Homemade Hair Spray (Easy, Natural & Alcohol-Free)
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Ditch the chemical storm in your regular hairspray with this super simple homemade hairspray! It takes only 2 ingredients and is a breeze to make.
Plus, it costs almost nothing to make, so your wallet will thank you too.
There are so many toxins in the things we put on our bodies, and they can lead to all kinds of problems from thyroid issues to adrenal fatigue and more.
I've been working on having cleaner options for al homemade toothpaste, homemade body cream, or homemade eye makeup remover that work well, I'm all over it.
One of the most toxic beauty products is hairspray. I've been wanting to find a cleaner option for years, but it's not easy. Most of the products on the market either aren't very clean or they just don't work well.
Thankfully this DIY hairspray option works pretty well and I have a new formula I'm working on as well.
Why Make Homemade Hairspray?
There are lots of reasons to make your DIY hairspray.
Reduce Chemical Exposure
There are so many toxic chemicals in hairspray that you might not have thought about. Shampoo has a lot of toxic ingredients, but hairspray is typically much worse.
Save Money
The ingredients in this natural hairspray are incredibly inexpensive. Meanwhile, some commercial hairsprays cost as much as $25 for only 10 ounces!
Save the Environment
Fewer chemicals and fewer plastic containers mean a cleaner environment. Even if you recycle bottles, it's better not to have them made at all in the first place.
Avoid Allergens
When you make your own homemade beauty products, you can avoid not only toxic ingredients but also those that you are allergic to.
Healthier Hair
The alcohol used in many hairsprays is really drying. This spray makes your hair healthy and shiny.
There are recipes for salt hair sprays on the internet, too. They might be fun to use, but salt is drying for your hair when used on an ongoing basis.
Thankfully, sugar doesn't have the same drying effect.
You can add essential oils to your recipe, which I recommend. That way, you get the benefit of aromatherapy and the possible benefits that your hair might get from the oils as well. For example, the oils in this DIY Hair Growth Blend can be used in your hairspray for added benefits.
Recipe Notes
- 2 teaspoons of sugar works well, but you can adjust the amount according to how much hold you would like. Of course, if you add too much, you will end up with residue on your hair, so try adding just 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon at a time.
- Use filtered water to avoid the toxins in tap water.
- This hairspray should last quite a long time due to the vodka, but discard if it smells off.
- You're probably wondering, “Won't I be a bug's best friend if I use this?” I was worried about that too, but from my and others' experiences, that's not a problem at all.
- Technically, if you use essential oils in this spray, you will want to add an essential oil emulsifier. Since you will be spraying this on your hair and not on your skin, it's not really a problem.
Other Homemade Personal Care Products You'll Love
If you're into making your own products, here are some others to try.
– Nourishing Hand and Body Cream – so great and non-greasy.
– Hand and Body Scrub – this is so easy and works amazingly well.
– Invigorating Body Wash – so much better than store-bought.
– Nourishing Hair Rinse – leaves hair super shiny and healthy!
All Natural Homemade Hairspray
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water (filtered)
- 2 teaspoons sugar (use more or less according to how strong you want the resulting spray to be.)
- 1 teaspoon vodka
- 3-5 drops essential oils (optional, for scent and slight preservative action)
Instructions
- Heat water in a small saucepan to boiling.
- Add sugar and stir to dissolve.
- Allow to cool. Add vodka and optional essential oils.
- Pour the solution into a spray bottle, using a funnel if desired.
Notes
Safer Store-Bought Hairspray Options
If you don't feel like DIYing, here are some safer options to try.
The BEST natural non-toxic hairspray that I've found is from Rowe Casa. It's a light to medium hold. Their Hair Gel, Mousse, and Hair Spritz (for hair growth) are great as well. Code WNM gets 20% off your first order.
If you really need a firm hold, this spray from Giovanni is pretty clean as far as artificial fragrances go.
Also this hairspray is another one that I like. It's very reasonable and is low on the toxic scale too.
White Rain Advanced Formula Extra Hold Hair Spray 7 oz (6 pack)
White Rain's Unscented Extra Hold Hairspray is a fairly clean option for those who really want a traditional hold from their spray without a bunch of fragrance. The bottle size is great too - fits well in most purses, gym bags, etcetera.
This Poofy Organics Hair Spray is super clean but it's a very light hold. I like it on the longer portion of my hair because it's conditioning in addition to the light hold, but it's too heavy for my bangs.
Code WNM gets 10% off your first order and they have free shipping at $70.
If you have a more natural hairspray that you like, please do share in the comments.
What hairspray do you currently use?
1). You’ve put emphasis on using filtered water…Does this mean bottled water (such as Evian), can also be used? 2). Will this natural spray work effectively, in humid environments i.e., keep hair still and prevent hair from frizzing? and 3). How long should it last before replacing?
I would think that would be OK. I have frizzing no matter what in humidity so I can’t say. I guess at this point I refuse to put plasticizers on my hair so I am doing the best I can. I can’t make shelf life claims but I haven’t had issues w/ it. It would depend on how clean pots and such are (not implying you aren’t clean..just saying there are a bunch of factors).
Hey um is there any way for no heat also???????????
You mean a way to get rid of the heat of summer :)?
Will the water stick to my hair? Like after you’ve used it and you can’t be bothered to take a shower. Will the sugar stick to your hair?
I haven’t noticed any problem. It’s very diluted.
Hi! Just wondering what would happen if you added lemons to the recipe?
I don’t know – I would think it might do something to your hair color depending on the natural color and might alter the shelf life.
Hi all, thought this was great…I’ve been making this for about 25 years. It started one day in high school, I had done my hair and realized I was out of hairspray! (Gasp!!!) This was a huge deal in 1990. Anyhoo, I just figured it would work…sugar is sticky. I made some up in my empty hairspray bottle and voila! Held all day! I’m glad to see someone shared this sweet little secret!
Yippee!!!
I have fine, wavy hair which is hard to manage and gets frizzy in the summer (I live in DC. It’s literally a swamp). Any type of cream or oil I’ve tried has made my hair look like I haven’t showered in days, and most hairsprays have that effect too. Shielo Hairspray is different. I use the Shielo Firm Hold Spray and I can straighten my hair in the morning, brush it out, lightly spray it with this and voila; it looks like that all day.
So where do you buy it and how do you feel about their ingredients? Looks like it’s pretty pricey isn’t it?
I was so excited to find this recipe – the fragrances from most beauty products really irritate me. However, I had little ants all over my bathroom a couple days after I started using the sugar+water hairspray. I tried citrus+water next and that attracted ants too, but not as much as the sugar. Is there ANYTHING I can do to keep my homemaade hairspray from attracting ants?? I don’t want to start spraying plastic into my hair again!
I’m so sorry but I have no idea. I don’t know what to say. I haven’t found any others. Not all hairspray has the plastic in it. I have a cheapo that I use on my bangs and it doesn’t.
Thanks for responding! Based on the comments I’ve seen on this and other blogs, I think I am the one one who has had this problem! I might try a new batch with a little ACV in it, since that is supposed to repel ants. But I will also see what I can find at the health food store this weekend, just in case!
You might want to try peppermint or cinnamon leaf essential oil. Bugs hate both of those, even ants.
Omg, this is awesome! I am going to try this. On the water, use filtered but is there a special brand I should try? Also what do you think about putting lemon juice in it? So excited! Thanks, Stacey
I just use it filtered from our house filter b/c it’s pretty good. If you add lemon I would up the sugar proportionally. How about lemon essential oil?
Ok thanks!! Sounds great! I will try the essential oil. I have no experience with using them but I am willing…….I like your style!!
Thanks so much – you’re too kind! Hope to see you around again. Here is the final post in a series that i wrote – you might want to read the whole thing – it’s pretty “interesting” and dicey at times. https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/natural-remedies/announcing-the-best-essential-oils-company-and-a-great-sale/
Thanks for the great idea. I will give it a try!!
I should try this. I need hairspray for hair chalks from Body Shop
I made this and sprayed it on my hand and it was sticky. Do I just add more water? What does this do, and how does it make your hair look?
I would try it on your hair to see what you think. Then adjust from there. I like how it works on my hair where I need a gentle hold and it isn’t drying like other hair sprays.