Rosemary Lavender Geranium Lemon Clary Sage Cedarwood Thyme Chamomile
Lemongrass Ylang-ylang Cedarwood Lemon Tea Tree Rosemary
Geranium Lavender Rosemary Sandalwood Cedarwood Peppermint Tea tree Argan oil
Tea tree Lemongrass
Mix three drops of the oil you plan to use with ½ teaspoon (3 ml) of carrier oil, such as jojoba, almond, or walnut oil. Place a couple drops on your inner forearm, just below your elbow. Cover the area with an adhesive bandage. Keep the bandage on and don’t wash the area for 48 hours. After that time, remove the bandage and check for irritation, such as redness, itching, blisters, or swelling. If none of these symptoms appear, you aren’t allergic to the oil and it’s safe to use in your shampoo. [2] X Research source Some essential oils shouldn’t be used on children under five, including basil, camphor, cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, lavender, lemongrass, thyme, bergamot, nutmeg, peppermint, rosemary, tea tree, wintergreen oils and sage. [3] X Research source Be careful not to get essential oils in your eyes, as they can cause irritation.
Store your shampoo and essential oil mixtures in a dark bottle with a tight lid because light, heat, and oxygen can destroy the aromas and properties of the oils. [4] X Research source Always put the lid back on tightly after you’ve used essential oils or your shampoo. Some essential oils in their concentrated forms can degrade plastics, so you should always store concentrated oils and blends in glass bottles.
Start with ½ cup (120 ml or 4 oz) of shampoo if you haven’t done this before, just in case you don’t like the smell or effect of the oils you use. If you want to use a full bottle of shampoo, look at how many ounces or milliliters are in the bottle to determine how many drops of oil to use. You can add oils directly to the bottle of shampoo if you’re adding the same oils to the entire bottle.
Remember to increase the amount of oil you use based on the quantity of shampoo. Many shampoo bottles contain between 12 and 16 ounces (355 to 473 ml) of shampoo, so if you’re adding essential oils to an entire bottle, you’ll need between 60 and 80 drops of oil.
Stir the oils into the shampoo if you have a long and narrow stir stick or spoon that will fit into the bottle. Otherwise, give it a gentle shake. Always shake the shampoo before using it, to redistribute the oils throughout the shampoo.
10 drops each of lemon, rosemary, tea tree, and lavender, mixed with 1 ¼ cup (300 ml) of shampoo. 20 drops of clary sage, plus 15 drops each of wild orange and lavender, mixed with about 1 cup (240 ml) of shampoo. 10 drops each of lavender, cedarwood, rosemary, and peppermint, mixed with 1 cup (240 ml) of shampoo.
25 drops of lemongrass, 10 drops of lemon, and 15 drops of lavender, mixed with 1 ¼ cup (300 ml) of shampoo. 30 drops of wild orange and 20 drops of lavender, mixed with 1 ¼ cup (300 ml) of shampoo. 30 drops of lavender and 20 drops of peppermint, mixed with 1 ¼ cup (300 ml) of shampoo.
40 drops Lavender 10 drops Rosemary 5 drops Ylang Ylang 1 ½ cups (360 ml) of shampoo
