Hair conditioner

[southernheartsoaps]

I make lotion... I have all the basic lotionmaking ingredients... I would like to make a hair conditioner using those same ingredients I have on hand if possible... anyone got a recipe or instructions for this... I have stearic acid, emulsifying wax, Vitamin E, Germabin II, a variety of basic oils, water, and would like to use my rosemary EO

 

[IanT]

http://www.makingcosmetics.com/articles ... ioners.pdf


thought that might help, tried google but it was scant on answers Id like to know the answer to this as well... seems all you can find are the put an avocado and an egg on your head or hot oil tx's or something but not anything like the conditioners people are used to from the store etc...

 

[southernheartsoaps]

Thanks... not sure I understand what they mean by "quats" in that article, LOL! Did find the following recipe when I googled "hair conditioner recipe using emulsifying wax." When googling just hair conditioner recipe, I got, as you said, put an egg or avocado on your head type of things... Don't have grapefruit seed extract and am not sure what it would add... I'm thinking maybe I'll try it without... ideas on this one?

· 2 tablespoons (30ml) Carrier Oil for your hair type
· 1 tablespoon (3-4g) Emulsifying Wax
· 1/2 tsp (2.5ml) Vitamin E (or 2 capsules)
· 1/2 cup (125ml) distilled Water or Herbal Infusion
· 5 drops Grapefruit Seed extract
· Essential Oil Blend for your hair type

 

[Manchy]

that's like basic recipe for any lotion - wow! lol.

i suppose there's no preservative as grape seed extract supposedly acts as one?

i'd like to make hair conditioner, too. i heard coconut oil is great for hair, so i'll sure put that. what else, hm hm? maybe some super nourishing expensive oil to complement coconut? i was also thinking vitamin b5, hydrolized oat protein,...

 

[southernheartsoaps]

Sounded like lotion to me too, guess that's what conditioner is, lotion for hair, huh? I just bought some avocado butter, maybe some of that with coconut oil for the oil phase? avocado is great for hair, and the rosemary EO would be good for hair too... hmmm the wheels are turning here now! LOL!

 

[southernheartsoaps]

OK... made the conditioner yesterday... 12 oz. batch just to try... used 2 oz. oils... 1 oz. coconut, 1 oz. avocado butter, 8 oz. water, added a tsp. glycerin, 2 tbsp. emulsifying wax, and 1/2 tsp. Germabin II and rosemary EO (maybe 1/2 tsp.) Smells fabulous, used it when I washed my hair this morning... I have dry, very long, frizz-tendancy hair. I'm thinking it's too greasy even for my hair! It felt really really good on my hair and my hair feels very soft and smells heavenly, but my bangs look a bit oily... the rest of my hair seems fine and combed well... it's not quite dry yet so we'll see what the day brings... any advice???

 

[ToniD]

I am watching your post with eager anticipation to see how the experiment goes.

I don't have any advice really, I am on a journey of switching to my own products and I can share some of that journey for what it is worth.

I switched from commercial products out of need--I am becoming increasingly more sensitive to things as I age and was to the point of always having a skin irritation. So my first desire is to use stuff as non-irritating as possible. Trouble is, I don't really know what it is that bothers me.

So I was like you--everything I found on line said to put an egg (or something) on my head. Not my favorite way to wake up in the morning. But I did eventually break down and use 2T oil, 1T honey. Leave on for 1/2 hr at least It really did help, but was hard to wash out. But I determined that honey was good for my hair.

Before that I was using just oil--did not seem to be as useful.

So this is what I finally decided on:

Aloe--because a friend of mine who is also chemically sensitive says it will help with styling

Wheat protein--cuz a lot of people on this forum have said that protein is an important part of hair care.

Honey quat--cuz I found honey useful and one site that sells it says it is like honey without the stickiness. They also say it helps with wet combing.

Vit B5--because I read that it is very good for the hair.

A conditioning emulsifier.

So I ordered the stuff and am waiting for it to come. The percentages that I am going to start with are:

90% Aloe
1% wheat protein
2% honeyquat
1% hempseed oil
5% emulsifier
1% preservative

I am also going to put in three Vit E and two vit B5

I think it will be very thin, but I am planning it as a spray on--leave in product.

So, like I said, I have no idea if this is going to work. But you can gain from it what is useful, and I would love to hear yours and others thoughts--especially on my planned percentages.

I would also love to hear how your experiment is going.

 

[southernheartsoaps]

Thanks, I was SO disappointed because the conditioner I made felt so good on my hair in the shower, didn't feel greasy at all and felt like it rinsed out well... NOT the case... I was drying my hair and it just wasn't drying, it was oily, VERY OILY, not wet!!! LOL!!! I think I'm gonna keep it and use it as a deep conditioner to wash out after it sits a bit... I found another recipe I may try (I'm at work right now and don't have it with me)... the first one I tried used a 4:1 ratio of water to oils which I guess was a bit much... this new one I found uses a 16:1 ratio, which may work. I do know I used TOO much oil and it doesn't rinse out, but can be washed out quite easily. Please let me know how your new experiment works out... I really want to make a successful conditioner!!! I love real rosemary oil for hair!

 

[karajan]

How about making a citirc acid solution? After washing your hair, just squirt / spray onto hair. No need to rinse off.

The logic is simple, at PH of about 5.5 which is slightly acidic, hair follicle lay flat making the hair feel smooth and look shiny!

 

[ToniD]

Yeah, that happened to be in one of my trys. I don't dry my hair with a blow drier, so I was waiting for it to dry and I finally realized it wasn't gonna.
Walked around with greasy hair all day.

Rosemary is really nice on the hair!

 

[retropants]

try using BTMS instead of E-wax, it is a conditioning emulsifier. Also use Jojoba oil, it works great in contitioners. You are also better off using % rather than tablespoons. You can weigh everything accurately, and add the correct % preservative too.

 

[pink-north]

I just stumbled on this thread and it intrigues me. Has anyone tried cetyl alcohol? I tried making a conditioner, but found it was a little sticky. I had my husband and daughter try it and they liked it, but it didn't stick to the hair, the way I thought it would or should.

Very interested in seeing how you all do.

 

[ToniD]

reporting back:

It didn't work BUT I am pleased as a first attempt. Actually, the conditioning part worked pretty well, just a little heavy, The combability was improved and my hair was much smoother to the touch and less fly a way.


but the texture of the conditioner was a failure and it separated after 3 days. I think my problem was that I tried lecithin. The book I read strongly recommended it, but I think it was the culprit.

Hope to try another small batch today and will write to say how it turned out.

 

[ToniD]

I tried again and am pleased with the results. It does spray on, but is a bit thick. A bit thin as a pour on, rince on product. Howver, it does produce good results either way. Hair is much softer and more managable. Only been a week, but the product is holding together nicely.

Used 5% BTMS and Vit E oil and reduced the aloe a bit.

I would like to "up" the shine factor (or maybe I am chasing lost youth)

and make the product a bit thicker, so I think I will try some beeswax in my next attempt.

 

[gekko62]

I just stumbled on this thread and it intrigues me. Has anyone tried cetyl alcohol? I tried making a conditioner, but found it was a little sticky. I had my husband and daughter try it and they liked it, but it didn't stick to the hair, the way I thought it would or should.

Very interested in seeing how you all do.

Cetyl & btms. Dont need much. Also I find hydro wheat makes my hair like straw.I use hydro oats.