DIY Dry Shampoo Only 4 Pantry Ingredients

by Alli

This DIY Dry Shampoo is easy to make and perfect for dark hair. Skip buying expensive dry shampoo and make your own. If you have light hair, I’ve got you covered, too! 

(As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.) 

I rarely use dry shampoo because my hair is, well, dry. I could, but I don’t, go a week without washing my hair and you would never know it was dirty unless you smelled it. Yuck!

I have read, however, that most people wash their hair way too often! But, if you are like me, you can’t stand the thought of “dirty” hair.

Then there are those with extremely oily hair, as in they wash their hair in the morning and by that evening it’s an oil slick. These are the people that dry shampoo was invented for.

What is dry shampoo?   

Dry shampoo comes in the form of a powder or a dry spray-on product. You apply to the roots of your hair and it can be expensive.

My youngest daughter, who has oily hair, has tried every dry shampoo ever invented. Maybe I’m stretching that a little bit, but not much!

So, I decided to get my DIY on and make it myself. This DIY shampoo contains only 4 ingredients that are probably in your pantry right this second.

DIY Dry Shampoo in jar with shaker lid

The Magic of Cornstarch

Let me say right here and now that I had already taught my daughter the magic of cornstarch, so when she was out of her spray-on dry shampoo, she would borrow my cornstarch. Check out these 25 uses for cornstarch!

In case you don’t know, cornstarch soaks up excess oil and leaves behind a light film that helps your hair feel silky. It also keeps your scalp and hair moisturized while soaking up the oil. It’s a win-win!

DIY-Dry-Shampoo

So I made it.  My daughter tested it.  And here are the results:

She loved it!  It’s a hit!  Did she like it as well as she likes the pricey kind that comes in a spray bottle?  Yes, she did!  And it’s all-natural – a double plus!

You can grab a small shaker or use a jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Lightly sprinkle near the roots of your hair and blend it in with your fingers or a comb. 

Homemade Dry Shampoo in Clear Jar with Green Shaker Top

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Yield: 1 jar

DIY Dry Shampoo

DIY Dry Shampoo in jar with shaker lid

DIY Dry Shampoo is easy to make and it's a big hit with my daughter. She loves it!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Active Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Difficulty Easy
Estimated Cost $1.50

Materials

  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1 Tablespoon baking soda
  • 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 3 drops lemon essential oils

Tools

  • Measuring Spoons
  • Shaker Jar

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients together.
  2. Store in a shaker jar.

Notes

If you are making the dry shampoo for light hair, leave out the cocoa powder.

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Facebook

Bottom Line: DIY Dry Shampoo is a big hit with my daughter. 

If you have blonde hair, leave out the cocoa powder. I’m a natural blonde so that’s what I do. Wink. Wink. Well, I was a natural blonde when I was a little girl.

If you don’t have lemon essential oil, it works as well without it. 

Have you ever tried dry shampoo?  Try this one and let me know what you think!

 

 

22 comments

aimee April 2, 2014 - 8:31 am

This is so interesting.. I actually was given some dry shampoo once and did not understand its purpose… My hair is not oily so that might be why. I swear I thought it was just to make your hair smell fresh. So crazy… I am going to pin this for my oldest.. her hair has a tendency get oily. I wonder what the cocoa powder does?

Reply
Alli April 2, 2014 - 9:02 am

I’m not sure what the cocoa powder does, except to camouflage the whiteness of the cornstarch and baking soda in dark hair. I just know that it actually worked! 🙂 And that’s a good thing because I’ve had some big misses on Hit or Miss Wednesday.

Reply
Shirley Wood April 2, 2014 - 8:41 am

This is awesome. I also have a daughter who loves to use dry shampoo. I may make this and give it a try myself! Pinning and sharing on my FB wall. Another good one, Alli !!

Reply
Alli April 2, 2014 - 8:54 am

Thanks, Shirley! My daughter really liked it and I’m sure that it’s so much easier on the hair than the spray on kind that is full of chemicals.

Reply
Kristin April 2, 2014 - 8:51 am

This is so cool! I’ve yet to buy a dry shampoo that was just right!

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Alli April 2, 2014 - 8:53 am

My daughter loved it!

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Stephanie April 2, 2014 - 9:10 am

I love the idea of dry shampoo however, my hair is so oily, along with my skin, that a daily washing is needed. I might not use shampoo or conditioner, but I must get it wet and rinse it.

Reply
Alli April 2, 2014 - 9:13 am

My youngest daughter (25) has very oily hair. She can wash it in the morning and by that evening, it can look oily. That’s when she uses it, sort of as a refresher, I guess. 🙂

Reply
Becka April 2, 2014 - 9:24 am

Interesting. I have never heard of dry shampoo.. I guess I should get out from under the rock every once in a while. 🙂 I bet my daughter would LOVE this. She can not go a day without washing her hair. 🙂 Thank you!

Reply
Paris (My Big Fat Happy Life) April 2, 2014 - 9:56 am

I use dry shampoo (from the store) every couple days when I do not feel like washing my hair. I am going to have to try making it I was always afraid it wouldn’t work but I’ll have to take the plunge! Thanks for sharing.

http://www.mybigfathappylife.com

Reply
Ricci April 2, 2014 - 10:14 am

This looks cool!! I hate dry shampoo…it makes my hair feel funny!! I need to try this ASAP!!

Reply
Shannon April 2, 2014 - 10:49 am

Nice! I am unsure if my hair needs dry shampoo or not (it gets oily, itchy and feels gross after a week or so) but I’m willing to give this a try.

Any report from you/your daughter about your hair feels after using this? Like, is the smell too much? Does the cocoa powder get gummy or weird after using it?

Reply
Alli April 2, 2014 - 11:53 am

My daughter says it feels fine – not gummy. 🙂

Reply
Shannon April 3, 2014 - 3:31 pm

That’s great to know. Thanks!

Reply
Kristen from The Road to Domestication April 2, 2014 - 11:00 am

That is neat! I should have known, there’s a recipe for everything these days! I keep some dry shampoo on hand for hair emergencies LOL but I don’t use it often. I like that this one has cocoa powder in it! (My hair is pretty dark)

Reply
Lauren April 2, 2014 - 12:15 pm

My hair doesn’t get oily very easily so I don’t wash it everyday and sometimes I need a dry shampoo… I will have to try this DIY out!

Lauren,
http://www.atouchofsoutherngrace.com/

Reply
Crystal April 2, 2014 - 2:16 pm

This will be perfect for my daughter whose hair is very oily. She’s tried quite a few dry shampoos but hasn’t really found one she likes. I’ll be making this for her to test out. Thanks for the recipe!!

Reply
Meg @ The Housewife In Training Files April 2, 2014 - 6:01 pm

This sounds so interesting! I have never been a fan of any store bought shampoos either! I will have to try this!!

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Amanda Smith April 2, 2014 - 7:35 pm

I am going to try this!! The cocoa powder is genius! I always end up with a mess of baking soda in my dark hair. I stretch my washes to avoid drying out my hair and it has really helped me to get mine to grow longer! Thanks for sharing this!

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Michelle April 4, 2014 - 8:45 am

Hi Allie! Thanks for sharing. This would be perfect for my daughter. She probably has 3 different kinds under her sink that she doesn’t like. Argh!

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Caitlin April 7, 2014 - 7:02 pm

I’m the daughter!! lol 😀 Sticking with Dry Shampoo is one the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life. The first time I tried it (a few years ago) I didn’t like it, but I realized it was formula of the brand I had bought. I love the powdery texture of this one and the scent is lovely. Great stuff!!

Reply
Alli April 7, 2014 - 7:39 pm

Glad you love it! And yes, I’ll make you some more!

Reply

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