As devotees to the concept of the quick workout and even quicker beauty routine, we’ve been looking for a recipe telling us how to make dry shampoo for eons – one that actually works. So you can imagine our delight when we discovered this DIY by Heather Crosby at Darling Magazine that actually delivers. Bonus? This dry shampoo takes only 2 to 3 ingredients. Now that’s what we call a quick fix…
As a woman with fine hair, the second I tried dry shampoo I was swooning. Not only was the oil gone, but my hair’s texture was the stuff of dreams. Dry shampoo is a lifesaver for busy women, active women, and women who prefer the way their hair looks a day (or three) after a shampoo.
If you aren’t familiar with dry shampoo, picture yourself running late to meet your girlfriends for dinner post-yoga and sans shower. Or, throwing in that top knot before work and the sides are looking a little too slick to be safe. With dry shampoo you not only dry out the oil and add fabulous texture to your hair in minutes, but you save some water, too.
However, we don’t need to use chemicals to dry up oil and get that gorgeous volume.
Our skin is our largest organ — what it comes in contact with (pollution, chemical cleaners, beauty products, fragrance) eventually makes its way into our bloodstream and can manifest as acne, mood swings, thyroid issues, developmental and reproductive harm, autoimmune disease and even cancer. Most beauty and personal care products on the market, including our beloved dry shampoos, contain known carcinogens, endocrine disruptors and other toxins, so skip the chemical-laden dry shampoos and make your own out of a few ingredients so safe you can eat them. And they smell so good that you’ll want to.
Making your own beauty products is empowering and easier than you may think. It’s also a commitment to being accountable for your health, and it’s a way you can connect a bit more not only with yourself, but also with those you gift with homemade goodies (hint, hint).
All you need to make your own dry shampoo is a container (an empty salt shaker, a recycled seasoning jar with a shaker top, a store-bought shaker, or a glass jar with a lid) and a large makeup brush to apply. Feel free to double or triple these amounts to fill the container you’ll be storing it in.
LAVENDER-SCENTED DRY SHAMPOO
FOR LIGHT HAIR:
2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder (aka arrowroot flour or arrowroot starch)
7–8 drops of lavender essential oil
FOR DARK HAIR:
1 tablespoon of arrowroot powder
1 tablespoon of cocoa (or raw cacao) powder
7–8 drops of lavender essential oil
For extra drying and texture power (even though arrowroot is already super absorbent), you can add ½–1 tsp of white Kaolin clay to each formula. You can also use any essential oils you like to scent your shampoo. Try:
+ Rosemary + Vanilla
+ Vanilla + Mint
+ Vetiver + Rose
+ Rosemary, Cedar + Vetiver
+ Orange, Lemon + Vanilla
To apply:
There are a few ways to apply dry shampoo. Try each to see what works best for you.
Using a shaker, either put some shampoo into the palm of your hands, rub together and apply to oily parts of your hair close to the scalp, or tap shampoo directly into the parts that need some love. Pat down and use fingers to tousle and if necessary, use a brush or comb on hair until all the powder is absorbed.
I like to use a makeup brush for application because it gives me great control. Just dip brush into powder, tap the extra off and dab the oily parts of your hair close to the scalp. Tousle, brush, and pat until hair is looking clean and oil-free.
For tips on how to apply and customize your dry shampoo, read the rest of the DIY on Darling by clicking over here!
Check out the toxic shampoo ingredient that’s not on the label here!
