Spring and summer mean an abundance of Stinging Nettle. Stinging Nettle grows all over the Pacific Northwest, and this spiny friend can be used for food, medicine, technology (rope, craft, dye), and even for natural beauty products.
Benefits of Stinging Nettle: A Healthy Scalp and Beautiful Hair
Although Stinging Nettle may seem like a plant you wouldn’t want to touch, it is easy to respectfully harvest and process. It is a staple plant to have on hand — stinging nettle is full of essential minerals and vitamins that support skin and hair health. In fact, many commercial shampoos and hair care products contain stinging nettle extract. But why buy a commercial shampoo when we can make it ourselves?
We can make our own Nettle shampoo with organic and natural ingredients for beautiful and happy hair!
How to Make a Shampoo: the Dirty and the Clean
To make a shampoo, we need to address 2 main categories: a detergent and a conditioning agent.
The Dirty: Commercial shampoos are often full of harsh chemicals that fall under the ‘big 3’ : detergents, conditioning agents, and foam boosters. The detergents found in most commercial shampoos are called sulfates, which are harsh and drying, and can strip our hair of its protective oils and irritate our scalps. To remedy these damaging detergents, conditioning agents are added in to give the appearance of soft and shiny hair. However, conditioning agents are usually chemicals called polymers, silicones, and quaternary agents. Silicone isn’t water soluble, so it won’t wash out in the shower. Instead, it will build up and leave our hair flat and dull (especially for us wavy and curly haired girls).
The Clean: Herbal shampoo! You can’t get much more natural than using organic plants and herbs. Gentle oils like Sweet Almond or Jojoba provide moisture and shine, and act as carriers to infuse our hair with the medicinal and healing properties of the herbs we are using. We can also add small amounts of essential oils for fragrance and a little extra boost of herbal goodness. Not only are herbal shampoos beneficial for our hair and bodies, they are also friendly to the environment.
Nettle shampoo is easy to make, sustainable, and promotes self-sufficiency. It is an activity the whole family can participate in, too! Nettle shampoo is safe for children but be careful to keep out of eyes as the castille soap will sting.
Ingredients for Nettle Shampoo:
8 oz Nettle-infused water ** included in the directions
3 oz Dr. Bronner’s liquid hemp Castile soap (unscented)
3 tbsp aloe vera juice
1/4 tsp jojoba or sweet almond oil
10-15 drops of essential oil * we used peppermint and rosemary
You will need: 1 oz of dried Stinging Nettle leaves, a pot, stir stick, clean bowls, and shampoo containers
Directions for making Nettle Shampoo:
First, we need to infuse the water with Nettle. For 8 oz of water, we will need 1 oz of dried Nettle leaf (by volume, not by weight). You can harvest Stinging Nettle yourself ahead of time and dry it, or you can purchase dried Nettle leaves (my favorite resource for bulk herbs is Mountain Rose Herbs).
To infuse the water with the dried Nettle, pour boiling water over the dried Nettle and allow it to steep for at least 4 hours to up to 10 hours. Once steeped, strain through a cheesecloth or jelly strainer bag into a clean bowl.
Next, add in the Castile soap, stirring until combined thoroughly.
Now stir in the oils, aloe vera juice, and the EOs. Stir until combined. Pour into the shampoo containers and shake thoroughly.
Don’t forget to label with name, date, and ingredients!
Shake well each time before using, since the ingredients will separate naturally.
Note that this shampoo has a fairly short shelf life (1-2 weeks) because it is made with an herbal infusion. It is a good idea to make small batches so that it is always fresh. You can also store the shampoo in the fridge to prolong its shelf life, or add in a natural preservative like Grapefruit Seed Extract or vitamin E oil.
Why we used what we used:
Nettle leaf: high levels of vitamins and minerals; thickening, brightening.
Aloe Vera Juice: antioxidants, antifungal properties; moisturizing, great for dry or damaged hair. Vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, Calcium, folic acid and amino acids
Castille Soap: the ‘detergent’ in our shampoo. Gentle enough for hair while still being cleansing, however some people may find this natural soap too drying, especially if they are used to using commercial shampoos.
Sweet Almond or Jojoba oil: Mimics the natural oils/sebum that our skin and hair produce; it’s non-greasy and absorbed quickly. Rich in vitamins B complex and E.
EOs: we used peppermint and rosemary essential oils for their stimulating, refreshing fragrance. They also promote glossy and shiny hair.
For In-Depth Learning, Join Our Weekly Online Classes:
- Tuesday Classes focus on Herbal Medicine & Plant Crafts in the autumn season, followed by Gardening & Cooking Wild Edible Food Plants in the spring.
- Thursday Classes focus on Wilderness Survival & Bushcraft Skills in the Autumn Season, followed by Wildlife Tracking & Birding in the spring.
- Saturday Classes for all ages guide you through the Wolf Journey Earth Conservation Course – Book One: The Neighborhood Naturalist.
Learn how to confidently identify plants using their unique family patterns in this in-depth video by author of Botany in a Day, Thomas Elpel.
*** For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. We recommend that you consult with a qualified health care practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing or on any medications. ***
*** Please read our Honorable Harvesting Guidelines before harvesting any plant material. The final guideline is of utmost importance: “Never put anything in your mouth unless you are 100% sure it is safe to ingest.” ***
Hannah began her apprenticeship at Wolf Camp in 2013 and graduated as a lead herbal instructor in 2014. Hannah graduated from the University of Oregon in 2014 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Foreign Languages. She has her own blog, where she writes about her love for crafts, animals, plants, cooking, and the outdoors: rainmountaincrafts.com
Can your stinging nettle shampoo be bought from you, instead of someone making it? Do you see a need for conditioner after?
Hi Michelle. Sorry for the delayed response. We don’t sell product ourselves. Kim says she uses conditioner afterwards because she mixes the nettle shampoo with castille soap, but those who use nettle “shampoo” as a rinse probably would not – but totally “up to a person’s hair type.” Best of luck trying it out a couple of ways to see what works best for you! – Chris
Hi Hanna,
Thank you so much for this information. I am preparing to start making this for myself, and have few questions:
1. If I want to add birch, how much would I add to the ratios given? Can it be used to replace aloe? How would I add the birch? My primary goal is men’s hair regrowth.
2. If I want to extend the shelf-life, how much vitamin E oil would I add to ratios given, and how long would that prolong the shampoo for?
Thank you once again, have a merry christmas and NY
Hi Darren. I’ll forward your questions to Hannah and if she has that level of detail I’ll post up her response here. Best, – Chris
Thanks,
Just an FYI. I’ve got all the ingredients now. The Dr. Bronner’s unscented soap has in its ingredients list the jojoba oil AND vitamin E/tocopherols as a preservative, as well as citric acid (which from my research helps preserve aloe vera).
It seems then, that you might not need the additional jojoba oil or Vitamin E in the final ingredient list, if you use the Dr. Bronner’s soap.
Cheers
Thank you for your generous insight on how to use nettle infused shampoo.
I am really interested in using g nettle in skincare, tea, hair products business.
Thank you.
Was wondering if nettles extract can be used instead of the infusion (root and leaves), so I don’t need to use a preservative.
Good question. We haven’t done it that way so let us know if you find out thanks!