The Oh-So-Simple Organic Baby Shampoo Recipe

When I was feathering the nest, getting ready for the arrival of my little one, I wanted to make sure I had everything I needed ready for when we came home from the hospital. I didn’t know if he would be born with a mop of hair or if he’d be as bald as a coot (he came out somewhere in between) but I knew I’d need a good organic simple baby shampoo that was gentle on his skin.

The simplest organic baby shampoo recipe consists of:

• 240ml (1 cup) Organic Castile Liquid Soap 
• 240ml (1 cup) Filtered Water
• 10 drops of Lavender, Chamomile, or Lemon essential oil

The Search

I went online and did a search for the best all-natural baby products. I couldn’t believe some of the things that popped up.

Sulfate free Baby Shampoo

Formaldehyde-free Baby Shampoo

As if these chemicals are in a baby product in the first place. It’s shocking.

Luckily Amazon now hosts a range of great organic baby products from brands such as Honest, Babyganics, Nature’s Baby Organics, and many more. I opted for the Natural Non-Scents Baby Wash and Shampoo from Earth Mama which I have to say was lovely to use and was really gentle on my baby’s skin. It was a little bit expensive but it seemed to last for ages so I’d say it was well worth the money.

Do It Yourself

I did splash out on many all-natural organic baby products in the lead up to my son’s birth. I guess all first-time mums over-invest in their excitement. But the fact is that I spent a small fortune and most of the products I bought I didn’t end up really needing. I could have made do with way less which would have been better for the environment, and better for my pocket.

I didn’t realise then that babies don’t actually need that much stuff, especially when they’re really little. You shouldn’t be bathing them or washing their hair too often when they’re newborn anyway, as it strips their skin of all its natural oils. In fact, it’s not recommended to use shampoo on your baby until they’re about two months old.

After a bit more searching online, I found out that a lot of what they do need is pretty easy to make at home yourself, and not just shampoo but things like diaper rash remedies too.

All Natural Organic Baby Shampoo Recipe

All you need for the basic shampoo is:

240ml (1 cup) Organic Castile Liquid Soap – Dr. Bronner’s is great. They also do an Aloe Vera version which works well.

240ml (1 cup) Filtered Water

10 drops of an essential oil that is safe for baby. It’s best to stick with Lavender, Chamomile, or Lemon

Put the ingredients together in a (preferably glass) bottle and shake vigorously. There you have it – a gentle, chemical-free, delicious-smelling baby shampoo.

You can also add:

30ml (2 tbsp) Vegetable Glycerin if you want a better lather.

15ml (1 tbsp) Organic Aloe Vera Gel if it’s not already in the Castille Soap.

30ml (2 tbsp) Almond Oil or Vitamin E Oil or warmed Coconut Oil for a more moisturizing wash.

A Little Bit About Castile Soap

Castile soap originates from the Castile region of Spain. It was originally made with 100% olive oil but now most of the ones on the market have a mixture of olive oil and other vegetable oils such as coconut. It doesn’t contain any animal fats or chemicals and is a completely natural, non-toxic, and biodegradable soap that’s available in liquid or solid form.

It’s a wonderfully versatile product and is much gentler than conventional soap. However, very young babies have very sensitive skin that is generally on the dry side. As long as you’re only using it about once a week it should be fine, but if you’d prefer not to use any soap as such here are a couple of other things you could try.

Homemade Shampoo Recipes Without Castile Soap

Sesame seed oil – Simply warm the sesame seed oil in your hands and then gently massage it into your little bub’s scalp. Leave it in for a couple of minutes and then rinse with clean water. You can blot any excess oil with a towel. This is incredibly moisturizing for baby’s skin and will leave the hair with a lovely shine. It smells absolutely delicious too. You can also do this with coconut oil.

Aloe Vera Shampoo – Mix together one-part Aloe Vera gel to two-parts filtered water to make a smooth paste. Simply massage through baby’s hair and rinse clean.

Honey Shampoo – Mix a couple of teaspoons of organic honey with a little water, then pat it onto baby’s scalp. Leave it for a minute or two then rinse off. It’s not at all sticky like you’d imagine it to be, and rinses really easily. Honey is so full of goodness and it’s antibacterial. It literally eats dead skin cells so also makes a great natural face mask for mum. Don’t use honey on your baby if they are under a year old. They’re not supposed to eat it because of the risk of botulism so it’s just safest not to use it at all until after the first year.

Final Thought

There are some great natural and organic products available today, so if you prefer a ready-made product for simple convenience then you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding one that’s made with good organic ingredients and without all the other nasties. However, if you want to be 100% sure of exactly what you’re putting on your baby’s skin there are plenty of easy-to-follow recipes for making your own products.

On a personal note, I absolutely love using honey on my boy now he’s old enough. It leaves his hair incredibly silky and seems to lighten it up a shade. I’ve been using it on myself for years as a face mask. I have tried it as a hair mask too, and although it’s a bit trickier with long hair, it does give amazing results.

Let me know how you get on with these recipe ideas and if you know of any others to share. I’d love to try them out.

Debbie x