In a nutshell
- 🧪 The science: cornflour starch (amylose and amylopectin) binds sebum, reduces shine, and creates micro-spacing at roots for natural volume—without propellants.
- 🧴 DIY and tinting: Build a custom blend with cornflour plus rice flour or arrowroot, tint with cocoa powder or cinnamon, and keep it fragrance‑free or lightly scented.
- 🖌️ Application technique: Apply to dry hair in sections, wait 60–90 seconds, then massage and brush (or scrunch for curls); a cool-shot blast adds clean lift and helps residue vanish.
- 💷 Value and finish: Costs under £0.01 per use, avoids alcohol and propellants, and delivers a soft-matte, believable lift that’s scalp-friendly versus many aerosols.
- ⚠️ Sensible use: Prevent buildup with proper washing, go lighter on dry or flaky scalps, and be cautious with tinted blends near light fabrics for a mess-free routine.
When your fringe flattens by lunch and your roots gleam for all the wrong reasons, there’s a quiet hero in the baking aisle: cornflour. This simple kitchen staple, known as cornstarch in the US, makes a brilliantly effective dry shampoo that rivals pricey aerosols on both performance and price. Because starch excels at absorbing oil and adding texture, it refreshes hair while boosting lift at the roots. Better still, it’s fragrance-free, propellant-free and endlessly tweakable for different hair colours. Here’s how and why it works, the smartest way to blend and apply it, and how it stacks up against shop-bought formulas in cost, finish and scalp friendliness.
Why Starch Soaks Up Sebum
The magic sits in the microscopic architecture of starch. Cornflour is made of amylose and amylopectin granules with high surface area. Those particles latch onto sebum via weak intermolecular forces, then wick it inward through tiny pores. The result is rapid oil uptake without making hair feel wet or tacky. Because the granules are lightweight, they distribute along the hair shaft, reducing the friction that makes oily strands clump. They also scatter light, dulling the tell-tale shine that broadcasts “greasy” to anyone under strip lighting.
Volume arrives through physics as much as cosmetics. Residual powder creates micro-spacing at the roots, combating collapse from oil weight. A subtle triboelectric effect (the faint static you feel when brushing) adds lift and grip that supports styling. Crucially, cornflour’s particle size is fine enough to disappear when brushed through, yet large enough not to form a paste with ambient humidity. This balance is why a pantry powder can deliver salon-adjacent bounce without silicones, alcohol or heavy fragrance.
How to Make and Tint Your Own Blend
Start with 2 tablespoons cornflour in a clean jar. For speedier oil control on very slick roots, add 1 teaspoon rice flour for extra absorbency; for sensitive scalps, swap in arrowroot for a silkier feel. Brunettes can tint: mix in 1–2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder until the shade matches your roots. Redheads may prefer a pinch of cinnamon for warmth (spot test; it can tingle). Keep blends fragrance-free if your scalp is reactive, or scent lightly with a single drop of lavender or tea tree essential oil per 2–3 tablespoons powder—no more.
Shake well to combine and store airtight to prevent clumping. For on-the-go use, repurpose a clean spice shaker or a travel mineral-makeup sifter. If you need extra grip for fine hair, whisk in 1/4 teaspoon kaolin clay; if your hair is coarse or curly, a 1/2 teaspoon of silica microspheres (available in DIY cosmetic shops) improves slip without dulling coils. The aim is a featherlight powder that vanishes when worked through but still drinks up oil.
Application Technique for Clean Lift
Work on completely dry hair. Decant a small amount onto a fluffy makeup brush or use your shaker sparingly. Part hair in 2–3 cm sections around the oiliest zones—usually the crown, fringe and temples. Tap on the powder like setting makeup. Wait 60–90 seconds to let the starch bind sebum before touching it. Then massage with fingertips to disperse, and brush from roots to ends to carry excess down the shaft. If time allows, flip your hair and give a cool-shot blast with a dryer to lift residue and set volume.
For curly or textured hair, skip brushing: scrunch the powder along the roots and shake out with your hands to preserve pattern. Overnight use can be transformative: apply before bed, let your pillow do the blending, and wake to airy roots. Start with 1/2 teaspoon total; add only if needed. With dry shampoo, less is more—the right dose disappears, the wrong dose shows. Finish by refining your parting and misting a little water on flyaways if required.
Cornflour vs Shop-Bought Dry Shampoo
Many aerosols rely on alcohol, propellants and modified starches to speed-dry and perfume the scalp. Cornflour achieves the core job—oil control—without the extras, which is why it feels lighter and kinder for frequent use. If you’re avoiding propellants or strong fragrance, cornflour is the simplest effective option. Performance-wise, expect a soft-matte finish, clean roots and believable lift rather than stiff, high-hold texture. Below, a quick comparison at a glance.
| Category | Cornflour Blend | Typical Aerosol |
|---|---|---|
| Key Absorbents | Cornflour, optional rice flour/arrowroot | Modified starches, silica, aluminum starch compounds |
| Propellants/Alcohol | None | Butane/propane, denatured alcohol |
| Finish | Soft matte, natural lift | Matte to chalky, stronger grip |
| Fragrance | Optional; easily fragrance-free | Often strong, persistent |
| Approx. Cost per Use (UK) | Under £0.01 | £0.15–£0.30 |
There are caveats. Any powder can build up if overused; shampoo thoroughly between heavy applications. If your scalp is very dry or flaky, go lighter and avoid daily reliance. When tinted with cocoa, keep away from pale linens until fully brushed through. The sweet spot is strategic, occasional use that extends time between washes without irritating the scalp.
In a world of crowded bathroom shelves, it’s refreshing to find a fix that’s cheap, effective and delightfully low-tech. Cornflour dry shampoo excels because starch absorbs oil, diffuses shine and lends believable volume—no propellants required. With a tailored blend, careful application and a light hand, the result is hair that looks freshly washed and styles that hold their shape. For many, it’s the only dry shampoo that actually disappears. Will you keep a shaker on your vanity and customise a shade to match your roots, or are you loyal to a favourite aerosol for its scent and hold—and what would make you switch?
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