How to Make Dry Shampoo: 4 DIY Recipes For Each Hair Color (2024)

Jana Blankenship is the founder of natural beauty company Captain Blankenship and author of Wild Beauty: Wisdom & Recipes for Natural Self-Care.

For Dark Brown or Black Hair: Activated Charcoal Dry Shampoo

For darker shades of brown or black, Blankenship suggests adding activated charcoal powder alongside raw cacao powder to help you hone in on your specific shade. As with all other ingredients in these mixtures, activated charcoal may have benefits beyond absorbing excess oils from your scalp and roots. If you're experiencing any dandruff or redness, activated charcoal is claimed to aid in relieving those woes, too. Blend this superpower mixture together to appear natural on darker hair.

Materials

• 1 tbsp activated charcoal powder
• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder (add more or less to match the exact coloring for your hair)
• 1/2 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch
• 2 tbsp bentonite or kaolin clay
• 1 tbsp baking soda
• 30 drops lavender or lemongrass essential oil
• measuring cup
• small metal funnel
• shaker container, glass or metal lid, or repurposed salt or spice shaker

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients together in a measuring cup and mix using a whisk or fork.
2. Use a funnel to transfer the mixture into your repurposed shaker or spoon it into a shaker container. Tighten your lid.
3. Sprinkle generously onto your roots as needed.
4. You can rub the mixture in with your fingers or a brush. Another recommendation from Blankenship: use a hair dryer to disperse quickly throughout the hair.

For Red Hair: Cinnamon Dry Shampoo

Making a DIY dry shampoo for red hair doesn't equate to using your red hued spices. Most bright red spices are in the pepper family and can cause some irritation at the scalp. Instead, Blankenship offers a more neutral solution: Cinnamon. "Cinnamon powder naturally blends into red hair while masking the color of other ingredients," she says. There is also some evidence that cinnamon may aid in hair growth and hair loss prevention.

Not to worry, this magic ingredient won't leave you smelling like dessert. "Lavender or lemongrass essential oils can add a lingering bright scent to hair," says Blankenship, which explains why she recommends these oils for any hair color DIY dry shampoo. To apply, repurpose an old salt or spice shaker and fill it with a combination of the ingredients listed below.

Materials

• 1/4 cup cinnamon powder (add more or less to match the exact coloring for your hair)
• 1/2 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch
• 2 tbsp bentonite or kaolin clay
• 1 tbsp baking soda
• 30 drops lavender or lemongrass essential oil
• measuring cup
• small metal funnel
• shaker container, glass or metal lid, or repurposed salt or spice shaker

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients together in a measuring cup and mix using a whisk or fork.
2. Use a funnel to transfer the mixture into your repurposed shaker, or spoon it into a shaker container. Tighten your lid.
3. Sprinkle generously onto your roots as needed.
4. You can rub the mixture in with your fingers or a brush.

For Blonde, White, or Silver Hair: Arrowroot Dry Shampoo

The cornerstone to all of the DIY recipes below is arrowroot powder or cornstarch, which is nearly invisible when applied to lighter hair shades like blonde, white or silver. "Arrowroot powder and cornstarchcan absorb oil and add volume while easily blending into the hair," says Blankenship. No matter how thick or thin your hair is, either one of these two pantry products is sure to get in where needed and get straight down to business.

While it's nice to simply mask our oily roots, adding baking soda is also imperative to ensure good hygiene and scalp health. Baking soda will not only absorb excess oils, but according to Blankenship, this magic ingredient will also fight odor and freshen the hair and scalp.

After mixing together the ingredients below, repurpose an old salt or spice shaker to apply.

Materials

• 1/2 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch
• 2 tbsp bentonite or kaolin clay
• 1 tbsp baking soda
• 30 drops lavender or lemongrass essential oil
• measuring cup
• small metal funnel
• shaker container, glass or metal lid, or repurposed salt or spice shaker

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients together in a measuring cup and mix using a whisk or fork.
2. Use a funnel to transfer the mixture into your repurposed shaker or spoon it into a shaker container. Tighten your lid.
3. Sprinkle generously onto your roots as needed.
4. You can rub the mixture in with your fingers or a brush.

For Brown Hair: Cacao Powder Dry Shampoo

When it comes to finding your exact shade of brunette, Blankenship says turning to organic cacao powder will blend easily into brown-hued strands, appearing very natural while still masking the color of any other ingredients.

Excess oil can appear to be much more visible on darker hair colors, but Blankenship thought of this when creating a DIY dry shampoo recipe for all hair types and colors. She incorporates bentonite or kaolin clay to serve as a mask for any visible grease. "These ingredients can mattify the hair as well as add volume," she tells us. See her recipe and instructions below.

Materials

• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder (add more or less to match the exact coloring for your hair)
• 1/2 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch
• 2 tbsp bentonite or kaolin clay
• 1 tbsp baking soda
• 30 drops lavender or lemongrass essential oil
• measuring cup
• small metal funnel
• shaker container, glass or metal lid, or repurposed salt or spice shaker

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients together in a measuring cup and mix using a whisk or fork.
2. Use a funnel to transfer the mixture into your repurposed shaker or spoon it into a shaker container. Tighten your lid.
3. Sprinkle generously onto your roots as needed.
4. You can rub the mixture in with your fingers or a brush.

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