Buying guide for best dry shampoos
Hair stylists agree that washing your hair every day isn’t a good idea. Washing hair too often with regular shampoo and conditioner robs it of moisture, strips color and causes frizz. If your hair tends to get greasy or fall flat between washes, consider adding a dry shampoo to your hair care routine. Dry shampoo soaks up excess oil and adds texture and volume to your locks so you can go longer between hair washes.
Dry shampoos contain starches, clays, vegetable powder or chemicals to absorb greasiness, leaving your hair looking and feeling cleaner and fresher. It also adds texture to boost volume and can make styling easier.
There are many dry shampoos on the market, so choosing the right one can be challenging. Plus, recent studies revealed that some common dry shampoo brands are contaminated with benzene, a harmful chemical.
We researched dry shampoos to find those with safe ingredients that won’t leave a powdery residue. Our favorite is Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo. It absorbs oil and sweat in about 30 seconds and has a fantastic citrus fragrance.
Our list: The best dry shampoos
This celebrity-endorsed line delivers a strong dry shampoo, with the science to back it up. This dry shampoo cleans hair by absorbing oil, sweat and odor, so you can go longer between washes. The patented OFPMA molecule reduces friction and frizz and doesn’t leave white residue after use. The result is crisp and fresh-smelling hair that feels like you just left the salon. This product is made without benzene, phthalates, sulfates, talc, formaldehyde, parabens or silicone.
This classic formula is lightweight and easy to distribute in hair. The affordably priced product removes oil and adds texture without drying the hair or scalp. It also works well for adding volume for a beachy style or tousled look. The original fragrance has a clean, crisp finish with subtle notes of bergamot, lavender and musk. This product comes in more than 15 fragrances as well as versions with a hint of color.
A salon-quality option, this dry shampoo is formulated to leave hair with a silky, shiny finish. While some dry shampoos may leave a white cast that’s more noticeable on dark hair, this product is designed specifically for dark hair. It contains ultrafine rice starch to absorb oil and remove product buildup without leaving a dull residue. Hair is left clean, refreshed and protected against UV damage. This cruelty-free product also has a pleasant signature scent.
This talc-free, vegan and cruelty-free dry shampoo uses a natural rice starch to absorb and remove oil without leaving a white residue behind. It adds volume and texture, giving hair natural-looking oomph. It is also packed with nourishing ingredients like sea buckthorn, a superfruit loaded with vitamin C, vitamin A and omega-7 fatty acid. This product is safe to use on dyed hair.
Though it’s a splurge, this product is full of high-quality ingredients, including the Oribe Signature Complex, which defends hair from environmental damage, oxidative stress, photoaging and keratin deterioration. Suited for all hair types, this dry shampoo uses a translucent starch blend that quickly cleanses, prevents damage and extends blowouts, leaving hair looking, smelling and feeling fresh.
Not only does this matte-finish spray freshen up your tresses, it also helps prevent hair dryness and breakage. The super-absorbent spray relies on micro-fine rice powder to help eliminate oils and impurities, while golden root extract increases moisture to ward off split ends. This dry shampoo comes in a variety of delicious scents including the original formula with notes of jasmine, sandalwood, and Madagascar vanilla, and Noir, with notes of sandalwood, ginger and mint, among others.
If you’re looking for a non-spray option, Billie makes a great vegan, cruelty-free dry shampoo. You shake the nutrient-packed powder directly onto the scalp where it soaks up oil. Baking soda helps trap grease to provide a deep clean, while biotin plumps and smooths strands. There are two versions formulated specifically for light or dark hair to help minimize any visible residue. It’s also unscented, which is beneficial to people with sensitive skin.
This award-winning dry shampoo is infused with oat milk to soothe the scalp. It leaves your hair looking refreshed and full of body and volume while extending the life of blowouts. The ultrafine powder blends invisibly into hair without leaving a chalky residue. It has a gentle plant-based formula free of parabens and sulfates that is suitable for all hair types.
This dry shampoo from a salon-favorite brand uses ultrafine micro starch to detox the scalp with light-as-air dry cleansing technology. The result is hair that feels just washed without any powdery residue. The volumizing product is color safe, and it won’t leave grit or clog the pores on your scalp. It uses the brand’s patented Bond Building Technology to help maintain healthy strands.
Vegamour is known for its hair-growth-promoting serums, and the brand’s dry shampoo is similarly nourishing to strands. It uses plant-based phytoactives to revitalize hair at the roots for thicker, fuller-looking hair. The lightweight formula refreshes the scalp and hair by absorbing excess oil, perspiration and odors to leave hair looking and feeling clean with just a bit of added volume. This product does not contain benzene or talc.
The standout ingredients in this dry shampoo include detoxifying charcoal, which helps draw out impurities that clog the hair follicles or cause buildup on the scalp, and biotin, which provides essential nutrients to the hair follicles to support healthy hair growth. It is also formulated with witch hazel, which helps normalize oil production to prevent an oily scalp. This vegan and cruelty-free product comes packaged in a nature-friendly nonaerosol canister.
Though suited for all hair types, this non-spray dry shampoo is especially good for anyone with an oily scalp. The cornstarch-based powder soaks up grease and rebalances the scalp. The color-safe product also helps restore volume. It has a delicious natural fragrance with notes of cucumber, ylang-ylang and oak moss. The formula contains no sulfates, parabens, formaldehyde or artificial fragrance.
What to know before you buy dry shampoo
How to use dry shampoo
The instructions can vary based on the brand and formulation, so carefully read and rely on the instructions of the specific product you’re using. Here are some general instructions:
- Apply dry shampoo directly to the roots, which is where the hair is oiliest.
- Lift hair in 2-inch sections, and spritz or sprinkle on the dry shampoo, being careful not to apply too much.
- Let the product sit for up to 5 minutes.
- Use fingers to gently blend in the dry shampoo to remove any powdery residue.
- Brush the product all the way through from roots to the ends.
Formula
Dry shampoo comes in two formulas: spray and powder.
Spray: This formula is faster and easier to apply. It allows you to direct the dry shampoo precisely and coat hair evenly. However, it’s easy to apply too much of a spray formula.
Powder: This formula requires more care and finesse to apply, but you usually won’t waste as much product. Powder also tends to have a lighter texture, so it can be a better option for fine or thin hair.
Color
The biggest complaint about dry shampoo is the visible white residue that some types can leave in your hair, which occurs because you haven’t selected the right formulation for your hair color. Many “colorless” dry shampoos are white, and if you don’t blend them in well enough, your hair can end up with a white, powdery residue. This isn’t as big an issue for blonde, gray or silver hair shades. But if you have dark or red hair, look for a dry shampoo that’s formulated specifically for darker hair shades. It’s slightly tinted so it blends better into hair and doesn’t leave any telltale residue.
Ingredients
Some dry shampoos are formulated with harsh chemicals that might not be good for the long-term health of your hair. If you prefer products that are free of chemicals, look for dry shampoo that contains natural ingredients like rice powder, blue yucca root and bamboo extract to absorb oil.
A 2022 study found that many drugstore brand dry shampoos contained benzene, a carcinogen. This resulted in a widespread dry shampoo recall. Our list of best dry shampoos was updated to remove any potentially harmful products.
Scent
Part of the appeal of dry shampoo is that it rids hair of unpleasant odors. The fragrance freshens up hair without washing. Dry shampoos have a wide variety of scents, so there’s bound to be an option that appeals to your nose. There are also unscented options, which may be better suited for people with sensitive skin or scalps.
Tips
- Hold the spray bottle 10 to 12 inches from your roots. This can help avoid visible powdery residue.
- Don’t apply too much dry shampoo. Your hair can end up looking dull and discolored. Start with a small amount, let it sit for a few minutes, and then add more if your hair still looks oily.
- Use a bristle brush rather than a comb to work dry shampoo into your hair. If you need more help blending it in, use a hair dryer on the lowest heat setting and your fingers to work the dry shampoo into your hair.
- Don’t use dry shampoo too often. Using it too often can lead to residue buildup that can clog hair follicles. Try to limit your use to once or twice between regular washings, not every day.
FAQ
Q. How much does dry shampoo cost?
A. Dry shampoo varies in price based on the brand and the quantity, but in general you can expect to spend between $3 and $30. For a drugstore brand, you’ll pay between $3 and $9. For a mid-range product, you’ll pay between $10 and $20. For a high-end dry shampoo, you’ll pay between $20 and $50 and even more for a product formulated with luxury ingredients.
Q. Are there dry shampoos for different hair types?
A. There are formulas based on hair type. You can find some designed specifically for adding definition to curly hair or lightweight formulas that won’t weigh down fine hair. There are also dry shampoos for especially oily hair. They have added drying agents to absorb more oil than traditional dry shampoos.
Q. Can I use dry shampoo on hair extensions?
A. Dry shampoo is only recommended for use on natural hair. Applying it to extensions may damage the hair.
Q. Does dry shampoo work on dark hair?
A. Most dry shampoos have a white cast, which can leave a visible residue on dark hair. Use a small amount and massage it in well. For best results, use a dry shampoo that is formulated specifically for darker hair.
