Homemade Dry Shampoo: The Best Natural Recipe

Homemade dry shampoo combines simple ingredients to help decrease oily hair and extend the time between hair washing. Follow these simple tips to make and use DIY dry shampoo to get up to a week without washing your hair!

Ingredients you will need: cornstarch or arrowroot powder, baking soda, and bentonite clay. Optional ingredients include cocoa powder and essential oils.

For awhile, I had been using my homemade powder foundation for my face and as a dry shampoo (you know I love when a product can do double duty!). But as many of these recipes start, I decided I needed something stronger, so I headed to the store to find the best natural option. I found a brand with great ingredients (the same ones used in this recipe), but the little container was almost $10.

I’m far too cheap for that. Why would I pay so much for a tiny container of something when I already have all the ingredients to make a fantastic homemade dry shampoo in my pantry? So I headed home and whipped up this recipe for homemade dry shampoo, and it works SO well. I just love it.

Simplifying Life With Dry Shampoo

This homemade shampoo has become a staple in my house. Well, it’s just for me… after having my second child, I needed to find ways to save time, and dry shampoo does exactly that. And let’s be honest, I want to look put together without a lot of effort. This allows me to go up to a week without washing my hair. Ok, that may sound gross, but hear me out.

In high school, my hair was super curly, and I could easily go two weeks without washing my hair. I’d just rinse with water, apply conditioner, and style it again. But after I stopped highlighting my hair, my curls began to loosen, and now my hair is wavy, frizzy, and has lots of wispies (thank you, postpartum hair loss). 

I love my children, but I also loved when I didn’t have weird pieces of hair that flip up and look like horns. They are totally worth it, though. And one day that postpartum hair loss will grow back in, and my kids will be grown, and I’ll long for them to be little again, hair loss and tantrums and all. It’s the very tragic cycle of parenthood. 

I already feel this way, as my baby started taking steps at 9 months old. Now that he is 10 months, he is basically running. He hasn’t really started talking yet, but I think I’ll be even more emotional when that happens. It truly isn’t fair that they grow up so fast.

Ok, back to homemade dry shampoo so I don’t start crying over my rapidly aging children. Whether you’re running late or you just want to spend less time washing and styling your hair, dry shampoo is the best friend you’ll ever have. And this recipe for DIY dry shampoo is awesome. 

This post contains affiliate links. A Blossoming Life is a participant in Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provides means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliate sites. We only link to products we use and love or would use.

Homemade Dry Shampoo Ingredients

Organic cornstarch or arrowroot powder: this is used to help absorb extra oil in your hair.

Baking Soda: helps with odor control.

Bentonite clay: helps absorb extra oil. You can find this online, at local health food stores, and I’ve even found it in the bulk section of our local co op.

*Cocoa Powder: This is totally optional. If you have dark hair, adding cocoa powder to the dry shampoo will make it darker, which will help it blend into your hair a bit better. 

How To Use Dry Shampoo

• Apply to dry hair with an old makeup brush so it disperses lightly and evenly throughout.
• After applying the dry shampoo, allow it to sit for a few minutes, then comb through your hair.
• Tease hair and brush out any tease lumps.
• Style hair with heat tools.
• Reapply as needed between shampoos.

Tips For Using Dry Shampoo

These are the most helpful tips I’ve found with using homemade dry shampoo. Doing these things allows me to go 4-7 days between hair washing.

• Apply dry shampoo to clean, dry hair. Yes, before it starts looking dirty. This allows the dry shampoo to already start to work before your hair starts to get greasy. Apply daily or every other day as needed.
• Tease your hair near the root. The texture gives volume and helps it look less greasy.
• Style your hair with heat. This will help prolong your hair between washes.
• When taking a shower, cover your hair with a shower cap or some type of covering. The steam always makes my hair flat and frizzy, but this seems to cut down on it.

DIY Dry Shampoo Recipe

Do you use and love dry shampoo? Has it made your life any easier?

Need more natural hair recipes? Check these out!

• This is my favorite DIY Natural Hair Gel
• Pair it with my anti-frizz serum
• Natural Hairspray is quick and easy.