The 12 Best Natural Dry Shampoos of 2021

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We’ve said it a thousand times—dry shampoo is undoubtedly one of the most valuable products in our entire beauty arsenal. High praise, yes, but you’d be hard-pressed to find another staple we’re more reliant upon.

While we have many tried-and-true favorites, we decided it was time to think outside the box a bit. Many traditional dry shampoos are filled with questionable ingredients like talc, which has been linked to cancer, and LPGs (liquid petroleum gas) like propane, butane, and isobutane, which propel the shampoo out of traditional aerosol bottles but can be potentially problematic for your health (and for the environment). So we set out to find some more eco-friendly, cleaner formulas that are effective and easy to use.

Ahead, the best natural dry shampoos for those looking to make the switch to cleaner formulas.

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Byrdie editors repeatedly rave about this 100% natural option. In fact, senior editor Lindsey Metrus says that each time she uses it, people ask her if she just got a blowout. (We call that #ironic.) Dust the plant-based powder onto your roots to absorb excess oil and grime, as well as give limp locks a punch of volume in one fell sprinkle.

Buy on Franklinandwhitman.com

This finely-milled formula is especially easy to sprinkle on for an instant root refresh; credit a blend of four different starches, powders, and clay. We also appreciate that it comes in two different (natural) scents, with both a light and dark hair option in each. But our fave part? The brand—which pledges that all of the ingredients used in its products are cruelty-free and plant-based—donates 5% of every purchase to support dog rescue organizations. Be still our puppy-loving hearts.

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Certified organic and vegan, this one's price point is a big deal in the world of natural dry shampoos, not to mention it's also a universally great pick for all hair types and textures. Pro tip: Squeeze some onto your brush, then brush through hair for easy, even application.

Love Beauty & Planet Oil Muru Muru Butter Oil-Absorbing Dry Shampoo

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Full disclosure, this option does contain fragrance—however, 97% of the ingredients are naturally-derived. Besides that, it’s also the only mass-market or drugstore dry shampoo we’ve seen that, while it is an aerosol, is powered by nitrogen rather than greenhouse gases to make it notably more eco-friendly.

Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal &#43; Biotin Dry Shampoo

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With ingredients that address both the hair and the scalp, this pick truly gets to the root of the issue (sorry, we couldn’t help ourselves). An extra-purifying type of Japanese charcoal removes impurities, witch hazel normalizes oil production, and biotin helps support healthy hair growth—all with a clean, 98% naturally-derived formula.

Beauty by Earth Organic Dry Shampoo Powder

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The quest for clean formulas—as it pertains to any type of beauty product—can be challenging. That’s why seeking out distinct certifications, such as USDA Organic, is always a smart shortcut. This squeaky clean formula has that distinction and is also Leaping Bunny-certified, so you can feel confident knowing it’s also cruelty-free. Bonus points for the squeeze bottle with a pointed tip, which makes a targeted application at the root easier than ever.

Fat and the Moon Lavender + Cocoa Dry Shampoo

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As any dark-haired girl will tell you, dry shampoos are often notorious for the tell-tale white residue they can leave in hair. This can be even more of an issue when it comes to natural powder formulas since they're more concentrated than their aerosol counterparts. That’s why we appreciate that this version combines oil-absorbing arrowroot starch and kaolin clay with cocoa powder, which adds enough of a brown tint to ensure it blends in perfectly on a variety of dark hair colors. Paired with lavender essential oil, that cocoa powder also makes for a yummy scent, too.

Primally Pure Natural Dry Shampoo Light Locks

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Sure, dry shampoo may look less obvious on blondes than brunettes, but that doesn’t mean that white residue can’t still be apparent on lighter hair. Happily, this powder has more of an off-white tone that disappears completely on blonde hair; it’s also a choice pick for those with grey strands. A carefully chosen trio of essential oils not only smells great, but also imparts added benefits: grapefruit oil cleanses, lavender oil soothes the scalp, and peppermint oil helps stimulate healthy hair growth.

Lulu Organics Lavender & Clary Sage Dry Shampoo

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You can choose between six different scents of this powder, as well as an unscented option. In each case, those yummy fragrance combos (think options like lavender and clary sage, or patchouli and amber) are derived from natural essential oils. Plus, how freaking cute is the vintage-inspired packaging?

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It can take a second to get used to using a foam dry shampoo, but for those who don’t love the sprinkle-on powders, this is a nice alternative. The other benefit? The airy texture helps impart extra volume, too, as does the organic honey in the formula. Use one to two pumps at the root and let air-dry, or hit it with a blow dryer for even more fullness.

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This Amazon fave earns rave reviews from devoted users both for quickly freshening up hair and imparting lots of volume. While some do note that the application method can take some getting used to when compared to traditional aerosol sprays, many point out that a little goes a long way and one bottle lasts for months on end. A universal tint that blends in with many different hair colors, as well as a naturally derived lavender scent, are just added bonuses.

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A foolproof option across the board, this works just as well at pumping up fine hair as it does at keeping thick curls smooth and in shape as it does to refresh natural hair in between washes. Aerosol-free, the pump-top still delivers a nice and even dispersion of the product, which boasts oil- and odor-absorbing rice and tapioca powders. Also noteworthy is the addition of mineral-rich fulvic acid, which helps to rebalance the scalp’s microbiome, essential for keeping both the scalp and hair healthy.

Final Verdict

Many traditional dry shampoos are a sneaky source of potential chemicals. For those seeking a cleaner alternative, both the Rahua Voluminous Dry Shampoo and Franklin + Whitman Dry Shampoo are fool-proof picks. (The latter also comes in two different scents and options for both blondes and brunettes.) Budget-conscious shoppers will appreciate the very wallet-friendly Acure Dry Shampoo, which also happens to be certified organic. Don’t love powders? The Innersense Refresh Dry Shampoo is a foam formula that both quickly freshens hair and also imparts lots of volume.

The 12 Best Natural Shampoos That Work Just As Well As Traditional Formulas