Dry shampoo has fast become a staple in many people’s beauty arsenal, thanks to its ability to soak up excess grease, add volume and breathe life into second-day styles. No longer are they just a solution to last-minute hair emergencies; the game-changing product has evolved from the days of frantically rubbing in talcum powder to our roots to next-generation formulas that are lightweight and invisible, or even tinted options to provide root coverage.
How to apply dry shampoo
While it’s designed as a quick spray-and-go fix for limp, greasy roots, you want to make sure you’re applying dry shampoo correctly to ensure you’re not left with a veil of white residue or the risk of build-up and scalp issues.
“The best way to use dry shampoo is to section your hair, lift it upright and spray on the root area, avoiding the mid lengths and ends. Gently massage with your fingers and then brush it out,” advises Luke Pluckrose, hair stylist to the stars (his clientele includes the likes of Chrissy Teigen and Priyanka Chopra Jonas).
The best dry shampoo won’t make your hair feel crunchy or gritty, but you should still invest in a good clarifying shampoo to remove excess product, oil and dirt regularly. Formulas have gone from strength-to-strength, many of which include tinted mineral powders that look undetectable on all hair colours.
The best dry shampoo for all hair types
Whether you’ve got fine or textured hair, are blonde or brunette, you’ll find the best dry shampoo for you in my tried and tested edit.
Best dry shampoo for dark hair: Drybar Clear Invisible Dry Shampoo
For brunettes, finding the perfect product can be a real pain – I know all too well. My almost jet-black hair doesn’t work well with many dry shampoos that often leave white powder or flakes (unfortunately akin to dandruff).
According to cosmetic chemist Ron Robinson, that’s because most dry shampoos are made with rice powder, starch or clays which if imbalanced – while effective in absorbing excess oil – can leave white flakes on the hair and scalp. “Look for dry shampoos made with potato starch or formulas with tinted powders – they’re nearly undetectable,” says Robinson.
Drybar’s Invisible Clear Dry Shampoo is exactly what its name suggests: invisible. Just a few sprays of this potato starch-based cleanser soaks up the oil that weighs hair down, but also adds texture and volume to make styling your strands easier.
Best dry shampoo for blondes: Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo Light Tones
Modern day formulas for blondes help to fix brassiness while also covering grown-out roots. Moroccanoil’s award-winning lightweight spray has subtle violet hues to enhance golden tones in between salon visits. Ultra-fine starch banishes any signs of product build-up or grease, while argan oil deeply conditions without weighing hair down (it’s great for thin, delicate hair or artificial blondes too), so you’re left with super soft, revitalised and radiant hair.
But the best part? It’s blended with the brand’s signature, iconic scent of exotic amber and sweet florals, that lasts all day and could even pass as your fragrance..
Best dry shampoo for mahogany and redheads: Batiste Dry Shampoo Hint of Colour for Brunettes
This magical dry shampoo disappears seamlessly into the roots of red and dark-haired beauties, and is just as impressive as the original formula that’s sold once every second around the world.
Whether your hair’s mahogany, auburn, chocolate brown or caramel-toned, a quick burst of this dry shampoo revitalises hair leaving it feeling clean and fresh, without a veil of white residue.
Best dry shampoo for colour-treated hair: COLAB Refresh and Protect Dry Shampoo
Whether you’ve gone for high or low lights, beautiful balayage, or a bleached-blonde transformation, these dyes, chemicals and bleach will all be for nothing if you don’t protect from UV rays.
Specifically created for coloured hair, this multitasking, clean-scented dry shampoo gives long-lasting oil absorption, protects against UV rays and pollution, and neutralises any odours. Enriched with passionfruit and moringa seed, it also cares for damaged locks and strengthens stressed-out tresses. Plus, for those with sensitive scalps, you’ll be pleased to know this is dermatologist-approved, so it won’t cause irritation.
Best dry shampoo for all hair types: Hershesons Zhoosh Foam
This award-winning, unique foam is a real game-changer; it does exactly what it says on the tin and gives that perfect ‘zhoosh’ to limp locks.
The clever, dry powder-foam technology gives effortless oomph and volume without being sticky or crunchy, while also eliminating greasy roots, giving body and volume to the lengths and ends when used on dry hair. The best part? It doubles up as a priming foam when used on wet hair too – enhancing natural curls and prepping hair for a smooth and bouncy blowout. Try it once, and you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.
Best dry shampoo for curly or textured hair: Bouclème Foaming Dry Shampoo
“Thick or afro hair will benefit from using a foam formula, as it’s the easiest way to reach your roots, and usually packed with conditioning ingredients,” says Robinson.
Keep your coils and curls looking clean and feeling fresh with this foaming dry shampoo from the curl experts at Bouclème. Ideal for oilier scalps, this alcohol-free dry shampoo has a unique foam-to-powder texture that absorbs excess oil without compromising on volume. For best results, apply to dry hair, massaging into the scalp with your fingers. Leave it to air dry, or for added volume and lift, diffuse the roots.
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