In recent months, certain dry shampoo products have been recalled due to their elevating cancer risk. So you may be wondering, Which dry shampoo is best—and safe?

This article—and the above video of a D-Tox Academy workshop—teaches you the key things you should know about how to find the best nontoxic dry shampoo.  

Why was dry shampoo recalled?

Dry shampoo was recalled due to cancer risk from benzene, a cancer-causing compound that the World Health Organization has found no safe exposure levels of.

• Washington Post: “Aerosol hair products tainted by benzene may still be on store shelves: A new round of testing has detected surprisingly high levels of the cancer-causing chemical in dry shampoo sprays, suggesting recent recalls haven’t gone far enough”
• CNN: “Independent lab finds ‘troubling’ levels of cancer-causing chemical in more types of dry shampoo products, report alleges"

What should you know about the dry shampoo recall?

Certain dry shampoo products can expose you to unsafe levels of benzene.

• Benzene, a cancer-causing chemical, was detected in 70% of 148 samples tested from 48 brands.
• The World Health Organization has said “there’s no safe level” of exposure to benzene in the air we breathe.
• The Food and Drug Administration determined the acceptable level of benzene in a drug to be two parts per million. Yet, benzene levels were detected to be as high as 340 parts per million in 10 seconds of spray, according to a Nov 1, 2022 article in Washington Post.

Are all dry shampoos dangerous?

No, not all dry shampoos have been recalled or are necessarily harmful. But not all dry shampoos have been tested and it's hard to track which ones are safe. So consumers should be mindful when using dry shampoos!

Which dry shampoo has been recalled?

According to reports by the Washington Post and CNN, examples of popular brands affected by the recall include:

• Aveeno
• Banana Boat sunscreens
• Coppertone sunscreens
• Procter & Gamble
• Johnson & Johnson
• Neutrogena
• TRESemmé and Bed Head dry shampoos
• Unilever 

What can we learn from this dry shampoo recall?

As conscious consumers trying to buy practical nontoxic products, there are many lessons to learn from the dry shampoo recall. Below are a few.

1. Aerosol products are risky—not just because of potential benzene exposure but because inhaling the other product ingredients poses unknown risks. Not all aerosol products are necessarily harmful but it's hard to know which ones are safe. 
2. Read product ingredients for isobutane and propane. 
3. Use powdered dry shampoo that has a low hazard rating from the Environmental Working Group. 
4. Sophia's book A to Z of D-Toxing profiles both benzene and aerosol products as Household Repeat Offenders, where you can learn more about how to notice them in countless consumer products. Examples of where you might find benzene include:
   1. Air fresheners
   2. Antiperspirants
   3. Deodorants
   4. Foot sprays
   5. Hair sprays
   6. Hand sanitizers
   7. Paint sprays
   8. Sunscreens

Which dry shampoo is Sophia's favorite?

To learn which is Sophia's favorite dry shampoo (and her other household products), join Ruan Living's D-Tox Academy. You'll also access other empowering workshops and shortcuts to finding practical nontoxic products.

Remember: Small detox tweaks can transform!