6 Non-Aerosol and Natural Dry Shampoo Options

Dry shampoo is a staple for many. All it takes is a few seconds to freshen up your hair when you don't have time to (or, let's be honest, don't want to) wash it. The bad news is many options on store shelves aren't kind to the planet.

Over the past couple of decades, the majority of dry shampoos have been sold in aerosol cans. Aerosol-based products

can be harmful to the environment: They contain liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)—a mix of butane, propane, and isobutane—to propel the product out of the can into a mist.

Past research has shown aerosol products may be adding to the air pollution problem.

These products can also be harmful to human health. In October 2022, several well-known dry shampoo brands from Unilever—including those from Dove, Nexxus, Suave, TIGI, and Tresemmé—

were recalled after an investigation uncovered elevated levels of benzene, a carcinogen. According to the

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the source was the propellant in the aerosol cans. In November 2022, a

new study from the independent laboratory Valisure found other popular brands contained high levels of benzene too, including Not Your Mother’s and Church & Dwight Co.’s Batiste.

Aside from the issues with benzene, other ingredients in typical store-bought dry shampoos also aren't very clean or planet-friendly either. Think

parabens, sulfates, and phthalates. Luckily, there are plenty of natural dry shampoo options available when you want a waterless way to freshen up your hair. Here are six to start with.

No product is perfectly sustainable. While these non-aerosol and natural dry shampoo options have eco-friendlier ingredients than others on the market, take the time to learn how to

recycle them properly at the end of their life.

This dry shampoo is pricey, but it's worth it. Instead of spraying it into your hair, you apply the powder formula using the natural brush that comes along with the product. The formula is vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten-free and uses essential oils instead of an artificial fragrance.

Acure's dry shampoo powder is on the more affordable side of the non-aerosol dry shampoo market. This option uses rosemary and peppermint to refresh and reinvigorate. It's also certified organic, made for all hair types, and is formulated without parabens, sulfates, petroleum, and formaldehyde.

Klorane carries a bunch of different dry shampoos, but its most accessible for all hair types has "organically harvested

oat milk" as its prime ingredient.

This dry shampoo is formulated with loose powder that doesn't leave a white chalky residue. It's

plant-based, vegan, and has a "fully recyclable and non-aerosol" bottle, making it a more planet-friendly alternative to what you'll typically find on store shelves.

Briogeo, a Black- and woman-owned haircare brand, is known for using clean ingredients as well as being applicable to any hair type. It's vegan, alcohol-free, silicone-free, and has aerosol-free packaging

Bumble and Bumble has a post-workout curated dry shampoo mist for all your sweaty activities, whether that's after a workout or

relaxing at the beach. It uses white bamboo extract to help absorb oil and is formulated without sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and other ingredients you don't want in your hair.

If you're looking for a fragrance-free dry shampoo or powder, Kristin Ess Hair is for you. This option is lightweight, color-safe, vegan, cruelty-free, and made for all hair types. It's also formulated without all the unnecessary added ingredients—including parabens, phthalates, and sulfates—that are found in most aerosol dry shampoos.