Hair Care

6 Ways to Use Dry Shampoo

Posted on Jul 20, 2020

Lorie Knickle

Daily shampooing can fade your colour, strip hair’s natural oils and, between washing, drying and styling, it can take a lot of time! Can you refresh your hair minus the traditional lather, rinse, repeat?! Yes you can! Dry shampoo makes the impossible, possible. 

So what is dry shampoo? How does it work?

Dry shampoo is available in different forms including sprays, powders and foams. All forms of dry shampoo contain ingredients that dissolve and absorb oils, also known as sebum. While the primary function of sebum is to keep your hair and skin moisturized and protected, it can build up, leaving your hair looking greasy and limp. This build up can be washed away with regular shampoo and water, or absorbed by dry shampoo. Dry shampoos generally contain a mixture of alcohol and starch to work their magic. Alcohol dissolves oil and evaporates quickly, leaving the starch to absorb leftover oil molecules. Whichever form you choose (spray, powder or foam) apply concentrating at your roots, lightly rubbing it in with your (clean) fingertips (don’t hurry this part, allow time for the absorption) and then brush through your hair to whisk away the residual molecules. 

So now we know what dry shampoo is and how it works, but how do you use it? And how can it help your day-to-day styling? First, check out this video with Stylist Tran from Chatters Creekside Salon, describing her favourite use of dry shampoo and how to use it.  Then, check out all the ways you can use dry shampoo!

What is Dry Shampoo

1. Root touch-up: Have roots that need attention, but can't make it to the salon? Cover up regrowth between salon visits with a tinted dry shampoo. They temporarily mask roots quickly, blending your natural and coloured hair until your next wash.

One to try: AG Hair Dry Shampoo in Brunette

How to Use Dry Shampoo

2. After a blowout: Right after drying your hair, spray dry shampoo on your roots. This will allow the formula to absorb oils as they form to keep them at bay.

One to try: Design.Me Dry Shampoo - a dry shampoo that gives a boost of volume.

What is Dry Shampoo

3. Before bed: Using dry shampoo before bed will help absorb oils overnight so you wake up fresh. It is a great way to avoid daily washing while keeping your style intact.

 

4. In the morning: Perk up your pillow hair with a blast of dry shampoo. It will absorb oils that have built up overnight, boost body and leave hair smelling fresh.

One to try before bed and in the morning: Redken Pillow Proof Blow Dry 2 Day Extender Dry Shampoo. It features touch activated fragrance that makes it easy to refresh your scent through the day.

Ways to Use Dry Shampoo

5. Mid-day refresh: If your style tends to droop through the day, freshen it up with dry shampoo. This is particularly useful on bangs, which tend to pick up sebum from oily foreheads and become greasy through the day.

One to try: Chi Luxury Black Seed Oil Dry Shampoo - ultra-fine and no heavy residue make this a quick pick-me-up, and it smells incredible!

6 Ways to Use Dry Shampoo

6. After a workout: sweaty hair can look messy, flat and feel very greasy. Soak up the sweat and infuse strands with a fresh scent with an all over blast of dry shampoo, focusing on the roots. 

One to try: Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo for light and dark tones. The ultra-fine rice starch absorbs oils without powder residue.

Our bloggers took a dry shampoo challenge to find out how long they could extend the life of their style with dry shampoo. See their results here.

While these are our favourite ways to use dry shampoo, you may have some tricks of your own. Let us know your favourite way to use dry shampoo in the comments below.

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