DIY Clean Beauty

DIY Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo is a life saver when it comes to greasy, unwashed hair. Whether you are camping or just want to go an extra day without washing your hair, dry shampoo is the thing for you.

I used to wash my hair every day. If I didn’t, it would look so greasy and oily. I remember thinking it was crazy that some people could go days without washing their hair. Little did I know that washing my hair every day actually made head produce MORE oils!

What is Dry Shampoo and How Does it Work?

Dry shampoo absorbs excess oil from your scalp, leaving it looking fresh and clean without having to actually wash it. Most dry shampoos come in spray form but it can also be found in a powder form.

Why Not Just Use Commercial Dry Shampoo?

Commercial dry shampoo is full of toxic ingredients:

• Butane (4-7): This ingredient is a toxic or a and harmful to the human body. It can lead to irritation if used around the eyes, on the skin, or when airborne.
• Isobutane (4-7): This ingredient is classified as toxic or harmful to the human body as well as show irritation when used around the eyes, on the skin, or when airborne.
• Talc (5): This ingredient has been classified as toxic or harmful to the organ system.

Ingredients

Cornstarch:

This ingredient is great and can be found right in your kitchen! While commonly used as a thickener in recipes, it also does a great job at soaking up excess oils from your scalp.

Cocoa Powder:

If you have darker hair (like me) the cocoa powder adds some color to your homemade dry shampoo. Not only does it add color, it also smells great!

Essential Oils (optional):

If you have essential oils on hand, I would recommend using melaleuca (tea tree) or lavender.

To Make

You will need:

• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• Cocoa powder as needed
• 3-5 drops of essential oils (if using)

This is a very simple recipe. Simply place the cornstarch into a small bowl. If you have darker hair, you can add 1 Tbsp of cocoa powder to start. You add more cocoa powder as needed until you have reached your desired color. If you are adding essential oils, you can mix them in at the end. Mix everything up and transfer it to a container of your choice!

How to Apply Dry Shampoo

Option 1:

You can store the dry shampoo in an air-tight container and use a larger makeup brush to apply to your roots.

Option 2:

If you have an old salt shaker lying around (or a thrift store!), you can use this as an application method. Simply put your dry shampoo into the salt shaker and screw on the top.

When using this method, you might not be able to fit all your dry shampoo into the salt shaker. This is fine, just put it in an air-tight container and store it until you need more.

Tips

• Stop oil in its tracks by putting the dry shampoo on before you go to bed!
• When applying the dry shampoo, use your fingers to rub/massage it into your scalp.
• Make sure your hair is DRY! There is a reason it is called dry shampoo.
• Do not go overboard when applying. Too much of this dry shampoo can make your hair stiff and can dry it out too much.