DIY Dry Shampoo for Light and Dark Hair

Who doesn’t love getting to sleep in an extra few minutes, skipping the shower, and sprinkling on some dry shampoo??

A lot of dry shampoos come in aerosol cans or plastic containers which aren’t super ideal when you’re trying to cut down on your waste.

And, let’s be honest… the ingredients in drug store dry shampoo can be questionable. Here’s the ingredients from Dove’s dry shampoo.

“Isobutane, Propane, Sd Alcohol 40-B (Alcohol Denat.), Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Butane, Fragrance (Parfum), Isopropyl Myristate, Silica, Cyclopentasiloxane “

I’m assuming alcohol is high on the list because it’s drying and will help absorb grease, but alcohol really dries out your hair and can cause damage over an extended period of time.

The other ingredient that always makes me wary is Fragrance. Fragrance is considered a trade secret… so you’re allowed to put anything in it and you’re not legally required to disclose what’s inside. Pretty crazy, right?

Here’s more info from EWG Skin Deep on the product, if you’re curious.

All of this to say, a lot of dry shampoos aren’t super great from a personal health standpoint or an environmental standpoint. And, to be honest, they’re not super good on the $$$ standpoint either.

If you’re using dry shampoo (like I am) it can really add up!

This DIY is easy, super inexpensive, and A-OK for you health and the health of the planet! After all, that’s what this blog is all about.

Health of self - health of planet.

I like to store my dry shampoo in a salt and pepper shaker for easy application. I just sprinkle the mixture straight onto my hair. If you’re looking for a little more control though, you can always use a makeup brush!

Related: How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes.

Sometimes, when you use dry shampoo, the powder can turn your hair slightly ashy. I don’t experience this problem, but if you know it’s a problem for you, I recommend sprinkling the mixture on your hair an inch or two away from your natural part.

This mixture contains bentonite clay so it’s important to remember to use a wooden spoon so the clay isn’t deactivated!

For Blondes:

• 1 Tablespoon Bentonite Clay

• 1 Tablespoon Arrowroot Powder

For Brunettes:

• 1 Tablespoon Bentonite Clay

• 1 Tablespoon Arrowroot Powder

• 1 Tablespoon of Cocoa Powder

Bentonite Clay might seem like an odd ingredient but it’s highly absorbent and helps to draw oils away from the skin! So, don’t skip it.

I hate when recipes call for random ingredients that you’re only going to use one time… but I promise you will find yourself reaching for Bentonite Clay again and again and again!

You can use it in a DIY Healing Face Mask, Remineralizing Toothpowder, and even a finishing powder!

For a recipe with a little more healing power to it, check out this one from my friend Alison at Wu Haus.

However, if DIY is not you’re thing… here’s two dry shampoos with clean ingredients that come in recyclable and/or reusable packaging. La Tierra Sagrada and Captain Blankenship.

Are you a dry shampoo fan? Have you tried your hand at DIYing it?

DIY, Zero Waste Powder Foundation

After my cancer scare, I started my natural living journey. I turned to DIY not just because it felt safer, but also because it's cheaper. I like knowing exactly what's in my products, and I’m always down for saving my pennies!

Plus, I think making zero waste makeup is a really fun challenge! 

RELATED: How Going Zero Waste Saved Me $12,000

This zero waste powder foundation is simple to make and simple to use! It’s definitely a finishing powder. It will absorb oil and even out your skin tone. It won’t leave you looking cakey. It’s not a heavy, thick foundation powder.

In the morning, I use a tinted SPF* as my base. It’s pretty sheer, but I like knowing my face is protected from the sun. If I have any red bumps, I’ll put on a dot or two of concealer*, then I’ll dust my face with this light powder to even everything out!

I have a birth mark on my left hand which you might have noticed in several videos and photos. I used my hand as an example because it was easier to take consistent photos by myself. 

I have a lot of pink in my skin which only accentuates any acne I may have. Using this powder helps smooth everything out and give the illusion of a nice even skin tone.

The main ingredient is arrowroot can also be found in my zero waste deodorant recipe, and then there are a lot of different ingredients you can use to create a shade close to your skin tone. The other ingredients you can use to adopt any shade are cacoa powder, ginger, bentonite clay, French green clay, and cinnamon.

You'll want to adjust all of these ingredients until you get your desired shade just right. 

Arrowroot: is great for the skin! It actually helps to clear acne. Yes, you can clear your acne while wearing this foundation. Arrowroot absorbs oils and sebum all while promoting natural healing.

Organic cacoa powder: is loaded with antioxidants and is super high in vitamin C which means you’re fighting wrinkles, skin damage, and free radicals. Cacoa helps to darken the base. 

Ginger powder: has anti-bacterial properties to help unclog pores and kill acne-causing bacteria. Add more ginger for warmer skin tones. 

Bentonite clay: shows up in a lot of my recipes from face masks to toothpowder. It removes toxins from the pores, reduces inflammation, and lightens acne marks. It's great for cooler skin undertones. Remember don't use a metal spoon with clay or you'll deactivate it! 

French green clay: is very absorbent. It works similarly to bentonite clay, but has a greenish hue. It works well with naturally pink skin to balance out the skin tone. (If I had french green clay, I would probably use it in place of the bentonite below since I have pinker skin.) 

Cinnamon: is a powerful antibacterial which can help reduce acne. However, it can really bother some people. I don't put cinnamon in my foundation because I find it to be irritating. Test patch a small place on your skin. It adds a great warm hue to the foundation. 

All of the ingredients were obtained in bulk from Berkeley Bowl and Oaktown Spice keeping this a totally zero waste DIY. 

Homemade, Foundation Powder: 

• 1 Heaping Tablespoon of Arrowroot Powder
• 1 Heaping Teaspoon of Cacoa Powder
• ½ a Teaspoon of Ginger
• ½ a Teaspoon of Bentonite Clay

Step 1: Mix all of the ingredients together

Step 2: Dip in a powder brush and dust off the excess

Step 3: Apply to a clean face

I store my powder in an old powder tin. The powder is shelf stable and will last 9 months to a year. 

Have you tried making your own makeup? 

This post contains affiliate linking. It's denoted with an asterisk. This means if you choose to purchase one of these items I will make a slight commission for referring you. You can read more on my disclosure page. 

How to Make Rose Water Toner

I love simple solutions that can be made from my own backyard. 

In my latest skin care post, I talked about buying products I love and then working on a DIY version that mimics the store bought one.

Some things are difficult to DIY like foundation and concealer. I would never recommend you making those. It's practically impossible to get right. 

Some things are more time consuming to DIY like sunscreen or soap. Thankfully, some things are really, really easy to make like toner! This toner is only made with two ingredients. As a bonus, it's simple to get these ingredients without creating trash.

The first ingredient is roses. I have a rose bush outside of the house, and it's been so hot they're all starting to wilt. 

I decided I couldn't let these beauties go to waste, and thought I should make some rose water! Rose water is the multitasking MVP every beauty lover should have in their fridge or their cabinet. 

why's rose water so cool? 

Why!? It can do everything. 

• It's anti-inflammatory which will help reduce redness and help acne.
• It's antibacterial and helps to heal scars and open wounds like that pimple you popped yesterday.
• It's hydrating keeping your skin balanced and relieves that dry, itchy feeling. 
• It balances pH. You have to be careful when DIYing your beauty routine that you keep the pH balanced. If it's out of wack it can lead to breakouts and other problems. 
• It controls excess oil without dehydrating your skin. 
• It's an antioxidant which helps regenerate new skin cells.
• It's astringent to help clean pores, reduce redness, and tone the skin.
• Helps to soften fine lines and wrinkles.
• The rose scent helps you to relax similar to lavender.

RELATED: How to Make Lavender Bath Salts

The second ingredient is alcohol-free witch hazel.  I know, I said these products could easily be found without trash. I know not everyone has a rainbow grocery near them. But, I recently stumbled on to the Refill Revolution where they have witch hazel in bulk. 

Witch hazel is another awesome product to keep around your beauty cabinet and your emergency kit. 

what's so great about witch hazel: 

• It's an anti-inflammatory which helps to reduce swelling and reddness. 
• It's an antioxidant preventing free radical damage from UV rays, pollution, stress, and poor diet etc. 
• Apply topically to help with cuts and wounds, cracked heels, razor burn, in grown hairs, even hemorrhoids 
• Helps soothe itchiness from a dry scalp to bug bites and even poison ivy.

Both of these ingredients are great for your skin. Witch hazel is considered one of the best natural ingredients for fighting acne. This toner is soothing, light, super easy to make, but most importantly - it works really well!! 

If you've been a reader for a while, you know I've struggled with acne. You can read more in this post. My skin is better now, but I'm never sure what will set it off. The oil cleansing method did not go over very well for me.

Everything still seems to be a guessing game, but I noticed a huge improvement when switching to rose water and witch hazel. If you struggle with skin texture, redness, dry skin, or overly oily skin, I would highly recommend you give this a try. 

The ingredients can be bought fairly inexpensively, and if you don't like the toner, there are TONS of other things you can make with rose water. 

• Can be used to set your makeup
• Spray on after a long day to feel refreshed and rejuvenated
• Bags under your eyes, forget cucumbers. Apply chilled rose water with a reusable cotton pad for five minutes
• Apply rose water to damp hair, wait thirty minutes and rinse. Get's ride of frizzy hair, deeply conditions, and adds shine

how to make rose water toner: 

• roses any color you like
• filtered water 
• witch hazel

1.  Pick all of the petals off of the roses. I used 7-8 roses.
2. Rinse the rose petals washing off any dirt or bugs. 
3. Place the petals in a pot and cover with filtered water. The water should just be covering the petals. I covered my petals with 2 cups of water.
4. Turn the stove on low heat, cover with a lid, and let simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. My petals were on the stove for an hour. 
5. Check on it every 15 minutes to keep an eye on the water level. My water level decreased by half. 
6. Strain out the rose petals and you have rose water! 
7. Pour one part rose water and one part witch hazel into a vessel to use as toner. 
8. Keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks. 

**Pro tip: freeze any leftover rose water in an icecube tray. This will keep perfectly portioned 2 tablespoon cubes ready for all your future DIYing. 

What are some of your skin care essentials?