A shampoo can be produced by mixing water, with a mild surfactant such as decyl glucoside, a plant gum like xanthan gum as a thickener, salt, and emmolients such as coconut oil, vegetable glycerin, honey and essential oils. An alternative to decyl glucoside is the use of saponin containing plants. Natural surfactants include Quillaja saponaria, Acacia concinna or Sapindus. Many other herbs have conditioner effects on the hair such as nettles or amla.
A body butter can be produced by mixing oils (such as a base of olive and coconut oils) with beeswax. A natural body lotion can be produced by mixing water and lecithin, cocoa or coconut butter, and dry oils such as grapeseed oil or thistle oil, beeswax, plant extracts such as witch hazel, calendula or aloe vera, hydrosols and essential oils. Natural preservatives is cosmetics are a controversial issue; these might include vitamin E (only protects oil shelf-life, not against bacteria or mold), rosemary oil, neem oil, tea tree oil, honey, propolis, salt, vinegar, lemon juice or green tea extracts, or by eliminating the use of water (replacing with hydrosols or aloe vera gel). If this does not work, then using organic alcohol or potassium sorbate are two chemical alternatives, that do not present significant risks to our health.
A natural toothpaste can be made by mixing baking soda, glycerin and water as a paste, with some antibacterial (e.g. sage) essential oils. There are many recipes for natural cosmetics in the internet.
