How To: Keep Your Hair Fabulous & Oil-Free Between Washes with DIY Dry Shampoo

For the days when you don't want to, or don't have time to wash your hair, dry shampoo can be a lifesaver. There are tons of commercial brands that make them, but personally, I've always had better luck with homemade ones. Read on to learn how to make your own dry shampoo for any hair color (and why you should use it).

Why You Shouldn't Wash Your Hair Every Day

It sounds totally counterintuitive, but when you shampoo every day, your hair actually produces more oil. By washing your hair every day, you strip it of all its natural oils, which makes it produce more. When you wash less frequently, your hair doesn't need to produce as much oil to compensate.

Some people go a step further and stop using shampoo altogether, opting for alternative methods like co-washing or more natural, gentle cleansers like baking soda and vinegar. But if you don't want to go quite that far, just cutting back on how often you wash makes a world of difference.

I know, if you're used to washing every day, it probably sounds gross. I won't lie—when you first change your routine, you're going to have oily days. Since your hair is used to having to produce extra oil, it can take some time for it to adjust. But if you can make it through the transition, it's well worth it, and a little dry shampoo can go a long way while you wait for your hair to catch up.

How Dry Shampoo Can Help Between Washes

Dry shampoo is just a powder that absorbs excess oil from your hair's roots. It's the easiest way to get rid of that oily look without actually washing. Not only does it cut back on your shampoo usage, it means you don't have to style your hair as often either, and less blow drying and straightening means healthier hair.

It's best to use a makeup brush or a powder puff to apply dry shampoo. It doesn't take much, and a brush helps you control the amount much better than sprinkling it on directly.

Add a light dusting to your roots, then comb the powder through your hair. It will absorb the excess oil from your scalp and get rid of that "I-haven't-washed-my-hair" look.

DIY Dry Shampoo for Light Hair

Some powders, like arrowroot, cornstarch and baby powder, work on their own as one-ingredient dry shampoos. You can try adding other ingredients like oatmeal, baking soda, salt and cornmeal to see what works best for your hair. You can find a good list of recipes on Beautylish.

DIY Dry Shampoo for Dark Hair

If you're a brunette, you'll need some color in your dry shampoo since white powder is easy to see against dark hair. The solution is simple—just add some cocoa powder. Blend it with one of the absorbing powders (or combinations) listed above. Half and half is a good ratio to start, but you can make it darker or lighter depending on your hair color.

Hate the Idea of Powder in Your Hair?

If you want to shampoo less frequently but are grossed out by the idea of putting powder in your hair, you can try the cheesecloth method instead. Just wrap a piece of cheesecloth around your brush and brush your hair like usual. The cheesecloth should absorb some excess oil.

Do you use dry shampoo? If you have a favorite recipe (or brand), share with us in the comments.

Conditioner love photo via xoVain, Powder dumping and brush photos via The Little Giggler, Baby powder photo via Parenetables, Cocoa powders photo via Seelensturm/Flickr, Cheesecloth brush photo via Maquillage Obscura