Girls' night out. Rain check? It wouldn’t be the first time you’re cancelling. Unwashed, oily hair can be a serious dampener on last-minute plans. But it’d needn’t be that way – enter, dry shampoo. These soak-up-sebum formulas are available in spray and powder form, quickly absorbing scalp greasiness to lift limp strands and mimic the look of a freshly washed mane.
Since the crown secretes most sebum, spritz a generous amount holding the nozzle four to six inches away from your scalp. To amp up the volume, flip your hair and spritz dry shampoo all over, as you would do with hair spray. Scroll further to view our edit of the 10 best dry shampoos for a greasy scalp.
Redken Deep Clean Dry Shampoo
Redken’s no-nasties dry shampoo works wonders on even day-four greasy hair. Promising high-level oil absorption, the vegan formula boasts rice and vitamins C and B5 to leave you with the look of freshly washed locks. A 4.3 rating on Nykaa only suggests the product is living up to its hype.
Anomaly Dry Shampoo
Tea tree oil and rice starch marry to zap excess sebum and odour while boosting volume. The best part? The PeeCee-approved dry shampoo spray leaves no white residue on the scalp. In a bid to be good for your hair – and the planet – the formulation is stored in a 100% recycled plastic bottle, too.
Olaplex No. 4D Clean Volume Detox Dry Shampoo
The proof is in the pudding; let’s throw some stats at you. After recommended use, 100% of consumers reported zero white traces, 97% claimed their hair looked cleaner, and 97% noticed significant oil reduction. While Rambutan seed extract detoxifies the scalp and repels odour-causing elements, rice starch unclogs pores and gritty buildup.
Flawsome Dry Shampoo
Meet this lightly fragranced dry shampoo that does the job, and does it well. Priced at INR 649, this scalp-soothing concoction features coconut oil, tea tree oil, aloe leaf juice, tapioca starch, shea butter, and vitamin E to absorb oil, sweat, and odour within seconds. Conscious consumers take note that this product is 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and CG-friendly, too.
L'Occitane Purifying Freshness Dry Shampoo Mist
Harnessing the power of potent essential oils, L'Occitane’s Dry Shampoo Mist is the perfect alternative to aerosol formulas – packaged in a 100% recycled plastic bottle. With the help of a fresh herbal scent, the odour is reduced for up to 24 hours sans any heaviness or chalky residue. Consumers reported a 34% reduction in scalp greasiness after the first use.
Batiste Instant Hair Refresh Dry Shampoo
Give your hair a new lease of life and allow the delicious notes of raspberry and vanilla to soothe your olfactory senses with Batiste’s Instant Hair Refresh Dry Shampoo. Trust us; it’ll become your go-to quick fix for last-minute meet-ups, adding ample texture and volume to your otherwise limp strands. Plus, it hasn’t been tested on animals.
Wella Professionals EIMI Dry Me Dry Shampoo
Say hello to a more manageable, mattified mane with Wella Professionals EIMI Dry Me Dry Shampoo. This weightless formula leaves your hair revived and refreshed, formulated with tapioca starch to instantly absorb oil. Meanwhile, it amplifies lift and hair texture, trusted by thousands of consumers.
BBlunt Refresh Dry Shampoo
Specially crafted for Indian hair, celebrity hairstylist Adhuna Bhabani’s brainchild, BBlunt, presents a lightweight formula for no-shampoo days. The benzene-free dry shampoo zaps grease, grime, and dirt while maximising volume. Refresh flat, greasy strands in a matter of minutes! A 4.1 rating is a true testament to the product’s popularity.
milk_shake Lifestyling Dry Shampoo
Invite this powder-based formula into your vanity for good hair days ahead. Boasting a medley of quinoa proteins, hemp seed oil, and modified starch, this multitasking product amplifies radiance, nourishes strands, and curbs excess shine. Your practical, last-minute solution for a night on the town!
Ktein Natural Hair Detox Dry Shampoo Powder
If you’re wary about using a chemical-laden dry shampoo, opt for Ktein’s 100% natural, plant-based powder variant that sanitises your hair against bacteria, fungus, and dirt. Talc, corn starch, alcohol, aerosol, parabens, sulphates, phthalate, and gluten-free, this safe and efficacious formula will make your hair a lot more manageable.
What To Look For In A Dry Shampoo
- Ingredients: Look for ingredients proficient at absorbing excess oil, including activated charcoal, rice powder, tea tree extract, and silica. Such elements slough off grease, sweat, and odour without leaving your hair feeling too dry.
- Fragrance: Fragrance is a common additive to dry shampoos, lending a refreshing touch to a clarified scalp. However, if you’re not a big fan of fragranced formulas, opt for a dry shampoo free of perfume or any other aromatic agent.
- Formula: While the aforementioned ingredients work to absorb excess grease and grime, make sure your dry shampoo doesn’t contain alcohol. Alcohol can be too harsh, stripping the scalp and hair of its natural oils and making them dry and irritated.
- Colour and Finish: Dry shampoo formulas usually leave a white residue on the scalp, which is not a good look. Opt for variants that either have a colourless finish or a deeper shade of brown or grey that seamlessly blends into the roots.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are dry shampoos good for the hair?
- What are the side effects of using dry shampoo?
- Is it better to wash your hair or use dry shampoo?
- How to correctly apply dry shampoo?
Using a dry shampoo every once in a while helps get rid of excess oil, grime, and odour on days you’re pressed for time and can’t squeeze in a hair wash. That said, bear in mind that a dry shampoo shouldn’t be used as a substitute for cleansing the hair with a regular shampoo.
While dry shampoos are a quick fix, overusing them can be counterintuitive, as they can weigh your hair down and clog the scalp, leading to breakage. If you have an itchy scalp, dry shampoos may irritate, too. So, make it a point to do a patch test.
While dry shampoo is good to use when you’re running late, washing your hair with a regular shampoo 2-3 times a week is ideal to maintain optimal hair health and hygiene.
If you’re using an aerosol/spray-based dry shampoo, shake it properly before use. Part small sections of the hair at the scalp and spray the product onto the greasy roots. Make sure you spritz a small amount to avoid clogging the scalp. Once applied, gently massage it into the scalp and roots with your fingertips.
While a dry shampoo may grow to become your best friend on no-wash days, ensure you don’t replace it with the real deal; wash your hair at least twice a week with a regular shampoo. Bear in mind that excessive usage of dry shampoo can give way to an itchy, irritated, and sensitive scalp with clogged pores.
