Dry shampoo is one hard working product, especially of late.These days, the time-saving saving grace does so much more than just squeeze an extra day out of your blow-out. The evolution of the dry shampoo promises everything from correcting regrowth, to styling and protecting your hair from sun damage. Brisbane-based new mum and lawyer, Ashlee Campbell, appreciates the precious time saving powers of dry shampoo. So, she worked her way through a number of formulations – the classic, the multi-tasking and the new kids on the block. Ready, set, spray.
IMAGE: INSTAGRAM @SELENAGOMEZ
“Hearing that dry shampoo can leave tell-tale signs of use with white marks, especially on darker hair (mine is medium brown), I proceed with caution. This brand is a known classic, so I’m also quietly optimistic. Formulated with oat milk, this dry shampoo immediately removed my roots of visible oil – I’d deliberately extended my usual wash day to test the product. My hair appears to be freshly washed but with natural additional volume. My hair isn’t left with any obvious signs that I’ve called on the magic shampoo-in-a-can, and if you have darker hair this classic is now also available with a tinted formula for brown to dark hair.”
“This dry shampoo, style extender and volumiser is truly a magic powder. It comes in a little bottle dispenser that I gently tap the powder out from directly onto my hair. I love that it’s easy to use, smells super fresh and absorbs oil while allowing my hair to maintain its shine (unlike some dry shampoos that have left my hair dull and matte after use). Because it doesn’t dull my strands, I’m not scared to use it on my lengths to give more volume to beachy waves and a textured bun (I try both in one day).”
“This non-aerosol varietyhas 25 pure flower and plant essences, so it smells delicious. The scent smell is a big draw card – I use the dry shampoo asI hurry out the door in the morning the smell makes me enjoy a moment of calm and luxury (if only for a brief moment). Also, I can do without the perfume spritz today thanks to the double-duty of this product. The ease of use and effectiveness of this product just add to its appeal, and there’s a lot of ‘What perfume are you wearing?’ from colleagues which is a definite bonus.”
“While I had heard that dry shampoos are used to add some volume to hair, this one is developed to specifically volumise the hair. I’m pleasantly surprised to see that it follows through on its promise: my hair is instantly injected with some serious volume. Since having my baby, my hair has had a tendency to go limp and flat over the course of a day (I lost a lot of hair post-birth, so it’s much thinner than it used to be), but this product gives my hair grit and fullness that holds right through until evening.”
“Moroccanoil has long been a favourite of mine when it comes to hair care, so I am excited that they have now released a dry shampoo containing the same nourishing goodness as their other products. And, as an added bonus, it is available for dark tones – perfect for me – and light tones for all the blondes out there. This multi-tasker has inbuilt UV Protection so I know my hair (in addition to being instantly refreshed) is shielded from the damaging sun. It does all this without the feeling of product build up. The Dark Tone version helps my brown hair maintain its richness and suppleness – there is no crunchy, starchy feeling.”
BEST FOR: A NATURAL OPTION
“This new spray formulation is free of parabens, sulphates and propylene glycol – so, as natural as an effective dry shampoo can get. I love that this product has no hidden nasties, smells divine (almost like a hair perfume) and does a spectacular job of absorbing oil in my roots. The spray nozzle evenly distributes the product and gives volume with the appearance of clean, glossy hair. It gives great natural texture and I find that it continues to absorb oil all day. I use this product a number of days in a row and it combs through beautifully each time, without chalky residue.”
Review by Ashlee Campbell
Elle
I did not know dry shampoo could do so much!
Sheila
I deal with a lot of product build up, so I’ll definitely be interested in trying the Moroccanoil one
Shelby
So, how long can you get away with using dry shampoo? I find my hair gets greasy quickly but I also don’t want to get the gross white build-up of dry shampoo.. Suggestions?
Aminah
I’ve only ever used aerosol dry shampoos and hate them! I love that there are some non-aerosol options on this list – definitely going to try Xx
contact
I have not tried those products yet. Thanks to this article I will try them.
beautyobsesser
my absolute favourite is Death Valley from R+Co. Can’t go a day without it (I have pretty greasy hair). Also, Badlands is a cool alternative because you can apply it straight to the roots and it adds that grit and texture. I live for dry shampoos… 🙂