Hair products accounted for the majority of plastic-bottle-clutter in my bathroom. Shampoo, clarifying shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner… All different brands. All half-empty. Because the quest for finding the one that finally works —is never-ending.
And then you make a hair rinse. It cleans like a clarifying shampoo. It softens like a conditioner. It makes your hair feel healthier like a deep treatment… it might be the one thing you needed!
In this article, I’ll show you how to my Shampoo + Conditioning Hair rinse. It features herbs that cleanse and tonify the scalp. With a shot of vinegar to balance the pH and colloidal oatmeal to condition the strands.
Shampoo + Conditioning Hair Rinse
A hair rinse is made with cleansing botanical ingredients, that will wash your hair without stripping it of its natural oils -so that you can shampoo less at home.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups (16 oz) water
- 1 tsp colloidal oatmeal
- 1/2 cup (5oz) Hair Rinse Blend
S+C Hair Rinse Blend:
- 1 part rose
(astringent, good for excess oiliness) - 1 part helichrysum
(cleansing, dandruff, stimulating)
It’s a good idea to make a batch of the herbal blend, and store it in a labeled jar. That way you can easily make a rinse anytime you want.
Instructions:
Start by making a strong herbal infusion. In a mason jar, or tea pot -combine the rose and helichrysum blend with 2 cups of hot water.
Time-Saving Tip: Make the rinse in the morning and let it brew on your bathroom counter all day so that it’s ready to use when you wash your hair at night. If you prefer to wash your hair in the morning, set it to brew at night.
Pour the herbal infusion into a squeeze bottle.
(I like to use a squeeze bottle, or you can repurpose an old sports water bottle with a squeeze top)
Add in 2 tbsp of vinegar, and 1 tsp colloidal oats. Shake well.
*colloidal oats is idea because it will disperse easily in water.
Organizational Tip: Keep a squeeze bottle in your bathroom.
How do you use it?
In the shower, wet your hair. If you prefer, you can shampoo first.
And then very slowly, begin to squeeze the hair rinse directly on your scalp. Work it in with your fingers, massaging your scalp. Use half the bottle, saturating the whole scalp. And then all over the hair completely. Give a minute, and then rinse off under the shower.
Does this replace shampoo & conditioners
It can.
You can use this rinse as often as you normally shampoo your hair.
And, if you’ve been wanting to transition out of using commercial shampoos completely… a hair rinse is a great way to do so. Often baking soda is recommended for a no-poo method, but the pH is not ideal for the scalp. I think vinegar is a great option, it’s pH balanced for a gentle, non-irritating wash.
Give it a try, and if you feel like you still want to shampoo in the week, you might find that you don’t need much. I use one from Trader Joe’s. It’s $4, it’s clean/cruelty-free/inexpensive.
