Dry shampoo: No washing, rinsing or repeating
Summer is around the corner, a season when hot weather can threaten even the most meticulously crafted hairstyle. That’s where dry shampoo comes in. Whether it’s a spray, foam, powder or paste, many consumers turn to dry shampoo products to help their hair look and feel cleaner in between washes.
But with a wide range of brands available on the market, and online reports about the dangers of overusing the products, navigating the world of dry shampoo can be difficult. While dry shampoo can extend your hairstyle, the products aren’t meant to replace hair- washing routines altogether. “Most people spray in the root and crown area after Day 2 or 3 of styling to help extend their blowout, as it absorbs excess oil and is a dry way to refresh hair,” says celebrity stylist George Papanikolas.
Many hairstylists agree that dry shampoo, if not a replacement for washing hair, can be an asset to men and women alike to refresh limp locks and oily scalps.
“If your hair gets oily, then this is a great way to refresh your hair without having to actually wash and dry it,” Papanikolas says. “Spray about 16 inches away from the hair so that you don’t get white spots, and use a boar- bristle brush to distribute through hair so it can absorb excess oil, and give hair more volume and texture.”
Additionally, some stylists use dry shampoo to give hair extra body, regardless of whether it’s dirty or clean.
“My favorite styling tip ( whether your hair is clean or dirty) is to use dry shampoo to give your hair more body,” says Dominick Pucciarello, celebrity hairstylist with Bernstein & Andriulli. “Simply spray the dry shampoo on the root area and then use your blow dryer on the cool and low settings and go directly at the root. It’s a really easy way to refresh or just to add some volume.”
“( Dry shampoo) can also be used as a styling tool,” Papanikolas says. “If you spray it through your hair right after a blowdry, it’s a great way to add extra volume and expand the hair. If you want to do an updo on clean hair, it can be very slippery. By spraying dry shampoo, you give the hair more grip and texture so that it can stay in place.”
According to Nancy Twine, the founder of the natural hair product line Briogeo, dry shampoo also can help refresh hair that’s been weighed down by other styling products. “Curly hair girls tend to use a lot of product, and product can cause buildup, and buildup can cause itchiness and irritation, so ingredients like the tea tree oil can be soothing.”
“Curly hair types typically don’t use a ton of dry shampoo because natural oils from the scalp are often beneficial in keeping their curls soft and hydrated,” Twine explains, pointing to Briogeo’s natural oils- infused Scalp Revival Charcoal + Biotin Dry Shampoo as a potential option. “If someone with textured hair does want to use a dry shampoo, to maybe control oil production, ours is a great one because of the fact that it’s not just an oil absorber, but there are also ingre- dients in there that will help the scalp as well.”
While the majority of dry shampoos on the market are aerosol sprays, other forms include flour- esque powders and frothy mousses. But while their receptacles may differ, dry shampoos work in similar ways, containing starchy active ingredients that absorb oil and grease from the hair’s scalp and roots.
Unfortunately, some of those ingredients are less healthy than others. “A lot of dry shampoos on the market contain talc powder, which ( can be) linked to cancer,” Twine says. “Instead of talc powder, we actually use rice starches to absorb oil at the roots ( and) tea tree oil, a natural antimicrobial, which helps to kill harmful bacteria that causes your scalp to be itchy and smell.”
Briogeo’s dry shampoo is one of many brands that use talc alternatives, sharing its charcoal elements with Hask’s Charcoal Purifying Dry Shampoo and its rice starch with amika’s Perk Up Dry Shampoo.
Taking the science of dry shampoo a step further is Living Proof Perfect Hair Day, which freshens hair with a patented Healthy Hair Molecule ( called OFPMA) created by MIT scientists.
While many of these dry shampoos retail for more than $ 20, stylists often turn to lower- priced options, with Pucciarello naming TONI& GUY’s Dry Shampoo among his favorites ($ 14.99) and Papanikolas name- dropping Matrix’ Style Link Mineral Play Back Dry Shampoo ( currently on sale for $ 8.99).