Easy DIY Hair Spray With Essential Oils

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Easy DIY hair spray recipe for most hair types. Eco-friendly hairspray using natural ingredients you already have in your kitchen and essential oils to increase hair health.

Why Should We Avoid Using Conventional Hairspray?

For starters, traditional hairspray has so many toxic ingredients in it that are horrible for your health and the environment. Aerosol hairspray negatively impacts global warming and goes through animal testing.

Some of the main ingredients include volatile organic compounds, artificial fragrance, synthetic polymers, propylene glycol, parabens, and phthalates just to name a few.

Let’s take a look at some of these toxins to fully understand how bad they are and why we should avoid them in consumer products.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Also known as VOCs typically are industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, fuel oxygenates, such as methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE); and chloroform.

Voc’s are used in things like paints, cleaning and disinfecting products, aerosol sprays, cosmetics, hobby products, pharmaceuticals and fuel.

Unwanted side effects from exposure to volatile organic compounds include: Throat irritation, dizziness, headaches, itchy eyes, runny nose, and in some cases can even cause organ damage. {source}

Artificial Fragrance

Fragrance is one of the worst offenders on this list. I mean, all these ingredients are bad but this one tops the list. The words “artificial fragrance” are a blanket statement for over three thousand different ingredients.

Companies don’t have to disclose which ingredients they used to add smell to their product. Most of the ingredients that make up artificial fragrance are made from or include crude oil, carcinogens, preservatives, and dyes.

Fragrance gets absorbed very quickly into our bloodstream causing many unwanted side affects like migraines, asthma, allergies, sensitivities, reproductive concerns, hormone disrupters, eye nose and throat irritation, respiratory illness, and has even been linked to cancer. {source)

Now think of all the consumer products that carry artificial fragrance. Shampoo, lotion, deodorant, makeup, hair spray, soap, perfume, sunscreen, candles, detergents, dryer sheets, air fresheners, cleaners, etc.

How many of these products are we still using in our homes? Artificial fragrance is everywhere!

If you are still using a lot of these things that contain artificial fragrance I suggest you start with just one thing. Maybe it’s this diy hairspray recipe. When you run out of something that contains fragrance, replace it with a better option.

Parabens

These are a group of chemicals used in beauty products like cosmetics and personal care items as a preservative to increase the shelf life. There is scientific evidence that shows parabens are directly linked to hormonal and reproductive disruptions.

The Environmental Working Group has compiled a list of scientific studies that prove the harm of parabens to humans.

Phthalates

Found in just about every conventional beauty and personal care product, as well as toys, furniture, decor, clothing and even some medical devices. These toxic chemicals can cause really harmful side effects from too much exposure. The scariest one is the abnormal development of reproductive system in baby boys developing in the womb.

Synthetic Polymers

Polymers come in both liquid and solid form. Most store bought hairspray containers are made of synthetic polymers. They remain in landfills for centuries leaching toxic chemicals into the soil and contaminating water. By making your own diy hairspray and reusing the same glass container you will be reducing your carbon footprint and minimizing your exposure to harsh chemicals.

Best Natural Hair Spray DIY

Anyway! enough with the horrible ingredients and scary side effects of traditional hairspray.

I’m sure you already know all the bad stuff that comes from it and that’s why you’re here wanting the recipe for DIY hairspray so let’s get to the good stuff!

This recipe is an alcohol-free formula which means at the most it will last about six months. If you want your DIY hairspray to last longer then I would add about a tablespoon of alcohol to the recipe because that will act as a natural preservative.

For this recipe I used a 2 ounce glass bottle so there’s no need for it to last longer than six months.

DIY Organic hairspray ingredients:

• Distilled Water
• White sugar
• Essential Oils

How To Make DIY Hairspray At Home:

1. Put water to boil on the stove.
2. Once the water is boiling remove it from the heat and add the white sugar. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved.
3. Set the sugar water aside and let it cool.
4. Once water is no longer hot transfer it to a 2 ounce glass spray bottle.
5. Add Essential oils, tighten lid on bottle and lightly shake to mix everything well.

The white sugar is what gives the hair the “hold” that we expect to get from hairspray. Since I’m a low maintanance gal and don’t usually use hair products, this is a flexible hold spray.

If you prefer a medium hold or a firm hold, add half a teaspoon more of sugar at a time to the recipe until you reach your desired strength hold.

Best Essential Oils For DIY Organic Hair Care

You can choose your favorite essential oil blends to add to this DIY hair spray recipe. I personally used organic geranium oil, tea tree and peppermint.

• Peppermint is a popular essential oil used to stimulate the hair follicles and promote hair growth. Just a word of caution if you are a nursing mama, peppermint may slow milk production.
• Geranium will hydrate dry hair and leave a refreshing floral scent. It’s also high in amino acids which will strengthen weak hair strands especially postpartum.
• Tea Tree is a great choice for all around good hair health and a clean scalp.
• Rosemary is a powerful essential oil that strengthens, nourishes, and softens hair. It blends beautifully with tea tree oil.
• Lavender also thickens and strengthens hair, plus it leaves your hair smelling beautifully.

I also like to add citrus essential oils to hair products (organic sweet orange oil, tangerine, or lemon) especially for the invigorating smell. But you have to be careful with these because they are photosensitive which means they can lighten your hair when exposed to UV rays.

Remember to play with the amount of sugar to adjust for extra strong hold, or soft hold if you have fine hair. I also use this as a finishing spray on curly hair days.

Common DIY Hair Spray Question:

Will the sugar in diy hairspray make my hair sticky?

The sugar will not make your hair sticky or attract any bugs, I promise!

More Non-Toxic Living:

• DIY Natural Glass Cleaner
• Non-Toxic Interior Home Paints
• Best Non-Toxic Food Storage Containers