How to Make Your Own Dry Shampoo

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

14 Oct 2009 04:22 PM

Interested in trying a dry shampoo? You don't have to shell out big bucks if you've got a well-stocked kitchen and medicine cabinet. I bet you've already got everything you need on hand.

The quickest, simplest dry shampoo recipe I found? Take a little corn starch -- yes, the stuff used in cooking to thicken sauces -- and work it into your hair. Start at the roots and scalp, where hair tends to be the oiliest. Scrub it around as if you were using shampoo in the shower, then brush or comb it out. The corn starch will soak up oils and leave your hair feeling fresher. It can be a little messy, though, so you might want to stand in the tub to do it.

Other single ingredients that make a decent dry shampoo? Try baby powder, corn meal (some dry shampoo fans say it leaves hair shinier than corn starch), baking flour, or even baking soda.

You may have to experiment to figure out which single ingredient works the best (with the least work, mess, and aggravation on your part). One drawback of all these ingredients? If you have dark hair and don't brush or comb the powder out thoroughly, it might show.

Want to get a little fancier? Start mixing ingredients. Try corn starch for oil absorbency and baking soda for odor absorbency. Add dried, crushed herbs to give your hair a fresh scent.

Still worried about the white powder on dark hair issue? Here's what a friend of mine did: she bought a pack of kids' sidewalk chalk and crushed a bit of appropriately colored chalk up, then mixed it in with her dry shampoo. The chalk brushes right out with the rest of the dry shampoo, but doesn't leave white streaks. Or, try cocoa powder (if you don't mind smelling chocolate all day)!

Another recipe I saw suggested mixing equal parts salt and corn starch. Apparently the coarser grains of salt help brush the fine corn starch powder out of your hair.

Speaking of which -- make sure you brush the dry shampoo out thoroughly. If the powder builds up on your scalp, you might start looking like you have a dandruff problem! The powdery residue might also irritate your skin if not removed completely.

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger