The Best Drug Store Dry Shampoo

I recently asked a friend what she does when she runs out of dry shampoo and she replied, "I wash my hair more," and I gasped. I always have at least two cans so that never happens to me. 

Which led me to the realization....

I have an unhealthy obsession with dry shampoo.

I've seen a meme going around that reads, "by Friday, may hair is practically all dry shampoo" and this couldn't be more true for me and my Friday locks. I use dry shampoo almost daily. I like to use it after a fresh blow dry to give my fine tresses some oomph and to prevent it from getting it oily throughout the day. I also like to use some before I go to bed so that I can proactively absorb overnight oils. I find that if I use it on clean hair and before bed, I don't need much (if any) on day 2 hair. Because I use so my dry shampoo, I can't bother with the designer bottles so I stick with brands you can find at your local drug store. 

Let me obsession be your resource. I've rounded up the best (and the ones to avoid) for you below.

Psssst! Instant Dry Shampoo Spray | Suave Professionals Keratin Dry Shampoo | Batiste Dry Shampoo | Dove Invigorating Dry Shampoo | Pantene Pro-V Blowout Extend Dry Shampoo | Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Dry Shampoo

the best dry shampoos

It's no secret I love dry shampoo and am somewhat of a dry shampoo connoisseur if you will. I've written about some of my favorites before but felt it was time for an update and some new reviews. I try to wash my hair every 3 or so days and use a LOT of dry shampoo between washes. The slight exception to this being my darn bangs- I have to wash them everyday and use dry shampoo. #neveragain. I've also been trying different clarifying shampoos every few weeks because while dry shampoo is wonderful, it leaves my scalp needing a good scrub down with a clarifying shampoo. Still trying to find one I love but I'll keep you posted. Let me know if you have any suggestions on a good one to try!

I've discovered some new favorites I want to share with you. I've also discovered (the hard way) some not so great options. Let my flat and dirty hair day be your come up.

PSSSST- $5.99
Psssst is my new go-to. It's inexpensive (it's around $7 at CVS) and it goes a long way. And it lasts all day! There is really no need to reapply. I also love that it doesn't leave my hair feeling dry or coated like some other dry shampoos. It also does not have any strong fragrance which is a huge plus in my book.
BATISTE- $7.99
Batiste is still one of my favorites and would probably be my go-to if it was easier to find. I can only seem to find it at Ulta which is pretty far away from me in DC. I've heard people find it at Walgreens and there is always Amazon as well. Batiste works super well. It really makes your hair feel clean again and has a nice light smell. You may need to reapply during the day but it's okay because it doesn't leave your hair feeling coated or dry.
DOVE- $3.94
Dove has become my backup go-to. It is sold at Target (unlike Psssst) so if I need a new can and am already at Target, I'll grab this one. It's not my favorite but it gets the job done well. It does leave your hair feeling a bit dry and after a few weeks of using it, I really need a good scrub down. BUT it works well, you don't need to reapply and is super cheap. And you can get it at Target. That's always a good thing :)
ORIBE- $39
I got a sample of Oribe in my Birchbox and I loved it. For my fine hair, this is a great day two dry shampoo or to use if I let my hair air dry. It gives it some oomph, some good texture and doesn't leave your hair falling flat. A lot of dry shampoos just absorb the oil which is for the most part, all I need. What I loved about Oribe was the texturizing part because it gave my hair a little style without much work. The downside? The price tag which is a major downside for me when I consider what I can get for $7.99. Just depends what you're looking for what and what your priorities are!

I didn't love the TRESemme Dry Shampoo. You have to spray it in, really massage it in to your scalp and brush it out and sometimes it leaves your hair looking more dirty. It was hard to find the balance of too much vs not enough. And the nozzle clogs really easily. A lot of people love this one but I think there are way better options on the drug store shelf. I like the Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Shampoo alright. Not my favorite but another option that gets the job done. I would NOT recommend Salon Grafix for the same reasons as the TRESemme option. My BFF swears by the Garnier Fructis Dry Shampoo. She has a lot of hair, medium texture and straightens it most days. She is also a brunette. So basically her hair is the opposite of mine and she loves it. So if you fall more closely in that category than the fine blonde hair (like me) category check out her recommendation. I've also heard great great things about the DryBar Detox Dry Shampoo but have not actually tried it myself. If you try it, let me know what you think!

how to top knot

I used to rock the sock bun like there was no tomorrow when I was growing my short hair out. It was the easiest way to get my hair out of my face and still look polished. Now that my hair is a little longer, I'm top knotting without a sock and actually now prefer the more unfinished look. And its pretty easy! 

Step 1: Start with day 2/dirty hair -- your hair will tease better-- and load on the dry shampoo to give your hair a little more texture and oomph and volume.

Step 2: Pull your hair into a high pony and secure tightly!

Step 3: Tease, tease TEASE your ponytail. Really get all up in there. I'm talking rat's nest status. The most teasing the thicker your bun will be. This is the most important step! 

Step 4: Twist your uber-teased ponytail into a bun. 

Step 5: Secure the bun with bobby pins. I usually use about 4 but use more or less depending on how secure your bun feels

Step 6: Gently gently pull and tug on the outside of the bun spreading it out and apart. If you teased it enough and pinned it tight enough, the bun will stay secure but will be bigger and fuller after you pull it  a bit.

Step 7: Pull out some baby hairs in the front to give your bun a more relaxed and natural look

Step 8: Admire your work! :) Now hurry up because if you're anything like me, you're probably late for work!

Bonus step: Get your Elnett on and add a good layer of hair spray so it stays all day. 

I hope that made sense! Steps 3 and 6 are the most important and are what will give your bun the size and volume of a sock bun but without the hassle of the sock. Let me know if you have any questions!

xo

take care of yo' hair!

1. Avoid heat tools
When and where possible, avoid using heat tools daily. For me, that looks like air drying my hair and trying to keep my curling iron use to 2-3 times a week. Maybe for you that looks like straightening your hair twice a week and embracing our natural wave a few more days a week. Whatever that may look like for you, I promise that as soon as you start, you'll see a lot more life in your hair.

2. Don't wash it every day (Please shower and wash your body every day though!)
Washing your hair every day washes a lot of the natural essential oils your hair produces to keep it conditioned. In fact washing your hair every day dries it out more!  Initially, your hair might be oily while you start to phase out daily washes but that is because you scalp is overproducing its natural oils (called sebum) to compensate for all that time you were stripping it away by using harsh shampoos daily. Give it a few weeks to train your scalp. In the mean time, try out dry shampoos to see what works best for you! Let your natural oils condition your hair. It will prevent breakage AND strengthen your hair!

3. Trim trim trim!
Recommendations about how often to trim vary by hair professional but the message is always consistent: trim trim trim your hair often to avoid breakage. If you're trying to grow out your hair, plan for trims every 4-6 weeks. Split ends untrimmed will split further up the shaft causing more breakage. Maintaining a length? Shoot for trims 6-8 weeks. Some people trim at home. That's not for me, but maybe its for you. Check out tutorials here, here, and here.

4. Deep condition
Deep condition and treat your tresses to some pampering. For me, that's about every 2 weeks (if I can remember). My go-to deep conditioner is coconut oil. It's simple to use and already in my pantry. I've heard great great things about this L'Oreal EverCreme masque and loved this Ojon conditioner when I got it in my Birchbox.

5. Use a wide tooth comb
A wide tooth comb is much gentler on your wet hair than a regular comb or a brush. For the love of all things good, please please please do not use a brush on your wet hair. The pull of a brush completely snags and breaks strands. A wide tooth comb pulls on your hair a lot less, so while it might take a few more comb throughs to detangle completely, it is much gentler option. Be sure to start from the ends and work you way up as to not pull too much.

how to: milkmaid braids

One question I get a lot is: "do you seriously only wash your hair every three days?" Sure do, friends. Thanks to a LOT of dry shampoo and milkmaid braids. A usual follow up question is "how do you get your hair like that?" Welp, secrets out. It's way easy!

What you'll need:
>>Dry shampoo (don't skimp out here! I've been hooked on this Dove dry shampoo as of late)
>>Clear hair bands (I got mine from Sephora)
>>Bobby pins (I use these blonde/gold ones)

1. Load on the dry shampoo. My hair is super fine so dry shampoo not only helps with the oil but adds volume and texture to my unwashed hair

2. Brush it out to evenly distribute the dry shampoo

3. Put hair in pigtails and make sure hair is even on both sides

4. Braid!

5. Since my hair is so fine, my braids are really thin. I pull the braids a bit to make them appear fuller

6. Starting with the smaller or less perfect braid, wrap over head and secure with a bobby pin near elastic. Repeat on other side. Tuck ends underneath opposite braids and add as many bobby pins as it takes to feel secure

7. Test to make sure braids are secure and pile on the hair spray. I like to also pull out a few strands in the front to make it look a little more relaxed

And there you have it! A super quick and easy way to disguise day (or two!) old hair!

summer hair inspiration

Y'all, its official: spring was only 3 days long and now its officially summer. And It. Is. HOT. Oh and its humid. Oh and it is terrible for my hair. Theres nothing like spending precious minutes in the morning blowing out or curling your hair only to leave your apartment and the intense humidity makes it explode like a lion in .2 seconds. Yes, I'm talking from personal experience. This summer, I'm going to have to be all about the up-do to keep my hair out of my face. But the only up-do in my hair style arsenal is a sock bun so I went to my trusty friend Pinterest for some inspiration....I think I'll start with #3

1/2/3/

4/5/6/

7/8/9/

Wish me luck!

dry shampoo: my little miracle worker

 

I have a LOT of trouble waking up when my alarm clock goes. Lately its been 3 snoozes minimum. I'm just NOT a morning person. So in an effort to save time in the morning (read: sleep in more) as well as follow the advice of every hair stylist ever, I've been washing my hair every other day. Sounds great, right? No. I have really fine hair so my hair falls flat easily and even worse, gets oily easily. A day without a wash is not a pretty look so I've been all about this explosion of new dry shampoos on the market. And ladies (maybe guys if you're reading this and have oily hair?), I've tried 'em all. The expensive ones, the cheap ones, the colored ones, the scented ones. You name it, I've tried it. So I'd like to think of myself as a bit of an expert in the dry shampoo field. As if anyone wants to be an expert in that...

 These 4 are my favorites and really stand out from the crowd. Feel free to leave an of your favs in the comments. I'd love to check out any of your recommendations!

Suave Dry Shampoo- $3.50 (my hands down favorite - I think you get the most bang for your buck. I buy it in bulk. You may think I'm kidding. I'm not.)
Batiste Original- 7.99 - (By far the freshest and best smelling of the 4)
Batiste Hint of Color- 8.99 (love the colored spray option so my hair doesn't look gray. Also comes in brunette and red)
Ojon Rub it out Dry Cleansing Spray 24.50 ( a little pricey but  comes in a travel size thats perfect for airplane carry ons. I've found the nozzle can clog but easily unclogs if you run it under warm water)