I vividly remember the first time I attempted to use dry shampoo. No one told me it’s not as simple as spray and go, and so that was precisely what I did. Lucky for me, I have light-ish hair. Unlucky for me, at that time my hair was dyed a dark, dark brown.
I don’t think I need to tell you that it wasn’t a good look.
Fortunately for all of us, dry shampoo comes in a variety of shades and different formulas so brunettes don’t find themselves with a white powdery substance in their hairline and blondes aren’t using baby powder (just don’t, ladies, unless it’s an absolute hair-emergency) because they want a powder instead of an aerosol.
Dry shampoos are a great way to extend your blowout, cover up the fact that you hit the gym at lunch, add a little oomph to fine or limp hair and, most importantly, save face when you slept in. My favourite brand is Batiste, closely followed by Cake, but there are loads of great brands out there. You'll need to find the one that works best for you.
My go-to style extending trick is to use dry shampoo BEFORE bed. After brushing out any tangles, I spray in my dry shampoo and flip my head upside down, twist my hair into a loose top knot and secure using BOBBY PINS. In the morning, I unpin and shake it out for volume. If I really need it, I’ll slide a *warm* flat iron over the length of my hair to undo any weird kinks. It’s my favourite pre-bed trick for a day I’ve done/faked a blow out.
For days when my hair is flatter than my high school sex ed teacher's personality, I enlist my dry shampoo to help give me a little root boost. My Batiste XXL Volume is perfect for this, but I will admit that it’s easy to overdo and end up with an unmanageable mess. Instead, I tend to sprinkle a little bit of my dry shampoo powder at the crown before I do my makeup, and then gently rub it into my roots with my fingertips once it’s had time to settle.
If I’m wanting to wear my hair up, I apply dry shampoo to my roots as well as spritzing my hands and running my fingers through the length to add some grit. Lastly, I’ll spray my bobby pins so they have extra staying power. (If you don’t have a sprayable dry shampoo, you can use hairspray on bobby pins for the same effect.)
When I sleep late and don’t have time to wash my hair AND feed my child, I reach for my dry shampoo and spritz into my hair before I embark on any other tasks. The key to a good dry shampoo use is to give it time to work, even if you have to walk around with white roots for a little while.
BONUS: If your blonde highlights are growing out, a little powder-y dry shampoo can lighten slightly, so don’t rub it in all the way!
NOT BONUS: If you have dark hair, this backfires horribly.
I wish that I could tell you what the best dry shampoo is, but if there's one thing I know it's that different products work for different people. For me, Batiste is the best for a spray and Sugar takes the cake for a powder - and I've tried a lot of dry shampoo over the years. You can buy dry shampoos specifically designed for dark hair if you're a brunette, and shops like Sephora often have samples you can test so don't be afraid to try before you buy. I scored a
Klorane sample in a recent ipsy bag and I quite like it, too, and keep it in my gigantic purse *just in case*. And the best thing about dry shampoos? You are guaranteed to find one at EVERY price point.
RELATED: You Must Try This "Upside Down" Way to Wash Your Hair
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