Last week, the FDA issued a recall on a handful of dry shampoos (you can see the entire recall list here) as a result of testing that indicated they had “elevated levels of benzene,” a carcinogen. While you should ditch your aerosol product if it was part of the recall, there’s no need to panic. “The amounts of benzene found in beauty products are not expected to cause any harm,” cosmetic chemist and PHD Dr. Michelle Wong said via Twitter. “You need extremely high exposures to have a noticeably higher risk of cancer.”
That said, it’s a good idea to seek out benzene-free dry shampoos from here on out. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of highly effective, oil-absorbing, texture-boosting products on the market. From plant-based sprays that have been diligently tested to powders that don’t skimp on volume, here are the best natural, safe, and benzene-free dry shampoos to add to your hair routine.
The Best Natural Dry Shampoos
Big on squeezing in your sweat session? I can’t emphasize how much you need this in your collection. It can take sweat-drenched, damp roots to a volume-packed, dry state in a matter of seconds. It effectively soaks up oil, creates a clean appearance, and adds loads of texture. Just be warned: You don’t need a lot of product to get the job done.
Even though you may be accustomed to a spray dispenser, I promise you: The powder options work just as well. Take this vegan Bumble & Bumble option for instance. It cleanses your roots while adding a bit of texture and grit to a days-old style. That said, the application may come with a learning curve. To avoid a mess, try either sprinkling some powder onto your hair brush or gently shaking the bottle over your head à la a salt shaker.
This aerosol-free dry shampoo’s main allure? Its simple ingredient list. There’s a grand total of six items on the label, all of which are derived from plants. Tapioca powder is the main star, as it works wonders to absorb oil and odor without leaving a white cast behind. The sidekicks of the ingredient crew include, but are not limited to, rice powder, which absorbs oil, and fulvic acid, which helps with hair growth. A few pumps of this concoction will leave you with cleaner-looking, more voluminous roots.
If you’ve been dealing with hair loss, you may have decided to ditch dry shampoo altogether—some products can gunk-up the scalp and create a not-so-ideal environment for growth. But there’s no need to worry when using this vegan formula. It’s a talc-free, benzene-free, lightweight spray that actually promotes hair growth. With a little spritz of the product via an eco-friendly propellant, your greasy strands will be coated in organic rice starch, an ingredient capable of absorbing allllll the extra oil.
As a big fan of just about everything Briogio, it’s no surprise that they earned a gold star in the dry shampoo category. While some dry shampoos can make your hair feel like it’s coated in heavy layers of product, this charcoal-based formula cleans hair without leaving behind a gritty feel. The best feature on this bottle is hands-down the applicator. Even though it’s non-aerosol, it’s still equipped with a spray pump that allows you to get the oil-absorbing product directly on your roots.
Thanks to this dry shampoo, you don’t have to choose between scalp health and clean-looking hair. Formulated with moisturizing jojoba seed oil and an antioxidant called burdock root extract, this powder is going to actually remove dandruff flakes, add shine, and balance oil production on the scalp. You’ll get the cleansing and texture-adding benefits expected from a high quality dry shampoo too. The best part about this purchase though is without-a-question the scent. The mix of bergamot, cedarwood, and tonka beans will have you ditching your normal fragrance altogether.
Hear me out: Apply your dry shampoo at night. This super-charged charcoal formula was designed to refresh your roots, absorb oil, and get rid of smell over the course of a few hours, so it’s best applied just before you climb into bed. It’s available in two shades (depending on your hair color), so there’s no need to worry about product residue. Plus, one bottle is going to last you so long. Instead of being packed with chemicals and propellants that take up space in an aerosol can, this powder product consists of 100 percent usable dry shampoo.
While dry shampoo is most obviously used to get an extra day out of greasy hair, I’m a big, big, big fan of using a little bit of this powder directly after my blowout. Because I have such a fine texture, a little grit makes a world of difference when I go to curl my hair. It holds for so much longer. I just shake a little powder into my hands and run it through the entire body of my hair.
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