5 Completely Natural, Non-Aerosol Dry Shampoos To Keep Your Hair Fresh Sans Chemicals
Whether you’re going for big, sexy Bardot hair or you’re just trying to look presentable on your fourth consecutive no-wash day, dry shampoo can help you do it. Dry shampoo sprays are probably what you’d reach for first, since they’re so easy to use — but beware: Aerosol cans, in which most traditional dry shampoos are housed, contain chemical propellants (like butane and propane), which you probably don't want to be spraying near your face. Instead, try one of the best natural dry shampoos, which don't come packaged in aerosol bottles. These powder formulations are just as effective for absorbing excess oil and giving limp hair a boost, but they contain 100% natural ingredients like kaolin clay, cornstarch, arrowroot, and the occasional essential oil for a fresh scent. Most are certified organic, cruelty-free, and talc-free, too.
First, some application tips. The classic way to apply dry shampoo powder is to divide your hair into small sections, squeeze a puff onto your roots, and massage the product into your scalp until all trace of powder is dissolved. (Toss your hair upside-down to create more volume.) If you’re still seeing powdery residue, brush it through your hair with a boar-bristle brush. And if that method yields more mess than you need in your life, sprinkle the powder onto a big, fluffy makeup brush (clean or unused, of course), then dab the brush straight onto your roots.
Ahead, you'll find five of the best natural dry shampoos on the market right now. All perfect for when you will not be washing your hair for the fifth day in a row, but thanks for the suggestion.
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01The Best-Selling Natural Dry Shampoo On Amazon
According to thousands of Amazon reviewers, this Hair Dance Volumizing Dry Shampoo is one of the best natural dry shampoos out there, period. The all-natural, certified-vegan, and non-GMO formula contains just five ingredients: Rice starch, colloidal oatmeal, and silica do the oil-absorbing work, olive leaf extract helps support healthy hair growth, and lavender oil imparts an earthy, clean scent. (There’s an unscented version, too.) The pointed nozzle makes for controlled application, and the small, 1-ounce bottle is easy to stash in your bag for travel or sleepovers. A little bit goes a long way, even for people with very oily hair. Plus, reviewers with dark hair confirm that the fine powder dries translucent. Nothing not to love about this one.
02The Best Natural Dry Shampoo For Dark Hair
Even if a dry shampoo claims to be translucent, and even if those claims are substantiated by actual users, it’s understandable if you’re still wary of dumping white powder on your dark brown or black hair. Rather than run the risk of inadvertently cosplaying Marie Antoinette, go for a dry shampoo that’s not white, but brown — like this ACURE dry shampoo for brunettes. The formula is the same as the brand’s original fan-favorite, but the addition of cocoa powder (seriously) turns it brown while keeping it 100% natural. Remarkably, it's USDA-certified organic — a rare thing to find in any beauty product, let alone a dry shampoo. Reviewers say a sprinkle of this dry shampoo can stave off a full wash for up to four days, that it doesn’t weigh down thin hair, and that cocoa does not make your hair smell like boxed cake mix.
03The Best Splurge
If you’re hoping to balance an oily scalp or clear up several days’ worth of buildup, this Briogeo dry shampoo will be your new hero. Plant-based starches and clay pick up excess oils at your roots, while Binchotan charcoal works to clarify your scalp at a deeper level. Witch hazel, a natural astringent, is also included in the formula for more oil-controlling, scalp-balancing benefits. And the addition of strengthening biotin and conditioning sodium hyaluronate makes this a great pick for damaged, dyed, or chemically treated hair, too.
04The Biggest Bottle
One thing you’ll notice about dry shampoo powders: They’re teeny tiny! Like, slightly under 2-ounce tiny. If you’re truly anti-hair wash, grab this large bottle of Captain Blankenship Mermaid Dry Shampoo to keep yourself stocked for the next year-and-change. This 4.8-ounce bottle is about three times the size of a typical bottle, but it’s the same price as the Briogeo dry shampoo. The mostly organic, all-natural formula features arrowroot powder, baking soda, and kaolin clay to soak up oil and impurities, and palmarosa and rose oils give it a subtly fresh scent. Follow it up with a salt spray to really drive the mermaid aesthetic home.
05The Best Scent Selection
These Alphonse Mucha-inspired bottles of Lulu Organics Hair Powder look like something you’d find on a devastatingly stylish grandmother’s vanity, and the six available scents are fittingly Old World-elegant: Think rose musk, jasmine, patchouli and amber, and vetiver and black pepper (or go for the unscented formula if you don’t want the product to compete with your perfume). Love that this indie brand is female-owned, too.
