I absolutely live and die by dry shampoo. And I know I probably have an unhealthy addiction to it, since I will sometimes find myself bragging about how many days I’ve gone without washing my hair 😬. I started using it about 6 years ago when I was in college, and I have probably gone through enough product to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool (okay, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but you get the point I’m try to make…) Dry shampoo has saved me so much time when it comes to washing, drying, and styling my long, thick hair. I typically use it every other day between washes, but sometimes I can even manage to go three or more days without completely washing my hair.
Tips for How To Use Dry Shampoo:
1. Don’t hold the bottle too close to your head. I’ve found that approximately 6-8 inches is about the “sweet spot” between ‘too concentrated’ and ‘not enough.’
2. Apply it the night before you actually need it so that it has time to absorb the unwanted grease. I always do this, and then clip my bangs back so they aren’t laying flat and absorbing the oils from my face.
3. Only apply it to the top 1-2 inches of hair. The middle and ends of your hair typically aren’t the areas that get greasy and flat. The roots/scalp is what needs a little livening up!
4. Rub it in, but not immediately after you apply it. Let it sit for a few minutes after spraying so it has time to absorb and liven up your hair. After it has set in, go through it with a brush or comb (try to avoid using your fingers to massage it in since the natural oils on your hands could actually just make your hair greasier.
5. Don’t use it everyday! I’m definitely guilty of overusing dry shampoo, but using it unnecessarily or every single day can actually dry out your scalp and cause things like itching, dandruff, etc. Try to stick to only doing it once in between washes.
6. Find the right dry shampoo brand for you! Dry shampoo is consistently increasing in popularity, so there are lots of different brands and varieties of it, and - depending on your hair color, texture, length, etc. - some may work better for you than others. You can read about some of my favorite brands for thick, blonde hair (like mine) below!
My Favorite Cruelty-Free Dry Shampoos:
Since I’ve been using dry shampoo for so long and since I typically go through a bottle every 1-2 months, I’ve obviously had time to test out multiple brands and formulas to find what works best for my hair-type. If you’ve read any of my other product review posts (Examples: Love Beauty & Planet, Sun Bum), then you know that one of the most important requirements I have for my health and beauty products is that they must be cruelty-free. So today, I am sharing my favorite cruelty-free and affordable dry shampoo brands:
1. Not Your Mother’s - This was one of the very first brands of dry shampoo that I tried, and I still stand by it. My hair typically requires a bit more of this brand than others, so I go through bottles of it pretty quickly, but it definitely livens up my hair without making it stiff-looking, or drying out my scalp! And at $5 a bottle, I don’t mind going through it quickly!
2. Renpure - I came across this brand while perusing the aisles at Target (as one does 😂), and I decided to try it out! I am so glad I did! The Coconut Argan scent was heavenly, it never made my hair or scalp feel dry, and the bottle lasted a long time! I’ve seen this brand at Target and TJ-Maxx for cheap!
3. Hask - I will occasionally buy Hask’s Deep Conditioners (and I love them!), so I decided to give their dry shampoos a try! While I will admit that this brand makes my hair feel a little stiffer than some others, the smell of the Monoi Coconut (and chia seed) kind was amazing! (John even mentioned how good my hair smelt a couple of times after using it.)
4. Batiste - this brand “takes the cake” as my all-time favorite dry-shampoo at the moment. It’s my go-to brand because of how well it absorbs unwanted grease without making my hair too stiff-looking. I typically don’t need very much of this product to see results, the smell is clean and refreshing, and it lasts a long time! The brand also makes many different formulas, depending on what your hair type/color is. They also make a variety of different scents (Tropical, Cherry, Blush, Fresh, etc.). I usually stick with the Original formula, and you can find it for approximately $5 at Target.
5. OGX - I’ve used OGX products in the past (see my previous post about what's inside my Guilt-Free Travel Beauty Bag), and they are always of good quality, so when I discovered (again at Target), that they make dry shampoo, I decided to give it a try. They have a handful of different kinds (Coconut Oil, Tea Tree Mint, Green Tea, etc.), but I went with the Argan Oil formula and I was so impressed with how fresh, clean, and smooth it make my hair look! The only downfall was that I had to use a lot of product whenever I applied it, but for $6 a bottle, I couldn’t complain too much!
Have you tried any of these cruelty-free brands before? Curious to try some/all of them and compare them for yourself? Head on over to my Instagram account (@CatherinesJoy) so see how you can enter my giveaway and WIN a gift from me containing all five brands! Otherwise, see below for links to buy them all for yourself!
Shop This Post:
What's your favorite brand of dry shampoo? Let me know in the comments! As always, thanks for reading!
