Dry shampoo is a staple beauty and wellness product for many folks. Although it has existed for decades, in more recent years, it has been integrated into routines to save time and possibly even preserve color-treated hair. As a dark brown-haired gal myself, I steered away from using the powdery concoction until realizing there are actually formulas made specifically for darker-hued locks. While shampooing with the waterless substance is a major time saver, be sure to douse your head in some high-quality H2O off and on as well. Without real shampoo days mixed into the routine, you’ll likely have extra build-up and dirt piling up around follicles. Ew. But if you want to reduce sebum, aka oil, from your scalp or create some time-saving habits, dry shampoo seems like a solid solution. And back to you dark-haired beauties, there are many dry shampoo options for you too.
Jump To The Best Dry Shampoos For Dark Hair:
Vegan
Certified vegan and GMO-free, the shampoo already impresses right out of the gate. However, there is a hefty list of other “bad stuff“ that the formula does not contain either—so no sulfates, hormone-disrupting parabens, phthalates, SLES, MIT/MCIT, mineral oil, nanoparticles, triclosan, BHT, BHA, oxybenzone, or benzophenone. But there are good ingredients such as argan oil, which is known for numerous good properties, including being full of antioxidants. Wheat protein is incorporated to hydrate and improve the appearance of dry, damaged hair.
Coat your gorgeous tresses with clean ingredients, which are also cruelty-free. The earth tone formula works on most hair types thanks to its neutral appearance. Glycerin is an ingredient that stood out to us with this particular formula, and in this instance, it is used to help the hair absorb moisture. It’s a deeply conditioning humectant that can be beneficial to stopping breakage. A refreshing and seasonally transitional citrus fragrance is a lovely finishing touch.
Clean ingredients lead the way and are followed in suit by sustainable packaging to please those like myself who are environmentally conscious. Organically harvested oat milk soothes the scalp, while corn and rice starches help cleanse away all the day has thrown your way. According to the description, natural mineral pigments create a beige powder that blends into darker hair. Sometimes, users will seemingly apply dry shampoo too closely, creating a thick light layer. Try applying from a distance, and massage gently. This option is also safe for color-treated hair. Fun fact also listed in the description—replacing one shampoo a week with dry shampoo saves 500L of water per year.
Instantly clean your hair while adding volume and texture. That’s pretty much the goal of any shampoo, right? This one can be used for all hair types per the description, including those with light and dark hair. The scent on this one sounds downright heavenly, being described to have “citrus, green floral and creamy wood” aromas. No parabens, mineral oil, or phthalates were used to produce this dry shampoo.
Many cosmetic products are talc free these days, but it’s still listed as being used in some makeup products. Talc can contribute to serious lung complications. Good thing this formula is talc-free, along with being vegan and cruelty-free. Hair is enriched with vitamins and is treated to clean ingredients. Something called Zip-Up Technology reduces the appearance of damage and protects from further environmental harm.
For Color-Treated Hair
This dry shampoo is extremely versatile and can be used on most hair. Simply spray, massage, and style. This particular option is mentioned to be okay for treated hair. Sometimes, using dry shampoo is the better route for colored hair, rather than subjecting it to more frequent harsh washing sessions. The product is detailed to have a light fragrance. At the beginning of reviews on Ulta, you’ll find a pros and cons section, which is super handy. We quickly learned that customers commonly said the mixture adds volume, smells great, cleans thoroughly, and is gentle. However, under the cons, there were some opposing opinions, such as the product drying hair out.
Noted to blend into all hair colors, this can be especially beneficial for your gorgeous dark or black hair. But the company goes a step beyond just making a great product. They donate a generous percentage of proceeds, to an organization providing lifesaving elected surgeries to those in need. Since the powder is aerosol-free, applying is as easy as opening the twist cap to release the all natural, vegan, cruelty free ingredients. A few examples of the high-quality ingredients used are rice, oatmeal, lavender and olive leaf. Olive leaf has some vaguely mentioned benefits, such as preserving hair color, and repairing damage.
Gluten-Free
Some dry shampoos are just downright heavy. This formula is designed not to weigh down those locks. Pure pigments and rice starch work together to clean hair without looking like you are on the wrong end of a bag of flour. Oil, sweat, and odor are less likely to prevail. Hints of musk and almond blossom our an attractively earthy yet dainty combination. It’s just a bonus that the shampoo is also sulfate, paraben, and gluten-free. Those with severe gluten allergies have to watch out because hair products often contain wheat derivatives. This honest review stood out to us because of the pros and cons mentioned – “Absolutely loved this product! But after a few weeks of using it, it stopped spraying out product. And I kept shaking it and I could still hear product in the bottle but none was coming out.” However, this is the only complaint about the bottle not fully emptying that we saw.
There are mixed reviews on whether or not this is ideal for really dark brown or black hair, but it does seem to work for lighter brown or darker blonde tresses. “No white residue, which I noticed in my dark blonde hair from others, great scent and excellent price point and sulfate free,” says one customer. No artificial colors, aluminum, sulfate, parabens, or gluten are to be found here. Other perks are that it is a cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny-certified product. A coconut aroma lightly scents the hair and is warmly pleasant.
Hair Health Focused
Protect against UV damage with the argan oil-infused formula. With rice starch, oil and smelly smells are absorbed, but we are also impressed by the claim that this particular dry shampoo can help remove product buildup simultaneously. Customers were excited not to see “white bits in the hair,” detailing that having dark hair can often be a problem with dry shampoo. Despite overall good reviews, there are definitely some naysayers. However, the trick might be a lighter coat from a few inches away rather than a thicker coat that might appear more prominently against dark hair.
Cornstarch and arrowroot clean, while rosemary and peppermint contribute to serious freshness. Cocoa powder gently tints the mixture, helping it more easily blend into darker hair. I regularly rotate between this one and another more fragrant powder option from Trader Joe’s. I tend to like this one better, just because of its very slight tint, which makes the product blend with a little bit of massaging technique and brushing.
Kaolin clay is one of the most gentle clays used in cosmetic and beauty products and is also used prevalently in skin care products such as facemasks. This clay is also combined with organic arrowroot powder for an effective sebum-combating duo. Cocoa powder is yet another natural ingredient that is a huge contributor to dry shampoo suitable for darker hair. Grapefruit oil and growth-stimulating peppermint oil deliver a cleaning and soothing effect, with lavender oil serving as the cherry on top. Many folks adore the powder, but some don’t like the packaging.
This is a loose powder that is designed to be gentle. If you have a sensitive scalp, this might be a good option that won’t expose your skin to harsher cleansing agents. Nettle extract, corn, and rice help naturally clean and absorb oil. It’s a beige hue that blends into multiple hair colors without leaving residue behind. Suppose you have two teenagers that need dry shampoo, one is blonde, and one is brunette–problem solved! The product comes in a fully recyclable, non-aerosol bottle.
Prose uses a series of simple questions that help match people to their ideal hair products. How often are you exposed to potentially damaging factors? Is your hair oily? Is your hair wavy or straight? These questions help determine what ingredients are going to work ideally for you. While the finished product will be more personalized, this is a translucent option made sustainably and naturally. Some of the ingredients you can expect to see include menthol for freshness, tapioca starch for volume, and witch hazel for sebum control.
