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From the citizens of Ancient civilizations rubbed clay powder on their hair to the first commercially available dry shampoo that hit the market in the 1940s, people spent their entire lives trying to bridge the gap between dirty hair and busy lifestyle. I vividly remember my mom using baby powder in the 1980s, as well as my first purchase of dry shampoo at the drugstore in the early 2000s. It goes on like spray paint and probably contains enough chemicals to poison a small animal, but it does the job of allowing me to skip a few days of my arduous washing, drying, and correct the routine. This break is good for my sanity as well as my hair.
In 2022, commercially produced dry shampoo received its first major black eye when companies such as Procter & Gamble and Unilever conducted a voluntary recall of their dry shampoos. possibly high benzene levels. Familiar drugstore brands like Dove, Nexxus, and Suave are suddenly seen as a cancer risk, which raises the question with dry shampoos in general: What is this stuff really?
Fortunately, since the recall most companies have tested their products for benzene and other harmful chemicals. Third-party testing is hard to come by, but nonprofits are Environmental Working Group (EWG) independently funded and has a Skin Deep database tool for consumers to parse what harmful ingredients may be hiding in their cosmetics and personal care products. We have included their data on specific dry shampoos in this guide. However, if you’re looking for completely chemical-free ways to spice up your style, check out the Dry Shampoo Alternatives box below.
For more advice on buying hair styling, check out our guides on Best Hair Straighteners, Best Curling Irons, Best Hair Dryersand Best Diffusers for Curly Hair.
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I have been using dry shampoo for over 20 years. For this guide I tested more than 25 popular, widely available formulas on my thick, long, heat straightened black hair several times over almost four months. I use it like any other dry shampoo in my daily life—after workouts, during busy work weeks, on trips. I also ask for the opinions of friends and family with different hair types and textures when I need a second- or third-opinion. I focus on efficiency (does my hair still look clean at the end of the day?); ease of application; the presence of heaviness, stickiness, or residue; value; how quickly and well a dry shampoo mixes; and whether the smell is light or strong.
Tips for Using Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoo is a great tool to enhance your difficult hairstyle and help minimize damage to your hair by reducing how often you need to heat style. However, dry shampoo can only go so far.
“Dry shampoo releases and cleanses hair of natural oils, but it doesn’t remove tons of product,” says celebrity hairstylist Garren, cofounder of hair product company R+Co. “This is best used on second or third day hair.” In other words, don’t skip showering for a week and expect dry shampoo to work a miracle. Dry shampoo should also not be used more than two days in a row, because its frequent use can cause growth and irritation of the scalp.
Applying dry shampoo at night is a tactic recommended by many experts, as it can work to absorb oils while you sleep—it’s a better option for dry shampoos that always thick. Garrren also suggests running a blow-dryer on cold after applying dry shampoo: “If your hair is too colored or brittle, and you have a lot of hairspray or product on it, if you apply dry shampoo and not blow it. cold air, it can sit on the surface of the hair. “It can cause the hair to be stiff. It doesn’t damage the hair, but it makes it feel dry or stiff.”
What’s Really In This Stuff?
There are countless dry shampoos that claim to revolutionize the dry shampoo experience, but most work the same way: absorbent starches, a carrier agent, fragrance, and, in the case of dry shampoos in aerosol, a propellant. In the old days many dry shampoos contained talc as an absorbing agent, which was often contaminated with asbestos. Some dry shampoos may still list it as an ingredient, but none of these are recommended.
Some companies add other natural, absorbent minerals in addition to starch, such as kaolin clay, diatomaceous earth, zeolite, charcoal powder, or even volcanic ash. I’ve also tried some unusual formulas like paste, liquid spray, and lotion, though I haven’t found the latter two to be particularly effective on my hair. For each dry shampoo we recommend, I try to help demystify the marketing claims by listing the main ingredients available that help it absorb oil.
