Start with a natural gentle shampoo and add therapeutic essential oils. Recipes with suggestions for which essential oils to use for dry hair, oily hair and normal hair are incorporated in this article.

So what causes dull, lifeless hair, anyway? Chemical hair treatments, exposure to the sun, exposure to chlorine in swimming pools, or even just using the wrong shampoo or hair conditioner can all be causes of dull, lifeless hair. Here is where an ounce of prevention can be worth a pound of cure. Then of course we all know that poor diet, vitamin deficiency, medications and medical treatments can also be causes of hair problems. It goes without saying that taking care of these problems will bring life back to your hair.

Adding essential oils to natural shampoos can make shampoos therapeutic as well as cleansing. Why do I say natural shampoo? Well, have you read the ingredients on a lot of shampoos? Many of the ingredients are in there to help the cleaning power, but they are made of petroleum-based products that can be harsh to the hair and scalp. Due to controversy over some of these products, many companies are now using closely related coconut products, which don't lather up quite as well, but still clean.

Shampoos formulated for sensitive skin and for babies are often derived from soy or olive oils, and are very gentle. For this reason, I like to use baby shampoo as a base. They generally come in 8 ounce bottles. You might want to start with half of the bottle by pouring 4 ounces into a clean container, and then adding about 40 drops of essential oils to the shampoo. (Save the other 4 ounces to try out a different formula.)

If you have dry hair, I suggest adding 4 drops of ylang ylang, 10 drops of rosewood and 6 drops of geranium essential oils to 4 ounces of baby, or other natural shampoo. Be sure to use only pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils.

For oily hair, add 8 drops of patchouli, 4 drops of lavender and 8 drops of lemon essential oils to the 4 ounces of baby, or other natural shampoo.

For normal hair you can add a 20-drop combination of rosemary, cedarwood, geranium, and/or clary sage to the 4 ounces of baby, or other natural shampoo. Rosemary essential oil adds body and conditions the hair.

For split ends, try adding a combination of 5 drops of rosemary, 10 drops of sandalwood and 5 drops of ylang ylang to the 4 ounces of baby, or other natural shampoo.

Directions: Wet hair, and massage 2-3 teaspoons of your therapeutic shampoo into the scalp, rubbing vigorously for 2-3 minutes. If you have time, leave the shampoo on your hair for an hour or so before rinsing thoroughly. Be sure to label your shampoo with directions and ingredients.

For a fantastic final RINSE, to help restore the acid base to your hair, and to help with the shine, use this great recipe: 8 ounces of water, 1 teaspoon of pure apple cider vinegar and 1-5 drops of rosemary essential oil. Directions: Apply a couple of ounces to freshly washed hair, and leave it on your hair. No. You will not smell like vinegar! Bonus: You can also use a couple of drops of this rinse to put on your hair to help when you have static electricity in your hair.

Note: Quality shampoos using essential oils will not suds up like other shampoos because they will not have the harmful foaming agents.

A great way to give a little extra shine to your hair while adding a gentle fragrance is to put a drop or two of lavender or rosemary essential oil on your hairbrush just before brushing your hair.