Spray too close. Always spray towards the hair and scalp from 12 inches (30cm) away, to ensure even application and avoid white residue. When used occasionally in between hair washing days, dry shampoo isn't harmful. However, it shouldn't be used as a replacement for your regular shampoo and conditioner, as it can dehydrate and damage the follicles with overuse, Scott warns.

You may have read the news in November 2022 about potentially elevated levels of benzene in some types of dry shampoo after a report was published in the US by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Benzene is a chemical that's been found to cause blood cancers such as leukaemia when people are exposed to it in large quantities over a long period. To prevent white residue, brush lengths through with your fingers while you spray. Then, use a brush to distribute the dry shampoo evenly and stop too much residue being visible," Venturini advises. 5. Use it overnight It’s a misconception that you should only use dry shampoo when you feel the hair is oily. Considering the result that it leaves on your hair, you may use it on different occasions, depending on your desired results. To make things easy, we’re listing all the circumstances in which using dry shampoo can be a good idea! Know that feeling of when your hair is super greasy, but nothing is making you want to wash, dry and style your hair late in the evening? Well, turns out you can apply your favourite dry shampoo at night. In fact, experts say it means it gets to sit and absorb oil for longer and stops your hair from getting even greasier overnight. Dry shampoo has been around since the early 1900’s, but came into commercial use around 1940,” explains clinical trichologist Victoria Scott, from the Institute of Trichologists. The formula was originally used “for wigs, to maintain styles that couldn’t be washed and styled daily, or for hair that was high maintenance,” she adds. Dry shampoo dos and don'tsAnd the formula of dry shampoo you use might make a difference, too. "My clients often ask me how they can easily add more volume to their hair at home, especially for day two and three hair, when everything is looking a bit flat. My advice is always Batiste Heavenly Volume Dry Shampoo. Spray into the root hair and massage in to create volume fast." Additionally, shampooing in the shower clears away bacteria and yeast. It can help you avoid clogged pores in the scalp and washes away styling products. Step 4: Allow it a couple minutes to set and dry. You may then brush the hair and style it as desired. Take even sections before spraying into the roots holding the can at least 20cm from scalp" says Emilie Venturini, Artistic colourist at Gielly Green.

Apply dry shampoo when the hair is feeling or looking oily and you don’t have the time (or the energy!) to wash it; Doesn’t work as good with very short hair as it works with long hair (based on the personal experience of this short-haired, ex-long-haired writer); Commercial dry shampoos usually come in a spray bottle. They are made with a base of alcohol or starch. When you spray the product into your hair, the alcohol or starch soaks up oil and grease, making it look cleaner. Dry Shampoo vs. Washing Hair With over five years’ experience in beauty and health journalism, Florence has written for ELLE, Women’s Fitness, Sister Magazine, National Geographic Traveller and many more, with a strong sustainability angle thread through much of her work. Dry shampoo may also leave residue on your scalp. Without regular shampooing with water, that residue will build up. If you don't clean your scalp and use only dry shampoo, you can get rashes and inflammation there. You can also get dandruff if you use dry shampoo too often without properly washing your scalp.

Experts recommend that you still wash your hair with shampoo and water a few times a week as part of your routine. People with hair that is not dry or oily can usually wash it two or three times a week. Those with curly or textured hair usually follow other hair care routines and may wash it less often. You may apply dry shampoo to add texture and body to the hair—it will also leave your hair fragrant! Instead of spraying all over the head, separate your hair into sections (to find the greasy spots) this helps to cover all bases and really get to the root of the hair. When it comes to dry shampoo in spray, you can divide the category in two: on one side you have the regular white formula, and the other includes the tinted options (available in different shades, like the Nivea Fresh & Mild Dry Shampoo for Medium Hair Tones and the Nivea Fresh & Mild Dry Shampoo for Dark Hair Tones). When a dry shampoo in spray doesn’t specify the information regarding color, you can count on it being white. Both white and tinted formulas are comparable in the result—depending on your hair color, you may just need a little extra time to blend the white formulas. You may think dry shampoo is a relatively new addition to the haircare world, as brands like Batiste have taken the market by storm with their aerosols over the past few decades. But dry shampoo has been solving our hair woes for far, far longer.