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DIY Beauty: How to Make Dry Shampoo

Posted by Alexandra C. | Wednesday September 12, 201222 comments

Let's be honest with each other for a sec. I (and I think can safely say we) don't wash my (our) hair everyday. Some days, it might even be a little oily (gasp!). I would like to say that my disdain for hair washing comes from a strict beauty routine and not wanting to strip my hair of it's natural oils. The truth is far less glamorous though, it boils down to pure laziness. 

Dry shampoo soaks up all that oil and dirt and gives your hair texture and a fresh scent. It's basically my best friend in a bottle. I like to constantly have a supply of dry shampoo on hand. Only sometimes, this doesn't work out and I'm left with greasy hair and no bottle of my best friend in sight. Now, did you know that you can easily DIY dry shampoo with just a few household ingredients? 

It is possible to use baby powder for dry shampoo when you're in a pinch. However, this also means some time spent combing and brushing it through for the brunette ladies. This recipe combats that cleverly, so read on ladies: 

Here's what you'll need: 

For darker hair: 1/2 cup of cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons of corn starch
For lighter hair: 1/2 cup of corn starch and 2 tablespoons of baking soda 

Now, here's what you do: mix them together. It's that simple! 

For a fresh scent, you'll can add one to two drops of essential oil. You can find essential oils at most grocery or health food stores. 

Once you've mixed everything together, store in spice jars. This way you can shake it onto your hair without the mess! These jars are US$2.99 for 2 and you can find similar ones at the dollar store. 

(additional images via flickr.com, recipe adapted from freepeople.com
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22 Comments

on July 24, 2013  xhiao1994  9,873 said:

wait, what? chocolate in my hair? im worried i might end up being a zombie that has risen from 6 feet under if i sweat much. any alternatives?

on December 12, 2012  cocoandbella  335 said:

I have dark hair and am a little worried I would have chocolate running down my face if it rains...I think I will just stick with the store bought stuff!

on November 03, 2012  nscott84  4,013 said:

This may sound silly but I never heard of dry shampoo, please explain? I know your not essentially tossing this stuff in your hair and skipping the water altogether, right? What is the benefit of dry shampoo and how does it make your hair clean?

on September 29, 2012  Julia8795  462 said:


Thanks for sharing! I will be deffinately trying this out :)

on September 18, 2012  teephs  2,211 said:

tempted to try this out! never thought of using cocoa for my hair :S

on September 17, 2012  shanaz  5,961 said:

I wonder if you would be able to detect the cocoa powder on the scalp?! This may be problematic for ladies with fine hair....

on September 16, 2012  sdz1989  354 said:

I think this is a wonderful idea. I used to try just plain baby powder but being a dark brunette it was always a fail. Can't wait to try this!

on September 16, 2012  suigeneris  2,244 said:


I've been entertaining the idea of using dry shampoo on those mornings where I wake up and I realize that I should have washed my hair the evening before, but all the dry shampoos that have good reviews are super expensive. So thank you for posting a dry shampoo DIY alternative! :)

on September 14, 2012  luxx  2,176 said:

I am a dry shampoo addict! The cocoa powder kind of threw me but it makes sense for darker hair. The longer you go without washing your hair, the longer you CAN go without washing it. It takes awhile but I can go 3 days without even dry shampooing my hair and it looks fine

on September 14, 2012  babypiggy_83  8,263 said:

Interesting. Will have to try some day. But i m afraid my hair would smell like cocoa, lol. i m not sure if that s a bad thing or not? lol. :)

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