Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: JustineH on 22/05/2007 02:07:00

Title: Shampoo without Chemicals
Post by: JustineH on 22/05/2007 02:07:00

To all you Chemists out there, I have an important question.

I'm in dire straights and I have to probably make my own shampoo because I have anaphylactic reactions to all the shampoos out there. [:0]

I need:
1)  A cleansing agent
2)  Something I can add water to and rinse out with water

I can't use:
1)  soaps or baby shampoos  (these all contain sulfates & fragrances)
2)  any shampoo with a petroleum fragrance
3)  sulfates
4)  essential oils

 [xx(]

Title: Shampoo without Chemicals
Post by: Karen W. on 22/05/2007 07:19:06

As someone here said in another thread. Your hair has natural oils and normally would have given you a degree of waterproofing like that of some wild animals for protection.. The suggestion was no shampoo or conditioner at all.
Three months ago my husband started using no shampoo at all just thoroughly washing with warm water you know shower temperature I talked to him the other night and the subject came up again, he said he has completely quit using them and has not had as much a s a single bump on his Head, no more broken out scalp no itching no nothing his hair looks great.. I must say it lacks the luster it had , but even that is coming back, and he can use a mayonnaise or egg treatment conditioner from your refrigerator! Mayo woks to bring shine.. His hair is not oily or anything it looked great and is clean. Barber commented on how healthy it looked.. Try it.. It doesn't smell all nice, but you could take a bottle of voldka and pour it over some lavender and let set then add a couple drops to your water for rinse or just to rub into hair. for a nice lavender conditioner.

Title: Shampoo without Chemicals
Post by: paul.fr on 22/05/2007 13:53:33

here is the link to that topic: http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=6712.0

Title: Shampoo without Chemicals
Post by: Seany on 22/05/2007 21:11:40

Well.. At school, as a science project, we made our own shampoos,,,

It had betaine stuff and essential oils, and other icky gooey white stuff.. Forgot what they were..

Anyway, it cost 75 pounds for 9 of us, for the ingredients, such as oils, herbs, betaine, chemicals..

Title: Shampoo without Chemicals
Post by: Bored chemist on 22/05/2007 21:36:31

Water is a chemical so I think the task is impossible.
The vodka/ lavender extract would contain some essential oils.
Plain water works quite well (I have known some people who say that shampoo is a rip off and their hair didn't look any different to most people's.) If water isn't up to the job then whatever you use to clean the rest of you should work. (as it happens I have a beard and, from time to time, people ask if I shampoo it; I say no, I just use soap. Then I ask if they use shampoo on all their hair- they are usually a bit shocked by the question.)
Have you looked into fullers earth?

Title: Shampoo without Chemicals
Post by: Karen W. on 23/05/2007 03:24:17

Fullers earth ?  Is it a line of products?

Title: Shampoo without Chemicals
Post by: kdlynn on 23/05/2007 06:13:23

i thought fuller's earth was a type of clay or maybe a mineral

Title: Shampoo without Chemicals
Post by: Karen W. on 23/05/2007 08:42:18

Hmmm I don't have a clue .. It sounds like all healthy products line or something.. you know o'natural !

Title: Shampoo without Chemicals
Post by: kdlynn on 23/05/2007 16:22:12

it does! but i can't remember if it's the clay itself that's called that or some mineral in the clay

Title: Shampoo without Chemicals
Post by: Bored chemist on 23/05/2007 20:53:00

Fuller's earth is a clay like mineral; it absorbs oils and such and was used many years ago for cleaning the oil out of sheep's fleeces before making cloth from them.

Title: Shampoo without Chemicals
Post by: JustineH on 11/09/2007 03:48:51

I will look into Fullers earth and cross my fingers.  It seems I have an allergic reaction (anaphylactic) to Essential Oils and Extracts.  Weren't shampoos once made without EO's?  I'm sure they were.  If you read about how they make EO's, you'd find that they are extremely toxic to people with allergies.

http://www.essentialoils.co.za/allergies.htm

Title: Shampoo without Chemicals
Post by: Bored chemist on 11/09/2007 22:07:54

I don't remember ever seeing a shampoo that wasn't perfumed with something or other. Most of the ingredients in perfumes are essential oils or synthetic copies of them. There are a few that are entirely synthetic but I think they don't tend to get used in personal care products (they end up in things like floor polishes and soap powders).
It might be easier if you knew which essential oils you were allergic to.

Title: Shampoo without Chemicals
Post by: pete_inthehills on 11/09/2007 22:29:57

why don't you try some diatomaceous earth.  I was told that if you dust the chickens and their nest boxes with it, it'll help keep down mites.  Feathers and hair are the same really.

Alternatively, shave all your hair off and use natural bees wax for that superior shine.  And it smells nice.  And it'll waterproof your head.

problem solved.

pete
inthehills