Dry Shampoo
One thing I learned we should do (and I learned this a long time ago, but it’s hard to abide by) is limit the frequency in which we wash and heat activate our hair. For the longest time, I couldn’t understand how people walked around with 3-day unwashed hair, because for someone like me whose hair gets super greasy, super fast, I couldn’t figure out how they didn’t look like an oil bomb.
It was a while back that I discovered dry shampoo and I know this sounds like an overstatement, but it seriously changed my life. I no longer felt the need to overwash my hair and it also helped me extend hair styles by a day (sometimes 2). The thing is, a lot of people don’t actually know how to use dry shampoo properly, so they end up with white residue or ineffectually sprayed dry shampoo, leaving them with still-greasy hair. Here are my 5 favourite dry shampoos and a simple guide on how to use it for the best results.
Drybar
Detox Dry Shampoo
So, DryBar Detox Dry Shampoo might actually be at the top of my top 5 list. It is super absorbent so it not only eliminates oils but also kind of does a semi-cleaning job. My hair always looks fresh and extra voluminous when I’m done with it. It has a delicious sandalwood and vanilla scent, and is infused with Golden Root Extract which increases moisture and prevents breakage.
Tip #1: Shake well before use and spray evenly at least 10 inches away from your hair and focus on the roots.
Redken
Pillow Proof Blow Dry Express
A lot of the time, people think they simply spray and go. That is not quite how dry shampoo works. Pillow Proof Blow Dry Express explains it the best: in order to get salon-style results, blow dry your hair after you’ve spray on. The way it works is that the dry shampoo cuts the blow dry time in half, because your hair is already dry. What the dry shampoo achieves is hair that is more voluminous and protected from heat (up to 450 degrees).
Tip #2: Leave the dry shampoo on for at least 2 minutes and then remove all powder by brushing thoroughly. BTW- I recommend using a Boar Bristle Brush, it helps the product distribute evenly while smoothing the area that you applied to. Go with one of these over a synthetic or plastic brush if you can!
Rene Futerer
Naturia Dry Shampoo
Some dry shampoos work best to extend style life others work best to absorb excess oil. The Rene Furterer Naturia Dry Shampoo is enriched with rice, corn starch, clay and silica powders that all work to eliminate oil and other impurities. It neutralizes odour with its peppermint, basil and caraway essential oils, which also work to balance moisture.
Klorane
Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk
The Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk is award winning and probably the most-used dry shampoo. It’s easy to find and a great price point. It does all the same things as the other dry shampoos: eliminates oil, dirt and odors, and cleans adds volume and texture.
Tip #3: Using your fingertips, massage the product into roots and scalp so that the oil-absorbing action can take place evenly across the head.
Ouai
Dry Shampoo Foam
Most of the dry shampoos on the market are sprays. But, the Ouai Dry Shampoo Foam is more like a shampoo in the sense that it is a waterless wet dry shampoo. Confused? Lol! I promise it’s incredible! It’s quick-drying and cleanses any excess buildup, but the difference is that you rub this one in like you would rub shampoo, and it leaves your hair feeling cleansed, conditioned and ready to style. Oh, and it also detangles!
Tip #4: The best time to use dry shampoo is before bedtime, the night before you plan to touch up and style your hair.
Taking good care of your hair is more than just what you CAN do, like leave-in treatments and high-grade products, it’s also about what you SHOULDN’T do, like wash too often and use heat to style. That’s why dry shampoo is legit one of the best products out there to help take care of your locks. Some are best suited for dry, greasy, dandruff, dark, blonde, and so on, so find the one that suits your hair best and start spraying!
Photography Patricia Brochu