Shampoo often has a lot of unnecessary harsh chemicals in it, which strip our hair of oils, making our body produce even more to compensate. This often results in super oily hair. These natural shampoo recipes for oily hair types avoid nasty chemicals, are cruelty-free and eco-friendly, too!
A lot of us turn to ‘no poo‘ shampooing because we want to get away from the harsh effects of conventional shampoos and gain the many benefits that come from that. These are all still shampoos, but they’re a lot gentler and don’t strip natural oils in the way conventional shampoos do.
I always follow-up washing my hair with an apple cider vinegar rinse as my conditioner, as it can help remove any remnants of residue on hair if left on for a couple of minutes before rinsing.
It used to get super frizzy, dry, brittle hair right after washing it. I’d often find my hair would develop split ends very quickly, too.
Now, I barely ever get frizzy hair, and my long locks look so much more nourished.
But don’t get me wrong. It’s been quite a journey to get here. I’ve trialled and tested many different homemade shampoos (including the ‘no poo’ method), and found some worked while others definitely did not.
Not Just One Shampoo, But 6 Different Types!
I’ll be sharing six different oily hair shampoo recipes today, as I’ve found;
- Everyone’s hair is different, so what works for one person might not work on another’s, and
- My previous shampoo I was using on my hair just all of a sudden stopped working, leaving my hair with an oily residue, so it never looked clean (I think it was because I changed up the liquid castile soap I was using; Dr. Bronner’s seemed to work the best for my hair).
I decided it was time for a change, and after two years of using the same shampoo, I did the unthinkable… I switched shampoos.
Before we get started in learning how to make these all-natural oily hair shampoos – if you like what you’re seeing, subscribe to my email newsletter at the bottom of the page to keep up to date on the latest recipes, DIYs, gardening and health tips I share!!


Homemade Oily Hair Shampoos
Trial and test a few of these shampoo recipes until you find one that best suits your hair. The essential oils chosen for each recipe have been selected specifically for their ability to regulate sebum (oil) production.
Castile & Castor Oil Shampoo
This shampoo is quite similar to my old natural shampoo recipe, but with a few more added ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp liquid castile soap
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 tsp castor oil
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 10 drops grapefruit essential oil
- 10 drops rosemary essential oil
To make:
- Mix all the ingredients together, store in a glass jar and use as you would a normal shampoo.
- Finish with a quality conditioner.

Aloe & Tea Tree Shampoo
Aloe vera can help to balance the skin’s pH, making it useful for dirty, greasy, oily hair. Tea tree oil can help clear follicles and allow hair to breathe, preventing oil build-up.
To make:
- 1 tbsp aloe vera gel
- 1/2 tbsp liquid castile soap
- 1/2 tbsp water
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 10 drops tea tree oil
To make:
- Mix all the ingredients together, store in a glass jar and use as you would a normal shampoo, concentrating on the scalp area.
- Finish with a quality conditioner.

Apple Cider Vinegar & Lemon Shampoo
Be careful not to use too much lemon juice on hair that has been coloured, as it will lighten hair. Apple cider vinegar helps restore pH balance to hair, closing hair follicles making hair look shiny and healthy.
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp of lemon juice or 20 drops lemon essential oil
- 10 drops cedarwood essential oil
To make:
- Mix all the ingredients together, store in a glass jar and use as you would a normal shampoo, concentrating on roots.
- Finish with a quality conditioner.

Baking Soda & Almond Shampoo
Combining baking soda with almond oil helps clean oily hair while also moisturising. Almond oil is rich in omega fatty acids that promote blood flow to hair, in turn, promoting hair growth.
Fun fact: Massaging hair with almond oil regularly can prevent frizz and delay greying.
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp almond oil
- 10 drops tea tree oil
- 10 drops peppermint essential oil
- 5 drops lemon essential oil
To make:
- Mix baking soda and water together well, then add essential oils and almond oil, and mix to combine. Store in a glass jar, and shake well before use.
- Use as you would a normal shampoo, concentrating on roots.
- Finish with a quality conditioner.

Green Tea & Coconut Shampoo
Coconut oil in shampoo? What? Won’t that make your hair oilier?
Actually, using a little coconut oil can help hair retain moisture and keep hydrated, preventing frizz – without making your hair look oily. Essential fatty acids naturally found in coconut oil nourish the scalp and help remove sebum build-up on hair follicles.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup green tea, brewed and allowed to cool completely
- 2 tbsp liquid castile soap
- 1 tsp fractionated coconut oil
- 1 tbsp raw honey
- 15 drops tea tree oil
- 10 drops chamomile essential oil
To make:
- Mix all the ingredients together well, then store in a glass jar. Shake well before use.
- Use as you would a normal shampoo, concentrating on the scalp area.
- Finish with a quality conditioner.

Honey & Lavender Shampoo
Honey contains both emollient and humectant properties, making it a fantastic moisturiser. Emollients smooth out hair follicles, adding shine. Humectants bind with water molecules, adding moisture.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp raw honey
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 20 drops lavender essential oil
- 10 drops cedarwood essential oil
To make:
- Mix all the ingredients together well, then store in a glass jar. Shake well before use.
- Use as you would a normal shampoo, concentrating on the scalp area.
- Finish with a quality conditioner.

DIY oily hair shampoos tutorial
As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor before trying or using any new products. I am not a doctor. All opinions expressed are my own personal thoughts and feelings of the products mentioned. Check with your doctor or health practitioner if you are uncertain about trying out any of the products, recipes or tips mentioned in this post.
Do you use a natural homemade shampoo? Have you made your own before? Share in the comments below.
Lots of love,
🖤 Vanessa
Sources:
5 Homemade Clarifying Shampoo Recipes For Oily Hair. Oily Hair No More. Retrieved from http://www.oilyhairnomore.com/homemade-clarifying-shampoo-recipes-for-oily-hair/
Backe, Caleb. (July 29, 2017). The 12 Best Natural Shampoos Your Hair Needs. Maple Holistics. Retrieved from https://www.mapleholistics.com/blog/diy-natural-shampoo/
Wells, Katie. (Updated: October 7, 2019). How to Use Castor Oil for Hair (Grow Beautiful Hair Fast). Wellness Mama. Retrieved from https://wellnessmama.com/35706/castor-oil-hair/
The Nourishing Benefits of Using Coconut Oil for Hair. Love Beauty and Planet. Retrieved from https://www.lovebeautyandplanet.com/us/en/the-love-beauty-planet-movement/our-purpose/our-blog/is-coconut-oil-good-for-hair.html
The Truth About Tea Tree Oil for Healthy Natural Hair. (July 30, 2018). Naturall Club. Retrieved from https://naturallclub.com/blogs/the-naturall-club-blog/why-you-should-be-using-tea-tree-oil-for-healthy-natural-hair
Scaccia, Annamarya. (July 9, 2018). What You Need to Know About Using Baking Soda on Your Hair. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/baking-soda-hair
Benefits of almonds for skin, hair and health. (Updated: November 20, 2017). Times of India. Retrieved from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/Benefits-of-almonds-for-skin-hair-and-health/articleshow/26842229.cms
Lockett, Eleesha, MS. (May 28, 2019). All About Using Honey for Hair Health and 10 Ways to Try It Today. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/honey-for-hair
Marion. (Updated: 09/12/2020). Greasy Hair: Say Goodbye to Oily-Looking Hair. Cocoon Center. Retrieved from https://www.cocooncenter.co.uk/journal/greasy-hair-say-goodbye-to-oily-looking-hair.html
Wahal, Dhruv. (March 3, 2018). These Are The 6 Best Oils For Treating Oily Scalp And Hair. CashKaro.com. Retrieved from https://cashkaro.com/blog/these-are-the-best-oils-for-treating-oily-scalp-and-hair/22285