Over the years, I’ve tried my fair share of dry shampoo brands and if I’ve learned one thing, it’s that all dry shampoo is not created equal. In fact, at first I thought dry shampoo wasn’t legit because of the first couple of brands I tried but thankfully my determination to not wash my hair led me on a search for the perfect dry shampoo. I quickly realized the full potential of its amazing ability to refresh my hair, prevent it from looking like a greasy mess and, in the case of some brands, actually clean it and remove dirt and oil as well. Heck yes!
In today’s blog post, I thought it would be fun to do a rundown of five of the different dry shampoos I’ve tried through the years and rank them according to how well they worked, the way they made my hair feel and whether or not I continue to purchase the brand regularly and use it in my daily life.
I am placing them in order from my most-loved dry shampoo to the brand that didn’t work well for me at all and would love to hear about your favorite dry shampoo brands (or the brands you swear you’ll never buy again!) in the comments section of this post!
5 Dry Shampoos: Ranked
I’m kicking off this list with my beloved Living Proof Dry Shampoo because it is, hands down, my favorite! It’s the brand I use most and I love the way it not only eliminates the appearance of greasy hair but also absorbs and removes oil, sweat and odor. (<— It’s basically a fitness fanatics dream dry shampoo!)
When I first used this dry shampoo, I did not read the instructions and was a little put off because it was slightly white on my scalp but when I read the directions that said to wait 30 seconds and then brush your hair gently to remove the dry shampoo, it worked like a charm and I was completely blown away by its ability to truly make my hair look and feel clean. (Side note: I also feel like the dry shampoo gives my hair a little extra oomph and volume at the roots which is typically much-needed if I don’t wash my hair every day!) This dry shampoo can honestly help me go five days between hair washes without my hair looking like a hot mess and that is saying something since my fine blonde locks tend to look oily and flat the very next day!
This is a very close runner-up to my favorite dry shampoo and is one I would whole-heartedly recommend, especially if you’re someone who cannot handle a lot of fragrance. It’s sulfate, paraben and sodium chloride free and uses oat milk to soften, protect and moisturize all hair types while extending the time you can go between shampoos!
I initially discovered this dry shampoo through a Birchbox delivery (along with Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo which I also love!) and fee like it adds body and volume to my hair while making it feel clean and eliminating the appearance of and oily scalp. I absolutely love it and still continue to purchase this brand regularly! Klorane Dry Shampoo also makes my hair feel more lightweight and less weighed-down than other brand which is a definite plus. (FYI for my brunette friends, Klorane also makes a tinted version especially for brunette locks!)
I received a sample of this dry shampoo years ago in a blog conference goodie bag and almost didn’t bring it home with me because at the time I was using baby powder on my roots on occasion when I was desperate to eliminate the appearance of grease and didn’t realize dry shampoo was the “thing” I was missing! Once I began reading about dry shampoo in magazines, and after I tried a couple of cheap brands I stumbled upon at Target, a light bulb went off in my mind and I remembered this sample I had stashed away! I think of BlowPro Faux Dry Dry Shampoo as my first proper foray into the miraculous world of dry shampoo because it actually worked well (10,000x better than baby powder) and made me a believer!
I still love this brand and have a travel-size bottle on hand right now but wish the bottle was a little different. You squeeze it to release a small puff of dry shampoo which is fine but I feel like this makes it not quite as easy to control the amount of dry shampoo during each use. This dry shampoo is virtually fragrance-free which I know some people really appreciate (my sensitive-nosed husband included).
I’m pretty sure TRESemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo was the first brand of dry shampoo I tried because it was available in a travel size at Target and I wasn’t sure I wanted to make the commitment to a full-size bottle of dry shampoo before I knew if it really worked. Well, had I only tried this dry shampoo, I’m not sure I would be the believer I am today (and it seems like Amazon reviewers agree)! On the positive side, it is very affordable compared to other brands but I do not think it works very well.
I gave it a 3/10 because I would still rather have it on hand to use in a pinch when I cannot wash my hair as opposed to nothing, but it’s not something I prefer to keep in my bathroom for regular use. (FYI, I’ve heard good things about the newer formula of TRESemme’s Volumizing Dry Shampoo – as well as the affordable Batiste Dry Shampoo and Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Dry Shampoo – so those might be worth a try if you’re looking for budget-friendly options!)
I think this affordable option was the second dry shampoo I tried because I still didn’t want to spend much money before I knew if dry shampoo was going to work for me… All I can say is that it was terrible enough for me to throw away after a couple of uses when I realized it wasn’t doing anything positive to my hair and, if anything, I felt like it made it look almost wet and more greasy. No thank you!
Question of the Day
- Dry shampoo fanatics: What brand of dry shampoo do you absolutely swear by? Have you ever tried a certain brand of dry shampoo that didn’t work well for you at all?
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I legit JUST started using the Klorane dry shampoo from the Birchbox this week. (So many products, so little time…) It’s a game changer! I’ve already used it today leading into a lunch date with a few fellow bloggers and a photo shoot. Whoops!
I’m going to have to give some of these others a shot, too! Thanks for the tips. 🙂
XO, Jessica
http://www.semisweettooth.com
Julie. Thanks for the post. I’ve wanted to start trying dry shampoo to help out with the morning routine.
I had a quick question about use and working out. I always workout before work. So would I still be able to use it even though my hair will be wet from the sweat? Or should I blow dry it first (which is more work) and then use the dry shampoo?
My favorites have been Living Proof and Detox. They are priced the same and I found that they work equally well. I have a slight preference for Living Proof’s fragrance though. Batiste is good for a much more budget friendly option, although I don’t LOVE it as much as the previous two. Hands down, the worst I’ve ever used was some Argan Oil dry shampoo that I bought at TJMaxx. My hair was 5x greasier after applying it, and it went in the garbage!
I know this has been mentioned, but if you’re in the market for a drug store price, I love Herbal Essence Naked Dry Shampoo. It beats Tresseme and Dove in my book but is in the same price range. Put some in before you go to bed too – I swear by it!
Yesssss that invisible one you mentioned last is so, so horrible! I thought invisible would be awesome so there’s no white residue but like you said it makes your hair look wet and oily instead. And smells bad! Such a miss with that product 🙁 I love Batiste, but will have to venture out to try others now too… thanks for the post 🙂
I’ve tried many high and low end dry shampoos and Living Proof is also my very favorite! My hair can get so oily and it just works like magic!
Amika Perk Up is hands down my favorite dry shampoo! My second favorite is KMS Hairplay…they both smell amazing and work great at doing the job on my fine hair without making it feel heavy and loaded down with product!
Batiste is what I use. Under $5 at marshalls and tjmaxx. Being a (chemically treated) redhead, I generally wash my hair two to three times a week and it works great in between washing and after workouts.
My hair is very dark, and the biggest problem I have with regular dry shampoos is that they come up as a white powders. After applying them on my hair, it ends up looking like a gray stain!!!!
Therefore the only dry shampoo I could swear by is Batiste dry shampoo for brunettes. This one comes out dark and so my hair looks naturally clean. I also could swear by baby powder as dry shampoo. Yup, this is what I used to wear before it actually existed and it works perfectly fine because even though is white, I can dust it perfectly.
OMG I LOVE this post! It’s so helpful! Because after hearing you talk about dry shampoo back in the day, I also purchased that “fresh start” tresseme brand at Target, and also thought it was awful! Then I was just resigned to “not being one of those people that dry shampoo works for”. I thought it was me, instead of the brand. I’m glad I’m wrong! Yesss! Because I really hate washing and styling my hair (don’t get me wrong, I do it, but it’s something I have to psyche myself up for). Thanks for this post! (Btw, you and I have the same hair texture – really fine, really thin, and in need of “oomph”! The way you’ve managed to style your hair gives me major style-envy! I want a tutorial on your flat iron curl method. It looks so good!)
Thanks!
I have also tried so many and really love your top 2 as well! I am currently using Bumble & Bumble Pret a Powder and that is GREAT. I like Big Sexy Hair’s for serious volume if you are doing a ponytail/topknot (but not best for removing grease).
I am a big dry shampoo girl. Currently using Dove for Volume and Fullness, had been using Suave (with Yellow cap) prior to them discontinuing . Pretty happy with Dove for the value and works well. Tresemme was the worst I have ever tried:). I need to try Living Proof, I love their stuff.
Where do you find the first one? Target?
I’ve never had a dry shampoo that I feel really really works. I’ve used the khlorane one and it was ok. The Batiste is the best one I’ve tried, but I feel like I’m taking a chemical bath whenever I use it. Homemade ones work pretty well but you have to wait a while for it to really work.
I’ve been using Lush dry shampoo. It’s a powder, not a spray, which took me a while to get used to, but I do think it works really well, has a pleasant light citrus scent, and lasts forever and is only $8. I also LOVED an Oscar Blandi dry shampoo sample that I received in a Birch Box a few years ago. Not sure that they still make that version but there’s a similar one called Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo. Higher price point but seriously amazing oil control and volume.
Sephora, girlfriend!
I tried a lot of the ‘affordable’ brands and was convinced that dry shampoo just wasn’t for me. Until I tried Living Proof. And that sold me! I also like Bumble & Bumble Pret a Powder, and Bed Head Beehive. Right now, I’m using the Bumble and Bumble and I’m really happy with it.
This is awesome! I’ve tried many dry shampoos too but not any on this list yet. I love some other products by Living Proof so will have to try this one too. Right now my fave is Detox by Drybar, it’s a bit of a splurge but smells dreamy and works like a charm! I think you can get it at Drybar locations but also Sephora & Ulta etc..
I love the Elizabeth and James ones! Such pretty scents.
You must must try herbal essences! Very cheap and the best kind I have found 🙂
I favorite is Amika’s Perk Up Dry Shampoo! Great smell and result … definitely worth a try!
Currently using Klorane. Definitely adds volume but feels like it makes my hair feel like it’s got additives in it. :). I don’t use styling products so that might Ben why. Does Living proof add weight at all?
I want to love these so much! The sketchy ingredients like fragrance, isobutane, benzyl salicylate , etc…..concern me though.
I started using Beautycounter shampoo and conditioner and now I only have to wash my hair every other day which used to be soooo hard for me to do. I think it is especially hard for us light haired folks 😉
Okay, thank you!! I’ve tried one brand so far (Batiste, I think?!) and it made my hair look greasy and I still had to wash it! I have fine thin hair so I need me a good one because my hair gets greasy in like one day!
Thanks for the suggestions–I won’t give up on dry shampoo yet!
Bastiste is so great. I use the one for brunettes and it doesn’t leave any white marks. Love it!
Also a good trick is to put on the dry shampoo the night before instead of the morning. You wake up with less grease. Trust me it works.
Love this post! I am also obsessed with Living Proof dry shampoo. I just heard about this new product from the brand Ouai called “dry shampoo foam”. I heard it really gives you volume! I haven’t tried it out myself yet but thought I’d let you know since you seem to love dry shampoo as much as me 🙂 I’m ordering it ASAP!
https://theouai.com/products/dry-shampoo-foam
Wella dry shampoo is THE BEST!! You must try it! Living Proof is my runner up favorite 🙂
Have you ever tried Lush’s dry shampoo?? I’d love to hear your opinion. It’s my go to and I like that there are no chemicals.
I love how well Lush’s dry shampoo works but hate that it’s a powder! The application is so much messier than a spray in my opinion.
I definitely did NOT love TRESemme Fresh Start, but I do adore Not Your Mother’s! I totally want to try the Perfect Hair Day one now, too!
Which one of these works best on curly hair?
This paste (found it on Birchbox) changed my life! So much better than all the sprays I tried.
http://www.randco.com/badlands-dry-shampoo-paste.html
Plus, the ingredient list is amazing!
two of my favorite are Redken pillow proof dry shampoo and loreal fresh dust
Tresemme was one of the first ones I ever tried (well, before that was good ole’ baby powder) and I would’ve given it a 3/10, too! My personal favorite is Batise! Not only do they have great scented ones, but they also make them for various colored hair. I dye my hair blonde, and the blonde one is perfect for the week inbetween getting my roots done!
I don’t have a dry shampoo that I swear by – which is why I’m reading! I currently use Pantene’s Dry Shampoo. I have no complaints. But I also have no comparisons. I bought this prior to a week-long backpacking trip and it was the only option at the store. I used it once on the trip – because once I packed my bag, I realized that I didn’t want to carry a big bottle in my backpack. I opted for travelling with a Buff to keep my oily, sweaty, gross hair off of my face (I even wore it to bed). My dry shampoo now lives in my bag of yoga gear for the days I need to make a quick exit after class.
I’m obsessed with dry shampoo, makes getting ready so much faster! Can’t wait to try these products! Thanks for sharing!!!
I laughed when I read this last night. I just threw the Salon Grafix Professional dry shampoo in the garbage a few days ok cause it was terrible. Agreed that my hair looked more greasy after using! I bought it because it was cheap and I couldn’t find my normal TreSemme at the store (which I love). I think I’m going the Living Proof a try next, seems we have a very similar hair type – multiple people have recommended but none with my hair type, so now I’m extra curious.
I really like Not Your Mother’s because it works well and has a great price point! I love Living Proof but I go through it so quickly and it really adds up!
I have hair similar in texture to yours (except mine won’t grow as long!) and Living Proof is my FAVORITE dry shampoo. I love it and due to the price I tend to reserve it for special or emergency situations. I also love the Psssst brand and Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak dry shampoo. NYM’s has a new ‘plump’ dry shampoo that I am dying to try that is supposed to be more volumizing.
This is a great post and my sister-in-law swears by Living Proof, which I’ve never tried. But for a cheap dry shampoo, I actually really like the Dove brand, and even the Suave one isn’t too bad. For less than $5 a can, it’s what I use most often because I use it everyday, even on freshly-washed hair! I feel like some dry shampoos feel a bit too much like hairspray, but these have always soaked up the oil well and left my hair feeling manageable and not sticky!
I have tried Batiste and it works okay. I actually really like combining a powder one like lush or Aveda with Bumble and bumble dryspun finish on top. The powder absorbs oil and the dryspun finish really reduces the appearance of any remaining grease with its texturized effect and also adds volume.
love the honesty here! What works and what didn’t. Love it!
I LOVE the Drybar Detox dry shampoo. It doesn’t leave that white residue in my hair, which is amazing.
i love suave professional dry shampoo. i spray some on a brush and brush out my hair before bed then my hair doesnt even have a chance to get yucky.
My favorite dry shampoo I have tried is Amika! It’s been the best I tried so far, but I’ve heard great things about the Oride dry shampoo too – but that is quite pricey.
I also have used the Suave dry shampoo (one of the first I tried) and it was not good! the Kenra brand is also very good!
I definitely feel like “you get what you pay for” with dry shampoo. And a little bit goes a long way, so the value is really there!
I love Batiste Blonde and absolutely despise Tressemme’s lol
I’m also not a fan of Tresumme, I have used suave’s and it is okay,but my favorite is batiste http://amzn.to/2l70L9n especially because they have it in different colors for red heads, brunettes, and blondes.
I love Rock a holic Dry Shampoo.
My very first one was the Suave and it did the trick but over time my hair was not liking it so I had to switch it up.
I like Living Proof ok but there’s not nearly enough of it in the bottle for the price you pay. I go through lots of dry shampoo – and have tried many brands – and can’t bring myself to buy this every couple of months. My FAVORITE right now is also conveniently affordable: Dove dry shampoo is incredibly absorbent and less than $4. It does leave a good amount of white sometimes, but when I follow the same directions and wait to tousle/brush it out, it makes my hair look like new.
xx Lindsey
Took your advice and sprung for the Living Proof dry shampoo. It is the best! I work full time and teach fitness classes (a few), so shower time is often not possible. I can go days without washing my hair now, gross as it sounds, I don’t sweat a ton, so it’s fine. Thank you for the tips! So helpful!