Algae Shampoo

Shampoo, when lathered with water is a surfactant¹, which, while cleaning the hair and scalp, can remove the natural oils which lubricate the hair. Shampooing is frequently followed by the use of conditioners which increase the ease of combing and styling. 

Before the advent of shampoos, people mostly used soap for personal care. However, soap when used on the hair has the distinct disadvantages of being irritating to the eyes and can often leave the hair looking very flat and dull.  

Soap is first documented on clay tablets from what is now present-day Southern Iraq and there are references to soap in the Bible. When the ancient Roman city of Pompeii was excavated it revealed a large scale soap factory. The famous Roman historian, Pliny, mentions soap as being a combination of goat's tallow and wood ashes. A doctor form 385AD talks about the advantages of using soap as a shampoo. Bathing went out of style with the fall of the Roman Empire and doesn’t see popularity again until the later part of 800AD. 

During 900AD soap-making guilds were established in France, Italy and Spain and the industry was highly regarded and required skillful craftsmen. Soap making centers popped up in Marseilles, France and Savona, Italy. In England, soap making began in force around the 11th century in Bristol, Coventry and York. The people of Britain were the first to try oils such as palm, coconut, linseed and cottonseed in soaps. The results were more successful than the old beef tallow recipes, as the shampoos were much softer.  

The primary ingredient in all shampoos is water, typically making up about 70-80% of the entire formula. Deionized water, which is specially treated to remove various particles and ions, is generally used in commercial shampoos. The source of the water can be underground wells, lakes, or rivers. 

If you are thinking about making your own shampoo, it should have the following properties: 

·         Proper detergency without degreasing 

·         Ability to form delicate and rich lather 

·         Easy rinsing 

·         Good finish after washing hair 

·         Low skin/eye irritation 

·         Non damaging to hair 

·         Low toxicity 

·         Good biodegradability 

·         Environmentally friendly 

Algae Shampoos on the market today are sold as ‘health food for your hair’. Algae shampoo is said to be rich in vital nutrients and protein-enriched to strengthen hair. 

It is interesting to look at the list of ingredients in the Aubrey Organics shampoo: Deionized Water, Coconut Oil-Corn Oil Soap, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein (made from organic, non-GMO soybeans), Organic Aloe Vera, Carrageenan, Lavender Water; Extracts of Camomile, Red Algae, Fennel, Hops, Balm Mint, Mistletoe and Yarrow; Organic Blue Green Algae, Carrot Oil, Aubrey's Preservative (Citrus Seed Extract, Vitamins A, C and E). 

Perhaps you could grow your own algae and make your own shampoo?

1. Surfactants are wetting agents that lower the surface tension of a liquid, allowing easier spreading, and lower the interfacial tension between two liquids.