Growing out my hair into my version of mermaid-like perfection hasn’t been easy. In fact, it’s been pretty impossible for the past 16 years. The reason? My hair gets damaged just by looking at it wrong. If you’re like me and have fine, thin, oily hair, you might understand the struggle I face.

Oily hair needs daily cleansing which means it has to get wet, dried, and styled pretty much every day. The water filter I usually use for soft silky hair doesn’t work where I live and the water is just so drying that no amount of coconut oil hair masks can save it.

The bottom line? My hair hates water. How convenient is that?

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DIY Dry Shampoo Recipe That Will Save Your Hair!

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you know that I’ve tried the no-poo method with fair results. My hair did begin to produce less oil over time but I still needed to “wash” my hair every few days with my baking soda rinse. As effective as baking soda can be for cleansing the hair, it also happens to strip away the protective oils.

While in some cases this can be a nice perk for those with very oily hair (who else is raising their hand?), what’s not so great is split ends and there isn’t anything I know of that can save your hair when that happens other than trimming them off.

The only thing you can do is try your best to prevent split ends and here’s how I’ve managed to do that!

First and foremost, if you exercise daily like I do and get a really good sweat going, there isn’t a lot you can do (except for dry shampoo that is) about the need to shower afterwards, including washing/rinsing the sweat from your hair. I have found that a great way to protect your ends from splitting is to massage them with coconut oil before getting in the shower. Oil repels water, so all you have to do is wash your scalp and leave the ends alone.

You can also use my nifty dry shampoo recipe to keep your hair fresh and clean smelling without the need for traditional cleansing.

Here’s what you’ll need to make my DIY Dry Shampoo:

• 1 empty spice jar with a shaker lid
• 2TB corn starch or arrow root powder
• 2TB cacao powder or cocoa powder (this keeps the dry shampoo from making your hair look fake)
• A few drops of essential oil

Loving Preparation – Dry Shampoo Recipe

• In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients together until well combined
• Next, add 3-9 drops of essential oil and mix well with a fork to incorporate
• Funnel the mixture into the empty spice jar, cap, and keep handy in the bathroom or in your gym bag for easy use

To Use

Part your hair where needed and sprinkle the dry shampoo on your scalp. To really get things absorbed, use a kabuki brush to blend the dry shampoo into the roots of your hair for a flawless application that won't look you're wearing a wig.

Keep parting your hair and blending in the dry shampoo to absorb all the oil, sweat, and grime without having to use water in your hair! Just make sure your hair is completely dry when applying it.

I like to use this dry shampoo as often as possible in place of getting it wet. To keep my hair moisturized, I add a few drops of coconut oil and massage it through the length and ends of my hair to keep it healthy and shiny.

Check out my video below to see how I made it 🙂

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Essential Oils to Use for a Great Dry Shampoo

Essential oils are a fantastic way add nourishing benefits to your dry shampoo recipe and there are tons to choose from for different needs. I’ve listed the most popular essential oils for common hair and scalp complaints below for reference.

Essential Oils for Dry Itchy Scalp/Dandruff

• Tea Tree
• Lavender
• Basil
• Thyme
• Eucalyptus
• Peppermint

Essential Oils for Dry Hair

• Lavender
• Geranium
• Carrot Seed

Essential Oils for Oily Hair and Scalp

• Lemon (steam distilled, find out why this is important here)
• Rosemary
• Eucalyptus
• Cypress

Essential oils for Hair Growth

• Rosemary
• Cedarwood

Essential Oils for Hair Loss

• Palmarosa
• Rosemary
• Chamomile
• Lemon (steam distilled)
• Clary Sage

Have you ever made your own dry shampoo? How did it work out for you? Please share your experience in the comments below!

Here's a few other dry shampoo recipes for you to try: