DIY Hair Detangler
I’m pretty sure that hair detangling spray was the first DIY natural beauty project that we took on.
Between us we had one kid who could go to full dreadlocks in a matter of days; one kid with super curls and bed head to make a mama weep; one kid with hair to her behind and one who was the most tender-headed kid on the planet (who also has some sensory issues with her head). We’d searched around for store bought ones that really worked well and had smells we could tolerate, especially during the years when the kids were still making their way into bed with us every night! The best we found was this one from Shea Moisture and getting a Wet Brush really helped too, but still we wanted something cleaner and cheaper so we decided to take to the kitchen!
A bit of research taught us that one of the key ingredients to a good detangler was marshmallow root - which we already had on hand for making homemade marshmallows! According to frugallysustainable.com, marshmallow root is great for the hair because it:
contains many mucilaginous compounds
has a very slippery texture when made into an infusion
softens the hair naturally
promotes hair growth (due to it’s high content of plant proteins)
provides natural shine to dull hair follicles.
soothes dry scalp
reduces itchy scalp
A couple rounds of testing and we narrowed in on the perfect recipe for natural hair detangler to solve all our hair woes!
ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup distilled water
- 1/4 cup dried marshmallow root
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon argAn OIL or jojoba oil
- essential oils - some great ones for hair are Tea Tree, Ylang Ylang, Lavender, Lemon
Method
Combine marshmallow root and water in a small pot and simmer over medium low heat for 15-30 minutes to allow the mucilage to release. The longer you let it simmer the thicker the mixture will be.
Remove pot from heat and allow mixture to cool.
Strain through a fine mesh strainer, tea towel, or cheesecloth. Squeeze the strainer in order to extract all the goodness of the herb. Compost the herbs and reserve the liquid.
Add vinegar, oil, and essential oils to the marshmallow root infused water. Mix well.
Pour into a spray bottle. Shake before each use. Lasts 2-3 months.
shopping list
Check out our post on Cleaner Cleaning and Better Beauty
