The Shampoo Lounge
Feb 25, 20212 min
No shower necessary.
The beauty Gods shined upon us the day dry shampoo was created. Among its many talents, it disguises greasy roots, gives incredible texture and allows us to rock second-day hairstyles no-problem. An added eco bonus? It means we're able to wash our hair less often, which equals less time spent in the shower.
If you're using it correctly, you'll have already benefitted from sticking on the snooze button and pushing your hair wash back an extra day. But if you're still wondering what all the fuss is about, it's probably because you're not using it quite right.
Here's every do and every don't to know for your best dry shampoo experience yet.
Most dry shampoo instructions say to spray from 10-15cm away; Batiste expert Val Benavides says this is because "the product is too concentrated in a small area and could potentially become wet."
Spray it and leave it? You're asking for residue.
"If you are predominately using dry shampoo for sebum or oily roots rescue, brush it through your hair to remove excess product", says Val. However, if you're after texture and volume, Val says leave it, as it "can be a great foundation for updos".
Your scalp, like the rest of your skin, benefits from being cleansed. As Val puts it, "would you keep layering makeup on top of itself day after day without removing it?"
While dry shampoo is the ultimate hair refresher and will keep your style lasting longer than usual, it doesn't replace a hair wash forever.
"How long you can go depends on your hair and scalp", says Val. "In general, I would say dry shampoo can prolong a style for a day or two."
Possibly the best dry shampoo hack we've learnt was from celebrity hairdresser Daniel Martin, who says to follow-up your dry shampoo application with a blast of the hairdryer.
"This will help distribute the product away from the scalp and a little into the mid-lengths,” he told FLARE.
He says it also helps with volume and removing any visible residue.
A common mistake people make is to only spray their dry shampoo on the visible part of their roots or even just along the parting of their hairstyle.
But to get the most out of your product, you should section the hair once or twice (more if you're blessed with thick locks) and spritz the roots in between each section.
This will give you more volume and do a better job at mimicking an all-over hair wash, rather than only absorbing oil from the top layer of your hair.
If you thought dry shampoo could only be used on dirty hair, you were wrong. If you have thin, fine or limp hair, it can also make for a great volumiser.
article written by Elle Turner and Lottie Winter for Glamour