Why make homemade shampoo? We need to work to reduce our plastic waste and the pressure we are putting on the planet by transporting products across the world to use. One way we can do that is to make more things from scratch at home, rather than buying the commercial alternatives. Making your own shampoo is a fun way of doing just that!
Shop bought Shampoo
Find a bottle of shampoo in your home or in a shop and read all the ingredients on the side. Do you know what they all are? Where in the world have they come from? Are there any chemicals? How much did that bottle of shampoo cost? Is the bottle itself recyclable? Was it made from recycled materials?
Homemade Shampoo
2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar.
An empty bottle with a lid, a bowl, a fork and a spoon.
Break the egg into a bowl and whisk it up with a fork or spoon. Gradually add the oil, carrying on beating all the time. Stir in the lemon juice and vinegar and make sure it is all combined thoroughly.
Once it is fully blended, use a funnel (if you have one) and carefully pour the mixture into your bottle.
Label
Design a label for your shampoo – what will you call it? What other information might you want on the label? Do you want to draw a picture to illustrate it? What size and shape label will look best on your bottle?
Once you have designed and made your label, carefully stick it on to your bottle.
Storage and use
You could use the shampoo yourself or give it as a gift. Make sure though that you remember it has fresh ingredients in it! It needs to be stored in the fridge and should be used within a couple of days of making it.
Take it Further
If you enjoyed making the shampoo, check out Globe Trotting Grub, an activity exploring where your food has come from and how that might impact our planet. You might also want to explore some of our cooking activities, like making your own Elderflower Cordial.
