What is a dry shampoo, and why should you use it? If you’re looking for the best dry shampoo, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, I’ll review some of the best dry shampoos for oily hair and volume and teach you how to choose the best ones according to your hair/scalp type.
What is a Dry Shampoo?
Dry shampoo is a type of shampoo that absorbs the oil, grease, and dirt in your hair to make your hair look better and fresher. It is usually made of cornstarch, alcohol, and some compounds that absorb moisture and grease, like Kaolin and Laminaria extract. One of the best benefits of dry shampoos is that they can be applied to dry hair, thus saving you more time. If you have scheduled wash days in your hair routine, dry shampoos will make your hair feel clean. It is usually applied to the crown and to sections of your hair that need to be cleaned.
Although this doesn’t mean you should throw away your regular shampoo or completely stop bathing your hair, dry shampoos are a quick fix if you need to make your hair look better after a gym session. Ideally, you don’t need to wash out a dry shampoo, but because the dirt and oil were just absorbed, they’re still there. At some point, you will need to wash them out to prevent scalp build-ups and flaking. You may need an anti-residue shampoo to deeply clean your oily scalp after days of not washing your hair.
Best Dry Shampoo Ingredients
Unsurprisingly, some of the best-wet shampoo ingredients are also among the best dry shampoo ingredients. Among these are biotin, lavender oil, chia seeds, organic rice starch, coconut, silica, and cocoa.
Each of these provides unique benefits to your hair. Biotin, for example, strengthens your hair’s proteins and makes it less prone to breakage. Coconut and coconut oil are great moisturizers, keeping your hair hydrated and healthy. Chia seeds are rich in essential vitamins and minerals and contain a great significantt of essential amino acids that aid hair growth.
Types of Dry Shampoos
There are many types of dry shampoo. Knowing what each of them can do for you will greatly help you find the right dry shampoo that’s a perfect fit for your specific needs.
Powder Dry Shampoo
Powder dry shampoo is the most basic form of dry shampoo. It’s simply a powder formula that’s applied to your scalp. This powder has fast-acting absorptive properties that remove excess oil and sebum from your scalp. Powder dry shampoo also tends to have different substances in it not only to facilitate a quick touch-up but also to nourish and strengthen your hair.
Dry Shampoo Sprays
Spray dry shampoos are simply dry shampoos applied via spray. This allows for quicker and easier application – just one press, and you’re ready. The downside of these shampoos is that you’ll still need to manually work the dry shampoo into your hair for the best results. Aerosol sprays also present a significant fire hazard, so be careful when spraying dry shampoos.
While spray-dry shampoos are great options, they’re also notable for leaving occasional residue after use. These dry shampoos are also ill-suited for particularly thick hair or curly hair.
Foam Dry Shampoo
Foam dry shampoo sounds strange – a dry shampoo that foams up doesn’t sound like a dry shampoo. That’s a fair assumption, as foam dry shampoos contain a small amount of water that quickly evaporates.
This water gives foam dry shampoo a gentler touch than other dry shampoos. Not only will foam dry shampoo not give you an itchy scalp nor leave any white cast, but it also helps keep your hair moisturized and is much easier to apply than other dry shampoos.
Gel Dry Shampoo
Gel dry shampoo is an uncommon variation of dry shampoo. It combines the best foam dry shampoo and regular powder dry shampoo. A water-based gel dries extremely quickly, leaving your hair feeling fresh and new. Chemical agents in gel dry shampoo absorb excess oils and deposit helpful substances on your scalp for a quick-acting and powerful dry shampoo experience.
Paste Dry Shampoo
Paste dry shampoo is one part dry shampoo and one part styling paste. This kind of dry shampoo is great for when you’re looking for a very fast touch-up that not only adds shine to your hair but also gives it enough holding power to maintain your hairstyle.
Best Dry Shampoo for Men and Women
Now that you know what dry shampoo is and its best types and ingredients, here are some of the best dry shampoos to make your life a little quicker!
Best Overall Dry Shampoo for Oily Hair
#1 Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo Light Tones
Type: Dry Shampoo
Scent: Musk and Orange blossom
Hair Type: All Hair Type
Best For: Oily Hair
Volume: 300ml
Best for light-colored hair, the Moroccan Oil Dry Shampoo is another top-rated product in Sephora. Like any dry shampshampoohis list, it instantly removes dirt, grease, and oil without leaving powdery residues. But another great benefit of using this shampoo is it nourishes your scalp thanks to one of its main ingredients, Argan Oil. And thanks to Moroccan’s unique and exotic scent, your hair will smell fresh and fragrant even after a day of not using wet shampoo.
Best Dry Shampoo for Fine Hair
#2 Living Proof Dry Shampoo
Type: Dry Shampoo
Scent: Citrus
Hair Type: All Hair Type
Best For: Oily Hair
Volume: 4 fl oz
LivingProof is an award-winning company founded by leading hair stylists and biotech scientists. They are making waves in the hair care industry as they try to solve some of the toughest haircare problems today while promoting natural and chemical-free products. If you’re always on the go and want your hair to look fresh and clean, then The Living Proof’s Perfect Hair Dry Shampoo should be on top of your list.
First of all, this shampoo is guaranteed silicone, phthalates, and paraben-free. This waterless shampoo has a Triple-Action Cleansing Technology that instantly absorbs oil, sweat, and odor in your hair. No need to wet your hair or rinse it off!
Best Dry Shampoo Color Treated or Bleached Hair
#3 Oribe Dry Shampoo – Gold Lust
Type: Dry Shampoo
Scent: Fruity
Hair Type: All Hair Type
Best For: Greasy Hair
Volume: 6 fl oz
Oribe Hair Care is another leading brand when it comes to luxury hair care. The Oribe Shampoo is one of the best sellers and top-rated dry shampoos on Amazon. This shampoo doesn’t only clean your hair,. It also restores, moisturizes, nourishes, and strengthens damaged hair strands! Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo includes some natural ingredients that nourish and fortify your hair roots, including celery seed, myrrh extract, lavender, and chamomile. In addition, Oribe has a signature Fragrance-Retention Technology that helps keep your hair smelling great throughout the day.
Best Smelling Dry Shampoo for Oily Hair
#4 amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo
Type: Dry Shampoo
Hair Type: All Hair Type
Best For: Oily Hair
Volume: 232 ml
Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo is talc, sulfate, paraben, and phthalate-free shampoo that not only absorbs dirt but also gives hair volume and refreshes your scalp. Aside from being one of the best dry shampoos, it also has won the Beauty Launchpad’s Readers Choice Awards 2017: Haircare award. This shampoo is made from rice starch and formulated with Sea Buckthorn Berry, that has a lot of vitamins and omega fatty acids.
Best Styling Dry Shampoo for Men
#5 Cremo Barber Grade Dry Shampoo Paste
- Type: Paste
- Scent: Light
- Hair Type: All hair types
- Volume: Adds volume
Pros: Adds lots of volume
Cons: Doesn’t work as well for long hair, can be itchy
Cremo Barber Grade Dry Shampoo Paste Review
Dry shampoo is a blessing for men – if you have a bedhead, all you need to do is put on a little dry shampoo, and you’re good to go. But for those who need to style their hair, Cremo Barber Grade Dry Shampoo Paste is one of our best dry shampoos for men.
Not only is it easy to use, making it great for men on the go, but it’s also a fantastic gentle cleanser and powerful touch-up tool. Cremo Barber Grade Dry Shampoo Paste contains fast-acting agents that absorb excess oil on your hair and scalp, ensuring your hair stays light and clean throughout the day.
Cremo’s products are made from the finest ingredients and undergo rigorous testing to be barber-approved, and Cremo Barber Grade Dry Shampoo Paste is no different.
Best Foam Dry Shampoo for Men
#6 Axe Waterless Dry Shampoo Foam
- Type: Foam
- Scent: Light
- Hair Type: Oily and dry
- Volume: No
Pros: Very light
Cons: Scent lingers, itchy sensation
Axe Waterless Dry Shampoo Foam Review
I couldn’t settle for just one recommendation for men—Axe Waterless Dry Shampoo Foam—another dry shampoo for men that I also highly recommend. This is a very light dry shampoo that will leave your hair feeling refreshed and clean, even after a long day of work. Axe Waterless Dry Shampoo Foam can be substituted for a shower and is way faster than having to rinse, shampoo, then rinse again.
While Axe Waterless Dry Shampoo Foam is undoubtedly a very convenient product, customers have noted that it tends to leave an itching sensation on a sensitive scalp. Alongside this is a lingering scent that clings to your hair for almost the entire day.
Best Dry Shampoo for Braids, Locs, and Weaves
#7 Taliah Waajid Dry Gel Shampoo
- Type: Gel
- Scent: Clean herbal scent
- Hair Type: All hair types
- Volume: No
Pros: Feels fantastic on the scalp, rapid cleaning and leaves a pleasant tingling sensation, very easy to apply
Cons: Hard to get ahold of as it’s trendy
Taliah Waajid Protective Styles Refresh & So Clean Dry Gel Shampoo Review
Braids, locs, and weaves are very distinctive hairstyles that are sure to impress. At the same time, they’re among the most demanding hairstyles to maintain; dreadlocks, are particularly notorious for being hard to clean while leaving an awful stench if left alone. That’s where Taliah Waajid Protective Styles Refresh & So Clean Dry Gel Shampoo comes in.
This dry gel shampoo is quick and easy to use and comes with bamboo, avocado, and peppermint infusions. These ingredients allow for a fast yet thorough cleanse, scrubbing dirt and grime from even the hard-to-reach places that braids, locs, and weaves tend to create. Taliah Waajid Protective Styles Refresh & So Clean Dry Gel Shampoo can do all this without having to untangle and rinse your hair.
Best Fragrance-free Dry Shampoo
#8 Kristin Ess Fragrance-Free Dry Shampoo Powder
- Type: Powder
- Scent: None
- Hair Type: All hair types
- Volume: No
Pros: Great for sensitive skin, super light
Cons: Some customers have reported that it’s not as effective as other dry shampoos
Kristin Ess Fragrance-Free Dry Shampoo Powder Review
When it comes to sensitive skin, less is more. The fewer unnecessary add-ons a dry shampoo has, the better, and that’s where Kristin Ess Fragrance-Free Dry Shampoo Powder shines.
Kristin Ess Fragrance-Free Dry Shampoo Powder is a very light and fine dry shampoo that leaves no scent. This absence of fragrance means that this dry shampoo is perfect for people with sensitive skin, as it minimizes irritation or allergies. Kristin Ess Fragrance-Free Dry Shampoo Powder is a simple, highly-effective product that does exactly what it says.
Best Dry Shampoo for Color-Treated Hair
#9 IGK First Class Charcoal Detox Dry Shampoo
- Type: Spray
- Scent: None
- Hair Type: All hair types
- Volume: Adds volume
Pros: Charcoal powder is an excellent oil absorber, no scent
Cons: Can make hair stiff, can leave a visible residue
IGK First Class Charcoal Detox Dry Shampoo Review
IGK First Class Charcoal Detox Dry Shampoo is a potent, portable deep cleanser. This tough, no-frills dry shampoo is armed with charcoal powder for maximum absorption, while white tea powder keeps your scalp soothed and healed.
This dry shampoo is also notable for leaving no scent behind. Customers have also cited its effectiveness even on color-treated hair or hair extensions.
Best Dry Shampoo Paste
#10 Redken Dry Shampoo Paste
- Type: Paste
- Scent: None
- Hair Type: All hair types, but better on short hair
- Volume: No
Pros: No scent, don’t need to use much, no white residue
Cons: Can leave hair feeling powdery
Redken Dry Shampoo Paste Review
Redken Dry Shampoo Paste is perfect for anyone looking for a fuss-free hair cleansing session while also styling their hair. This dry shampoo paste comes with coconut oil, making it great for moisturizing your scalp without needing a long shower.
Redken Dry Shampoo Paste is also renowned for its efficiency, to the point that long-time customers repeatedly caution newcomers to use just a single drop when starting out.
Best Batiste Dry Shampoo
#11 Batiste Rose Gold Dry Shampoo
- Type: Spray
- Scent: Freesia, rose, and bergamot
- Hair Type: All hair types
- Volume: Adds volume
Pros: Contains keratin for strengthening hair, works with any color of hair, fantastic smell
Cons: Can leave white streaks for some people
Batiste Rose Gold Dry Shampoo Review
Take one look at the customer reviews of Batiste Rose Gold Dry Shampoo, and you’ll immediately notice that most of them are about the smell. Batiste Rose Gold Dry Shampoo isn’t just one of the best-smelling dry shampoos on the market. It’s one of the best dry shampoos, period.
Batiste Rose Gold Dry Shampoo is advertised as perfect for women who travel a lot, but its use extends far more than that. Its light yet effective formulation allows Batiste Rose Gold Dry Shampoo to quickly mop up any excess oils on your head while leaving behind a healthy deposit of keratin, which your body uses to build stronger hair.
Best Moisturizing Dry Shampoo
#12 FoxyBae Dirty Gal Dry Shampoo
- Type: Spray
- Scent: Light
- Hair Type: All hair types
- Volume: Adds volume
Pros: Infused with biotin, vegan, paraben-free
Cons: Smell isn’t for everyone
FoxyBae Dirty Gal Dry Shampoo Review
FoxyBae Dirty Gal Dry Shampoo is beloved by customers for its fast-acting, volume-boosting abilities. This dry shampoo is particularly easy to use as it comes in spray form – shake and spray wherever you need to clean or lift.
FoxyBae Dirty Gal Dry Shampoo is also infused with biotin, making it a great choice for anyone looking to strengthen their hair. Biotin shampoos tend to enhance the protein bonds of your hair, making them tougher and less prone to breakage.
When to Use a Dry Shampoo?
There are a lot of reasons why people use dry shampoo. Here are some of the reasons why you should too:
Limit the use of Wet Shampoo:
Did you know that you don’t need to wash your hair every day? Depending on your daily routine or weather, experts don’t usually recommend washing and using wet shampoos to clean your hair daily. That’s because wet shampoos usually strip your hair of natural oils and moisture, thus leaving your scalp and hair dry after every use.
To prolong the life of your blowout:
If you’re one of the people who always get a Brazilian Blowout or keratin treatment, you know you are forbidden to wash your hair for 3 days. And if you want your hair to still feel clean and fresh in these three days, then dry shampoo is your best solution.
Preserve your Hair Color:
Another thing that regular wet shampoo does is strip your artificial hair color. That’s why if you want to prolong your new hair color, you might want to skip washing your hair 1-2 times a week.
Add Bounce, Glow on Hair Texture
When you spray a dry shampoo on your hair, it absorbs and covers your hair’s natural oil. This makes your dry strands intertwine, and the roots stand up a little to create more bounce and volume.
To Save Time:
Last but not least, dry shampoos will make your life a little faster. During days when you don’t have the time to wash and blow-dry your hair, dry shampoo can help you still keep it looking fresh and smelling great too.
How to Use a Spray Dry Shampoo?
Using a dry shampoo is super easy!
- If it’s wet, blow dry your hair first.
- Shake your shampoo canister to mix all the ingredients before spraying.
- Position it 6 inches above your hair.
- Section your hair and spray directly at your hair roots or in the oiliest parts of your hair
- Scrub it into your scalp using your fingers or a brush. And you’re done!
FAQs about Dry Shampoo
Is Dry Shampoo bad for your hair?
Most dry shampoos only have 3 active ingredients: starch, alcohol, and moisture-absorbing compounds/extracts. They’re free from sulfates and other harsh cleaning chemicals. But although dry shampoo’s main ingredients are mostly natural-based, you still need to wash it off as soon as you get home or before you go to bed.
How long does it take dry shampoo to work?
All of the dry shampoos we’ve included in this list work instantly or within 10 minutes. Just don’t forget to brush or rub the shampoo into your scalp to make the process much faster.
Can I Use Dry Shampoo 2 days in a row?
You should only use dry shampoo for 2 days at maximum. In addition to that, doctors recommend that you only use it twice a week. After that, you should make sure that you wash your hair thoroughly to prevent product buildup.
Does Dry Shampoo give your hair body?
The best part of using dry shampoo, aside from absorbing dirt and oil, is that it gives your hair more volume and bounce. But unlike hairsprays and gels, it will not leave your hair sticky and dry. In addition to that, dry shampoos help make your curls and blowout last longer.
Can dry shampoo cause your hair to fall out?
Prolong use of dry shampoo, just like any other hair product, can make your hair follicles clump together and cause hair shedding. That’s why doctors recommend using it no more than twice a week or two days in a row.
Use hair grease for black hair to avoid hair shedding. This will keep your hair moisturized and provide relief from dry scalp. There are other hair growth oils you can choose from, like Bio 7, Mane Choice Growth Oil, or Shedavi Hair Oil.
What are the best dry shampoo alternatives?
Some of the best dry shampoo alternatives are cornstarch, baby powder, apple cider vinegar, cocoa powder, oatmeal, and baking soda.
Can I bring dry shampoo on a plane?
Yes, you can. If you live in the USA, however, be sure to have a look at the TSA’s regulations regarding dry shampoo.
Gen is a Master Stylist in Tampa, Florida who specializes in extremely thin hair and hair loss care. Working with hundreds of clients with hair loss/thinning concerns allowed her to recognize products and routines that can cause damage. She has discovered what hair products work and what doesn’t and shares all of this info to the readers of Union of Barber. When she’s not writing, you can find Gen hiking or at home with her army of cats!
