Okay ladies, we need to have a chat about dry shampoo. We all know that it’s a godsend and it’s totally changed the way we think about washing our hair, but let’s be real–we’re all really picky about our dry shampoos and our routines.

If your hair type is anything like mine–dark, fine, oily hair, you probably feel the need to wash your hair frequently. I used to wash my hair every day but thanks to dry shampoo, I only need to wash my hair every 2-3 days. It’s crazy how much time it saves. Needless to say, I love using it.

Finding the right dry shampoo for my hair wasn’t easy though. It took me a while to get a routine down and to change my routine depending on the season. There are formulas out there we absolutely adore and others we despise and nearly cry over for making our greasy hair somehow look worse.

So, let’s talk about dry shampoo and cover the basics!

I’m going to go with the assumption that you know the basics, but if you don’t, here’s the simplified version of how to dry shampoo your hair:

For aerosol sprays, spray 10-12 inches away from the hair and scalp. Wait a minute or two and then massage the product into your hair and brush out any residue.

What type of formula should you use?

Good question. There are plenty out of choices out there–white powders, dark powders, clear formulas. Personally, I’ve had great luck with Klorane’s dry shampoos. Out of all of them, I prefer the non-aerosol Klorane Dry Shampoo since it doesn’t run out as quickly as the spray formulas. Dry shampoo tends to be quite expensive, so it’s good to save where I can.

Do some research on what might work for your hair and definitely read customer reviews. More expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better dry shampoo.

You could also sign up for beauty boxes that provide dry shampoo samples. I tried out quite a few dry shampoos from Birchbox before landing on the Klorane one that I like so much.

Aerosol Vs. Non-Aerosol?

Aerosol formulas are easy to apply. They work just like hairspray. Non-Aerosol dry shampoos require a little more work. You need to use your fingers to massage the powder into your hair and scalp. It’s a little messy, but the bottles tend to last much longer than aerosol bottles. In my experience, I could finish an aerosol bottle in 2-3 weeks, while a non-aerosol dry shampoo lasts me 6-8 weeks.

Apply more dry shampoo to areas that are heavily visible (the top of your hair) and areas that tend to get greasy quickly (roots, hair close  to the face). You should definitely concentrate how much product you use in areas you KNOW get greasy!

When should you dry shampoo your hair? (If there is one thing you take away from this post, let it be this)

According to my stylist, you should use dry shampoo the same way you use deodorant–before you smell or sweat. It’s best used to prevent greasy, flat hair.

That means that yes, you should apply dry shampoo to your freshly styled hair on day one. Depending on your hair, you could probably add dry shampoo daily while getting ready for the day in between washes. If you have extra oily hair like me, it’s also great to apply before going to the gym, or before going to bed.

If I don’t dry shampoo my hair correctly on day one, I may end up washing my hair sooner than I would have liked.

This is the key to making the most of your dry shampoo!

Help! My hair and scalp are getting dry!

Since you aren’t exposing your hair to much water and you’re using a powder to soak up excess oil and grease your scalp naturally produces, this is actually a common issue. Use a light oil to massage into your scalp before your next wash. Also, you can gently apply some oil to the dry ends of your hair to give them some life and moisture.

You can also purchase some dry conditioner to go along with your dry shampoo, but there aren’t to many on the market, and generally a hair oil does the trick.

 

There you go–those are some of the basics behind dry shampooing your hair the right way! Do you have any tips to add?

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