Make Your Own Shampoo and Conditioner!
- Words by Peppermint
Sustainable living advocateΒ Rebecca Sullivan has made an art form of natural living, with books on everything from edible flowers to using herbs for health and wellbeing, as well as running a βGranny Skillsβ program that brings communities of women together to preserve the culture, skills, knowledge and traditions of our elders. Here, just in time for the final days of Plastic-Free July, she shares her simple, all-natural recipes to keep your locks looking lovely.Β
The hair-care aisles are piled high with plastic bottles β from shampoo and conditioners to hair masks and dry shampoo, aiming for plastic-free makes luscious locks a little hard to do, unless you’re lucky enough to have a shampoo-stocking bulk shop nearby. Happily, though, I know a few tricks for making your own products in an afternoon β and they can be stored in any clean container you like. My biggest tip when making any beauty product yourself is to make small batches frequently β enjoy the process!
Coconut and Orange Shampoo for normal hair
Coconut is the perfect moisturiser and will leave your hair silky smooth, while the orange essential oil makes you smell good enough to eat β who doesn’t want that?Β
Ingredients (makes about 120ml β enough for about 4 washes, depending on the length of your hair)
60ml coconut milk
60ml liquid Castile soapΒ
20 drops orange essential oil
Β½ teaspoon olive or nut oil (optional, for dry hair)
Method
Combine all the ingredients in a recycled shampoo bottle, airtight container or screwtop jar, and shake well to mix. You’re done! This one’s fine to store in your shower for up to a month β just remember to shake well before every use.
Coconut Conditioner
This gorgeous two-step conditioner will leave your hair double-smooth. You first use pure coconut oil to moisturise and condition, then follow that with a 50/50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water as a rinse β this really cleans your hair and helps with scalp problems such as dandruff, and the acid removes any excess oil and increases shine. Try using it once a week or so.Β
Ingredients (makes one application)
1β2 teaspoons coconut oil
60ml raw apple cider vinegar
60ml water
10 drops essential oil: sage (for normal hair), tea tree (for oily hair), or lavender (for dandruff)
Method
Make sure the coconut oil is liquid β place it in a warm place to melt if need be. Put the vinegar, water and essential oil in an airtight container or screw top jar, then shake well to mix. You can make a larger quantity of the vinegar rinse and keep it in your shower for up to a month β just remember to shake well before every use.Β
Start by rubbing the coconut oil into the ends of your hair and leave for a minute. Rinse thoroughly in warm water, then pour the vinegar mix through your hair and rinse thoroughly.
WORDS AND PHOTOS: REBECCA SULLIVAN
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Look, I donβt want to make anyone panic but ITβS DECEMBER!!! If youβre planning to give homemade gifts, youβre going to have to act fast.Β …
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Whoβs going to the sold out Liberty Fabrics Showcase in Brisbane or Melbourne? πββοΈ
To say weβre excited is an understatement! Maybe weβre biased because our lovely Laura (Sewing Manager) is walking in the fashion parade along with many other incredible sewists in our community, but also - thereβs SO many good things: retail stalls featuring exclusive products, rare finds and all things @LibertyFabrics, and sneak peeks at brand-new quilting and fashion collections, including the Liberty Fabrics Spring/Summer βFloral Rebellionβ collectionβ .
Also - Liberty legends Mary-Ann Dunkley (Head of Design) and Anna Buruma (ex-Head of Archive) are flying in from London especially!β
Keep an eye on our socials this weekend for BTS! πΈπΌπΊ
Brisbane 7/2/26
Melb 14/2/26
From @Laura_The_Maker:
If you know me irl then you probably know that I only do one take for my reels so enjoy this vid of me saying thousands of words about an exciting collaboration Iβm participating in for 2026!
Thanks to the teams @2GreenZebras @Regent_Street_Fabrics and @StyleArc for including me on the runway. I absolutely canβt wait!
Obviously Iβll be hoping for enough scrap fabric to make some kind of accessoriesβ¦
#libertyfabrics #libertyfabricsshowcase
π» The Paddington π» β
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This is a much-loved staple, created for Issue 50 in 2021. We love seeing the #PeppermintPaddingtonTop continually popping up in our feeds!β
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How stunning is our model Elon MelaninGoddessEfon β she told us it was one of the first times she had been asked to come to a shoot with her natural hair. π»β
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We worked with South African patternmaker Sarah Steenkamp of @FrenchNavyNow_ to create this wardrobe essential β the perfect puff-sleeve blouse. Raglan sleeves make it the ultimate beginner sew, plus the gorgeous back buttons let you add your own personal twist. β
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Pattern via the link in bio! πͺ‘β
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Photos: @KelleySheenanβ
Fabric: @Spoonflowerβ
Model: MelaninGoddessEfon
βIn the 1940βs, Norwegians made and wore red pointed hats with a tassel as a form of visual protest against Nazi occupation of their country. Within two years, the Nazis made these protest hats illegal and punishable by law to wear, make, or distribute. As purveyors of traditional craft, we felt it appropriate to revisit this design.ββ
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Crafters have often been at the heart of many protest movements, often serving as a powerful means of political expression. @NeedleAndSkein, a yarn store in Minnesota, are helping to mobilise the craftivists of the world with a βMelt The Iceβ knitting pattern created by @Yarn_Cult (with a crochet pattern too), as a way of peaceful protest. β
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The proceeds from the $5 pattern will go to local immigrant aid organisations β or you can donate without buying the pattern.β
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Raise those needles, folks β art and craft can change the world. π§Άβ
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Link in bio for the pattern.β
Images: @Gather_Fiber @NeedleAndSkein @a2ina2 @KyraGiggles Sandi.204 @WhatTracyMakes AllieKnitsAway Auntabwi2
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#MeltTheIce #Craftivism #Knitting #CraftForChange
TWO WEEKS TO GO! π€©β
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"The most important shift is moving from volume-led buying to value-led curation β choosing fewer, better products with strong ethics, considered production and meaningful stories. Retailers have real influence here: what you buy signals what you stand for. At Life Instyle, this means using the event to discover and invest in small-scale, planet-considerate brands that align with your values and your customerβs conscience. Consumers donβt need more things; they need better things, and retailers play a key role in selecting, contextualising, and championing why those products matter."β
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Only two more weeks until @Life_Instyle β Australia`s leading boutique retail trade show. If you own a store, don`t miss this event! Connect with designers, source exquisite β and mindful β products, and see firsthand why this is Australiaβs go-to trade show for creatives and retailers alike. And it`s free! β¨οΈβ
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Life Instyle β Sydney/Eora Countryβ
14-17 February 2026β
ICC, Darling Harbourβ
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Photos: @Samsetteβ
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#LifeInstyle #SustainableShopping #SustainableShop #RetailTradeEvent
Calling all sewists! πβ
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Have you made the Peppermint Waratah Wrap Dress yet? Call *1800 I NEED THIS NOW to get making! β
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This gorgeous green number was modelled (and made) by the fabulous Lisa of @Tricky.Pocketsβ ππΌβ
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If you need a nudge, @ePrintOnline are offering Peppermint sewists a huge π 30% off ALL A0 printing π when you purchase the Special Release Waratah Wrap Dress pattern β how generous is that?!β
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Head to the link in bio now πβ
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*Not a real number in case that wasn`t clear πβ
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#PeppermintWaratahWrapDress #PeppermintPatterns #SewingPattern #WrapDress #WrapDressPattern
8 Things to Know About January 26 - from @ClothingTheGaps:
Before you celebrate, take the time to learn the truth. January 26 is not a day of unity itβs a Day of Mourning and Survival for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
It marks the beginning of invasion, dispossession, and ongoing colonial violence. Itβs time for truth-telling, not whitewashed history.
Stand in solidarity. Learn. Reflect. Act.
βπ½ Blog written by Yorta Yorta woman Taneshia Atkinson.
π Link in bio of @ClothingTheGaps to read the full blog
#ChangeTheDate #InvasionDay #SurvivalDay #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe #ClothingTheGaps
