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How to Make Dry Shampoo

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True confession: I do not wash my hair everyday. Another true confession: I do not wash my hair every other day. And I don’t feel weird about it either. Now I do get some funky looks when I tell people that I go up to a week without washing my hair. (Not like I go around telling people, but…) After years of spending way to much money on store-bought dry shampoo, I now make my own at a fraction of the price – and using natural ingredients. Read on to learn how you, too, can make dry shampoo!

 

How to Make Dry Shampoo

I know what you’re thinking. A WEEK?! Yes, I really do go about a week on average between hair washings. My hair is halfway down my back and washing every day not only makes my naturally wavy hair super dry and coarse, but the thought of blow drying my hair every. single. day. makes my eye twitch.

Sometimes I’ll go four or five days, sometimes six. The thing is that when you wash your hair everyday you are stripping away the oils that your scalp has produced since the last time you washed, forcing your scalp to produce more oils to compensate. When you wash your hair less frequently, you are training your scalp to produce less oils. The longer your hair goes between washings, the less oil your body produces (and the less greasy it looks). WIN-WIN-WIN!

If you are blonde, you’ll find this recipe even easier. If you are a brunette like myself, you may want to add the optional ingredients so you’re not a walking powder puff. Try it without the optional ingredients first, and add into the recipe as needed.

Arrowroot dry shampoo

Dry Shampoo Recipe

1/4 cup Arrowroot (any brand)
1/4 cup Baking Soda
Cocoa powder or Cinnamon (optional, for brunettes)
Essential oils (optional)

How to Make Dry Shampoo

Using a container with a lid (such as an old chili powder shaker/seasoned salt shaker) add in your arrowroot and baking soda. Replace the lid and give the canister a good shake to mix. If you are a brunette, add in about a teaspoon of cocoa powder and mix again. If this isn’t dark enough, add a bit more (just be careful not to go crazy with it) until you get a nice warm brown shade. You might use the dry shampoo a time or two before adding more and more cocoa.

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If desired, add in a few drops of essential oil. Use tea tree oil for flakes or to repel lice, lemon for an invigorating scent, or lavender for its calming effects and other qualities. And you just made homemade dry shampoo, my friend. Wasn’t that easy?!

Homemade Dry Shampoo

How to use homemade dry shampoo

On day two of your hair care routine, shake a bit of the powder mixture into the lid of your container. Working from ear to ear, apply dry shampoo in sections with a large makeup or powder brush directly to your scalp (this will soak up the oil your hair naturally produces).

How to Use Homemade dry shampoo

Apply your dry shampoo in the morning, or during your nightly ritual before heading to bed. When you wake in the morning give your hair a good brushing and you won’t be able to detect your dry shampoo – or the remnants of your greasy hair – at all! I love how easy my hair is to style when I haven’t washed it in a few days, and I love how much money I save by making my own dry shampoo, and I really love that I’m not spraying this list of chemicals on my hair (ingredients of arguably the most popular dry shampoo brand; Batiste)

Butane, Isobutane, Oryza Sativa, (Rice) Starch, Propane, Alcohol Denat, Parfum (Fragrance), Coumarin, Eugenol, Limonene, Butylphenyl, Methylpropional, Linalool, Distearyldimonuim Chloride. 😮

make dry shampoo

If you’d like to make your container exactly like mine, here is the text image that I converted to svg for my vinyl cutting machine. Size the file down if needed, and this is the container I used. Works perfectly! Will you try your own homemade dry shampoo? I’d love to hear your results!

More things to make at home:

How to Make Your Own Homemade Swiffer Cleaning Solution
EASY Homemade Bisquick Recipe
How to Make Homemade Taco Seasoning
5 Minute Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing/Dip
Homemade Butter (and Buttermilk!) Using a Kitchen Mixer
Easy Homemade Pumpkin Dog Biscuits
Homemade “Cream of” Soups (Chicken, Celery, Mushroom)
How to Make Homemade Baby Wipes
Homemade Glass Cleaner Recipes – Regular and Super Strength for Spring Cleaning

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7 Comments

  1. I wash my hair once a week too as I have similar problems to you with my hair drying out and becoming course if I wash it more frequently. I thought about buying dry shampoo a few years ago but after reading the ingredients on the can, I decided not to buy any. Thank you for sharing your homemade dry shampoo, I will definitely be making some for myself. Mother nature always provides the best ingredients. .
  2. I no longer wash my hair frequently as I am in my 60’s and it’s terrible for my hair and scalp. I use straight baby powder (cornstarch, not talcum), sprinkled onto a boar’s hair brush and brushed through the oily or flat parts. Fluffs up the hair, and doesn’t show because my hair is white anyway. I find this also helps get my hair clean with outlying one lather when I do wash it.
    1. Do you a Bulk Barn? I just bought some there (in bulk so buy as much or little as you want) super cheap. .95 cents per 100g CAD.
  3. Hey! I don't wash my hair either -at least 1x per wk.,,, I guess it must be the French in me LOL, plus,,,, I took Barber / Cosmetologist course at Old Town Barber and beauty- in Wichita.& know its ok not to wash my hair everyday:) - I have tried Baby powder with cornstarch- just a little sprinkle into your palm, rub to evenly and apply to roots all over, repeat the powder sprinkles if necessary-, I have also used plain old cornstarch. And same sprinkle used and repeat process like baby powder with cornstarch.. I may have to try with a make up brush and your recipe- didn't know about the essential oils
    1. Hi Lee! You'll use the makeup brush to dab just a bit onto the scalp in sections, it will help soak up the oil. Go lightly at first and then get more generous as needed, then brush it out. Hope that helps!