, and voluminous.

Just keep in mind that it may take a week or two for your hair to adjust to using your homemade DIY shampoo bar without lye.

Give it a fair try before deciding whether you like it. If you don’t like it, the bar can still be used as a general all-purpose body or hand soap – so it’s a win-win situation!