At The Eco Hub, we are dedicated to discovering the finest sustainable brands that align with our commitment to eco-friendliness. Our reviews are independent, and when you choose to purchase through our affiliate links, we may receive a small commission. For more information, click here. Are you dealing with a bad hair day? Fear not! Natural dry shampoo is here to save the day. Organic dry shampoos are remarkable at extending the life of your blowout, enhancing volume, and refreshing your roots between washes.
Natural dry shampoo works to reduce oiliness, absorb sweat, and mask unpleasant odors, all while ensuring that we do not contribute to environmental pollution through non-recyclable aerosol cans and questionable ingredients.
Our Top Picks for Natural Dry Shampoo
- Fat And The Moon
- Captain Blankenship
- kaia naturals
- EcoRoots
- Honeywild Apothecary
- Katie Mae Naturals
- Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve Company
- The Earthling Co.
Natural Dry Shampoos to Try
We strive to highlight brands that prioritize minimal packaging, although achieving this can be challenging in the clean beauty sector. Plastic pollution is a significant issue, yet many brands are taking steps to mitigate the environmental impact caused by the beauty industry. Shopping for sustainable dry shampoos requires careful consideration, and we’ve compiled some guidelines below to assist you, covering topics such as:
Why is dry shampoo potentially unsafe to use? Why is benzene found in dry shampoo? How do we select these natural shampoo brands? Plus, answers to your most common dry shampoo FAQs!
1. Fat and the Moon
Good for: All Hair Types/Colors
Standout ingredients: Organic arrowroot powder & kaolin clay
Price: $15.99
Good things often come in small packages, as demonstrated by Fat And The Moon’s Lavender + Cocoa Dry Shampoo. Suitable for all hair types, its gentle plant-based formula features organic cocoa powder, organic arrowroot powder, kaolin clay, and organic lavender essential oil, all designed to combat oil and odor while soothing the scalp. If you have dark hair, this organic dry shampoo is a great option. Blondes need not worry, as the cocoa merely adds a hint of color without turning your light locks brown. It’s best applied with a makeup brush. This aluminum-free product comes in a recyclable and refillable aluminum shaker, ticking all the eco-friendly boxes.
About Fat and The Moon
If you’re a regular visitor to The Eco Hub, you’ll know how much we adore this brand. Fat & The Moon offers an impressive range of palm-oil-free shampoos, organic makeup, and eco-friendly cosmetic products. Founder Rachel Budde aims to provide an alternative to unhealthy beauty standards that seek to tame, eliminate, or fix. Instead, Fat & The Moon celebrates and empowers individuality, with every product crafted with love by the team.
What We Love ❤️
- Quality Ingredients
- Cruelty-free
- Palm Oil Free
- Sustainable Sourcing
- Eco-friendly Packaging
Good to Know 🤓
- Vegan (with sustainably sourced beeswax in some other products)
2. Captain Blankenship
Good for: All Hair Types/Colors
Standout ingredients: Glacial marine clay
Price: $26
Captain Blankenship’s Refresh Dry Shampoo is truly a mermaid’s dream! Formulated with simple ingredients that work in harmony to absorb oil, enhance volume, and keep your hair fresh, this dry shampoo features glacial marine clay, organic arrowroot powder, and aluminum-free baking soda. The glacial marine clay absorbs excess oil and revitalizes strands with beneficial vitamins and minerals, while organic arrowroot powder promotes natural volume without drying. For those with dark hair, the brand offers a Dark Dry Shampoo variant, enriched with cocoa and activated charcoal, perfect for brown, red, and black hair. Enhanced with essential oils of rose geranium and palmarosa, this product also boasts an innovative powder sprayer for easy application.
About Captain Blankenship
As a proud member of 1% For The Planet and a certified B Corp, Captain Blankenship collaborates with suppliers committed to sustainable and regenerative farming practices. They source ingredients from small-scale farms and have partnered with PACT to facilitate the recycling of beauty empties, allowing consumers to send back their used products for recycling for a small shipping fee.
What We Love ❤️
- Quality Ingredients
- Vegan
- Cruelty-free
- Palm Oil Free
- Sustainable Sourcing
- Eco-friendly Packaging
3. kaia naturals
Good for: Fine, Dry, Thin Hair/All Colors
Standout ingredients: Activated charcoal
Price: $33
kaia naturals Overnight Dry Shampoo is nothing short of revolutionary! Infused with activated charcoal, this product is designed to absorb oil, refresh roots, and combat odors, making it best applied just before bedtime. The brand claims that some ingredients are “time-activated,” working while you sleep to leave your hair looking better than ever by morning. Ideal for dry, thin hair, this 100% plant-based formula utilizes “proprietary Wing-Lift Technology,” propelling powder without harmful propellants like butane and propane.
About kaia naturals
Founded by Mary Futher, a.k.a. @madamesweat, kaia naturals specializes in natural deodorants and dry shampoo. Their products are innovative and shipped directly from their 50-acre farm. They prioritize the use of biodegradable materials to minimize landfill waste and aim to create refillable products wherever possible.
What We Love ❤️
- Quality Ingredients
- Vegan
- Cruelty-free
- Sustainable Sourcing
- Eco-friendly Packaging
Good to Know 🤓
- Palm Oil Free (found in their deodorants)
4. EcoRoots
Good for: All Hair Types/Colors
Standout ingredients: Aloe Leaf Powder, Green Clay
Price: $21
EcoRoots delivers a sustainable dry shampoo that effectively absorbs residue and combats odors. Formulated with high-quality plant-based ingredients such as organic aloe leaf powder, green clay, and baking soda, this product avoids harmful additives like parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and aluminum. Aloe vera promotes a healthy scalp, which can assist in preventing hair loss by breaking down dead skin cells that may clog hair follicles.
About EcoRoots
EcoRoots is committed to making your bathroom sustainable with their zero-waste deodorant, vegan shampoo bars, eco-friendly loofahs, and more. A female-founded brand and a member of 1% For The Planet, EcoRoots is on a mission to provide the best eco-friendly, low-waste products available.
What We Love ❤️
- Quality Ingredients
- Vegan
- Cruelty-free
- Sustainable Sourcing
- Eco-friendly Packaging
Good to Know 🤓
- Palm Oil Free (found in some items)
5. Honeywild Apothecary
Good for: All Hair Types/Colors
Standout ingredients: Arrowroot powder, magnesium
Price: $12
Honeywild Apothecary is a charming low-waste shop offering an organic dry shampoo available in three shades (dark, medium, and untinted) and five scents, including an unscented option. Using Fair Trade organic cocoa powder for medium shades and organic black cocoa for darker shades, this plant-based dry shampoo is crafted with simple ingredients that maintain freshness and softness between washes. The affordable price point of $12 makes it one of the best budget-friendly options available.
About Honeywild Apothecary
Born in the USA, Honeywild Apothecary provides a variety of zero-waste skin and body care products, shipping everything plastic-free. While they are not 100% vegan (due to the use of locally sourced honey in some products), they do utilize certified sustainable palm oil in others.
What We Love ❤️
- Quality Ingredients
- Vegan
- Cruelty-free
- Sustainable Sourcing
- Eco-friendly Packaging
Good to Know 🤓
- Vegan (local, raw honey)
- Palm Oil Free (RSPO in some products)
6. Katie Mae Naturals
Good for: All Hair Types/Colors
Standout ingredients: Arrowroot powder, Non-GMO corn starch
Price: $15.29
Another delightful Etsy shop to support, Katie Mae Naturals believes in the physical and metaphysical healing properties of nature. Their handmade dry shampoo is filled with hair-loving ingredients, including organic arrowroot powder, non-GMO corn starch, and kaolin clay. Offering nine delightful scents, including an unscented version, this product is perfect for both blonde and brunette hair.
About Katie Mae Naturals
As a small business, Katie Mae Naturals is committed to reducing their environmental impact by emphasizing less waste, fewer plastics, and reusable, biodegradable, and compostable packaging. All orders are shipped in recycled and biodegradable or compostable materials, ensuring a minimal carbon footprint.
What We Love ❤️
- Quality Ingredients
- Cruelty-free
- Palm Oil Free
- Sustainable Sourcing
- Eco-friendly Packaging
Good to Know 🤓
- Vegan (sustainably sourced beeswax)
7. Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve Company
Good for: All Hair Types/Colors
Standout ingredients: Organic burdock root and organic plantain
Price: $18.50
Manufactured in the USA, Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve Company provides a range of zero-waste and biodegradable products, including natural deodorants, hair care, salves, and baby formulas. Their Fresh Locks™ dry shampoo features USDA-certified organic ingredients that rejuvenate greasy, dull hair, promoting shine and soothing an itchy scalp.
About Chagrin Valley
This brand is known for its impressive environmental commitments, ensuring all packaging is biodegradable and working with suppliers for transparency. They have outfitted their facilities for sustainability and make a significant effort to minimize their ecological footprint.
What We Love ❤️
- Quality Ingredients
- Vegan
- Cruelty-free
- Sustainable Sourcing
- Eco-friendly Packaging
Good to Know 🤓
- Palm Oil Free (found in their soaps)
8. The Earthling Co.
Good for: All Hair Types/Colors/Curly Hair Friendly
Standout ingredients: Bamboo stem powder & biotin
Price: $26
The Earthling Co. stands out for its commitment to sustainability and offers an impressive array of eco-friendly dry shampoos along with other zero-waste products. Their dry shampoo is designed for all hair types, rich in nutrient-dense ingredients like bamboo stem powder, which absorbs excess oil and softens hair, while rice protein and biotin contribute to volume and fullness. It is also free from aerosol, plastic, sulfates, and animal products, making it a top choice for eco-conscious consumers.
About The Earthling Co.
As a Climate Neutral Certified business, The Earthling Co. focuses on eliminating toxic ingredients and manufacturing processes that harm both humans and the environment. Their commitment to sustainability extends to their shipping practices and packaging choices, which prioritize recyclability and the reduction of virgin materials.
What We Love ❤️
- Quality Ingredients
- Vegan
- Cruelty-free
- Palm Oil Free
- Sustainable Sourcing
- Eco-friendly Packaging
Why Is Dry Shampoo Potentially Unsafe to Use?
When discussing conventional dry shampoo, particularly those in aerosol containers, it’s essential to address safety concerns. In late October 2022, Unilever announced a voluntary recall of several of its dry shampoo products, including TRESemmé, Nexxus, Dove, Suave, Rockaholic, and Bed Head, due to suspected elevated levels of benzene, a known human carcinogen. Unilever stated that daily exposure to benzene in the recalled products, at the levels detected during testing, would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences. However, this was alarming news, particularly for the millions of users relying on dry shampoo to manage bad hair days.
High levels of benzene over time pose significant risks, including increased cancer risk, particularly leukemia. This risk is amplified by the indoor use of dry shampoo, where benzene can linger in the air, leading to inhalation. Natural sources of benzene include volcanoes and forest fires, but it is also present in many everyday products, such as paints, glues, dyes, and detergents.
Why Is Benzene Used in Dry Shampoo?
The inclusion of benzene in dry shampoo is often attributed to it being a byproduct of the gases, such as butane, used to create the propellant in aerosol cans. Both butane and propane are common in aerosol products but are not ideal for health or environmental safety. The supply chain surrounding these materials lacks quality control, increasing the risk of benzene contamination. If the propellant is derived from low-quality petroleum, the likelihood of contamination rises.
While eliminating benzene might lead one to believe aerosol cans are safe, it’s not a certainty. Other harmful substances may still be present, including:
- Parabens & Phthalates: These ingredients are suspected endocrine disruptors and should be avoided in skincare products.
- Aluminum: This heavy metal has been linked to headaches and Alzheimer’s disease.
- Other harmful components include alcohol, talc, artificial fragrances, and various synthetic ingredients.
How Do We Choose the Best Zero-Waste and Natural Dry Shampoos?
In our quest for sustainable skincare, we prioritize the following criteria:
Quality Ingredients: We seek products crafted from the finest natural ingredients that are safe for both consumers and the environment. Certified organic ingredients are preferable, free from pesticides and harmful chemicals throughout their production.
Vegan: We favor products that contain no animal-derived ingredients or derivatives. Look for certifications such as:
- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
- Vegan.org
Cruelty-Free: We avoid products that may have been tested on animals. Certifications to look for include:
- PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies
- Cruelty-Free Kitty
- Leaping Bunny
- Cruelty-Free International
Palm Oil Free: Given the ethical and environmental concerns surrounding palm oil production, we aim to select alternatives. Some brands may use Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), which we will note.
Sustainably Sourced: We advocate for products that are not only safer for consumers but also for the planet and the individuals involved in the supply chain.
Better Packaging: We prefer products that come in compostable, zero waste, recyclable, or reusable containers.
Dry Shampoo FAQs
How Does Dry Shampoo Work?
Between washes, our scalps produce sebum, an oil that keeps our hair and scalp healthy. However, after a few days, excess sebum can lead to greasy, limp, and dull hair. Natural dry shampoos contain ingredients like clay and baking soda that absorb this oil, providing lift and volume.
Why Use a Natural Dry Shampoo?
Natural dry shampoos save you time by reducing the frequency of hair washing, ultimately saving you money. They are perfect for refreshing your hair after a long flight or an intense workout!
What Are the Cons of Using Dry Shampoo?
Using dry shampoo frequently can result in buildup on the scalp, potentially leading to inflammation and dandruff. While we recommend limiting use, applying it two to three times a week is generally acceptable.
How to Use Dry Shampoo?
- Step 1: Part your hair into small sections, focusing on the oiliest areas.
- Step 2: Using an applicator brush, sprinkle a small amount of powder onto the brush—less is more!
- Step 3: Gently dab the brush onto your oily roots.
- Step 4: Use clean fingertips to massage and distribute the powder into your scalp and hair.
- Step 5: Brush your hair thoroughly to evenly distribute the powder, only applying to areas that need it. For best results, apply dry shampoo the night before to allow the ingredients to absorb excess oil overnight.
A Final Word on Sustainable Dry Shampoo
We believe that natural dry shampoos made from simple ingredients are the ideal solution for giving our hair a little extra love between washes. Always read product labels and avoid those with incomprehensible ingredients. Aim for products with fewer, organic, and natural ingredients. If you found this article helpful, please consider sharing it with others—sharing is caring! 😊
Bir yanıt yazın