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I’ve been using this homemade coconut milk shampoo for the past month, and it has really helped my hair! After using it, my hair is softer, fuller with more volume and less frizzy.
I never realized how vital pH balanced shampoo was until I did my research and discovered a fantastic pH balanced homemade coconut milk shampoo. Recently, I’ve been seeing coconut milk advertised in a well-known brand name shampoo, and I decided to do a little research for myself. Turns out, coconut milk is fantastic for your hair, and it is packed with tons of vitamins and minerals.
Beneficial Ingredients in Homemade Coconut Milk Shampoo
The main ingredient in this coconut milk shampoo is coconut milk! It is great for your hair! Coconut milk contains vitamin C, E, B1, B3, B5, B6, Iron, and calcium to just name a few . The moisturizing properties in coconut milk help your hair from scalp to ends. Coconut milk prevents your scalp from getting dry, itchy, and even dandruff. Not to mention coconut milk naturally conditions your hair making it feel softer and thicker.
Aloe vera is the second main ingredient in this homemade coconut milk shampoo recipe. Aloe vera is beneficial for your hair as it closes the cuticles in your hair, helping protect it. If your hair cuticles are damaged, your hair may feel dry or look dull. By making and using my own homemade coconut milk shampoo, I’ve been reaping all of the benefits! My hair feels softer, fuller, and I’ve noticed my split ends stay away longer too.
Why You Should Use a pH Balanced Shampoo
An added bonus to using homemade coconut milk shampoo is that it is pH balanced. Our hair is naturally acidic with a pH rating of 5. This means for a shampoo to be pH balanced, it must also be slightly acidic.
Some hair products have a high pH rating, which can damage your hair by stripping away the natural sebum. If you strip away too much of the natural sebum, it can cause hair damage and affect your hair color. It can also cause your hair to look dirty faster too by producing more oil. This is because your scalp will produce more oil to make up for all the natural oil that was stripped away. The same principal applies to skincare too! Ever since I stopped washing my face with harsh soaps and started using the oil cleansing method, my acne cleared up. Long story short, pH balance is an essential, but overlooked factor in hair care.
How Coconut Milk Shampoo Has Worked for Me
I’ve only been using this shampoo for about a month now. It has noticeably decreased the oiliness of my hair. Usually, I have to wash my hair every day; otherwise, it looks very oily. After a few weeks of using this homemade coconut milk shampoo, my hair does not get as oily. I now wash my hair every other day unless there’s a special event. My hair is also fuller with more volume and less frizzy. I don’t really use any hair products other than shampoo so it easy for my hair to look flat. My hair seems to have a little more volume after I switched to using this homemade coconut milk shampoo, so I am really excited about it!
How to Make Homemade Coconut Milk Shampoo
What You Need:
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 1 ¾ cups of pure aloe vera gel
• Essential oils for scent (optional) I like to add lavender essential oil because it can increase hair growth. I add about 5 to 10 drops of lavender.
Instructions:
1. Mix the coconut milk, aloe vera and essential oils (if you choose) together in a bowl until thoroughly mixed.
2. Pour the mixture into a bottle. You can use an old shampoo bottle. Just be sure to clean it out well.
3. Use as you would regular shampoo
How to Store the Shampoo
Coconut milk naturally contains some antimicrobial and antibacterial properties that help to extend the shelf life. This recipe for homemade coconut milk shampoo does not contain any added preservatives. If you add in some essential oils, that can help it to last longer too as they typically help prevent bacteria from growing. That’s why I like adding lavender essential oil to the recipe. Not only can it help increase hair growth, but it also helps it to last longer too. There are many other essentials oils that can increase hair growth as well, so you can add other essential oils to this recipe too.
After I make the homemade coconut milk shampoo, I store it in my refrigerator to help extend the shelf-life even more. Before I start the shower, I take the shampoo bottle out of the fridge and put it in the bathroom. That way, by the time I’m ready to use it, it has a little time to warm up from the fridge. I try to use up the homemade coconut milk shampoo within a month then make a new batch. I have pretty long hair, so it is easy for me to go through it fairly quickly.
Hi..if I have to use a preservative, then pls advice what should I use..
Hello Lori, if I wanted to use vitamin E oil could I add it in to the recipe and use like ¼ cup or should I use it instead of the aloe vera gel? Please advise. Thank you
Hi Angela, yes that should work.
Do you have to store it in a fridge.Is it really necessary
You don’t have to. You can add a little vitamin C or vitamin E to it to help it last longer.
Hi Lori
Does it gives lather? I always apply coconut oil and would like to have oilfree scalp after shower. Will the oil be removed after using thus
Yes, it lathers. You can add castile soap if you want a lot of lather.
I tried this coconut and aloe vera recipe but ran out of aloe vera gel so it is very watery. I have castile soap to try to thicken it. Is the aloe gel that you linked pretty thick? The pictures you showed of this shampoo don’t make it look watery. Also, do you drain the “water” off the top of the canned coconut milk?
Yes, it is pretty thick. It’s gel like. You can use aloe from a fresh plant if you have one. I mix the canned coconut milk before using it.
Hi! I’m curious, I don’t have coconut milk at the house, but I do have coconut cream in a can. I’m wondering if that will work? Also the aloe vera gel I have is just plain old aloe vera gel that I would normally use on sun burned skin.. will that also work fine as well?
Yes, those would work.
This made my my oily hair worse 🙁 Did yours get worse before it got better?
Thanks,
~Courtney
You can add a little castile soap to the recipe if needed. I don’t find my hair to be oily from it. Hope this helps!
Hi, I noticed your recipe/instructions do not include apple cider vinegar. However in these question/responses you state that you do use the apple cider vinegar pour over after using your shampoo. Will this recipe (coconut shampoo) work without the cider?
Yes, I just use apple cider vinegar once in awhile as an extra conditioner. I use it separate from the shampoo. It’s more like a conditioner.
Can I add raw honey to this recipe? If so…how much would you recommend?
Sure, you can add some raw honey. Probably a teaspoon to a tablespoon would work.
Hi! Excited to try this. Do you store this in the fridge or does it keep in the bathroom at all?
Also, I have straight/thin hair, so I’m anxious to see if this will work for me.
I store mine in the fridge to make it last longer. Hope it works for you! I have thin straight hair too.
With own shampoo Can this recipe be added
I love to try your recipe.Whats 1 cup in ounces/grams?
1 cup is 8 fluid ounces.
do you have to use the aloe vera gel with it or can I use olive oil instead?
You can try it with olive oil instead.
can I add preservatives to it??
Yes, you can add a natural preservative to make it last longer.
Hi there,
I currently use bicarbonate of soda and cider vinegar to wash my hair. I have about half a head of dreadlocks that are all very thin. I probably only wash it once every 2 weeks/month.
However coming into winter and because I work with horses i’ve been looking for something to wash it more regularly without stripping all my natural oils out.
How much castille soap could you add to the recipe and would that work to remove dirt etc from my head, as i feel currently the bicarb acts as a scrub almost? Or could you add bicarb into your recipe?
You can add about 1/4 cup of castile soap to the recipe.
I tried this, but I live in a cold climate and the coconut oil hardened into little balls in the mixture. Do you usually scrape the solidified fat off the top of the can and only add the ‘liquid’ portion of the coconut milk, or do you use the whole can?
I use the whole can of coconut milk. Did you add coconut oil too or just coconut milk?
Hi,
Your shampoo receipe sounds wonderful! I would love to try this one as my hair is becoming very oily nowadays which is a huge concern for me. However I wanted to ask if any non harmful element I can add to shampoo which will make lather while applying it on hair? Thank you 🙂
You could add a little castile soap to make it lather if you wanted to.
Dear Lori,
May I know what brand of aloe vera gel that is natural and suitable to be used to make the shampoo?
I’m yet to plant it at home. Please advise.
Thank you.
I linked the one I use above in the post. It is made by Aubreys.
Do you use a conditioner with this shampoo?
I use apple cider vinegar mixed with water as a conditioner. It always helps my hair look fuller.
Hi! What is the ratio for apple cider vinegar and water mixture you use for conditioner and how do you typically apply it to your hair? Like you would regular conditioner? Thanks: looking fed to trying this method
Hi Mari! I use about half apple cider vinegar and half water. I pour it over my hair like a rinse.
hi lori
can you please advice I have a serious dandruff I really don’t know what to use anymore please help
edith
I used to have dandruff a few years ago. I did a coconut oil hair mask once a week and it quickly eliminated it.
I LOVE your site!!! I just found you a couple days ago & started following you. I have made your pancakes, coconut cake & will be making the bread tonight, they all came out SO delicious and I’m sure the bread will be my next delicious go to recipe. so basically I’m on here to say Hi first! my name is Laura and also to say Thank You! I follow paleo & have tried different recipes some good some ughhhh lol but all yours all I can say again is ThanK you & YUM!! !I do have one question for you please, do you have a recipe for homemade conditioner like you do with the shampoo?? if so, where can I find it? 😁😁😊😊👱♀️👱♀️ Thanks, Laura
Thank you so much Laura! So happy to hear you like the recipes! I typically use apple cider vinegar mixed with water as a conditioner. It usually makes my hair look fuller.
Dear Lori,
I always love your recipes and surely I’m going to make this natural shampoo too.
I have one question though.
How many drops of lavender oil you use?
Thanks for the recipe and keep up the good (healthy) work.
Kind regards,
Evelyn van Zijl.
Thanks Evelyn! Glad you like them 🙂 I add about 5 to 10 drops of lavender essential oil.
What size coconut milk is used in mixture.?
I make it with one full can of coconut milk, which is 13.66 fl oz.
I am anxious to try this recipe, Lori. Thank you for it…it sounds intriguing and I love coconut anything. I am wondering though, when you say pure aloe vera, do you mean the aloe juice or gel. I have both but do not know which one will work. Thank you. Jo.
Aloe Vera juice or gel?
I use aloe vera gel 🙂 Let us know how you like it if you give it a try.
How much essential oil do you use for this recipe?
I add about 5 to 10 drops.
How does it work with colored hair?
Yes, you can use it on colored hair.
Will it preserve the color like shampoos designed to hold the color? Or is it like regular shampoo that can strip the color away?
My cousin uses it with colored hair and she said it hasn’t stripped her color at all.
Hi my name is Alicia and I want to thank you for this recipe I love home made products like this because I can’t find it shampoo made with natural ingredients but shampoo full of fake ingredients and names that we can’t even pronunce.
Thanks again Lori
Alicia DePasquale