While few things beat a fresh salon blowout, it isn’t always practical or possible to achieve at home. Well, thanks to the little miracle known as dry shampoo, those who dread hair-washing day can breathe easily! Not only can dry shampoo help preserve the life of a blowout, but it will also help keep your hair from looking oily and unkempt on those days in between washes. If you’ve never tried it before, you may be wondering about the process and potential residue left behind after application. We’ve done the research, so you don’t have to, and are here to answers your top questions about dry shampoo!
You can rest assured that when applied properly and after styling, you’re usually left with little or no visible residue from dry shampoo. True, it can be a little scary when you first spray it onto your scalp and see your hair covered in white powder. However, we’ll describe the best application process to avoid any residue. In addition, we’ll cover the basics of dry shampoo, including:
- Why does dry shampoo make my hair white?
- How many days in a row can I use dry shampoo?
- Do you have to wash out dry shampoo?
- Is it better to use dry shampoo at night or in the morning?
Read on for the ins and outs of dry shampoo, and save yourself the time you’d spend washing at home or money spent at the salon. Unless you tell your secret, nobody will guess that you didn’t just get a fresh professional blowout!
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Why Does Dry Shampoo Make My Hair White?
Dry shampoo, upon initial application, can make your hair appear white. This is due in large part to the key ingredient being a starch or powder of some sort. Most brands are cornstarch-based, designed to absorb sebum and oils naturally excreted from follicles and sebaceous glands in the scalp.
How to Apply Dry Shampoo
If your dry shampoo comes in an aerosol spray can, like most spray-on hair products, keep the can about six inches away from your head. Whether your dry shampoo of choice is spray-on or applied by hand, it’s recommended that it is applied to the roots at both the crown and nape of the neck. Use at any other high-grease areas you notice while avoiding the ends of your hair to prevent it from drying out.
Let it set for about two minutes, and then massage the product into your scalp. This will ensure the product is evenly distributed to absorb your head’s natural oils while also diminishing the appearance of any white powder or product residue.
Click here to see Batiste dry shampoo on Amazon.
In our ever-evolving world of health and beauty, there are always changes and new products being released. Some brands have even formulated dry shampoos specifically for darker hair colors, guaranteeing there is a product for everyone!
How Many Days In A Row Can I Use Dry Shampoo?
It is largely recommended to use dry shampoo for no more than two days in a row. How often you need to use it is determined by how frequently you need to wash your hair and your hair type.
If you have fine hair that gets oily quickly and usually requires washing daily, you can wash and use your dry shampoo on alternating days, developing an every-other-day washing routine. If your hair is naturally thicker and/or curly and requires less washing, you could try using dry shampoo for the two days immediately following washing days.
Click here to see OGX extra-strength dry shampoo on Amazon.
For example, if you wash your hair on Sunday, you can use dry shampoo on Monday and Tuesday and wash again on Wednesday. If your hair doesn’t need to be washed on Wednesday, you could always just give your hair a product break that day and use it again on Thursday.
You can also try using it on alternating days, depending on how your hair absorbs the product. For example, by washing your hair on Sunday and using dry shampoo on Tuesday and Thursday. It all depends on your hair type and how long you prefer to go between washes, so there’s no harm in experimenting with what works best for you and your hair.
Do I Have To Wash Out Dry Shampoo?
As the name indicates, no, you don’t have to wash out dry shampoo—at least not immediately after application. That’s the best part about it! Dry shampoo is specially formulated to be effective on dry hair to avoid daily washing and is the ultimate time-saver. As stated earlier, how long before you go without washing your hair is mostly determined by your hair type and personal preference.
Click here to see Hair Dance organic dry shampoo on Amazon.
Is It Better To Use Dry Shampoo At Night Or In The Morning?
While there’s no right or wrong answer to this question, it ultimately comes down to preference and practicality. It is mostly recommended to use dry shampoo at night to let it marinate and absorb as much of your hair’s natural oils as possible. For a number of reasons, women can experience their hair getting exceptionally oily overnight, and dry shampoo is a great way to combat those oils and make hair looking more presentable the next day.
It’s not to say you can’t use dry shampoo in the morning—sometimes we forget a step of our nightly skincare routine, and the same can be said for forgetting to apply our dry shampoo. If you have to apply it in the morning before styling, be sure to let it set for two to three minutes before massaging it into the scalp and styling.
In Closing
As is the case with most hair products, there are no generic, one-size-fits-all answers as to which dry shampoo is right for you or whether it is even right at all for you. Ask your friends which dry shampoo works best for them, or you can even consult with your hairstylist to see which they would recommend for you. Remember, when applied properly and without overuse of the product, you can still have fresh-looking hair even if you haven’t washed it in days without worrying about a powdery white residue.
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