Hi, my name is Kristin and I’m a dry shampoo addict. I can’t help it. I hate washing and doing my hair. I’m lazy AF and even though my hair is relatively easy and doesn’t take long to do, I still dread when I have to do it. Unfortunately, like most people with finer hair, my hair can get greasy if I don’t wash it every day, something I just don’t have the time or motivation to do.
Plus, many experts say the more you wash your hair, the greasier it gets, which I basically use as a justification for not shampooing on the reg. I have found that spreading out my washings has helped my hair become less greasy. Plus, it extends my color, which is great because I also hate having to sit for hours to get highlights. So when dry shampoo came on the market, it legit changed me life.
Admittedly, I really abused it for awhile. I would go a week without washing and just load up on dry shampoo. I’d legit go through multiple bottles of dry shampoo a month. I would order in bulk from Amazon and tended to go for the cheaper dry shampoos because I went through it so fast. Also, from working in women’s magazines, I have access to tons of beauty products and samples, so I’ve been able to try nearly every type of dry shampoo on the block. And over the years, I’ve learned some types work better than others. Because I know how important dry shampoo can be if you have greasy hair, and I am lucky enough to have had the chance to try them all, I wanted to share what actually works. It’s actually one of the most common beauty questions I get.
In the beauty world, you’re often led to believe that the more you spend on an item, the better it works. I know that’s not true, both from personal experience getting to try so many beauty products at work and because drugstore brands are often owned by larger companies that have the funds to do elaborate testing to make their products work really well. With that said, there are certain beauty products that are worth investing in, and despite my resistance for years, I’ve found dry shampoo is one of them. With that said, if you’re looking for a cheapie drugstore brand, Pssst! Is the way to go, both in terms of smell and how well it works and lasts. But I still find that it’s only good for one day before I have to layer on more.
Recently, I’ve changed my approach to dry shampoo. I started getting a really dry, itchy scalp, which I never had before, and after looking into it more, I discovered that overdoing the dry shampoo can actually be bad for your scalp and therefore, your hair. Beauty editor secret: A healthy scalp is the key to healthy hair. Bottom line.
It turns out that using too much dry shampoo can clog the pores on your scalp and cause you to produce more oil (which then causes you to need more dry shampoo, creating a vicious cycle. Plus, it can make your scalp itchy and dry.
I decided to cut back and get smarter about how I was applying it. Turns out you should apply dry shampoo at night and let it soak into your roots overnight. You should also spray a few inches from your scalp and go easy on the application, applying it liberally all over.
I also decided to invest in higher quality dry shampoos in hopes I wouldn’t need to use as much and reapply to save my scalp. Turns out, the pricier dry shampoos that everyone recommends and raves about are popular for a reason — and they are actually worth the money (and this is coming from someone who tends to be super cheap about spending money on any beauty products I don’t get for free from work).
There are two higher quality dry shampoos that are pricey but really work and IMO are worth spending more on. Plus, you don’t need to use as much so they last longer so I actually think the cost comes out the same because I’m buying one bottle a month or every couple of months rather than going through a bottle a week.
There are lots of expensive options on the market, but I’ve found two that are really worth the money. Klorane’s dry shampoo tends to be a bit powdery so I use it when I am due for a root touch-up. It lasts me 1-2 days, smells nice, and is a more middle of the range price point. But my favorite is definitely Dry Bar’s Detox Dry Shampoo is definitely my favorite. It’s not super powdery and blends in easily. I use it at night and then brush through in the morning and I’m good to go for 2 to 3 days. It adds a touch of volume too so I sometimes use it after giving myself a blowout to extend its life. It’s not cheap and I balked at the cost originally, but now I’m hooked. I can blow out my hair once or twice a week and make it last for days when I use it, so it’s also saving my hair from daily heat damage, and I can make one bottle last a couple of months. Plus, I love the smell. I know it’s an investment, so next time you get a blowout at Dry Bar, ask them to use it and see how it long it lasts, or order a sample size to see if you love it as much as I do.
Anyway, I had to share because for me, dry shampoo is legit a life-saver, especially as a busy working mom, and not all are created equal. But when you find the right one, it can shave so much time off your mornings.
Let me know if you want me to do more beauty posts and if there are other beauty products or posts you want me to cover on the blog. I am pretty low-key with my beauty routine, but I do get the chance to try a ton of products and have learned a lot about the products that will save the most time and will actually change your skin/hair/etc.
