How to Make DIY Dry Shampoo

Are you tired of washing your hair every day? Are you over conventional dry shampoo? This natural DIY Dry Shampoo is easy, inexpensive to make and works just as good, if not better than anything you can buy from the store! And better yet, it contains ingredients that are actually beneficial to your hair!

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WHAT IS DRY SHAMPOO?

Dry shampoo is a product that is placed on the hair/scalp that soaks up some of the natural oil our scalp produces, called sebum, to reduce the look of greasiness of the hair. It requires no water, so it allows a person to go longer in between hair washings, which can save time and is actually good for the hair.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH CONVENTIONAL DRY SHAMPOO?

I used to love conventional dry shampoo and used it often, but after realizing the toxic chemicals that it contained, I stopped using it and haven’t since. Instead, over the last five years or so, I’ve made my own dry shampoo and it works just as good, if not better than conventional dry shampoo!

If you look up any of the popular brands of dry shampoo, expensive and affordable, that are on the market, you will see that the first few ingredients are typically butane, isobutane and propane, yeah like cigarette lighter fluid and gas you use to heat your house! These harmful ingredients are added as a chemical propellant, which allows the dry shampoo to spray out of the can. So let’s break down what each of these ingredients are.

INGREDIENTS IN CONVENTIONAL DRY SHAMPOO

• BUTANE: Butane is a gas that is highly flammable and is deemed as a health hazard as it can cause cancer and birth defects with exposure (source). It is often used as a fuel source and is in many cosmetics like hairsprays and dry shampoo (source).
• ISOBUTANE: Isobutane is an isomer of butane, which means it is a different compound, but has the same molecular formula (source). Isobutane is also a propellant that is commonly used in hairsprays and dry shampoo. It is also used as a refrigerant (source). It can harm you when inhaled and can harm your skin if you come into contact with the vapor (source).
• PROPANE: Propane is extracted from either natural gas or crude oil and is mostly commonly used as fuel for heating homes and powering things like grills (source). Propane has a low toxicity, but can cause issues like cardiac arrest and pneumonia if inhaled heavily (source).

Although conventional dry shampoo and other aerosols may not have enough of these toxic ingredients to impact you today or tomorrow, constant, repetitive exposure may impact you in the future. Although conventional dry shampoo is convenient, making your own dry shampoo is actually just as convenient and MUCH cheaper. It also contains natural ingredients that can actually benefit your hair and skin!

DIY DRY SHAMPOO INGREDIENTS

• ARROWROOT POWDER OR CORN STARCH: Arrowroot powder and corn starch are traditionally used as thickening agents in cooking, but they are both great for absorbing the sebum (oil your scalp produces), which reduces the look of greasiness on the hair.
• BENTONITE CLAY: Bentonite clay is a naturally occurring clay that emerges from volcanic ash. It is known to remove toxins from the body, detoxify the skin and is great at absorbing oils (source).
• COCOA POWDER: Cocoa powder in this dry shampoo adds color to make it less noticeable on darker hair and adds a delicious scent!
• CINNAMON & GROUND GINGER: Cinnamon and ground ginger are a great combination for red heads and they add a beautiful scent as well!
• ROSEMARY ESSENTIAL OIL: Rosemary essential oil has anti-inflammatory properties, helps with circulation and has shown in studies to promote hair growth (source).
• LAVENDER ESSENTIAL OIL: Lavender essential oil can help with skin irritations and helps to promote hair growth (source).

HOW TO MAKE DIY DRY SHAMPOO

TOOLS YOU MAY NEED

• Glass mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon
• 4-8 oz glass container with lid (like a mason jar)
• Compact makeup brush (like a kabuki brush)

BASE INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup corn starch or arrowroot powder
• 1 tablespoon bentonite clay
• 3 drops rosemary essential oil
• 3 drops lavender essential oil

DIRECTIONS TO MAKE DIY DRY SHAMPOO

In a glass container, combine arrowroot powder, bentonite clay, add ins (see below) and essential oils.

Mix the ingredients together thoroughly and place into a glass container like a small mason jar.

DIY DRY SHAMPOO RECIPES

DIY DRY SHAMPOO FOR BLONDE/GREY HAIR (BASE RECIPE)

In a glass container combine:

• 1/4 cup corn starch (or arrowroot powder)
• 1 tablespoon bentonite clay
• 3 drops rosemary essential oil (optional)
• 3 drops lavender essential oil (optional)

DIY DRY SHAMPOO FOR BRUNETTE HAIR

In a glass container combine:

• 1/4 cup corn starch (or arrowroot powder)
• 1 tablespoon bentonite clay
• 1-2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 3 drops rosemary essential oil (optional)
• 3 drops lavender essential oil (optional)

DIY DRY SHAMPOO FOR RED HAIR

In a glass container combine:

• 1/4 cup corn starch (or arrowroot powder)
• 1 tablespoon bentonite clay
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
• 3 drops rosemary essential oil (optional)
• 3 drops lavender essential oil (optional)

HOW TO APPLY DIY DRY SHAMPOO

• Using a fine tooth comb, section your hair starting just behind one ear.
• Dip your brush into the dry shampoo and tap the excess back into the jar. A little goes a long way!
• Stipple or pat the brush all along the part you created.
• Move over one to two inches going away from your ear and section your hair again. Apply the dry shampoo to that part.
• Continue this process until you have reached your opposite ear or you have applied the dry shampoo to all the areas that need it.
• Optional: Wait a few minutes to allow the dry shampoo to soak up any grease
• Once you’re done, use your fingertips to gently massage the dry shampoo into your scalp
• Style as you normally would!

NOTES

• Although I have recipes for all or most hair colors, note that the dry shampoo will most likely be lighter than your natural color. Don’t worry! If you use the method with a makeup brush and don’t use too much, you should be able to blend it in nicely with your hair.
• Remember, a little goes a long way!
• Feel free to use any other essential oils you enjoy in this recipe.

Continue to Content

How to Make DIY Dry Shampoo

Active Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Natural DIY Dry Shampoo is easy, inexpensive to make and works just as good, if not better than anything you can buy from the store!

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Materials

• 1/4 cup corn starch or arrowroot powder
• 1 tablespoon bentonite clay
• 3 drops rosemary essential oil
• 3 drops lavender essential oil
• Optional add-ins for color (see recipes in post)

Tools

• Glass mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon
• 4-8 oz glass container with lid (like a mason jar)
• Compact makeup brush (like a kabuki brush)

Instructions

1. In a glass container, combine arrowroot powder, bentonite clay, add ins (based on hair color) and essential oils.
2. Mix the ingredients together thoroughly and place into a glass container like a small mason jar.

Notes

Although I have recipes for all or most hair colors, note that the dry shampoo will most likely be lighter than your natural color. Don't worry! If you use the method with a makeup brush and don't use too much, you should be able to blend it in nicely with your hair.

Remember, a little goes a long way!

Feel free to use any other essential oils you enjoy in this recipe.

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

CHECK OUT MORE OF MY NATURAL DIY’S

Looking for more natural DIY recipes like this DIY dry shampoo? Check these out:

• DIY Charcoal Face Mask
• DIY Eucalyptus Shower Steamers
• Homemade Whipped Body Butter
• Orange Spiced Sugar Scrub

Did you make this DIY dry shampoo? If you did, I’d really appreciate if you came back and gave them a five star rating! Tag me on Instagram (@thesimplehomeplace) to show me your own recreation!