5 homemade dry shampoos for you to try and take for life

On some days, the rush is so much that it is impossible to take care of the hair as it deserves. And even when the hair isn’t clean and impeccable, sometimes an invitation to an event you can’t refuse comes along. What to do?

It is for these occasions that there is the dry shampoo, cosmetic that has gained more and more space in the Brazilian market. It leaves hair as freshly washed, gives texture and strategic volume when applied for this purpose.

The problem is that traditional dry shampoo is expensive, and there are few options for people who adopt hair care practices like low-poo and no-poo.

To get around this situation, one strategy is the use of homemade dry shampoos, which have an effect very similar to traditional shampoos for a much lower price, being still completely free for low-poo and no-poo.

Following are some recipes to make at home and enjoy the benefits of a dry shampoo. In all of them, it is recommended to use a salt shaker pot or other similar pot to store the product and be able to apply it more easily. In addition, with the exception of the spray dry shampoo recipe, you will see that in all recipes you can add raw rice to combat the moisture in the mixture and make your dry shampoo more bouncy.

1. Cornstarch Basic Dry Shampoo

This basic recipe is suitable for all hair types, just add ingredients according to hair color. Cornstarch is one of the most used ingredients in dry shampoos, and it appears in virtually every recipe, with only changes to the ingredients that are mixed with it. That’s because it’s great for absorbing oil and, being a very fine powder, it’s easy to spread and remove from the hair, after use.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of corn starch
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
• cinnamon powder (optional)
• 6 to 10 drops of essential oil of your choice (optional)

preparation and application

Mix cornstarch and baking powder. If your hair is brown or black, add up to 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, depending on your hair color (the darker, the more cocoa powder). If you have red hair, replace cocoa powder with cinnamon powder. Mix the essential oil, to perfume your hair (but don’t add the oil if your hair is very oily) and sieve the mixture twice, so the powder is very fine and fluffy.

Place in a container that facilitates application, such as a salt shaker, for example. Add a few grains of raw rice to keep the mixture fluffy and prevent moisture.

Ready! Your dry shampoo is ready to use! Apply it at the root to the length where the oiliness has reached. Rub until the dry shampoo is no longer visible on the strands and comb or style hair as normal.

2. Dry shampoo with talc

Dry shampoo can also be made with talcum powder, preferably baby powder. Talc is also very absorbent and has the advantage of already having perfume, which eliminates the need to add an essential oil. If your hair is oily but you don’t give up the scent, this recipe is best for you.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of corn starch
• 1 tablespoon of fragrant talcum powder

preparation and application

As in the previous recipe, the secret is to mix the ingredients and sieve well, to get a very loose and fine powder. You can also add cocoa or cinnamon to bring the color of the shampoo closer to your hair color, but since cocoa and cinnamon have characteristic smells, it can change the final smell of the shampoo, affecting the scent of the talc.

The application is exactly like the previous shampoo. The only care to be taken here is that, if you don’t add cocoa or cinnamon, you’ll need to pay more attention when spreading the product, so that your hair doesn’t look white.

3. Dry Shampoo with Baking Soda

Baking soda is a great product for all types of cleaning. In fact, there are those who use it instead of the traditional shampoo, to clean the scalp and wires. However, it is important to know that it also removes the chemistry from the hair. So if you have dyeing, straightening or other chemical processing, this recipe is not for you. But if your hair is natural and especially if it’s oily, you can bet that bicarbonate will help a lot!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of corn starch
• 1 tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda

preparation and application

Mix the two ingredients, sift well and place in a container with a few grains of raw rice. This recipe, as it is unscented, can be easily mixed with cocoa or cinnamon to give the product its color.

Apply to the roots of the hair and rub in until the powder is no longer visible.

4. Dry shampoo with clay

Clay is another very absorbent substance, used in various products and masks to combat oiliness.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of white bentonite clay
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
• 5 to 10 drops of essential oil of your choice (optional)
• 1 dark bottle to store the mixture

preparation and application

Mix the clay, arrowroot (or starch) and essential oil. You can add cocoa or cinnamon to make the product color match your hair. Sift twice and store the mixture in a dark jar, with a few grains of raw rice. It is important to put it in a dark jar so that the clay retains its properties, but if you can’t find a dark jar, at least keep the jar in a dark place or wrapped in paper or cloth.

The application is done as in the previous recipes: it is applied on the scalp up to the length where the oil has descended. Then rub and spread the product until it is no longer visible.

5. Dry shampoo spray version

Spray dry shampoo is an alternative for those who can’t adapt to dry shampoo and always leave a little dust in their hair. It is not completely dry – as it is a spray – but it dries very quickly and gives the same effect as dry powder shampoos.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch (blondes), unsweetened cocoa powder (brunettes) or ground cinnamon (redheads)
• half glass of water
• 2 tablespoons of alcohol or half a glass of vodka (alcohol for very oily hair, vodka for less oily hair)
• 6 to 10 drops of essential oil of your choice (optional)

preparation and application

Mix all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well. If your hair is very oily, do not use essential oils or use a smaller amount. You can also replace the vodka with regular alcohol, but it can dry out your hair a little.

Shake well each time you use your spray dry shampoo. Apply to the root and to the length where the oil has descended. Vodka (or alcohol) makes the product dry quickly, leaving hair looking clean.

These are some quick and easy recipes to use in emergency situations. Always remember, however, that dry shampoo does not clean the hair, it only disguises the oiliness. The scalp is still dirty and you will need a cleanse as soon as possible.

The benefit of dry shampoo is the possibility of spacing your hair out more and leaving it looking clean in case of an unforeseen event, such as a last-minute invitation.