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Curly Hair Care Routine: 1 Simple DIY Dry Shampoo Recipe for Dark Hair

By Jacqueline Samaroo

Are you the kind of curly girl who enjoys DIYing some of your natural hair care products? That’s awesome! This post has all you need to know about DIY dry shampoo for dark hair. Making your own dry shampoo is one of the easiest things you’ll ever do.

In case it’s TLDR, here is the recipe in a nutshell:

Use equal amounts of cornstarch (or arrowroot powder) and cocoa powder (or activated charcoal). Add a few drops of essential oil. Combine well and you’re good to go.

And, hey, be sure to also read Black Hair Products: DIY Hair Detangler – 4 Super Easy Recipes. Detanglers are must-haves when it comes to natural haircare products.

Basic Ingredients for DIY Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo ingredients tend to be really simple. That’s especially true when it comes to homemade dry shampoo. You most likely have the two main items you’ll need for your DIY dry shampoo sitting in your pantry right now.

Starch Powder

Commercially-made and homemade dry shampoos have one basic function. They absorb grease and product buildup from your scalp and strands. They each use some kind of absorbent starch powder to do it. Store-bought dry shampoo usually has cornstarch or rice starch.

The absorbing powder in the dry shampoo DIY recipe we have lined up for you can be either

• Cornstarch
• Arrowroot

Some commercially-made dry shampoos use talc. However, dry shampoo without talc is mostly sought after. That’s because there are some health issues associated with talc powder.

There are also dry shampoo DIY recipes that use baking soda. Baking soda does have the advantage of neutralizing odors. Plus, it leaves your scalp feeling clean and fresh. However, since baking soda can be too drying if not used correctly, we’ll steer clear of it in this instance.

Find out one great way to use baking soda as part of your natural haircare routine. Read: Baking Soda and ACV – Are They Really Good for Natural Hair?

Coloring Powder

One of the biggest reasons most African Americans shy away from dry shampoos is their tendency to not match our hair color. They are notorious for leaving white flakes on dark tresses.

No worries! There are (homemade and store-bought) formulas of dry shampoo for dark hair. These contain coloring agents to match your dark curls so you won’t end up with a white cast on your head!

Our DIY dry shampoo recipe uses two coloring powders. They are the ones most often used in dry shampoo dark hair recipes.

• Cocoa powder – Go with raw cacao powder if you can. It has iron, protein, and a range of other nutrients that boost scalp and hair health.

 

• Activated charcoal – This is very absorbent and has been shown to fight dandruff and acne.

You can go with either one or combine them so your dry shampoo for dark hair will match your exact hair color. Use cocoa powder for dark hair that has more deep brown tones. Use activated charcoal in dry shampoo for black hair.

Have you dyed your hair or is it naturally more on the auburn or red end of the spectrum? If yes, then add some cinnamon powder to the recipe. The health benefits of cinnamon include having antifungal, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties.

Adding essential oils to your dry shampoo DIY recipe

Using essential oils in your DIY dry shampoo is totally optional. However, they do add a nice natural fragrance to your hair. Think of it as aromatherapy flowing from your curls! Plus, essential oils do have other benefits.

We’ll be using:

Lemongrass essential oil has antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. It also works as an antioxidant. As far as aromatherapy goes, lemongrass essential oil relieves stress and anxiety.

Lavender essential oil is also used in aromatherapy. It has been shown to have calming effects and to reduce anxiety. It is also quite effective as a sleep aid. Lavender oil also calms and soothes your skin with its anti-inflammatory properties.

Of course, you can use any essential oil you choose. If you’re mixing oils, you may have to experiment with how much of each you use to get the scent that suits you.

Other stuff you’ll need to make your DIY dry shampoo

• A shaker container to store the dry shampoo OR a jar for storage and a brush to apply the dry shampoo to your roots. (We recommend using a kabuki-style brush for best results.)
• A measuring cup or measuring spoons
• A small metal funnel

DIY Dry Shampoo for Dark Hair Recipe

Here’s how to make our super-easy dry shampoo for dark hair.

• Add 1/4 cup (or 4 tablespoons) cornstarch or arrowroot to the storage container, using the funnel, if needed.
• Add 1/4 cup (or 4 tablespoons) activated charcoal or cocoa powder. (Use 2 tablespoons of each or whatever combination best matches your hair color.) (Use a little less of each one and add in some cinnamon powder for auburn and reddish tones.)
• Add 12 drops of essential oil (more or less as you like).
• Close the container and give it a good shake to combine all the ingredients.

There you have it – your very own DIY dry shampoo for dark hair!

How to use your DIY Dry Shampoo

If your homemade dry shampoo is in a shaker, gently shake it onto your roots. If you used a jar, then simply use a (kabuki-style) brush to apply it to your roots. Massage it in and then let it sit for a while before you comb/brush and style your hair as usual.

Find out more about dry shampoos and how to use them: Dry Shampoo for Curly Hair? Here Are 6 Amazing Must-Read Points.

As you can see, our DIY dry shampoo recipe requires almost no work at all. You might, however, prefer to use a commercially-made dry shampoo some or all of the time. If so, click here for our top 10 pick of the best dry shampoos for curly hair.

Are you into DIYing your natural haircare products?

Have you ever tried DIY dry shampoo for dark hair?

Tell us!

* This article was originally published here