So today marks one month No Poo. (No Shampoo) I was super lucky to have very little problems “transitioning.” Transitioning is when your hair is learning to be healthy and pretty without shampoo. I have heard horrifying stories of things people have had to deal with, and I was worried. I promised myself that if things went bad I would stick with the no poo for at least two months. This has gone so good so far, and I think I will stay this way!
One of the things that helped me a lot was homemade dry shampoo. I would never use a commercial one because those are filled with god knows what!
Only two things are really needed to make Dry Shampoo:
- A shaker bottle (like an old spice bottle)
- Arrowroot powder or tapioca starch (pretty much the same thing)
If you have reddish hair you will need some cinnamon or cocoa powder for darker hair.

If you are adding cinnamon or cocoa, it may need some work to get the colors just right. I have pretty light hair, so I have been just using the plain starch.
Important Styling Tips
I saw this recipe everywhere, but most people were leaving out some important styling tips. I was lucky enough to learn from a pro! I used to be a model and my first experience with dry shampoo was on a photo shoot. the Hair and makeup girl explained all of this to me, even how to make it.
- This is not to use every day. I think it would super dry your hair out but I don’t have first-hand experience with that. (I use it at most once a week, but less often if I can)
- Rinse your hair out at some point. This is for days when your hair is just a little too greasy and you don’t have time to wash it out. With the no poo method, your hair can get a little waxy, and I have found it helps with that. It is a VERY good idea to rinse your hair out. I rinse mine right before bed.
- You can not expect to shake it into your hair and have a miracle. Always brush your hair before using dry shampoo. After dusting your hair, run your hands through, and then brush it again. This gets the excess powder out of your hair.
- Here is the tip I never see anywhere else: Use a blow dryer to get rid of the excess powder. Brush it out, then use a lowest heat setting and blow dry it while brushing. You don’t even need to use it more than 3 minutes. I was told; that you always use a blow dryer because otherwise the powder shows up everywhere and looks like dandruff.
I really hope this helps, and I will try to take some photos this weekend of how a month no poo looks on me! I know my kids were surprised by how nice it looks! It is growing faster too!