How does dry shampoo work?
Dry shampoo soaks up excess sebum—a naturally occurring secretion from the scalp. Sebum is a mixture of waxes and fats that is produced in hair follicle glands to keep your hair and scalp moisturized. When sebum builds up, it can cause hair to look and feel oily, which weighs down roots and can become odourous. Dry shampoo absorbs excess dirt and oil from the scalp, freshening your hair and giving your roots some lift.
How to use dry shampoo?
- Always read the instructions before applying, as there are slight variations between products.
- Spray at least 8 inches (20cm) from your roots in order to get even distribution. Extra oily areas can be spot-spritzed, but otherwise aim for even coverage.
- Spray lightly as too much dry shampoo can make hair look dull or even become sticky.
- Always use on dry hair. Mixing dry shampoo with direct moisture will cause it to get gooey.
- Wait a few minutes before rubbing it into roots to all the dry shampoo to absorb excess oil at the scalp.
- Brush out excess product or gently blast hair upside down with a cool dryer.
When to use dry shampoo?
- Short on time. Maybe you’re a lunchtime gym junkie or a repeat offender on the snooze button. Freshen up fast with a blast of dry shampoo to combat odour and zap oily roots in a flash.
- Boost limp roots. Dry shampoo helps add volume to hair by soaking up oil at the roots. Revive limp, lifeless locks by applying a lightweight formula directly to roots and massaging into the scalp after a few minutes. Use a round brush to gently lift roots with a cool blast from the hair dryer.
- Add texture. Create volume and fullness with dry shampoo! Add texture to hair by applying throughout the lengths of hair and brushing through. For added height, flip hair over and give a quick mist of hair spray.
- Extend your blowout. Keep your coif looking killer by using a dry shampoo to extend the life of your blowout. Hold off on washing for a few extra days by applying dry shampoo to roots to help give them a lift and soak up excess oil.
- Conserve your colour. Colouring your hair requires time and money. Protect your investment by extending the time between washes. Shampoo and water can cause hair to fade faster. Dry shampoo is gentle on colour-treated hair and allows you to skip a couple of washes.
What to avoid in dry shampoo
- Residue. Most dry shampoos leave a white residue after spray. You should be especially mindful of this if you have dark hair. Look for a dry shampoo that absorbs quickly and does not leave behind any white residue, such as the new L’Oréal Paris Magic Invisible Dry Shampoo (link to magic shampoo landing page), the 1st invisible dry shampoo. • Stickiness. Your dry shampoo should not leave your hair feeling like it was blasted with a mega-hold hairspray. If tresses feel sticky, then try something else.
- An unappealing scent. You wouldn’t use a perfume you don’t like, so apply that same personal preference to your dry shampoo and other hair care products.
- A too-heavy formula. If you have fine hair, look for a lightweight formula that won’t weigh you down. Tips for using dry shampoo
- Spray at least 8 inches (20cm) away from your scalp to ensure the product gets evenly distributed.
- Don’t overspray, which can cause hair to look dull.
- Always apply dry shampoo to dry hair.
- Let dry shampoo sit for a few minutes to absorb dirt and oil before massaging it in.
- Don’t forgo showering. Dry shampoo is a great time saver and should be used to extend the time between showers—but not replace them.
