Make Your Own Dry Shampoo in Five Minutes with Two Ingredients

We started Schneider Goods Co to share some of our favorites with you, and to encourage you to make some of your household goods too! When we decide what to make and what to buy, we have a few qualifications. First, can we make it for a lower price than buying? Does the homemade version work as well or taste as good as the store-bought one? And can we make it with healthier or higher-quality ingredients? If the answers are yes, we roll up our sleeves and try to figure it out (assuming we have capacity in our life to do that). It’s such a great feeling when it works!

One of the easiest DIY swaps for me was dry shampoo. As a busy mom, I definitely have days when I need to make my hair last another day before washing it. Unfortunately, a couple years ago, popular dry shampoo brands were sued for dangerously high benzene levels (linked to leukemia and other cancers). Since I’d used some of these brands in the past, I started looking for some kind of alternative dry shampoo. I was also tired of the can running out right when I needed it most!

I developed a recipe that’s so easy, simple, and actually works.

Two-Ingredient Dry Shampoo

• Arrowroot powder
• Cocoa powder

Steps:

• Find a container to store your dry shampoo. I typically use a small round glass snapware container. You could probably use a small mason jar or bowl. I like to be able to seal it up between uses.
• Scoop some arrowroot powder into this container. I typically make several tablespoons at once, which will last me a few months, but you may want to make more or less depending on your dry shampoo usage.
• Mix cocoa powder into the arrowroot powder, stirring as you go to see how dark it gets. If you have lighter hair (on the blond side), you won’t need much. For darker hair, keep adding cocoa powder until it gets closer to your hair color.
• Once you’re happy with the color, finish mixing and try it out!

How to Use:

• I like to use a foundation brush to apply. I dab the dry shampoo on any areas of my roots that seem greasy, and I use my fingers to massage it in.
• If you’re having trouble working it in, and your hair is looking white, try adding more cocoa powder to the dry shampoo and mixing again.

This recipe has worked as well or better than my old dry shampoo cans! The other benefit is that I never have to order it online and wait, or go to the store - I always have the ingredients on hand. Your hair might have a (pleasant) slightly cocoa scent to it, but I don’t usually notice it until I wash my hair.

Let us know if you try it, or if you have questions!

- Hannah Schneider