Benzene in Dry Shampoo: What Actually Happened (and How to Check Yours)

Quick take: in December 2021 and October 2022, two of the biggest hair care companies in the US recalled aerosol dry shampoos over benzene, and both pointed to the propellant. Here is the documented timeline, how to check a can, and why powder sits outside the whole story.

What happened, in order

December 2021: P&G. The Procter & Gamble Company recalled aerosol dry shampoo and dry conditioner sprays from Pantene, Aussie, Herbal Essences, and Waterless, plus discontinued dry shampoos from Old Spice and Hair Food. In its announcement, posted by the FDA, P&G said benzene is not an ingredient in its products and that its review found the unexpected levels "came from the propellant that sprays the product out of the can." CNN later counted more than 30 aerosol hair care products in that recall.

October 2022: Unilever. Unilever U.S. recalled select lot codes of aerosol dry shampoos produced before October 2021 from Dove, Nexxus, Suave, TIGI (Rockaholic and Bed Head), and TRESemmé, which NBC News counted as 19 products. The company said an internal investigation identified the propellant as the source. The notice went out in mid-October and the FDA posted it on October 21.

Late October 2022: Valisure. Valisure, an independent lab, filed a citizen petition asking the FDA to request recalls. According to CNN's report on the petition, Valisure tested 148 batches from 34 dry shampoo brands and found "quantifiable" levels of benzene in 70% of samples. Those are Valisure's findings, not the FDA's.

A note on the health language, since it is easy to get wrong in either direction. The recall notices describe benzene as a human carcinogen. Both companies also said that, based on their evaluations, daily exposure at the levels detected would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences, and that they had received no reports of adverse events. The recalls were issued out of caution.

How to check your can

1. Find out if it's an aerosol. Every recalled product in the P&G and Unilever notices was an aerosol spray.
2. Match the brand and product name against the lists in the Unilever notice and the P&G notice.
3. Check the code. P&G's notice says to find the production code on the bottom of the can; the first four digits are the only ones you need, compared against the ranges in its table. Unilever's notice lists affected products with UPC codes and covers products produced before October 2021.
4. Look for newer notices. The FDA lists current recalls on its recalls, market withdrawals, and safety alerts page. Scan it for your brand.
5. If you have a match, stop using it. The notices explain how reimbursement worked when the recalls were issued.

The structural point: powder has no propellant

Both companies traced the benzene to the aerosol propellant, the gas that pushes dry shampoo out of the can. A powder dry shampoo doesn't have one. There is no can to pressurize and no propellant in the formula, so the source named in these recalls isn't in the jar.

Drop Dead Gorgeous Dry Shampoo has been a powder since it launched about ten years ago. You tap it onto oily roots, blend it in with the brush or your fingers, wait 5 minutes, and style. It absorbs excess oil and odor, adds volume at the roots, and comes in tinted shades for light-to-medium and medium-to-dark hair. No aerosol cloud, no propellant, and a little goes a long way.

Shop the Benzene-Free Dry Shampoo collection, including Drop Dead Gorgeous in Light and Medium to Dark.

FAQ

Did the recalls cover powder dry shampoos?

Not according to the notices. The products listed in the P&G and Unilever recalls were aerosol sprays.

Is my current dry shampoo affected?

Check it against the notices above. The recalls covered specific brands, products, and production dates, so a match is what matters. Valisure's petition also covered brands beyond those two recalls, which is a good reason to check the FDA's recall page for yours rather than assume.

How do I use a powder dry shampoo?

Apply a small amount at oily roots, blend it in with a brush or your fingers, wait about 5 minutes, and style. American Academy of Dermatology dermatologists advise washing with shampoo and water after one or two dry shampoo uses.

Related reading

• Is Dry Shampoo Bad for Your Hair? (And How to Use It Right)
• Does Dry Shampoo Cause Hair Loss? An Honest Answer
• How to Use Dry Shampoo Without the Buildup

Sources

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Unilever Issues Voluntary U.S. Recall of Select Dry Shampoos Due to Potential Presence of Benzene (October 2022)
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. P&G Issues Voluntary Recall of Aerosol Dry Conditioner Spray Products and Aerosol Dry Shampoo Spray Products (December 2021)
• CNN. Dove, Nexxus and other dry shampoos recalled for cancer-causing chemical (October 24, 2022)
• CNN. Dry shampoo recall: Independent lab finds 'troubling' levels of cancer-causing chemical in more types of dry shampoo products, report alleges (November 3, 2022)
• NBC News. Unilever recalls dry shampoos because of potentially high levels of benzene
• American Academy of Dermatology. Dry shampoo: Dermatologists' tips for getting your best results

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