Easy to Follow Homemade Hair Cleansers for curly hair

I have previously talked about scalp care in my Curly Gray Hair Care Series: Detoxification of Scalp article. After scalp detoxification, I did a poll and found out that many people are intrigued about curly hair cleansers, specifically homemade hair cleansers. I believe it’s because nowadays, many of us are concerned about putting harmful chemicals in our bodies and looking for natural solutions.

Our curly hair is constantly getting damaged by the environment, and hair products can cause the hair to go weak and less curly. For example, shampoos can have many harsh chemical ingredients that remove our natural hair oil. As a result, the curls go dry. This is why natural products and homemade hair cleansers for curly hair have been gaining traction as a go-to solution for many curlies.

Why should you use natural products and homemade hair cleansers?

Our hair needs moisturizer just like our skin. Using a shampoo with silicone every time we wash our hair will gradually create a coating on our hair, and the moisture will not get inside, resulting in damaged hair. Shampoos with harsh sulfates, such as Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, remove grease, sweat, and dirt from hair by creating rich lather but also strips the scalp of the natural oil. Thus creating dryness, itchiness, and flakiness. Another ingredient is Alcohol, which leaves the curly hair dry and lifeless.

With shampoos and conditions having too many chemicals, it can pull curly hair down, making them go straighter, limp, and lifeless. Eventually, there will be dandruff, sensitivity to the scalp, and hair fall. That’s why many curly-haired people use products found in pantries to wash their curly hair. Here are some examples of natural products which can be used as hair cleansers:

Soapnut berries or reetha
Hibiscus flower petals and leaves
Baking soda
Chickpea flour/ Garbanzo bean Flour or besan
Apple Cider Vinegar
Fuller’s earth or Bentonite Clay

You can switch to homemade hair cleansers for curly hair to keep your natural curls healthy, bouncy, and curly. The best thing about these cleansers is that the ingredients will not have any heavy chemicals. Instead, it will cleanse and refresh the curls.

3 homemade hair cleansers for curly hair:

1- Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse:

Ingredients:

Water
Apple Cider Vinegar
Olive Oil (For dry hair)
Essential oil like peppermint.

Instructions:

Grab a water bottle;
Add 2 tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar or 3-4 tablespoons if you have oily scalp with 1 ½ cup of water and 1-2 tsp of Olive oil.
Shake the bottle well enough to mix them all;
Poke a hole in the bottle’s cap; it should be smaller than a straw;

How to apply the cleanser?

You will need to shake the bottle well before applying it. Then, part your hair into several sections and apply the cleanser to your hair. Ensure that the cap hole is near your scalp, so it does not fall off anywhere else. It will take around 4- 5 bottle shakes on each section.

Massage the product into the scalp and saturate the hair as well as you can. Keep the cleanser in your hair for 25-30 minutes after you are done.

Rinse it thoroughly with warm water, apply conditioner and comb your hair gently with the conditioner still in your hair. After this, rinse your hair with cold water; using cold water will help with frizz reduction.

Once you’re done, you can now apply your moisturizing styling products for the rest of your curl care routine.

2- Baking Soda Cleanser:

Ingredients needed:

Water
Baking Soda

Instructions:

Boil 1 quart of water
Add ¼ cup of baking soda to it
Mix it well in a spray bottle

You can always add other ingredients like tea tree oil for dandruff or scalp irritation, lavender and chamomile to make your scalp soothed and hair smell nice

How to apply this cleanser?

When you are ready to cleanse your hair, use this mixture instead of shampoo. Put the blend in your wet hair and massage your scalp gently to enhance scalp stimulation. This will loosen the buildup on your scalp and make the blood circulation flow better. It will also help in unclogging the pores. In the end, rinse your hair with cold water.

3- Chickpea flour or Bentonite Clay Cleanser:

Ingredients needed:

Water
Apple Cider Vinegar
Chickpea flour, Bentonite Clay, or Fuller’s Earth
Essential oil like ylang-ylang.

Instructions:

Boil 1 quart of water
Add ¼ cup of Chickpea flour, Bentonite Clay, or Fuller’s Earth.
Add 1 tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar and a couple of drops of ylang-ylang.
Combine the mixture well till you get a smooth thin consistency.

How to apply this cleanser?

Wet your hair and generously use this mixture on your scalp and hair. Leave it on for 25-30 minutes and rinse with cold water. Follow with a gentle conditioner and styling products.

What should you note about these DIY recipes?

Homemade cleansers are entirely natural and generally do not contain any side effects. However, if you feel any itching or increased sensitivity on your head, consult your doctor at your earliest. Some ingredients may cause an allergic reaction in individuals in rare cases.

Make sure you know your hair needs before putting anything on your head. Look out for signs and then decide what ingredients you should use for your cleanser. Along with cleaning your hair, you also need to maintain your hair’s health by maintaining a proper diet.

Have you ever used any homemade hair cleansers for curly hair? Which one did you use? Share with us below!

Author:

Dr. Ahmad Fayyaz Chaudhry earned his MBBS degree from Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad, in 2020. During graduation, he enrolled himself in the Dermatology Ward DHQ Hospital Faisalabad for all the necessary training required to pass the bachelor’s exam and encounter dermatological diseases daily. He is an accredited doctor board-certified by UK’s General Medical Council (GMC). Currently, he is posted as a House Physician in the Medical Unit 3 Allied Hospital Faisalabad, where he encounters all kinds of hepatic, cardiac, neurological, and dermatological diseases daily.

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