Simple DIY homemade dry shampoo made with just two ingredients. This recipe works well for both light and dark hair types.
If I can go 2-3 days before needing to wash my hair, I call that a victory.
Lately that number has extended to the 4-7 day mark… It’s shocking, I know.
So dry shampoo has become my dear, dear friend.
If you’ve ever looked at the labels on most commercial dry shampoos, you’ll find ingredients like isobutane, butane, talc, LPG’s (liquid petroleum gas), parabens, propane and fragrances… no thank you.
Dry shampoos work wonders if you’re switching to “no-poo” or a homemade natural shampoo, which, during the transition phase, can often leave hair oily for the first couple of weeks or so while the scalp adjusts.
My hair is just naturally oily, even when I don’t strip the oils, so I personally love dry shampoo.
Dry shampoos work by covering hair in an oil-absorbing substance (like arrowroot or cornstarch) to absorb the excess oils and leave hair looking clean.
Before we get started in learning how to make these natural, healthy variations of dry shampoo – if you like what you’re seeing, subscribe to my email newsletter at the bottom of the page to keep up to date on the latest recipes, DIYs, gardening and health tips I share!!
Dry Shampoo Recipes for Any Hair Colour
The following dry shampoo recipes are customised to suit any hair colour.
Use an old make-up brush to apply the shampoo then brush through using a comb to evenly coat hair and disperse the powder so no visible sign of shampoo remains.
Grey, Light and Medium Blondes
- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
- 1-2 tsp cocoa or cacao powder (you can omit this if you have very light or white hair)
- 5 drops of essential oil of choice
Medium to Dark Brown
- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
- 1/2 cup cocoa or cacao powder
- 5 drops of essential oil of choice
Redheads or Red-Toned Brunettes
- 1/2 cup arrowroot powder
- 1/4 cup cinnamon powder (add more or less to match your hair colour)
- 1/2 tbsp cocoa or cacao powder (for auburn hair colour, add more or less as needed)
- 5 drops of essential oil of choice
Dark Brown or Black Hair
- 1 tbsp activated charcoal powder
- 1/4 cup raw cocoa or cacao powder (add more or less to match the colour of your hair)
- 1/2 cup arrowroot powder
- 5 drops of essential oil of choice
Bright, vivid hair
- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
To make:
- Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl and mix well. Start with less cacao powder and add more until you reach your desired colour. Do the same with the other ingredients; add the colour pigments in slowly until you’ve reach the hair colouring you want.
- Store the mixture in a small glass jar or shaker bottle (such as an old spice jar).
To use:
- Dip your makeup brush into the dry shampoo container and tap on a hard surface to remove any excess powder.
- Divide your hair into sections and apply the powder by brushing into the hair. Start at the roots and work your way out. Allow the powder to sit for 1-2 minutes, letting it to soak up the oils, then brush your hair.
- You can add more powder if you see any oily spots you might have missed after brushing. After the powder has been left in your hair for 3-5 minutes, you can style your hair as usual.
As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor before trying or using any new products. I am not a doctor. All opinions expressed are my own personal thoughts and feelings of the products mentioned. Check with your doctor or health practitioner if you are uncertain about trying out any of the products, recipes or tips mentioned in this post.
Have you made dry shampoo before? How did it go? share in the comments below.
Lots of love,
🖤 Vanessa
Sources:
Wells, Katie. (January 23, 2019). DIY Dry Shampoo for Dark or Light Hair. Wellness Mama. Retrieved from https://wellnessmama.com/5047/dry-shampoo/
Johnston, Cassie. DIY Dry Shampoo for Any Hair Color. Wholefully. Retrieved from https://wholefully.com/homemade-diy-dry-shampoo/
Laura. Simple DIY Dry Shampoo for Light and Dark Hair. Our Oily House. Retrieved from https://www.ouroilyhouse.com/simple-diy-dry-shampoo/
Rubell, Ashley. (Updated: November 2, 2020). 4 DIY Dry Shampoo Recipes For Each Hair Color (That Leave Zero White Cast). Byrdie. Retrieved from https://www.byrdie.com/diy-dry-shampoo-5082961
Allen, Elise. DIY Dry Shampoo for Redheads, Blondes, and Brunettes. The Crunchy Ginger. Retrieved from https://thecrunchyginger.com/diy-dry-shampoo-for-redheads-blondes-and-brunettes/
Sharkey, Lauren. (August 23, 2019). DIY Dry Shampoo for Every Hair Color. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/diy-dry-shampoo