DIY dry shampoo has always eluded me in one way or another. It's either too opaque, stains your clothes various shades of brown, or just plain doesn't work as well as you hoped it would. When I came across a few dry shampoo sprays, I knew I didn't feel like shelling out $10 for a tiny bottle that wouldn't last long (I have extremely oily hair) and was full of nasty chemicals.
So I started looking around for an alternative I could make at home that used better and safer ingredients and was actually effective. Lo and behold, this homemade dry shampoo spray fits the bill perfectly!
Not only does it soak up oil like a champ, it also adds tons of volume at the roots making it look like I have way more hair than I actually do - WINNING!
DIY Dry Shampoo Spray for Oily Hair
In my online search, I actually came across this lovely post which uses vodka as the base and ya'll know how an herbalist feels about vodka 😉 Since I didn't have any lying around due to using it up for tincturing herbs, I decided to use everclear instead. It worked quite well because of its higher alcohol content, so if you have some high proof booze lying around (preferably a clear one) then give it a try and see how things turn out.
I've posted a pic below to give you a good idea of what my hair looked like before and after using the spray with everclear as the base. This was second-day hair (yes I know, so oily already!) and after a good workout.
Without further ado, here's the recipe for homemade dry shampoo spray:
- 2oz spritzer bottle
- 3 TB high proof alcohol (at least 50%. The everclear I used is 75% - apparently they can be different proofs in different states)
- 1 TB distilled water
- ½ teaspoon arrowroot starch (this is the star ingredient that sucks up oil)
- 5-10 drops lavender essential oil or other non-phototoxic essential oil you like the scent of (perhaps even try some EOs good for hair health like rosemary and cedarwood!)
After some more research, I am considering trying other forms of oil absorbing powders to see if I can make one without the calcium carbonate for those of you who are asking.
I'm thinking of trying zinc oxide, kaolin clay, or rice powder to see how that goes, so stay tuned!
Loving Preparation - DIY Dry Shampoo Spray for Oily Hair
- Using a small funnel, add each ingredient to the 2oz spritzer bottle.
- Cap closed and shake well to combine.
To Use
Shake well to mix, then hold a small section of hair up and away from the roots. Spray the dry shampoo near the scalp/roots of the hair, then use your fingers to tousle things around a bit. You could even use a fine bristle brush to comb through the hair as it dries to distribute it evenly
Allow the spray to dry and see if you need more. Continue until you get the results you're looking for.
After everything's dry, style as usual. If you have ever used dry shampoo sprays before, then you will notice a similar texture in your hair that's characteristic of those sprays - sort of draggy feeling in texture - not my favorite, but it gets the job done.
The spray will at first smell like alcohol but dissipates quickly and will leave behind the scent of the essential oil you used instead.
This DIY dry shampoo spray has been great to use between washings and after a good workout to keep things looking and smelling fresh! I hope you give it a try!
What has been your favorite dry shampoo recipe? Please let me know in the comments below!
You may also enjoy reading:
Conditioning Hair Serum Recipe
DIY Coconut Oil Hair Treatment
Essential Oils for Hair Loss and Alopecia
Essential Oils for Dry Hair
Nadia says
Honestly, I just use cornstarch! I covers decently, sucks up the oil, and looks pretty okay for a few more days. I usually apply it the night before, and then rinse it out so there's no discoloration. Works well!
I'm excited to try this though; I think it'll work better for a last-minute touch up.
Jessica | Jessicajan.ca says
Cool, I want to try this but I'm wondering if you can use isopropyl alcohol or rubbing alcohol?
Suzanne says
This looks so good! What are some nice essential oil scents to use?
Tash says
Lavender is a good one! Otherwise vanilla oleoresin. I usually go for oils that remind me of the scents found in the shampoos I like to use.
Beth says
I had to use almost a 1/4 of the solution to get my hair to look better. Do you think adding more arrow root would be ok or would it make the solution too thick?
Tash says
You can definitely use more arrowroot powder! But I would only add a little at a time or it won't spray.
Hannah says
Could you possibly use rubbing alcohol instead of a high proof clear liquor?
Tash says
Yes! 🙂
Brittany M says
Hi! I am still having trouble with my hair being oily after I use this. Could I have too much essential oil?
Tash says
Swap out the arrowroot powder with calcium carbonate. That REALLY sucks up oil!
Martin says
Hey Tash, Thank you for sharing this guide about oily scalp. I am currently facing oily scalp problems. But the tips and remedies that you mentioned it are quite helpful to me. Thanks for sharing keep updating.
Tash says
Glad to hear my tips are helping!
Marry Johnsan says
Hey, Thank you for sharing this guide. I am currently facing oily scalp issue. But after using some tips and remedies that you mentioned it's beginning to decrease. so thanks again for sharing this great info.
Tash says
You're welcome Marry! Glad it was helpful 🙂
Shruti Jain says
Hey!
I really want to try this out...but I just wanted to know if I could replace arrowroot starch with cornstarch or some other substitute?!
Tash says
Hi Shruti!
I haven't tried cornstarch before so I'm not sure how it will turn out. If you try it, let us know how it works out for you!
K says
I've been using a dry shampoo powder made of just arrowroot starch, adding some cocoa powder for color. It works but, you know - it's a powder. The powder stays there. And any time I itch my head or run my hands through my hair I get powder under my fingernails. It makes my hair look better but I still feel like it's dirty because it's a powder. Plus it gets on my clothes while I'm putting it in, unless I do it before I dress. I think a spray would be much better. I plan on trying this once I get the ingredients.
Tash says
It works really well and I have really oily hair. best of luck!
Bailey says
Wondering if the alcohol has dried your hair out over time? Less oil production would be welcomed but I don't want to strip my scalp and roots.
Tash says
Hi Bailey!
I haven't had an issue so far, but I only use the spray every so often. The alcohol actually evaporates within a few seconds, so it doesn't stay on the hair or scalp. The calcium carbonate is what absorbs and removes the oils. I like to use this spray if my hair is especially dirty or i need a lot of volume for an up-do 🙂
Bethany says
What kind of spray bottle did you use? I tried this today and the nozzle keeps getting clogged! Am I doing something wrong, or do I just need a better nozzle?
Tash says
Hi Bethany!
Hmmmm... it sounds like your spray nozzle is definitely the issue! You may want to stop by CVS/Target to pick up a spray bottle with the trigger top, they're pretty cheap there 🙂
Jen says
Great recipe! But I would probably call it a "Hair Refresher" because it's not dry. I definitely couldn't use this on my straightened curly hair without having to use a flat iron again. But I tried it on my wavy haired daughter, she loves it!
Tash says
Hi Jen!
So glad to hear that it worked out for your daughter! <3
Katy says
I am SO excited to try this! I use dry shampoo soooo often, and I hate that it is so full of chemicals.
Tash says
Hi Katy!
This stuff REALLY works! Most of the time, I just need it along my hairline to freshen things up. Works like a charm!