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View Full Version : Dry shampoo - yay or nay?



Lisa-K
February 10th, 2016, 08:34 AM
Every once in a while, I spray dry shampoo on my hair so I can stretch the time between washing.

Now, I'm wondering if it's really such a good idea. Here's the one I use:

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1548/24938699345_91703b116a_n.jpg

It's "cotton fresh" dry shampoo by Schwarzkopf (which is one of my favorite brands).

The ingredients are:
Isobutane, Oryza Sativa Starch, Alcohol Denat, Butane, Propane, Parfum, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Citronellol, Citral, Geraniol, Cetrimomium Chloride


On one hand I'm thinking delaying washes is good for my hair. On the other hand I'm wondering if the ingredients I'm spraying on are worse than actually washing it a bit more often.

What is the general consensus here about dry shampoo?

lillielil
February 10th, 2016, 08:40 AM
I'll be watching this thread. I use dry shampoo between washes, but worry a bit about the amount of manipulation in requires on dry hair.

MidnightMoon
February 10th, 2016, 08:44 AM
I dont know much about ingredients, but my reasoning is that putting anything that cleans hair on it, and leaving it there for hours, days or whatever cant really be good. I wouldnt put regular shampoo on my head and expect anything besides dryness if I left it there for long.
I dont even trust leave ons or gels or creams, I dont know whats its doing to my hair and Im letting it be exposed to it for a long time.
If you use dry shampoo to protect hair and not because youre in a hurry or something I believe just washing it with diluted shampoo would be better. You can always use some oil on the ends to keep them moisturised. Sebum doesnt really travel down the ends anyway.

lillielil
February 10th, 2016, 08:48 AM
But regular shampoo and dry shampoo do completely different things. Regular shampoo uses detergents to lift and rinse away oils and dirt. Dry shampoo uses absorbent powder to pick up some of the oil, plus perfume to cover any unpleasant smells. Other ingredients aside, it would be like putting cornstarch on your roots (which works, just not quite as convenient as good ol' aerosol). Not really the same as shampoo.

Nique1202
February 10th, 2016, 08:49 AM
If your hair gets greasy every day, then you can either wash every day or you can go the route of dry shampoos. Neither is probably any better or worse in the long run because both involve manipulating the hair and drying it somewhat. There's nothing in that spray can that I'd really raise my eyebrows at (the stuff in it is drying but that's what you WANT from a dry shampoo!) so if you don't want to go through the trouble of washing as often there's probably no long-term harm in it, or if you'd be more comfortable washing more often then there's no harm in that either.

MidnightMoon
February 10th, 2016, 08:52 AM
But regular shampoo and dry shampoo do completely different things. Regular shampoo uses detergents to lift and rinse away oils and dirt. Dry shampoo uses absorbent powder to pick up some of the oil, plus perfume to cover any unpleasant smells. Other ingredients aside, it would be like putting cornstarch on your roots (which works, just not quite as convenient as good ol' aerosol). Not really the same as shampoo.

As I said, I dont know about ingredients or how it works. IF its just as using baby powder or something then Im guessing the effect is milder. I dont really know if all dry shampoos work the same way, or if at least one of those ingredients could be not so good for hair. They could contain alcohol or something else thats drying (other brand, I mean), but thats just me guessing. By fragrance or parfum they could mean something containing alcohol, too.

Gaalsong
February 10th, 2016, 08:52 AM
I use it occasionally. Not that particular brand, though. I like the way my hair looks when I use it (TONS of volume), but it seems to make my hair very dry. And I always imagine the powder mixing with the sebum and making gunk or coating the hairs. But all I really notice is a bit too much dryness afterwards.

ETA: I only use it in "emergency" situations, like if I decide to go out on Friday night. I usually wash on Sunday. I think it works well for emergencies, but I personally wouldn't use it as part of a regular routine. I feel like if you use it regularly, you might as well wash a bit more often. But I don't know! Maybe it's better to have the sebum on there for a few extra days, even if there's the addition of the powder. :shrug:

MidnightMoon
February 10th, 2016, 08:55 AM
I use it occasionally. Not that particular brand, though. I like the way my hair looks when I use it (TONS of volume), but it seems to make my hair very dry. And I always imagine the powder mixing with the sebum and making gunk or coating the hairs. But all I really notice is a bit too much dryness afterwards.

Yes, thats what I thought too. I cant see the benefit of unwashed hair if the sebum is being dried, either.

Arctic
February 10th, 2016, 09:02 AM
That product is basically rice starch in a can. There are ingredients like isobutane and alcohol dent. to make it an aerosol and for the product to dry fast after spraying. It might be a bit drying in regular use, and, as others said, the basic method how it works is, that the starch absorbs and holds the oil untill you wash or spray some more dry shampoo (the latter sounds nasty: layering sebum and rice starch, sebum and rice starch).

I personally do use dry shampoo, but only occasionally. I use it most often on lengths to give volume/grip (as a styling product in other words) and very rarely to help with oily hair (although I have oily hair and wash almost daily, so in theory I would be a prime candidate for dry shampoos). I prefer to wash my hair, as I have sensitive scalp, and only use dry shampoo to help camouflage oiliness if I sleep to late or something. I'd feel icky about using dry shampoo on my scalp regularly so I'd never be one of those who'd use it to stretch washes (besides my hair loves washes).

missrandie
February 10th, 2016, 09:21 AM
I've used it quite a bit. I actually make my own, but yours looks just fine.

I will say, for me, it can be hell to wash out a few day's worth of powder, but it at least looked good while I was stretching my washes out.

As long as it doesn't cause you any scalp problems, I see nothing wrong with it.

bunneh.
February 10th, 2016, 09:22 AM
I used flour as a dry shampoo once in an emergency and hated it, so I'm sure I'd hate any dry shampoos as well. I prefer just washing my hair when it gets too oily, it feels much better then as well, nice and clean instead of dirty, trying to make it work kind of hair. But if you're someone that gets oily hair every single day then I guess you could try it, whether it's drying or not I wouldn't know honestly, but there could be build up going on from the dry shampoo if used daily for a couple or few days in a row without washing in between. I'd still go for sulfate free shampoo instead and wash my hair I guess unless I'd feel lazy and more comfortable with dry shampoo.

Lisa-K
February 10th, 2016, 09:22 AM
Thanks for the feedback everyone! I bought this spray in November and it's still not empty. I use it quite sporadically. Usually, I can tell the night before whether my hair will still be okay the next day or not. But sometimes I really just cannot be bothered and decide I'll just spray some dry shampoo the next day to hide the greasiness, which at the same time also delays washing for one day (win-win, I figured). I guess it's alright then if I keep using it like that once every 2 or 3 weeks.

But thanks for all the extra info! I will make sure not to ever turn this into a regular habit then.

Lisa-K
February 10th, 2016, 09:25 AM
I used flour as a dry shampoo once in an emergency and hated it, so I'm sure I'd hate any dry shampoos as well.

Wow, I'm pretty sure flour would be terrible. It's so much heavier than dry shampoo and I can't imagine it would absorb much.

bunneh.
February 10th, 2016, 09:28 AM
It did work kind of lol... But I certainly can't recommend it.

Lisa-K
February 10th, 2016, 09:37 AM
It did work kind of lol... But I certainly can't recommend it.

lol I kind of want to try it now just as an experiment so I'll know exactly what it does! Haha! I would assume something much lighter like baby powder could actually work better though. Although I've never tried that either. Honestly, the dry shampoo spray is surprisingly alright. It's light and makes my hair look nice. I just wasn't sure if the ingredient list would be a reason for me to ditch it completely and never use it again. But looking at the feedback, I suppose sporadic use is okay.

Llama
February 10th, 2016, 09:53 AM
I think dry shampoo is better than washing every day because wet hair is weaker/more susceptible to damage. Getting your hair wet less often would be a good thing. Plus, when you use dry shampoo it's usually just used on the top of the head at the roots so it's not affecting the length.

Nique1202
February 10th, 2016, 09:59 AM
I think dry shampoo is better than washing every day because wet hair is weaker/more susceptible to damage. Getting your hair wet less often would be a good thing. Plus, when you use dry shampoo it's usually just used on the top of the head at the roots so it's not affecting the length.

Hair is slightly more prone to damage by stretching while it's wet... but how likely it is to get damaged that way while it's wet all depends on your routine. If you only comb the hair while it's either dry or full of conditioner to slip the tangles out, for example, then you're not likely to cause any extra damage just because the hair is wet more often.

There's nothing inherently damaging about washing hair every day, no matter what kind of shampoo or other method you use to wash it, as long as it's treated fairly gently and otherwise taken care of. But, there's nothing wrong with dry shampoo either because it's designed to be used and left in the hair for a day or two until your next wash. Once the alcohol and isobutane evaporate out of the canned stuff, it's just perfumed cornstarch or arrowroot powder usually.

lapushka
February 10th, 2016, 10:01 AM
I have SD (seborrheic dermatitis) and it is definitely a no-no for me. Anything that coats the hair can bring on a flare-up. So no, I prefer to go without. I was able to stretch to a week, though, even though I usually need 2/3 washes a week. Without dry shampoo. Just by not washing for 2 weeks on end (until I got a flare-up), and suddenly after that was cleared up one week was okay. Also, length plays a part. When my hair was short I needed 2/3 washes. Now that it is classic, the oil seems to travel down less (maybe cause there's more hair).

meteor
February 10th, 2016, 11:22 AM
I think they can be helpful for frequent washers, since you don't leave it on scalp that long.
I think of dry shampoo as hair powder to absorb extra oil and I keep it only for emergencies or just for extra grip for styling.

Personally, I haven't had to use dry shampoo in years, because I rely on Scalp-Only washes to do the job, since they are actually cleansing and very effective at it, rather than just absorbing oils and sitting on scalp like dry shampoos. Scalp only washes have allowed me to stretch my full washes *a lot*.

If anybody is interested, there are various methods out there, for example, holding a braid by a bra-strap and washing scalp in a tub/sink (Haartraum's tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwREj8Kadlo). I've also tried tying the braid to the shower curtain rail with a scarf (to avoid the need to hold the braid up with one hand), but I've settled on my own method now, combining partial scalp wash with hair bunned and then full scalp wash with the braid held by one hand at the end to reach underlayers. (Let me know, if you need more details on this. :) ) There are even tools out there for making the process easier, like this PonyDry: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=136047, though standard plastic shower caps should do the trick.

Spinder
February 10th, 2016, 12:51 PM
I absolutely love Klorane's (http://www.klorane.ca/en/hair/dry-shampoo/) dry shampoos. For whatever reason, my scalp tends to sweat a LOT, which quickly causes grease buildup around my roots. A quick spritz of this stuff completely removes the gunk and leaves it looking fresh again, so now I can stretch my washes out to once or twice weekly!

lillielil
February 10th, 2016, 01:09 PM
I absolutely love Klorane's (http://www.klorane.ca/en/hair/dry-shampoo/) dry shampoos. For whatever reason, my scalp tends to sweat a LOT, which quickly causes grease buildup around my roots. A quick spritz of this stuff completely removes the gunk and leaves it looking fresh again, so now I can stretch my washes out to once or twice weekly!

Klorane's sound good to me too, but I haven't tried them yet. How do they smell? I usually use Batiste, but the super-strong smells are just not appealing to me.

spidermom
February 10th, 2016, 01:11 PM
This is how many times I have used dry shampoo in my entire life: 0

Why start now?

teddygirl
February 10th, 2016, 08:09 PM
I love dry shampoo. I don't mind washing my hair, what I hate is DRYING it. So dry shampoo just gives me a little more time that I don't have to do that.

Neecola
February 11th, 2016, 11:36 AM
I use a combination of cocoa powder and cinnamon as a dry shampoo. I keep it in a small wide mouth jar and apply it as needed with an old makeup brush. I don't try to use it as a substitute for when my hair needs washing but on days where my hair looks mostly good but a little oily in the thinner areas around my temples (and a cowlick in back), this is super useful to stretch an extra day or two.

I use it once or twice a week and have for at least a year with no ill effects. Other than I smell delicious when I first put it on and it makes me hungry. :yumm:

hobbitlocks
February 11th, 2016, 12:00 PM
I am a big fan of dry shampoo. I haven't really mastered the concept of the scalp-only wash, and it's not that I mind washing my hair... but I bike everywhere and I HATE wet hair under a helmet so if my hair doesn't have time to dry I don't want to wash it. I also like that it gives my fine hair some volume without heat :) I've used the batiste dark brown one, which I like, or I also like to use baby powder (although I hate the normal scent of baby powder so I usually grab whichever one is not in that scent). I used to use a fancier sandalwood scented powder but once the price was raised it wasn't worth it anymore. I haven't had any problems with buildup. Sometimes if I try to stretch my wash toooo long with it I will notice some, but it seems to come out just fine in the wash for me.

Obsidian
February 11th, 2016, 01:36 PM
I only tried one brand of dry shampoo and I hated it. It was too scented and it left my hair feeling coated and dry. Now if want to stretch washes or am a little bit too oily, I just sprinkle some arrowroot powder in my hair and spread it around with my fingers.
It never leaves residue and never feels dry. Its a soft silky starch that is completely unnoticeable in my hennaed hair. When I was still blond, it didn't look powdery or ashy, just disappeared along with the oily sheen.

*Stella*
February 11th, 2016, 04:09 PM
I hate dry shampoo. I only use it in dire emergencies, (I like to let my hair get really greasy before i bleach my roots, if i wash it i will have to wait another fortnight for the grease to build back up as I don't have greasy hair) and when I do it makes my ends like velcro. (Obviously i don't spray it on the ends, it is just from brushing it through)

MartinYYw95
February 13th, 2016, 05:54 AM
Nay. I have black hair and when I used it, I got a lot of white dots/dandruff thing in my hair which was very noticeable. It was hard to remove and when I quit, after about 4 washes it completely gone. I believe the cause of that was down to the dry shampoo

Honestwitness
February 13th, 2016, 06:19 AM
At 66 years old, I have fine, white hair. I love dry shampoo, because it gives a bit of lift to my roots and it helps to disguise my pink scalp. I learned early on, though, that a little goes a long way. I section, lift, and give one tiny pffft in each section, only at the scalp. I do this right after washing and towel-drying my hair, which I do about every three days. I find it keeps my hair from being TOO dry right after a wash, especially in winter.

TR
February 13th, 2016, 03:39 PM
I love dry shampoo. My hair is naturally very slippery without much body. Dry shampoo adds texture and volume without crunch. I have to be careful with all my styling products because I'm prone to seborrheic dermatitis, but there are several brands that work great without causing an SD flareup. My current favorite is Herbal Essences Naked; it leaves no white residue on my brown hair, and it has a citrus-mint smell that appeals to me.

nalgena
February 13th, 2016, 08:15 PM
I use my own mixture of cornstarch, cocoa powder and a few drops of rosemary EO. It works just as well if not better than store bought dry shampoos.

serin blackwood
February 14th, 2016, 04:27 PM
I also use cocoa powder and cornstarch. I think the fat content of the cocoa can, quite possibly, be good for your hair, and yet even with that the mixture still creates cleaner looking hair. I'll have to try adding cinnamon - I do add cinnamon to homemade 'poo mixtures as a scalp stimulant, could be nice in the dry shampoo as well.

Suguru
February 15th, 2016, 02:53 AM
Since cutting my hair short I have found it tends to look greasy much more quickly than it did before. Since I can't put it up to disguise the oil this either means I wash my hair daily or I use dry shampoo. I have been taking the latter option and using dry shampoo every second morning for a while now. I haven't found it to be a major issue at my current hair length but I suspect it wouldn't be the best for longer hair and I plan on giving it up as soon as my hair is long enough to fit into a ponytail.