Not in the mood to wash your hair? We feel that. These dry shampoos will soak up all those extra oils until your next wash day.
Finding the best dry shampoo can be a daunting task, given how many formulas are available out there. There’s probably one for each and every specific hair-care need or quirk you’ve got. Do you buy a dry shampoo to match your hair color? Do you want to go extra on the volume or do you just need something to refresh your scalp from product buildup?
Let’s not be fooled, though. New York City-based hairstylist Devin Toth says that dry shampoos don’t actually clean your hair, but rather mask buildup. “However, if used correctly, they can prolong the freshness of your hairstyle by reversing or minimizing the side effects of grease,” he says. Toth also adds that a dry shampoo creates a matte, airy texture at the roots of your hair, which really supports a bouncy hairstyle full of life and movement.
While every dry shampoo will take care of dirty, oily hair and let you go a day (or two) longer without washing your hair, some are formulated with styling ingredients that add volume, thickness, and texture. Knowing that, let’s get into the best dry shampoos.
Best Overall: Living Proof Perfect Hair Day (PhD) Dry Shampoo
There are many reasons the Living Proof Perfect hair Day (PhD) Dry Shampoo has won multiple awards (Best of Beauty and Readers’ Choice to be exact). It doesn’t absorb oil like other dry shampoos but actually removes it. How, you ask? It’s thanks to the formula that includes OFPMA, a proprietary molecule that coats the hair to remove powder, dirt, oil, and hydrated silica to soak up sweat.
Best Hydrating Mist: R+Co Spiritualized Dry Shampoo Mist
New York City- and Ohio-based hairstylist Mia Santiago says that the R+Co Spiritualized Dry Shampoo Mist isn’t your average dry shampoo. “There’s definitely a unique spin on this one as it’s not powder or starch-based, but it’s actually a mist,” she says. She recommends spritzing the hydrating formula onto your roots and giving it a quick blow-dry to create volume. Plus, it’s made of moisturizing glycerin, strengthening silica, and conditioning castor oil, so hair is shiny and clean for days.
Best for Oily Scalps: Klorane Dry Shampoo with Nettle
Klorane’s original Dry Shampoo with Nettle is already beloved by editors and top stylists — but it gets even better with with the non-aersol version, which prevents dryness and brittleness. It easily extends the life of a blowout by a day or two without a trace of ashy residue. Ditch those oily roots and get into the fluff and volume this leaves your hair with.
Best Under-$10: Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Dry Shampoo
We love the Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Dry Shampoo because of its drugstore price ($7) and high-quality formula. Santiago agrees: “This dry shampoo works with all hair types (especially curly hair) and textures,” she says. Santiago adds that it’s an aerosol spray that doesn’t leave a white cast, which is a huge win in both her book and ours.
Best for Extending Blowouts: Kristin Ess Style Reviving Dry Shampoo
Hairstylist and colorist Kristin Ess created her namesake brand with one thing in mind: affordable, effective hair products. The Style Reviving Dry Shampoo is no different. Coming in at only $15, this product is made with rice starch to eliminate debris and oil and vitamin C to keep hair looking bright and feeling smooth.
Best for Nighttime: Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo
The cheery packaging on the Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo isn’t the only selling point. According to Santiago, this dry shampoo is great to spritz on your roots before going to bed. “I personally use this one on myself,” she says. “It smells amazing and the rice starch works its magic by absorbing all oils and creating volume overnight.”
Best Translucent Powder: Verb Dry Shampoo Powder
Verb’s vegan, talc-free dry shampoo powder cuts out damaging sulfates and parabens. Divide your hair into sections and dispense the tapioca starch powder via a precise spray nozzle. Let it sit for two minutes before giving your scalp a quick massage. It’s also available in Light Hair and Dark Hair versions so you don’t deal with unnecessary white residue. (If you do end up applying too much, just use a blow-dryer to sweep away the excess.)
Best for Protective Styles: Taliah Waajid Refresh and So Clean Dry Gel Shampoo
Made specifically for protective styles, Taliah Waajid’s dry gel shampoo works wonders to refresh the scalp while reducing hair follicle irritation. It’s infused with avocado, peppermint, witch hazel, and a SciNatranol peptide fortifying complex with bamboo, basil, and biotin. Apply to one area at a time and use a small damp cloth to cleanse.
Most Iconic: Batiste Original Dry Shampoo
The can may look like a throwback, but there is nothing outdated about Batiste’s formula. The lemon-scented spray bulks up hair fibers for a completely refreshed look. It appears white at first spritz, but run your fingers or a brush through your hair, and the powder is undetectable.
Best Tinted Powder: Billie Floof Dry Shampoo
Indie razor brand Billie entered the dry shampoo game with Floof, a volumizing formula made from plumping biotin, dirt-absorbing rice starch, and grease-targeting baking soda. This superfine loose powder comes in two versions, one for light hair and one for dark, so you can wave chalky residue goodbye for good.
Best for Long Hair: L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Air Volume Dry Shampoo
Ok, L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Air Volume Dry Shampoo is not just for those with long hair — though, an entire line of Dream Lengths products exists for longer lengths. However long or short your hair is, just give the can a good shake before you spray it evenly to your roots and massage it in, and the oil-absorbing starches will do the rest of the work.
Best-Smelling: Ouai Super Dry Shampoo
Made with oil-absorbing rice starch, detoxifying volcanic minerals, and strengthening rhodiola rosea extract, the Ouai Super Dry Shampoo is a one-way ticket to clean hair without actually stepping foot into the shower. Bonus: It’s infused with the brand’s rosy Melrose Place scent.