Pure Cocoa Powder as Dry Shampoo

[systemaurora]

I love it. >_< It just works so fabulously in my dark brown hair, and it smells lovely. I don't have much energy, so I tried it to save time and it worked so well. I wish I'd known about this ages ago.

Anyone else tried pure cocoa powder and had good results? Anyone hated it? Any longterm things to be aware of?

[Calista]

I use baby powder for the same purpose. I would not want to try cocoa because of the oils it contains. Glad it works for you. :thumbsup:

[bugeyedmonster2]

Hmmm I might think about trying this. I dont' use baby powder as my hair is rather dark, and the baby powder shows up very well if I can't get it all out.

(^_^)/
BEM

[systemaurora]

Well, you can probably see my hair shade in my (admittedly awful in quality) picture... blonde friends call it black, but it's just very dark brown! The cocoa powder gives me sort of auburney highlights then disappear. I think it would work well for redheads, too. It dries my oily hair out nicely without looking frizzy or artificially powdered.

[3azza]

systemaurora how do you use cocoa powder? I mean how much powder, and how do you manage to spread it efficiently?

[Redheaded Raven]

That is a really cool idea! I love chocolate but I never even thought of using it for a dry shampoo, although I have heard of flour and other things like it being used. I have used baby powder and corn flour before. But I don't like how light that it was in my hair. So this could be an alternative. And the smell would be heavenly!:cheese::cheese::cheese:

[Isa-belle]

:drama: Please keep posting! This sounds really interesting. I've been looking for a natural dry shampoo for a while. How do you use it exactly, and what are the effects on the hair?

[Fethenwen]

Hmm, yes it really does sound interesting! I wonder if it stains, seems a bit messy.

[Silver & Gold]

I've considered trying this or adding it to a mix. The smell is divine, it is ground quite fine and it is dark in color which I think would also be nice since my hair is brown.

I also am interested in how much you used, how you chose to apply, how long you left it in and your method of brushing it out again.

[Othala]

Washing hair with chocolate...now why didn't I think of that?

I think that the constant smell of chocolate wafting down to my nose would actually de-sensitize me to the taste of chocolate and I would therefore not eat so much of it and lose a heck of a lot of weight.

So this is commbined hair care and weight loss plan? Cool!

[Isa-belle]

I think that the constant smell of chocolate wafting down to my nose would actually de-sensitize me to the taste of chocolate and I would therefore not eat so much of it and lose a heck of a lot of weight.

So this is commbined hair care and weight loss plan? Cool!Personally, I believe it might make me crave chocolate even more shudder: :eyebrows:

[SimplyViki]

Personally, I believe it might make me crave chocolate even more shudder: :eyebrows:

Haha, me too, that's what I was thinking. :D I can't get enough chocolate.

The cocoa powder sure is an interesting idea. Imagine if a person used cocoa butter on their ends, and cocoa powder on their roots! Chocolatey heaven.... *drools and dies*

I wonder if it would work on my hair color, though? :hmm: Probably not... Too light I'd guess.

[Isa-belle]

The cocoa powder sure is an interesting idea. Imagine if a person used cocoa butter on their ends, and cocoa powder on their roots! Chocolatey heaven.... *drools and dies*
I read that cocoa butter was indeed good for the hair... Hmm this is giving me some ideas :yumm:

[LisaB234]

What a great idea for us darker haired girls. I tired baby powder once and looked like I was trying out for a play - dull grey hair. Didn't end up being a time saver because I still had to wash it out. . . Interested to see if others try this and how their hair reacts. I am a little concerned about the mess factor so think I'll wait.

[Petra]

The only thing I could think is how you are able to not lick your hair all day. Although, I have a problem with chocolate. . . .

[LaurelSpring]

Thanks for posting this!! I am going to try it tomorrow. I have tons of cocoa. Last year DBF bought 50 pounds on a farming site. I still have loads of it! I would like to know how you do it also.

[melrose1985]

Wow. interesting.

Can some post, how much and how they applied it?

[mooglewoo]

There was an older thread someone posted with a recipe that contained cocoa powder, and that's what I used several months back. It did work like any other dry shampoo, but it didn't leave powdery goodness everywhere on my black hair like other dry shampoos.

I used a few tablespoons (2? 3?) sprinkled all over my head on my roots, then I kinda massaged/scrunched my roots so the powder would soak up all the oils, and then I brushed it out, my head hanging over the tub. I have a TBS Wood brush, so it took a lot of brushing. If you have a BBB (bristle boar brush), I bet it would better and faster.

[melrose1985]

There was an older thread someone posted with a recipe that contained cocoa powder, and that's what I used several months back. It did work like any other dry shampoo, but it didn't leave powdery goodness everywhere on my black hair like other dry shampoos.

I used a few tablespoons (2? 3?) sprinkled all over my head on my roots, then I kinda massaged/scrunched my roots so the powder would soak up all the oils, and then I brushed it out, my head hanging over the tub. I have a TBS Wood brush, so it took a lot of brushing. If you have a BBB (bristle boar brush), I bet it would better and faster.


Thank you very much!

[jel]

I have never tried cocoa powder as a dry shampoo (yet!), but I have occasionally used cornstarch or even talcum powder to mask oily roots and extend the washing frequency by a day or two.

I find the trick is to use a little - not more than a teaspoon - in the palm of your hand, then dip the fingers of the other hand into the powder and rub into the scalp. That way the powder doesn't go all over your hair, it's targeted towards the oily roots, and any excess (I hardly ever get any with this method) is easily brushed out.

[systemaurora]

I used my fingers the first few times but it didn't work very well... so last night I used a big powder poofer thing (like you use on face/body powder) and it worked well. I start by patting general amounts of powder onto the top of my hair, wherever it's noticeably greasy, then brushing my hair back flat against my head and kind of lifting it/pushing it up and patting down the oily parts there. Then I lift the hair around my ears up and pat that down, and then the parts underneath my hair around my neck. And finally I bend my head forward and sort of part it messily along the back of my hair and liberally powder every section that feels oily.

I don't usually brush it out, since I'm not in the habit of brushing my hair a lot, but I do run my fingers through my hair and kind of rub in the cocoa powder. It actually lightens my hair, so I think nearly any shade of brown could get away with using it. and if it DOES darken your hair you can always lighten it with cornstarch or cinnamon!

ETA: My avatar (which you can't see well, I know) was taken last night, and I last washed my hair on Friday. You can't tell very well, but hopefully it's a little noticeable that my hair looks pretty clean in the pic. I also get a lovely bit of that just-washed volume back in the top of my hair when I use cocoa powder. It's wonderful. But I have yet to try to wash it out, lol. I'll be doing that tomorrow or Friday.

[Eden Iris]

This would probably work great on my hair color, but I think the main problem would be keeping myself from eating it before it got on my scalp. I love unsweetened cocoa.

[ladylibra]

This is very interesting... I wonder how well it would work on my flat-ironed hair? The main problem I have is, needing to wash my hair every few days... if I go an entire week, my scalp is gross and itches like crazy. :(
I will have to remember this tidbit of info for fall (not going to straighten my hair again until then).

[tarn]

Sounds like something I may have to try. It's mainly my bangs that get all greasy looking, so it will be easy to test it there and see how it goess.

[systemaurora]

I straighten my hair several times a week (Honestly, I can't manage my hair otherwise and the frustration and subsequent cutting that ALWAYS comes with going curly/not straightening makes the damage I inflict worth it to me, lol) and it works fine. I've yet to try it curly. But I do have 3a hair, not quite as curly as yours, so I don't know. If I apply it before my hair gets very oily my straight ironing stays better, and I can get away with just a quick touchup every few days. I have scalp issues too (can't stand not washing my hair due to itchiness and flaking) but this actually seems to be helping a ton. It doesn't itch any more than usual. This is coming from someone who had to quit No Poo due to uncontrollable itchiness no matter what she used. I think I might possibly have a sebum scalp allergy or something, but the cocoa powder really helps with it. I wouldn't be able to guess how long it's been since I washed my hair if I didn't know.

[xovictoryxo]

very interesting, probably smells delicious!! :D

[ladylibra]

I straighten my hair several times a week (Honestly, I can't manage my hair otherwise and the frustration and subsequent cutting that ALWAYS comes with going curly/not straightening makes the damage I inflict worth it to me, lol) and it works fine. I've yet to try it curly. But I do have 3a hair, not quite as curly as yours, so I don't know. If I apply it before my hair gets very oily my straight ironing stays better, and I can get away with just a quick touchup every few days. I have scalp issues too (can't stand not washing my hair due to itchiness and flaking) but this actually seems to be helping a ton. It doesn't itch any more than usual. This is coming from someone who had to quit No Poo due to uncontrollable itchiness no matter what she used. I think I might possibly have a sebum scalp allergy or something, but the cocoa powder really helps with it. I wouldn't be able to guess how long it's been since I washed my hair if I didn't know.

I should feel ashamed... I looked at your avatar, but not your information listed under it. I assumed you were a type 1! :o But all the more reason to take note. Now I know it can work well for straightening and to help stretch flat ironings/washes. ;)

[Canarygirl]

I made the recipe in the VIT links for somebody's grandma's hair washing powder, and I substituted cocoa powder for the cornstarch. I still have all the other stuff in there, including the oris root powder. I tried it out and it works great on my brown hair. I didn't like the cornstarch version because I couldn't make the white powder disappear out of my hair.

[BranwenWolf]

I've never heard of the concept of dry shampoo, but the idea of cocoa powder sounds marvelous. Mmmmm...chocolate...

[ktani]

I think one could make a white "chocolate" powder if one wanted to try it for blondes. Not sure how that would work though. Cocoa powders vary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Types_of_chocolate), in terms of ingredients.

[RedCardigan]

What a brilliant idea! I've got a big bag of cocoa powder in the pantry. I'm going to try this on my bangs tomorrow, they are always looking oilier than the rest of my hair.

[LaurelSpring]

I did this on Saturday morning. I loved it!! It gave me such thickness. It was awesome. I was able to stretch my washing to another day. Of course my hair smelled so great all day also. I will definately keep doing this. Thanks for posting it!

[LaurelSpring]

I also wanted to mention that it gives me incredible GRAB. I can pull off styles with this that I cant normally do. Today I put some in and I have a flipped infinity that is holding like glue. There is no way that would happen with my normal slippery hair.

[Elettaria]

I'd be too worried about wrecking my pillowcases myself. Has no one had any problems in that area at all?

As for the smell putting you off or making you crave chocolate, it's probably going to vary. I once spent quite a while dealing with some fantastic quality, and thus high-odour, cocoa butter, and was nauseated by the end of it, so I'd guess that to be a possibility, especially if the smell was really strong. The other thing I'd be concerned about is caffeine, since chocolate contains a significant amount of that and quite a lot of people here have ended up with unpleasant caffeine jitters after putting coffee on their heads. I think it'd need to be in some sort of treatment applied strongly to the scalp for that to happen, rather than just a dry shampoo.

Has anyone tried it as an ingredient in hair treatments? It sounds like it has good qualities (I also know of chocolate shampoos), it's reasonably priced as ingredients go, it dissolves easily, the fragrance is popular and would probably mesh well with lots of other products (cover-up for people who hate the smell of henna or cassia?), and it's easy to buy. It sounds well worth experimenting with. There's an earlier post on the subject here (http://www.longhaircommunity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3993), in which someone found that it seems to darken hair slightly.

Of course, we would always have the problem an aromatherapist I know had with avocado face masks. Step 1: Do not eat the avocado.

[LaurelSpring]

I'd be too worried about wrecking my pillowcases myself. Has no one had any problems in that area at all?

As for the smell putting you off or making you crave chocolate, it's probably going to vary. I once spent quite a while dealing with some fantastic quality, and thus high-odour, cocoa butter, and was nauseated by the end of it, so I'd guess that to be a possibility, especially if the smell was really strong. The other thing I'd be concerned about is caffeine, since chocolate contains a significant amount of that and quite a lot of people here have ended up with unpleasant caffeine jitters after putting coffee on their heads. I think it'd need to be in some sort of treatment applied strongly to the scalp for that to happen, rather than just a dry shampoo.

Of course, we would always have the problem an aromatherapist I know had with avocado face masks. Step 1: Do not eat the avocado.

Oh my gosh. I never thought about the caffeine. That explains why I am buzzing so much today! :p I read that caffeine on the head can speed hair growth so maybe that will help to do that also.

I havent had any problems with it coming off on my pillow. I guess by the end of the day it may have worn out of been brushed out. It is in my brush though.

[s_tresses]

WOW I remembered seeing this thread here and I did not wanna wash my flat ironed hair because I want it to stay straight for a little longer but my roots looked dripped in oil. So I decided to give this a try and it works real good. The roots looked freshly washed and oh yeah a lot of volume!

I didnt even need a lot. Maybe even less than a teaspoon. I think I ll be doing this again.

[hennared]

I've been using carob powder mixed in with orris root powder, that yields a pink-ish-brown-tan shade.. works well on my red hair. I *think* the carob is less oily than the cocoa powder... in any case, it seemed a waste of good cocoa, to put it on my hair :)

[Newniepg]

I am trying to work out if this is a good idea for me or not. My hair is certainly dark enough to carry it off I think and I have enough cocoa powder in my cupboard. The thing is, do you do dry shampoo only as a means of extending time between washes or as a regular means of cleansing? It would probably be an easier way to just scalp wash. I might have to try this.

Would this be a waste of green and blacks cocoa powder?

[systemaurora]

I just use it to extend the washing. I doubt it helps with actually cleansing too much. I wouldn't use Green and Black for it, nuuuuu.

[jel]

I am trying to work out if this is a good idea for me or not. My hair is certainly dark enough to carry it off I think and I have enough cocoa powder in my cupboard. The thing is, do you do dry shampoo only as a means of extending time between washes or as a regular means of cleansing? It would probably be an easier way to just scalp wash. I might have to try this.

Would this be a waste of green and blacks cocoa powder?

I used a couple of pinches (approx 0.5 tsp) of Green and Blacks last week, and I didn't think it was wasted! :D

I used my 'rub into the scalp' method as detailed above, and had no residue to brush out. My roots looked clean and non-greasy, and actually I extended the wash by 2 days rather than just one. It was a real success! I could smell the cocoa a little in the first half an hour or so, but after that the smell dissipated - or I got used to it ;).

BTW, if you have white/light bed linen, I wouldn't suggest sleeping with cocoa on your head - but I couldn't see or smell anything on my dark red pillow in the morning.

[ktani]

This thread is so cool! I love that it is working out so well for those who have tried it. It is such a simple, easy, safe thing to try.

Kudos to systemaurora!

[systemaurora]

Thanks! :) It was mostly laziness, hehe.

[ktani]

Thanks! :) It was mostly laziness, hehe.

Modesty aside lol, your idea is resourceful and innovative and works!

And you are most welcome!

[missmagoo]

I would never have thought to do this! What a good idea- goodbye weird babybowder-gray bangs!

[RancheroTheBee]

I am SO excited to try this. Baby powder just does not to justice to black hair. Plus, cocoa is just so sensual smelling. :)

[Idun]

I will try this at first oppotunity. What a great idea!

[Heavenly Locks]

Guess who's going to boot her baby powder to the curb!? *points at self* :D

[serious]

systemaurora, thank you for this BRILLIANT idea!

I tried it on my bangs yesterday and it worked great!:cheese:
Thanks again!

[Idun]

I tried the cocoa trick today, but to be honest it was not a success in my hair. Actually I can´t really see a difference. But it smells nice :D.

[ktani]

I tried the cocoa trick today, but to be honest it was not a success in my hair. Actually I can´t really see a difference. But it smells nice :D.

There are different kinds of cocoa powder. That may be why.

[Leneveu]

There are different kinds of cocoa powder. That may be why.

I was thinking of this, too. I tried it with dark cocoa powder (labelled oil partially removed) and it wasn't a great sucess - my roots were still oily, and my hair matted a bit. Next time I'll try with the lighter, "oil strongly removed" variety.

[Idun]

There are different kinds of cocoa powder. That may be why.

It is possible. But I only know of one dark kind where I live. It is used for baking and has 21&#37; fat, of which 18% is saturated.

[systemaurora]

The cocoa powder I use is Hershey's unsweetend cocoa. .5g fat per tablespoon (and 1g fiber and 1g protein). I don't know if any other types would work on not work.

[Idun]

Mine also has 18% fiber and 28% protein. So a totally different product. Your type must be a lot better for dry-washing purposes. Unfortunately I don´t think I can get it here :(.

[Idun]

It is this one (http://www.hersheys.com/products/details/cocoa.asp), right?

[systemaurora]

yup, that's it!

[TinaDenali]

I like this idea. As a massage therapist my hair tends to get oily by the end of the day, but I really hate to wash it everyday. [moderation: edited to remove content contrary to TOS] but I'd never thought to put it in my hair! I use baby powder in a pinch, but it's sometimes painfully obvious as my hair is medium ash brown. :)

[marisa]

I'm definitely going to be trying this!!
I have some baking cocoa powder here from Aldi that was very inexpensive, so I'll try it with that.
Sounds like such a great alternative to cornstarch/baby powder. Especially for dark hair.

[ohiofritty]

I tried this about a month and a half ago I guess? I'm not sure why I never posted my results!

I may have used too much, and I don't have access to a shower, so when I ended up taking a bath and getting my hair wet again, my bathwater was definitely choco-water...and I made a bit of a mess getting chocolate everywhere rinsing it out.

As for how it worked as a dry shampoo for me...I'd say pretty darn good. Definitely hid any greasiness, it smelled wonderful and gave my medium brown hair some nice reddish (cocoa-ish?) tones. But I spent quite a bit of time putting this in and then BBB'ing it back out...and ended up with cocoa everywhere.

Maybe I'm just a hopeless mess :o At least I didn't get a cocoa stained pillow!

[JessTheMess]

I'm definitely going to be trying this!!
I have some baking cocoa powder here from Aldi that was very inexpensive, so I'll try it with that.
Sounds like such a great alternative to cornstarch/baby powder. Especially for dark hair.

This is where I got my cocoa from!!!

[Igraine]

So apparently it wouldn't work with partially fat-removed cocoa, only with strongly-fat removed? :-?

[hufsa]

Tis sounds like a great trick! I'm going to try it this weekend!

[ukuleleclaire]

I tried this today on my bangs on 3rd day after shampoo bar hair. It worked wonderfully, they looked just as good as 2nd day and smelled fabulous to boot. :)

[Star Eagle]

systemaurora,

Please tell me how you did it? I am very interested...

Star

[marisa]

So i tried it on my daughter yesterday. It worked!
It was a little messy, I should have had her hang her head over the tub.
But it definitely worked! It was a little hard to brush the powder out (but that's the same for all dry shampoos) what little that was left behind blended right into her light brown hair.
Thanks for posting this systemaurora, I would have never come up with this on my own. :)

[ktani]

I have thought from the start that this thread and its unique concept or idea is awesome!

[Haith]

Wow, I can't wait to try this. Usually I don't like my personal care products to smell like food, but I think I can make an exception in this case. ;)

[GlassEyes]

I'd probably try this, if my hair ever got oily. XD It doesn't do that until, like, the seventh day after washing...I think. And I don't really know because i oiled the entire time.

Anyway, great idea!

[pixi_stix]

I tried this about a month and a half ago I guess? I'm not sure why I never posted my results!

I may have used too much, and I don't have access to a shower, so when I ended up taking a bath and getting my hair wet again, my bathwater was definitely choco-water...and I made a bit of a mess getting chocolate everywhere rinsing it out.

As for how it worked as a dry shampoo for me...I'd say pretty darn good. Definitely hid any greasiness, it smelled wonderful and gave my medium brown hair some nice reddish (cocoa-ish?) tones. But I spent quite a bit of time putting this in and then BBB'ing it back out...and ended up with cocoa everywhere.

Maybe I'm just a hopeless mess :o At least I didn't get a cocoa stained pillow!

Pleased you posted that because I don't have a shower and was wondering if I'd have problems washing it out

[In2wishin]

I was thinking of this, too. I tried it with dark cocoa powder (labelled oil partially removed) and it wasn't a great sucess - my roots were still oily, and my hair matted a bit. Next time I'll try with the lighter, "oil strongly removed" variety.

This is definitely one case where lower quality is better. Premium cocoa has about 21-24% fat where standard quality is closer to 12-14%. You also probably should not used Dutched cocoa since it is alkalized.

[JamieRose]

I'll definitely be trying this soon- I've been usuing amla powder, which works all right, but just looks too ashy on my black hair. And nothin' beats the smell of cocoa. :D

[ktani]

This is definitely one case where lower quality is better. Premium cocoa has about 21-24&#37; fat where standard quality is closer to 12-14%. You also probably should not used Dutched cocoa since it is alkalized.

Systemaurora uses this Hershey's cocoa powder, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=725029&postcount=53, shown here, http://www.hersheys.com/products/details/cocoa.asp, which according to this (Scroll down to cocoa powder), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Types_of_chocolate is not alkalized, although as I undersand it, alkali is used in the Dutch process to neutralize the natural cocoa powder acidiy not make it alkaline. However, I agree that a more natural cocoa powder is best.

[Sammich]

I wonder if using galaxy hot chocolate drink would be alright? (The powder) I mean it's not the purest of pure cocoa but, I think it would be the same really...?
(unsure)

[ktani]

I wonder if using galaxy hot chocolate drink would be alright? (The powder) I mean it's not the purest of pure cocoa but, I think it would be the same really...?
(unsure)

You need to read the ingredients. You can alwys try it and see. Any left over you can mix with water or milk and drink, lol.

[Sammich]

You need to read the ingredients. You can alwys try it and see. Any left over you can mix with water or milk and drink, lol.

LOL! You see, I hate the galaxy hot chocolate because it's so unsweetened, it's unbelievable! (And the normal chocolate bar is creamy sweet :p At least it smells yumm!) I'm trying to find uses for it in my hair now I've read this thread. Really interesting by the way, thank for you for sharing! :D
*Goes to find the ingredients...*

Nvm.
Time to write them down! :cool:

Sugar, whey solids, hydrogenated coconut fat, galaxy chocolate (7.5&#37;, Sugar skimmed milk powder, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, milk fat, lactose, palm fat, whey solids, emulsifiers[soya, lecithin, ammonium phosphatide], flavourings) fat reduced cocoa powder, lactose, skimmed milk powder, stabilisers (Guar Gum, potassium orthophosphate, hypromellose, sodium polyphosphate, carboxymethlycelluose, carageenan), dried glucose syrup, salt, milk proteins, anti caking agents (silicon dioxide, calcium orthophosphate) flavouring, emulsifiers (mono and di-glycerides of fatty acids)

...
My fingers ache! :p Um, anyone see anything I can't put on my head? :p Can't wait to use this horrid chocolate drink up!
Thank you. :D

[ktani]

LOL! You see, I hate the galaxy hot chocolate because it's so unsweetened, it's unbelievable! (And the normal chocolate bar is creamy sweet :p At least it smells yumm!) I'm trying to find uses for it in my hair now I've read this thread. Really interesting by the way, thank for you for sharing! :D
*Goes to find the ingredients...*

Nvm.
Time to write them down! :cool:

Sugar, whey solids, hydrogenated coconut fat, galaxy chocolate (7.5&#37;, Sugar skimmed milk powder, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, milk fat, lactose, palm fat, whey solids, emulsifiers[soya, lecithin, ammonium phosphatide], flavourings) fat reduced cocoa powder, lactose, skimmed milk powder, stabilisers (Guar Gum, potassium orthophosphate, hypromellose, sodium polyphosphate, carboxymethlycelluose, carageenan), dried glucose syrup, salt, milk proteins, anti caking agents (silicon dioxide, calcium orthophosphate) flavouring, emulsifiers (mono and di-glycerides of fatty acids)

...
My fingers ache! :p Um, anyone see anything I can't put on my head? :p Can't wait to use this horrid chocolate drink up!
Thank you. :D

I would go for the pure cocoa powder if you can get it. I also found this on chocolate and caffeine, http://www.wisegeek.com/is-there-caffeine-in-chocolate.htm. Be sure to read the comments. Fascinating!

[isbmlamloi]

If I joined LHC for no other reason, it was for this thread! I now keep a little half-cup tupperware container with cocoa powder and a cotton pad in my bag all the time. For mornings I sleep in a little or the ends of my hair are not approving of yet another shower, the powder works like a charm at masking the oil in my roots. As everyone says, it smells delicious all day! The only downside I've found is that if I'm messy in application, there will be powder on my forehead or scalp, but that's nothing I can't wipe off; I just need to notice it first.

Thank you for this pointer! It has changed my life.

[Xena]

Do you think that coconut powder could work too? The idea of having coconut flavoured hair is lovely :D

[skaempfer]

I'd stay away from the kind with sugar in it unless you want a sticky scalp.

You do realise we've found yet another thing to move from the kitchen into the bathroom? Honestly, after the interior design trend of open kitchen/living rooms, I think the world (at least my world) is ripe for the bathroom kitchen combination.

I'm wondering if this will work for me. It's very intriguing, but when I wind up washing my hair it's usually because it needs conditioning more than anything else. The idea of smelling like chocolate though... hmmm...

:yumm:

[CaityBear]

I should try this. I have heard of it before (not to mention in high school we had a "Hobo Day" and my one classmate put cocoa powder all over her face and hair to dress up...she smelled good!). If I absolutely have to I use baby powder and then just takes a bit longer to get all the excess out. I should just try cocoa powder. And the smell would be so much nicer!

[Eireann]

I'm definitely going to try this. My hair is getting to a length that washing it takes forever. I would like to move toward shampooing once a week. I'll let you know how it works out!

[YesitsReal]

Wow, this makes me wish I were a brunette!!

However, I'm really super-sensitive to caffeine, so putting straight cocoa powder on my head might not be such a good idea: :cheese:

[ArienEllariel]

I tried this today. It made my hair a little more brown colored which I wouldn't have minded and did smell good... only problem is that it wouldn't brush out. I ended up washing my hair anyways. Poo... I wish it had worked for me.

[HumanBean]

I tried this today on my bangs only. I wanted to avoid washing my hair one more day, but my bangs were very oily. I patted it on over the sink, then took my shower and combed my bangs while in there. It worked great for this purpose. I would definitely not hesitate to do this again.

[HelloKitteh]

This is very interesting... I wonder how well it would work on my flat-ironed hair? The main problem I have is, needing to wash my hair every few days... if I go an entire week, my scalp is gross and itches like crazy. :(
I will have to remember this tidbit of info for fall (not going to straighten my hair again until then).
Ok, no idea if it would work for you as another option, as it has alcohol and you likely have dry hair, but I mentioned on another thread today this product
Rosemary Hair Lotion (if you want to search on the forums). I have used it for this exact problem, and in my youth I used an anti-dandruff lotion to the same effect. You only put it on the scalp. The rosemary lotion didn't make my hair greasy, it seemed to eat up a bit of it actually, and definitely prevented itching.

[isbmlamloi]

I have been using cocoa powder for dry shampoo for about 2 years. It's been almost-perfect. Well, Lush just came out with a dry shampoo (link (http://www.lushusa.com/shop/products/hair/solid-shampoos/no-drought)), and I love Lush products, so I got some and tried it. It was good, but too light for my hair. I solved this problem by mixing them! About equal parts cocoa and Lush No Drought is, so far, the best dry shampoo solution I've found yet.

If your cocoa is a bit too clumpy on your greasiest days, and you can get Lush products, I suggest trying this.

[jazzndance]

i'm so excited to try this out! i've used other dry shampoos but they are always white and make my brown hair look dull and grayish. thank you!

btw is there a cocoa shampoo that's good out there or anyone have a homemade recipe?

[HintOfMint]

I like it for my bangs when they get stringy, and if I can really brush it out, I love it in the rest of my hair. Unfortunately, there's a bit of a learning curve and it's still pretty light in my hair (my hair is, by most standards, black), so I have to be really careful in dabbing and brushing it out.

But I love the results and I love the scent!

[Baby]

I used raw cacao powder today and it worked wonders. I love love the smell. I put a little in a salt shaker(I do not know if it is the correct words for it) and put a little in my hair and rubbed it in and then brushed it out, but not compleatly. I had it in my hair all day and it still looks good. It did not change my color, medium brown with henna cupper shine.

[kidari]

I'm so happy I saw this on here and gave it a try! I go through cans of dry shampoo and this not only works just as good but it's very cost effective also. I put some of my trader Joe's cocoa powder in a ziploc bag and I dip a qtip into it and dap it into my partings. My gripe with dry shampoos is always the overwhelming scent and I love how this smells pleasant and subtle. I hate the synthetic strong citrusy scents.

[renee2day]

So after being inspired by this thread I bought a can of Hersheys Cocoa to try as a dry shampoo.
My hair was day 4 greasy and I normally would have washed it. I put pinches of the cocoa all through my roots and it looked very reddish on my dark ash blonde. I used a bbb covered with cheese cloth to brush out the cocoa, changing the cheese cloth frequently. I used way too much cocoa and it took a while to brush out. Next time I'm putting it in a shaker. I really liked the results. It took out the grease and produced a lot of volume at the roots. The day before it was oily enough that I had to wear it slicked back. I'm impressed. Not oily at all today but not really fresh washed feeling. It has a lot of grab and volume and went into an updo quite well. Thanks to OP this is a keeper!:cheese::cheese::cheese::cheese::cheese:
:chocolate: the smell is yummy too!

[Emmental]

I've been using carob powder mixed in with orris root powder, that yields a pink-ish-brown-tan shade.. works well on my red hair. I *think* the carob is less oily than the cocoa powder... in any case, it seemed a waste of good cocoa, to put it on my hair :)

Brilliant. I hate carob powder and have been wondering how I can use mine without wasting it. I'm going to try this.

[kerbear]

I used cocoa powder today as a dry shampoo (and to cover up my dark ash blonde roots growing in with my henna color on my ends) and holy cow it did a GREAT job of blending the root color to the henna!! It worked great as a dry shampoo too!!! :D so happy I saw this thread, thank you guys!!!

[earthnut]

I love cocoa butter for my skin, I'm going to have to try cocoa powder on my hair! I love chocolate, smelling like it would be heavenly!

[Celebrian]

I'm a reddish brunette trying to understand this here. Am I correct in thinking that it should be a low fat cocoa powder (cocoa is high in fat isn't it?) or do people just use whatever is in the kitchen cupboard? :confused:

[afu]

I'm a reddish brunette trying to understand this here. Am I correct in thinking that it should be a low fat cocoa powder (cocoa is high in fat isn't it?) or do people just use whatever is in the kitchen cupboard? :confused:

As far as i know any cocoa works :) really wish i could use this but my hair is way too light and i'd imagine it would just give the illusion of me having really bad, dark roots growing though!

[Lady Dragon]

I'll definitely be trying this.
Washed my hair today though so I'll wait a couple days.

[SnowWhite]

Sounds great! I'm going to try this ASAP

[Nev]

this sounds so good!! but I think my hair's a bit too light for it. Otherwise I'd definately try it!

[writer_mom]

I will definitely try this :D. I bet my husband would love the smell. have any of you tried using a touch of peppermint oil or extract with this to encourage growth? I am just curious to see if anyone has before I experiment :P.

[isbmlamloi]

That seems counter-intuitive to me, since the point of dry shampoo for me is to hide oily roots!

[earthnut]

Am I correct in thinking that it should be a low fat cocoa powder (cocoa is high in fat isn't it?) or do people just use whatever is in the kitchen cupboard? :confused:

Chocolate is usually high in fat, but cocoa powder usually isn't. (the fat is separated into cocoa butter during processing) From reading the thread, it seems low-fat cocoa powder is better, which makes sense if the point of it is to soak up the oils on your scalp. If the powder is already high in fat, it won't be able to soak up as much of your scalp's oil. I guess.

[AmandaKoiter]

Me me me!!!! I have used cocoa powder as a dry shampoo. My hair is currently its natural medium blonde color, but I was a henna red head for years and the cocoa powder was amazing. I combined something like 4 parts cocoa powder to 1 part baking soda, put it in a cleaned out lotion tin, and used a kabooki brush to apply it to my roots. I never really brushed it out, I would just do a quick little scalp massage to work it into the roots and done. The cocoa powder actually works better as a dry shampoo than all of the "white" powders I have experienced as a blonde. It makes me miss my henna'd hair!!!!

[jaine]

I'm using cocoa powder...I wonder how many times I could do this before I have to wash again?

[tiny_teesha]

I made foundation, with cinnamon cornstarch and cocoa, and decided absent mindedly to see if it worked as a dry shampoo. It did, but i found it gritty somehow, i did add a smidgen of rooibos tea that i attempted to grind finely that didn't really work...
But i guess it did work in making the roots less shiny/greasy and fluffier, but when i scratched my scalp i definitely got brown powder under my nails, which i wasn't fond of.

[winship2]

Wow, I just tried this, and to my amazement it seems to work!! It's not that I didn't believe you guys, it's just that I ALWAYS have to wash every day, and I had never used a dry shampoo before. It's amazing! I really hope I can keep using it successfully, because I would so love to be able to stretch washes and avoid that wear and tear on my ends. Also, the cocoa powder-- I used the unsweetended Ghirardelli I had in my cupboard already-- is a perfect color for my medium to dark brown reddish hair. I'm a little worried that in vigorously brushing it out I'll stimulate more sebum production though.

[EndlessSunshine]

Can I add my powdered peanut butter to the cocoa powder? LOL I have never thought to use a dry shampoo but if I do I may try cocoa powder...

[firevegan]

*blush* newb here. what exactly is a dry shampoo? lol

[Jing]

*blush* newb here. what exactly is a dry shampoo? lol

Dry shampoos are powders (usually, I've seen something more like a bunch of dried herb bits) that you sprinkle on your roots and then brush out. They absorb excess sebum, thus cleaning your hair without you having to get it wet. There was a thread a while back where someone mentioned that you should not use dry shampoo as a replacement for regular washes - it is meant to help you freshen up your hair between washes (in case of "emergency" or if you want to stretch your washes) - but I don't remember the exact reason why.

[Emme76]

YES! :D I do.
But I use a mix of potato startch (I think it is called in english)and cocoa powder. I mix about half/half and it sure does the trick...:)

[maradeerfarmer]

Cocoa powder works like a charm for me!

I am no-poo (BS/ACV alternating with soap nuts) and using a baking soda as a dry shampoo helped me stretch my 'washes' to once weekly only. However I found that baking soda would give my hair a lot of 'grab', would make it very frizzy and prone to tangles. I don't have this issue with cocoa powder...

I have APL length hair and only use one generous heaped teaspoon, rub it into the roots well with fingers (over the bathtub), then very gently with a towel (to get more out), then comb out with my horn comb very thoroughly (BBB tends to cause a lot of static).

I do this at night and haven't had any issues discolouring light-coloured bedlinen.

[cocolover]

I tried this today and was very happy with the results. I used Hersheys Dark chocolate powder and added 5 drops of peppermint essential oil. I used a powder brush and dabbed it in on the roots, reparting my hair over and over again to hit different sections. I kind of massaged it in, then used my comb (I don't have a BBB). Worked great! Thank you OP!

[Komao]

I've used it but more for covering gray before I could color it. I put it on with a makeup brush and it covers temporarily on my brown hair. I've never had any ill effects. Warning though, you might not want this in your hair if you're out and it starts raining.

[FancyCatRachel]

I use a mixture of coconut oil, lavender oil, and a hefty amount of cocoa powder as a leave in to enhance the darkness of my hair. Also eggs, oil, and cocoa powder hair mask is a boost of color!

[mountaingirl]

This was such a helpful idea! I tried it today and it worked great! I have really oily hair and have to wash it every day so this was a great way to be able to go two days. Thanks everyone for sharing!

[Komao]

I use it occassionally & it does the trick.
CAUTION: Don't get caught out in the rain!

[Mega Moose]

The only problem I have with cocoa powder is that if I wear a lightly colored headband or go to bed with some residual amount left in my hair, it will stain cloth.... So I mostly go with arrowroot even though my hair is dark-ish. :)

[cocoahair]

Did someone say cocoa powder in your hair? :couch:

[ooo]

I use Monbana pure cocoa powder applied with a big make up brush. Otherwise it would be very messy, I guess. It works for me. The smell is a bit too intense for my liking. Also I don't brush it out when I wear my hair curly. It just kind of disappears.

[Bubble_Curl]

I ended up doing this today. I'm moving things around in my house so I couldn't find my makeup brush to apply it with, but it was fine just massaging it into my scalp. No mess at all, in fact. It lasted all day with less accidental rubbing off than I usually get when I use activated charcoal. This might become a regular go-to for me!

[Kellessa]

I have recently started trying to use this and extend the amounts I wash it. My hair is naturally oily so even with powder I can feel the oils that haven't left and my scalp itches. When I wash daily with shampoo it didn't. I use coconut oil for the ends since they're dry with no problems but the cocoa powder makes my hair look less oily and absorb some but there is still a lot of oil in my scalp. Any ideas of when it might even up and my scalp produce less oils or how to decrease oil production/itchiness?

[JessieJames180]

I have been using a mix of corn starch and unsweetened cocoa powder for years now! I absolutely love it!

[RedheadMistress]

- I've used cocoa powder a couple of times and I like that my hair smells like chocolate. The only annoying thing is since I probably touch my hair a lot, the cocoa goes under my nails and makes them look dirty all the time, so stopped using pure cocoa powder.. or I can stop touching my hair.. or use dark nailpolish so it doesnt show, hahah !

[pahbee]

I use a mix of arrowroot powder and cocoa powder to make a dry shampoo. I brush it over my hair, especially the hair around my face, and then I shake it out vigorously so that it doesn't give me too much of a dusty look.
http://wellnessmama.com/5047/dry-shampoo/

[Wizmo]

Hi,

This tip is lovely. You can even use baking powder.

[LadyCelestina]

I have used this before, but I think a store-brought spray dry shampoo for dark hair is much better. The cocoa powder was a bit sticky, plus this ick factor of having food items in your hair for a long time. I know I'm a hypocrite because I use oils and that is food as well :D but things like cocoa,starch,flour,etc. attract insects.

[molljo]

Hi,

This tip is lovely. You can even use baking powder.

I absolutely do not recommend using baking powder as a dry shampoo. Baking powder is a mix of baking soda (which is too alkaline for hair), cream of tartar, and cornstarch. You're most likely getting the dry shampoo effect from the cornstarch plus whatever damage the baking soda is doing. Better to just use cornstarch by itself for a white colored DIY dry shampoo.

[EdG]

I bought some cocoa powder a while ago but haven't figured out what to do with it.

I don't plan to put it on my hair. ;)
Ed

[Anje]

I bought some cocoa powder a while ago but haven't figured out what to do with it.

I don't plan to put it on my hair. ;)
Ed

Mix it in milk (or your preferred non-dairy milkish liquid, if you're like me) and heat it up? Mug brownies?

[EdG]

Mix it in milk (or your preferred non-dairy milkish liquid, if you're like me) and heat it up? Mug brownies?It definitely needs sugar and fat added. Plain cocoa powder rates the opposite of the Ed emoticon. :yumm: :puke:
Ed

[Priska]

I love everything from cocoa. Because it makes the taste buds feel so good, it must be good at everything ;) Melted cocoa butter is so sweet for skin... so I wanted to try cocoa powder instead of cornstarch for my dark lengths, that had remainded oily after an overnight oil treatment. They became so clean and shiny! In the name of truth I have to confess that that shine didn't last long... But the oilyness stayed away. Next time I maybe test gelatine after/with oil treatment, and then cocoa powder if needed. Gelatine has been giving me a long time shine.
----
Yes and sure it makes my hair thicker too, when I have coconut oil and cocoa powder there ;) What a sweet coconut-cocoa-thickening... :p

[bushkin]

I use 50/50 cacao and arrowroot but am careful not to use too much because it makes my scalp super itchy!