Dry shampoo has become a staple for many women in their day-to-day personal care routine. Whether you don’t like to wash your hair every day or you simply need a quick solution to less than clean hair, dry shampoo is convenient. It keeps your hair looking fresh, bouncy, and clean. Dry shampoo soaks up any excess oil on your roots near the scalp to get rid of that unsightly greasy look you develop towards the second day after washing your hair.
But is dry shampoo safe for your hair and body? Does dry shampoo affect our planet? Are there better solutions to store-bought dry shampoos? In this post, we will explore the answers to all of these questions and more.
The Hidden Dangers of Dry Shampoo
While there are many dry shampoos to choose from, most of those dry shampoos are filled with a lot of unnecessary and toxic ingredients. One of the biggest concerns is synthetic fragrances. Fragrances can contain hundreds of unnamed chemicals because companies do not have to disclose what ingredients go into their fragrance.
The use of synthetic fragrance is an even bigger issue with dry shampoo because most conventional brands use aerosol sprays to distribute the dry shampoo onto the hair. The spray makes the dry shampoo into itty bitty particles that are very easy to breathe in through the mouth and the nose. These tiny particles go straight into your body and bloodstream, which can have serious consequences.
Recent studies have also pointed to the fact that dry shampoo and other aerosol products are harming the environment and our planet. Each and every time you spray the product it contributes to air pollution and the destruction of our precious ozone layer.
Dry shampoo often contains talc as well. Talc is an ingredient that absorbs excess oil, but it has also been proven to contribute to the development of cancer. Talc is essentially a form of baby powder. Under no circumstances should anyone use talc, but especially women, as it can cause ovarian cancer and uterine cancer. Inhaling talc can also cause lung cancer, which is the main concern with breathing it in when spraying dry shampoo all over your hair and head.
Are There Better Dry Shampoo Options?
Since conventional shampoo is so dangerous for the planet and our bodies, we should avoid using the product at all costs. While there are several natural options you can buy in the store, they are often pricy and not within everyone’s budget.
But the good news is there are plenty of common household items you can use in place of store bought dry shampoo that works just as well, are completely safe, and will not force you to spend tons of money on a single product you probably don’t use every day anyway. Some of the best household items you can use as a form of dry shampoo are:
- Flour
- Cornstarch
- Ground Oats
- Arrowroot powder
- Cocoa powder
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon
These ingredients can be used alone, or they can be combined in different ways to make a DIY dry shampoo that works incredibly well. Just because something is simple and natural doesn’t mean it will lack quality or ability to work well!
The Best DIY Dry Shampoo Recipe
Now it is time to get to the part you have all been waiting for – the best DIY dry shampoo that is simple to make uses common and affordable ingredients, and actually works!
Although the recipe is essentially the same, we have two different dry shampoo formulas. One is for light hair and the other is for dark hair. Those who have dark hair often find it hard to use regular dry shampoo because the light, often white color of the dry shampoo leaves a light-colored film on the hair. Therefore, a darker colored dry shampoo is necessary to keep that beautiful dark hair from having a weird white film.
Ingredients:
- Organic cornstarch
- Baking soda
- Organic cocoa powder (if you have dark hair)
- Essential oils (optional if you want a scented product)
- Empty spice jar container with holes
If you are looking for a scented DIY dry shampoo, you will want to use natural fragrances from pure and organic essential oils. You can use any essential oils you want, but some of the most popular include lavender, rose, lemon, and ylang-ylang.
If you do not have an empty spice jar with a lid that has those little holes, you can either buy a similar container online or use a regular small jar at home with a lid and create small holes in the lid for the DIY dry shampoo to come out of.
Instructions:
- Place 1/3 cup of organic cornstarch into a medium-sized bowl
- Mix in 1 tablespoon of baking soda into the cornstarch
- If you are making dry shampoo for dark colored hair, add in your cocoa power now. Depending on how dark your hair is, you may need to add more or less. If you have lighter brown hair start with one tablespoon of cocoa powder. If you have very dark hair, start with two tablespoons and work your way up from there until you reach your desired color.
- If you decide to use essential oils, add one to two drops of the essential oil of your choice and whisk all the ingredients together well.
- Once well combined, spoon the mixture into your jar. Pop on the lid and you are good to go!
To use this easy DIY dry shampoo, simply shake out the dry shampoo directly onto your hair roots or into your palm. Tousle the dry shampoo all throughout your hair, focusing more on the roots of your hair and on your scalp.
There is no need to rinse out the product or do anything else. If you want, and it is recommended, you can run a brush through your hair to distribute the dry shampoo through your hair more evenly. If there are any clumps it will work those out as well.
Running a brush through your hair will also help to distribute any leftover oil the dry shampoo did not absorb through your hair. This is helpful because it will make your roots look less greasy and fresher, but it will also help those natural oils distribute to the ends of your hair as well.
Why These Ingredients Work
Cornstarch
Cornstarch is a great ingredient in dry shampoo because it absorbs liquids effectively and efficiently. The consistency is fine, so it distributes through your hair easily as well. Flour and ground oats work in the same way, but they tend to have a bigger grain and consistency, which makes it harder to work through your hair and can leave your hair looking and feeling too gritty.
It is important to use organic cornstarch when making this DIY dry shampoo. Regular cornstarch is likely made from GMO Roundup corn, which must be avoided if you do not want to expose yourself to GMOs and chemical pesticides.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is another awesome ingredient due to its similar ability to absorb liquids and odors. It also neutralizes any off pH levels in your scalp. When your hair begins to smell like oil from nothing washing your hair the next day or two, baking soda will ensure that odor is neutralized.
Baking soda will also leave your hair looking and feeling light and bouncy, which everyone wants a little more of in their life.
Cocoa Powder
Cocoa powder is a necessary ingredient in dry shampoo if you have dark hair. It adds deep brown color to the otherwise very white cornstarch and baking soda. Cocoa powder can also absorb some of the oil in the hair and scalp as well. Not to mention, that sweet chocolate cocoa smell is not half bad!
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, making your own natural and organic dry shampoo at home is the way to go. It is cost effective, super simple to put together, and much safer than any other product you could buy in the store or online.
It is also great because you can customize your dry shampoo to your needs and your liking. You can make whatever fragrance you want, and you can customize the color of your dry shampoo as well. It is a win-win situation.
If you are still skeptical of dry shampoo, either DIY or store-bought, you can stick to regular shampoo for the time being. Check out these safe and healthy organic and natural shampoos and conditioners!
This article was last updated on May 6, 2022 .