When I first got my bangs cut several years ago, I immediately went to the drug store to buy some dry shampoo . I asked the sales associate at the beauty counter for her recommendation on the best brand. She gave me a couple of choices and 15 bucks later, I went home with a dry shampoo spray in hand. I’m actually embarrassed to admit I bought this stuff.
You might be wondering, what is dry shampoo? It’s a powder you put in your hair to soak up the oil and prolong hair-washing or to give your hair a quick refresh. Sounds kinda gross, but if you’re like me and don’t want to wash your hair every day, it’s a major time-saver.
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The first time I tried the drug store dry shampoo I found the smell very strong. And you probably already know that I’m very anti-fragrance because anytime you see “fragrance” listed on the label means it can be full of hundreds of undisclosed chemicals.
For some unknown reason, when I was at the drug store, I didn’t even look at the ingredients list. So while I was standing in my bathroom after spraying this stuff in my bangs, I looked at the ingredients and was absolutely horrified!!! Propane? Isobutane? Parabens? Fragrance? WTF!? And if you’re wondering why I was so alarmed by those ingredients, you can read more about them over here.
I knew better. I guess the excitement of getting my new ‘do distracted me from using my lady smarts and reading the ingredients list. I was in a bang fog!
There was no way I was going to be spraying isobutane among other toxic chemicals in my bangs every morning to get rid of the grease.
Since I kept the receipt, I returned it with no issues and got my 15 bucks back (thankfully!).
The problem with these ingredients:
Isobutane
It is rated a 7 on the Environmental Working Group‘s website. It is linked with organ toxicity and listed by the Environment Canada Domestic Substance List as “expected to be toxic or harmful.”
Propylparabens
This class of chemicals are known endocrine disrupters, human immune toxicants and animal studies show reproductive and developmental toxicity. They are rated a 7 on EWG.
Fragrance
Any time you see this listed, it can mean literally hundreds of chemical toxins. The problem is that we just don’t know what chemicals are hiding in the fragrance because Health Canada does not require manufacturers to disclose this information. Fragrance is associated with allergies, immunotoxicity, irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) and organ system toxicity. It is listed as an 8 on EWG.
Alcohol Denat
This chemical is linked with developmental and reproductive toxicity, organ system toxicity and cancer, even though it’s rated a 4 on EWG.
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These are only a few of the problematic ingredients in conventional dry shampoos . As I’ve talked about on my blog before, manufacturers of these products can basically put anything in their products they want. The government does not have a watchdog keeping these companies from putting toxic and harmful ingredients in products you could be using every single day.
It is up to you, the consumer, to decide what toxins you want to expose yourself to. And let’s not forget about our environment. These chemicals get into our rivers, lakes, oceans and soil that our food is grown in.
Now you know what you need to avoid – most conventional products – which you can do by making your own natural alternatives!
The ingredients you need are probably in your kitchen pantry right now. You can watch the video and find the full recipe is below. As you will notice in my video and recipe, I don’t have a solution for redheads. But maybe ginger powder would work. Any suggestions for redheads, please post below!
This recipe is adapted from a the lovely Kathrin, the founder of For Love of Body.
And if you aren’t interested in making your own, you can order our Natural Dry Shampoo (for Light Hair and Dark Hair) in the Joyous Shop! 🙂
DIY
Dry Shampoo
PrintIngredients
- 1 part arrowroot powder
- 1 part raw cacao or cocoa powder (for brunettes)
- 10 drops of high quality essential oil (your choice)
- Combine arrowroot powder and cacao in a bowl and mix with a wire whisk. Add essential oils and mix. I suggest you drop the oil in all throughout the powder to evenly distribute the lovely scent.
- If you have blonde hair simply omit the cacao powder.
- Using a funnel, pour the mixture into a clean spice bottle. I just washed out my old Simply Organic glass bottles and used them.
No notes available.
Be sure to watch the video because I give you tips on how to use it! This dry shampoo will come in handy if you don’t wash your hair every day. And I don’t recommend you wash every day. Washing daily dries out your scalp which makes your hair dull and dry.
Have a joyous day!
64 thoughts on “How to Make Natural Dry Shampoo”
Hey Joy! I love the video and and cannot wait to try this! I too have bangs, so I understand what they look like when they are a greaseball
You can also use a blush brush to work the dry shampoo into your hair. It can be somewhat awkward I find for bangs but it works well every where else! :]
I will try this less the cocoa powder. I will let you know how it works for.
Do you have a preferred branch of essential oils that you use?
I make dry shampoo too! I add cinnamon and cacao for my reddish hair 🙂
I’m not sure why that’s all my comment showed, because I also had a question. I find that when I don’t wash my hair every other day it becomes not just greasy but very itchy. I just wondered if there was any suggestions for that and if that means I should wash my hair more often?
Maybe turmeric for blonds, ginger hair?
Cinnamon for redheads!
Ooooh great suggestion, Steph!
Heather- Joyous Health team
Hey Gabriela! Great suggestion, although turmeric does stain so I’d be careful with adding too much as it could leave colour on your hair! :O
Heather- Joyous Health Team
Hey Karen! Hmmm perhaps try switching up the brand of your shampoo and make the switch to a natural one (if you’re not using one already).If it’s greasy and itchy, perhaps it’s more of a sebum/dandruff/ph imbalance issue. Perhaps a tea tree based could help if it’s fungal based itchiness or try a apple cider vinegar rinse to balance PH. I hope that helps 🙂 Good luck!
Heather- Joyous Health Team
Nice! Thanks for sharing, Emily! Great suggestion 🙂
Heather- Joyous Health Team
Awesome, Scott! I can’t wait to hear how it works for you 🙂
Heather- Joyous Health Team
Great tip, Becky! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Heather- Joyous Health Team
Hey Joanna! Living Libations makes some great products. When buying essential oils, be sure to ask these 4 questions: http://www.joyoushealth.com/blog/2015/04/28/four-questions-ask-buying-essential-oils/
Heather- Joyous Health Team
Why do you prefer arrowroot powder over cornstarch, may I ask?
Hahaha! Yup, it’s not the best look :/ Let us know how it works for you!
Heather- Joyous Health Team
Hey Kim! Mostly out of convenience because we generally don’t have cornstarch on hand, as corn is typically a GMO crop 🙂 We use arrowroot starch in it’s place in our kitchen creations!
Heather- Joyous Health Team
What is the link to the shampoo/hair detox?
A dash of paprika could work for red hair!
Great tip, Melissa!
Heather- Joyous Health Team
I went looking and I think it’s this one? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-tJwB299XI
I have been using green beaver for about 2 months now. I know they have a tea tree oil one so I will try that and the apple cider vinegar rise! Thanks so much Heather!
You are so welcome, Karen! All the best 🙂
Heather- Joyous Health Team
Hi joy! Thanks for the dry shampoo video – I’m keen to try it!! Just wondering, do you have to add essential oils? Thanks.
Hey Laura! Absolutely not. You can leave them out and it will still work wonders. They are just added for scent 🙂
Heather- Joyous Health team
Turmeric should work for redheads too I think! Thanks Joy for your suggestion and recipe. I will be making my own soon. Do you mind if I share this on my blog?
Baking soda with cocoa powder / cinnamon works well too.
Thanks for sharing, Vee!
Heather- Joyous Health Team
Thanks for the video Joy! I have strawberry blonde hair now. Used to be red, like a brand new penny when I was younger. Just wondering though, as you brush the shampoo off anyway, why do you have to use anything other than the arrowroot and essential oil, regardless of what hair color you have?
warmly,
Marjolaine
Hey Marjolaine! Some of the powder can get left behind and leave colour on the hair (more of a problem for dark-haired people using a white powder as it can leave a grey residue!). Have a great day!
Heather- Joyous Health Team
I was wondering is arrowroot flour the same as arrowroot powder? The store I went to only had arrowroot flour
I love this video and your hair looks healthy.
I absolutely love this! It totally works!! I use sweet orange with mine.
Thanks again for coming to Vancouver Joy! Was lovely meeting you and Walker 🙂
I am a redhead, and heard tumeric is good for us gingers.. I hope to try soon, just don’t know the ratios to use.
Great idea
Hey Susan!
Turmeric is awesome for all, despite their hair colour 🙂 I would recommend starting with 1 tsp in your smoothie or incorporating it into like things stir fry or stews.
You might also be interested in trying Joy’s Super Easy Turmeric Ginger Tea: https://www.joyoushealth.com/26656-blog-super-easy-turmeric-ginger-tea
Rachel – Joyous Health Team
Hi where did you buy the raw coacao powder?
Hey Sherry, Your local health food store will have this. Joy usually picks up the Navita’s Naturals Cacao Powder 🙂 Rachel – Joyous Health Team
Is arrowroot powder the same as arrowroot flour?
Do you use the Bob’s Red Mill brand?
Thankyou!
Yes it is. And yes sometimes I buy BRM 🙂 It’s a really great brand!
Awesome insight you have on the way we need to be checking labels…thanks for the info….
Absolutely! 🙂 Happy to hear you found it helpful! Rachel – Joyous Health Team
I am blonde and usually use baby powder….is this bad?
It’s not “bad” but there is a better option with no fragrance. You could just as easily use arrowroot powder and skip the raw cacao. Add your fave essential oil and you’ve got the best sub instead of baby powder. Hope that helps!
Just read this after clicking on the link from your natural hair challenge! I will definitely try 🙂
Quick question, would you have any recommendations for a hair brush for someone with thin (brittle) hair? I dont have a lot of hair and my scalp is sensitive (can’t brush too hard) so I have a hard time finding the “right” brush. Any suggestions?
What about a tiny bit of beet powder? for red heads
Also, Joy, what do you do if after a shower your hair completley frizzes up?
This was interesting I never heard of dry shampoo. I never wash my hair everyday but in the past two years so my hair really went from bad to worse it’s dry it’s breaking its falling but I am trying to cope with any more tips
Love this thanks!!!
Happy to hear! Let us know if you get a chance to try it 🙂 Rachel – Joyous Health Team
Any special brand of arrowroot powder you recommend?
Hi Kristen, not really. I’ve bought Bob’s Red Mill in the past and like it.
Try a boar bristle brush for delicate hair
Hi Joy
I purchased Arrowroot Flour from Bulk Barn, and it has arrowroot as the first ingredient and Sulfur Dioxide listed as the other?! I’d like to know your thoughts and opinion if I should use or find else where/order. Thanks!
That is a preservative aka sulfite. See if you can return it? Bob’s Red Mill sells arrowroot and it’s 100% arrowroot: https://amzn.to/2Wg4p4r Your health food store should have it 🙂
Hello Joy,
Do you think that I can at least rinse my hair with warm water every day as I take a shower, which means I only use shampoo every few days but will blow dry every day because I wet my hair by rinsing it? I don’t think I can stand my hair without washing even a day… as it gets oily and smelly, I sweat on my scalp during the day as well as while taking a bath.
Hi Hana,
For sure but if your hair is really oily water only won’t remove any of the oils. Unless of course you’re using this dry shampoo. Was that your intention?
Hi Joy,
Thank you so much for your quick reply.
Sorry, I accidentaly left the comment in this dry shampoo page, but I was originally looking at your haircare routines for healthy hair page.
What I wanted to ask you is that you think using shampoo every day is bad for your hair? If so, what if I don’t use shampoo but rinse my hair with warm water every day while I take a shower so that I can at least feel clean by rinsing out the dirt or sweat, and use shampoo every 2 or 3 days or something… Do you think it would still be better? My hair itself is actually very dry and frizzy, but scalp gets oily if I don’t wash my hair every day.
Hi Hana, I’m not sure if you’ve seen that I have a free Natural Haircare Challenge that starts every Sunday. You can join here and you’ll learn everything from the best foods to nourish your hair to how to do a hair detox. https://hi.joyoushealth.com/natural-hair-care-challenge/ It’s totally free!
Hi Joy, thank you so much for your reply. I’ve just put my name on the waitlist through the link. I can’t wait to start the challenge! Thank you! Hana
Awesome! Glad you joined Hana!
I just made this and my mixture is kind of clumpy. I’m able to sprinkle a little out of the top but then the holes clog up. I even put it back in the bowl and whisked it some more. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Emma
Hmmm, I’m not sure what to suggest because that hasn’t happened to me before. However, check out my new dry shampoo in the joyous shop! There is one for light hair: https://www.joyoushealth.com/24181-product-dry-shampoo-light-hair
or dark hair: https://www.joyoushealth.com/24182-product-dry-shampoo-dark-hair