5 All Natural Dry Shampoos You Need To Try
Tired of greasy roots but not ready for a full wash day? Dry shampoo is a lifesaver—but many conventional options are loaded with synthetic fragrances, aerosols, and ingredients that can irritate your scalp. Luckily, there are clean, natural alternatives that get the job done without compromising your health. In this post, you’ll discover 5 all natural dry shampoos that absorb oil, refresh your hair, and leave you feeling fresh—no wash required.
If I were stranded on a desert island and could only choose one beauty product to have with me, I would pick dry shampoo. It’s definitely one beauty product I can’t live without.
I don’t believe our hair was meant to be washed every day. You can click here to learn why I think that. Dry shampoo is one of the reasons why my hair still looks good even when I haven’t washed it for days.
You can read this post to discover more ways to keep your hair looking amazing in between washings.
(This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure statement here.)
I am not a doctor and the statements on this blog have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products mentioned here are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your doctor before using essential oils on children under 5 or while pregnant or breastfeeding. Please do not ask me for medical advice. Click here to read my full disclaimer.
Toxic Ingredients Lurking in Everyday Beauty Products
However, as much as I love dry shampoo, I don’t love the toxic ingredients that often come with it.
After being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in 2018, I began a journey of health and wellness. I was determined to heal my body without pharmaceuticals.
A big part of that journey, aside from cleaning up my diet, has been eliminating toxin-filled products from my home.
You can read this article to learn how everyday beauty products, such as dry shampoo, can damage the endocrine system and disrupt hormones.
Is Your Dry Shampoo Toxic? What You Need to Know
I was extremely disappointed to discover that my favorite dry shampoo had a rating of nine on the Think Dirty app. Yikes! Many dry shampoos contain talc, which has been linked to respiratory toxicity as well as cancer.
Cetrimonium chloride is also an ingredient commonly found in dry shampoos. It has been classified by the AFH Library as toxic, irritating, and allergenic, as well as lethal if ingested orally.
And if these two ingredients weren’t bad enough, many dry shampoos also contain parabens. Parabens mimic estrogen, acting as potential hormone disruptors.
I could go on and on, but you get the idea. Most store-bought dry shampoos contain highly toxic ingredients. It’s definitely not something you want to use every day.
However, if you’re like me, dry shampoo is a non-negotiable. So I started researching, determined to find all-natural options that actually worked. Unfortunately, what I found was disappointing—many products labeled ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ were still loaded with toxic ingredients.
Think Dirty App
If you haven’t downloaded the Think Dirty app yet, you should do so (it’s completely free)! It’s the simplest way to determine whether a product is as natural as it claims to be.
Unfortunately, you can’t always trust product labels.
I encourage you to look up your favorite dry shampoo on the Think Dirty app to see what toxins might be lurking inside.
All you have to do is scan the barcode or type the product name into the search bar. The app rates the item on a scale from 0 to 10—0 meaning completely non-toxic, and 10 meaning highly toxic… as in, throw-it-in-the-trash-right-now toxic!
The Best All Natural Dry Shampoos
After hours of research and months of testing different dry shampoos, I’ve finally found five amazing all-natural options. And I’d love to share them with you—so you don’t have to spend nearly as much time tracking them down.
Here they are, in no particular order.
1 | Cleo & Coco Natural Dry Shampoo Powder
This dry shampoo is formulated with cornstarch, arrowroot powder, kaolin clay, tapioca starch, charcoal powder, and essential oils.
It is vegan-friendly, aluminum-free, cruelty-free, paraben-free, talc-free, phthalate-free, and contains no synthetic fragrances.
The cool thing about this dry shampoo is that it also doubles as a body powder. It can be used to eliminate sweat, body odor, and prevent chafing.
I’ve only ever used it as a dry shampoo, though, and it works great!
You can buy it on Amazon!
2 | Acure Dry Shampoo
I love the Acure brand. They produce some excellent toxin-free hair products, and their dry shampoo is no exception.
This dry shampoo contains only five ingredients, primarily consisting of cornstarch, arrowroot powder, baking soda, and essential oils.
It’s 100% vegan, as well as paraben-free, sulfate-free, mineral oil-free, petrolatum-free, formaldehyde-free, and cruelty-free.
It gets the job done and smells great.
I purchase it from ThriveMarket.com (which I’m obsessed with). You can click here to learn more about Thrive Market. It’s only 9.99 for a 1.7oz bottle, or you can get it on Amazon for just a few dollars more.
3 | Revive Healthy Hair Dry Shampoo
This dry shampoo smells lovely and works great. The ingredients are baking soda, arrowroot powder, tapioca starch, gluconolactone, sodium benzoate, and essential oils.
Gluconolactone may sound intimidating, but it’s actually a naturally occurring polyhydroxy acid used in skincare and as a food additive.
I really like this dry shampoo. It provides great volume and blends seamlessly into your hair.
You can click here to check it out! You can also use the code HAPPYHEART10 to get 10% off your purchase.
4 | Drop Dead Gorgeous Dry Shampoo
This dry shampoo contains nine simple ingredients—rice powder, kaolin clay, rosemary leaf oil, eucalyptus leaf oil, lavender oil, peppermint oil, coconut fruit extract, curcuma domestica root extract, and vanilla planifolia fruit extract.
Not only does this dry shampoo reduce oil, but it also adds a lot of volume and body. It doesn’t contain any parabens, artificial preservatives, synthetic chemicals, or talc. It is 100% vegan and cruelty-free.
It can be purchased on Amazon.
5 | Hair Dance Volumizing Dry Shampoo
I happened to stumble upon this dry shampoo while shopping on Amazon. I couldn’t find it on the Think Dirty app, and I had never heard of the brand before.
However, after checking out the ingredients and reading the reviews, I decided to give it a try, and I’m happy I did. This dry shampoo contains only five ingredients—rice starch, colloidal oatmeal, silica, lavender oil, and olive leaf extract.
Silica Controversy
There’s some controversy surrounding silica, but it’s actually one of the most common minerals on Earth. You naturally ingest it through fruits and vegetables, where it supports joint flexibility, strengthens bones and teeth, and helps keep your skin glowing.
But here’s where the controversy comes in—silica is also linked to silicosis, a serious lung condition caused by inflammation and scarring in the lungs.
Sounds scary, right?
The good news is that the type of silica responsible for silicosis is crystalline silica, which is only harmful when inhaled in large amounts—typically in industrial settings.
The silica used in beauty products is very different. It’s called hydrated silica, a solid, spherical powder that doesn’t affect the lungs the same way.
After conducting careful research on the use of silica in beauty products, I am convinced that the Hair Dance volumizing dry shampoo is safe to use, which is excellent because it works really well.
You can get it on Amazon.
Homemade Natural Dry Shampoo
I’m thrilled to have discovered so many truly natural dry shampoos that work exceptionally well. The downside to many of these dry shampoos is their price tag.
Although the prices aren’t outrageous, many people may find them to be a bit more expensive than their toxic counterparts.
If you like your dry shampoo to be toxin-free but are on a budget, I highly recommend checking out my homemade dry shampoo!
It costs around $1.50 to make and works really well.
Dry Shampoo Tips
All of the natural dry shampoos on this list are in powder form rather than aerosol, which can be an issue for some people.
Mainly because they can be messy and/or leave a powdery residue on your hair or clothes. I wanted to share with you the best dry shampoo tip I know before concluding this post.
Apply your dry shampoo the night before!
Do not apply it in the morning! This not only ensures you don’t get it all over the cute outfit you just put on, but it also allows the dry shampoo to fully absorb into your hair overnight.
You’ll wake up with oil-free, voluminous hair, leaving no powdery residue behind!
You’re welcome 😉
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to choose between fresh hair and clean ingredients. These all-natural dry shampoos prove that you can ditch the toxins without sacrificing performance.
Whether you’re looking for something you can DIY or a store-bought favorite with clean ingredients, there’s an option on this list that’s perfect for you. Give one a try, and enjoy healthy, refreshed hair—naturally.
