The Hungry Canary

From Mother’s recipe notebook · Original formula

Mother’s Peppermint Shampoo

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Ingredients

  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp liquid Castile soap
  • 2 vitamin E capsules (oil from capsules)
  • 1/3 cup distilled water
  • 5–6 drops peppermint essential oil

Directions

  1. For a small, fresh-use batch, measure the distilled water into a clean container.
  2. Add the liquid Castile soap and apple cider vinegar as recorded in the original formula. Stir gently; the mixture may cloud or separate.
  3. Open the vitamin E capsules and add their oil. Add the peppermint essential oil.
  4. Mix thoroughly immediately before use. The oils may not stay evenly dispersed because this formula has no solubilizer.
  5. Apply a small amount to wet hair, avoiding the eyes and irritated skin. Gently massage and rinse thoroughly. The notebook indicates use 2–3 times weekly.
  6. Discard any unused mixture rather than storing it for later use; the original formula does not include a validated preservative system.

Family notebook and formulation notes

This is the original ingredient formula from Mother’s notebook, presented as a historical homemade shampoo and scalp-care experiment. The preparation directions above are clarified for readers; they are not evidence that the recipe was formally tested.

Soap and vinegar: Castile soap is alkaline. Mixing it with acidic apple cider vinegar can break down the soap and reduce its cleansing performance or cause separation. For a reformulated shampoo, the vinegar is better evaluated as a separate, suitably diluted rinse, rather than added to true soap.

Oil and preservative considerations: Vitamin E is an antioxidant, not a broad-spectrum preservative. Added distilled water, capsules, and essential oil do not make the mixture shelf-stable. A preserved product requires a properly formulated and tested preservation system. Peppermint essential oil can irritate the scalp and eyes, particularly when not uniformly dispersed; patch testing and caution are appropriate.

Purpose: This formula reflects an interest in hair and scalp care. It is not a proven treatment for hair loss or thinning hair.