Basic Hair Rinse 1 oz herbs of your choice 1 pint water 4 teaspoons of Borax Infuse herbs in boiling water in a covered non-metalic container until liquid has cooled. Strain, add borax. Use cold as a rinse.

Beer Rinse 1 oz water 2 teaspoons Cider Vinegar 7 drops Lemon essential oil 1 ounce Beer 5 drops Rosemary essential oil 5 drops Calendula essential oil (optional for blondes) Mix all ingredients together. Use as a final rinse, rinse well. Stale beer is fine to use. Adds protein to make hair shiny and make it feel thicker.

Herbal Essences Hair Rinse 1/2 cup dried Rosemary 1/2 cup dried Red Clover 1/2 cup dried Nettle 1/2 cup dried Sage (for dark hair) 1/2 cup dried Chamomile (for light hair) 1/2 cup dried Witch Hazel (for oily hair) 1/2 cup dried Marigold (for dry hair) Mix together herbs and store in a covered, light-proof container. Before you shampoo, take 1/4 to 1/2 cups herbs and add to 2 cups water in an enamel pot. Cover pot, bring to slow boil, simmer a few minutes, remove from heat and proceed to shampoo your hair. After last rinse, strain herbs from pot, add enough cold water to herbal brew to rub into scalp and proceed to rinse hair. Catch drippings in pot and keep pouring them through your hair until all are used. You may now either rinse your hair with clear water or omit water rinse. Makes 2 cups rinse, enough for 4 to 8 after-shampoo rinses.

Herbal Hair Rinse 1 oz fresh herbs 1 pint water Essential Oils 1 pint white wine vinegar Simmer herbs in water & vinegar for 2 hours in an enamel pan, cool, strain and add a few drops of essential oil of choice before bottling.

Herbal Hair Rinse #2 1 oz mixed herbs (yarrow, calendula, catmint, horsetail, parsley, stinging nettle and southernwood in equal portions, dried and crumbled) 1 pint water 1 pint Cider Vinegar Essential oils for fragrance (try lavender or rose) Place the dried herbs in a muslin bag or tea ball and put in a warmed tea pot. Pour boiling water over the herbs and infuse for several hours. Let it cool. Pour this into a quart jar, add the vinegar and oil and shake.

Herbal Shampoo 4 oz Soapwort chips 1 pint distilled water Essential oil(s) Simmer soapwort in water until liquid is reduced by half. Allow to cool and filter. Add a few drops of essential oil. Bottle and use as regular shampoo - Low lather level. Keep in refrigerator.

Herb Shampoo for Dark Hair 4 oz soapwort chips 1/2 pint distilled water 1/2 pint walnut infusion (This is for darkening hair, be careful of allergic reaction. You can substitute other infusions, such as chamomile essential oil for lighter hair.) Simmer soapwort in infusion and water until liquid is reduced by one half Allow to cool, filter and add a afew drops of scent. Bottle and use as a shampoo. This doesn't lather much, but it does clean very well.

Nettle Hair Tonic (for thin and thinning hair) 1 oz Nettle leaves 1 pint water Essential oil 1 pint White Wine Vinegar Simmer nettles in water & vinegar for 2 hours in an enamel pan. Let cool. Strain. Add a few drops of essential oil before bottling. Shake well and apply to scalp every other night.

Recommended Herbs for use in Shampoos and Rinses Burdock: root helps prevent dandruff Catmint: leaves encourage hair growth and soothes scalp irritations Chamomile: flowers soften and lighten hair Flannel Mullein: lightens hair Goosegrass: tonic and cleansing, helps prevent dandruff Henna: red hair dye and conditioner Horsetail: non-fertile stems and branches strengthens the hair Lavender: antiseptic, antibiotic, stimulates hair growth, and degreases Lime: flowers clean and softens Marigold: lightens hair color Nasturtium: for hair growth Parsley: enriches hair color and gives a nice luster Rosemary: tonic and conditioner, one of the best herbs to use, gives luster and body, also slightly darkens the hair Rhubarb: the root makes a yellow hair dye Sage: tonic and conditioning, darkens the hair Southernwood: encourages hair growth and helps prevent dandruff Stinging Nettle: tonic and conditioning and helps prevent dandruff Witch Hazel: leaves and bark are astringent and cleanses oily hair

Rosemary Hair Rinse 1 oz Rosemary leaves 1 pint Water 4 teaspoons Borax Infuse Rosemary in boiling water in a covered, enamel pot until liquid has cooled. Strain and add borax. Use cold as a hair rinse.

Shampoo Base from Soap 4 ounces Pure white castile soap 1 quart spring or distilled water Finely grate the the soap. Bring the water to a simmer and add the soap. Bring this to a boil until the soap has all dissolved. Pour into a jar and store until needed. To this base add various oils, herbal infusions and Essential Oils to create the shampoo best suited to your needs. Follow with a vinegar and water rinse or a conditioner and rinse well.