Dry Shampoo 101: How to Apply & Which Brands to Buy

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Let’s face it: we have all had those days when we’ve either woken up too late to shower, had really flat, lifeless hair that needed some volume, or have just been too lazy to shower. (Hey, it happens!) No matter what your situation, there is a solution to your problem: dry shampoo!

Dry shampoo is an essential part of my hair care routine, as I have very thin, flat, long, lifeless hair – I need a little volume in my life and that’s exactly what dry shampoo provides: volume, body, and the look of extremely clean hair. Not to mention, most brands usually smell amazing!

Below, I’ll break down how to use dry shampoo, as well as share a few of my favorite budget-conscious ones to try. Read on to learn more:

My Favorite Dry Shampoos

Dry shampoos

1) Pssssst!

This is one of my new favorites. It’s extremely volumizing with a fresh, floral-y scent and gives your hair lots of shine. This can be found at Ulta for about $6 – a fab budget-friendly buy!

2) Batiste

This dry shampoo is really great for your hair if it really isn’t that greasy, but you need a little bit of life and fluff to your hair. This one adds a nice shine, but its main focus is on making your hair look and feel extremely soft, loose, and flow-y!

Batiste comes in several different scents, but the one I love most smells just like cherries – so amazing. You can find this at Ulta, Sally Beauty Supply, and sometimes even Urban Outfitters for about $6 or $7!

3) Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo

This one is really great for those days when your hair is incredibly and visibly greasy, as it adds shine, fluff, volume, texture, and reallymakes it look like you just washed your hair! This product volumizes and easily reduces the oils and removes product build-ups that are in your hair – and it smells like lemons so that’s amazing.

This product is a little pricey ($23 at Sephora), but is worth it if you have oily hair or want to skip a day or so between shampooing.

4) Johnson’s Baby Powder

A lot of people don’t know this, but Johnson’s Baby Powder can be used as a dry shampoo! This product works if your hair is really greasy and needs volume because it clears up the grease and lifts your hair when you apply this to your head.

Also Read: 14 Best Bath & Body Works Products You Need to Try

This product does not, however, shine your hair or give it that fluffy, clean appearance. But, the price simply can’t be beat: you can find this product at any drugstore for around $2 to $3!

How to Apply Dry Shampoo

How to apply dry shampoo

I usually use dry shampoos on a day-to-day basis, whether my hair is looking a little greasy or even if I just want to add some volume to my locks. It’s so easy! Here’s how to apply dry shampoo:

All you have to do is lift up different sections of your hair, spray the product into your roots about 5 or more inches away from your head.

Next, rub and blend in the product with your hands – kind of like you’re scrubbing shampoo into your head. You can do this a couple of times and with different sections of your head.

Brush your hair out to evenly disperse the product, then play around with your hair using your hands until you get your desired volume and shine.

And that’s it! It’s such a fast process that you can be out the door in a minute or less!

Before & After

Dry shampoo before and after

(Click the image to enlarge.)

Your thoughts?

What did you think of this post? Have you guys ever tried dry shampoo before? If so, which products did you use? Do you recommend any of them? Let me know in the comments below!

14 thoughts on “Dry Shampoo 101: How to Apply & Which Brands to Buy”

  1. I love dry shampoo! Batiste is my favourite, but when on a budget Baby Powder has been my go-to for decades. For those with dark roots, either apply before bed and wake up with great hair, or add cocoa powder. Thanks for a great post.

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  2. I love dry shampoo! I always use Oscar Blandi. The aerosol spray makes it easy to use. Another tip I found for blending: after letting the shampoo sit a few minutes, blow dry your hair to get some of the excess out. Being brunette, I can never seem to blend it with my hands so using the blow dryer is necessary! I also found using it on the first day (instead of after my hair gets greasy) helps with absorbing the oils and actually prevents my hair from ever getting too greasy. I’ve never heard of these other brands, so I may just have to check them out!

    Reply
  3. Can you please make a post with a breakdown of the Urban Decay Naked Palette like you did with the Technicolor one? I’ve been thinking about buying it for a long time and I’ve heard great things about it, but I need to see how the shades actually look on skin.

    Reply
  4. I love dry shampoo considering I have very long thick hair. I love the suave and the Not Your Mother’s. I spray it in my hair over night so it can absorb grease over night before it sets in. It works great considering I only wash my hair once a week. Its a life saver in Florida! I couldn’t live without it before hand I was washing my hair every other day.

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  5. I think Lush’s dry shampoo is the best! It actually cleans your hair! Other ones- I’ve found to weigh down my hair. This one is awesome!!!

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  6. Dry shampoo is definitely a life saver! I actually use Batiste now and it’s worked great for me whenever I’ve been in a pinch for time!

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  7. Great post! I’ve been looking for a new dry shampoo. I tried Victoria’s Secret brand because I had one of those $10 free gift cards but it was awful.

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  8. many people don’t know this but if you have super greasy hair, the best time to use dry shampoo is right after it dries after you wash it! this way, your hair is locked in and more resistant to oiliness over the next couple of days.

    Reply
  9. I use baby powder almost every day – but there are a few important notes you left out. First, you have to get the talc-free, pure cornstarch kind – talc is really bad for you. Second, it comes in different scents!! I saw someone was complaining about the baby smell – I have a lavender & chamomile scent that works amazing!

    Reply
  10. I’ve been using dove dry shampoo and I can’t stand it! but I guess I’ve been applying it wrong, so that may have something to do with it 😛 I’ll have to try Pssst! because I’ve heard such good things

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  11. For those with dark hair, Batiste makes tinted dry shampoo. However, if you use a lot and tend to touch your hair a lot throughout the day, some of the color can come off on your hands. The tinted dry shampoo is awesome because it can help disguise root growth and gives a temporary boost to your color.
    I bought a can on amazon for 8 bucks because I couldn’t find it in my area. I’m not sure about all the colors, but I do know they have tinted dry shampoo for blondes, brunettes, and darker hair.
    Since it’s slightly pricey and I can’t buy it locally, I use a cheaper drugstore brand (suave or pssst) throughout the body of my hair, but on the top and on my hairline, I use the tinted version so I don’t look like George Washington.

    Reply
  12. My hair gets greasy pretty fast, especially if I’ve put any kind of product in it, but I just can’t find a dry shampoo that works well! Since I’ve got dark, black roots that lighten a little naturally to a chocolatey chestnut at my ends, all dry shampoos show up in my hair with white residue! gross!

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  13. I love the baby powder trick! I use it every other day on my blonde hair, as sometimes its a little obvious on dark hair. Most of my friends can’t use it as dry shampoo.

    Even though I liked the scent, my hair really keeps it too strongly and I was tired of being asked if I had recently gave a baby a bath and a diaper. So, checked out the section at my local T.J. Max and they carry all sorts of discounted body washes and powders. Found a lavender one for my mom and a rose one for myself, and it’s lasted me for forever! Same price as the baby powder would have cost me 😀

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