Is dry shampoo in any way bad for the hair or scalp?

[alxardnax]

Hello,

I don't have a very oily scalp so I do not need to wash my hair everyday but I have been considering buying dry shampoo to extend my non-shampooing a day or so. I figured it would also be convenient for when I am running late.

My questions are:
Is dry shampoo bad for the hair or scalp. I know shampooing too much strips natural oils but wouldn't dry shampoo strip them in a way when the powder absorbs the oils? Is the residue create by the powder and oil easily washed out with a CO wash? Also would it clog the follicles? I don't plan on using it more than once a week, probably even less often.

Thanks!

[Madora]

Per George Michael, long hair expert, in his book George Michael's Secrets for Beautiful Hair (1981 Doubleday):

"...The so called dry shampoos clean the hair by the use of friction. If you spray or powder your hair with one of these products ( or even use the old-fashioned remedy of cornstarch) and simply leave it on, your hair will not get clean. When these products are applied to oily hair, for example, they absorb oils the same way a blotter does, but your hair is still dirty. It takes vigorous motions to remove the "shampoo" and these are not good routines for long hair. In addition, such products aren't very effective cleansers, and the powders dull the hair."

[cmg]

Some people use dry shampoos during the transitioning time when starting to do co-washes. I can't se any harm in using it from time to time. I have used oat this way, to suck up excess oil from the scalp. It can be brushed out fairly good. It doesnt dull the hair much (unless you dont brush it out carefully). And dry shampoos do also clean the hair. Hair gets dusty like a filter grid does, and the dry shampoo helps to get rid of some of that dust.

[Asche]

Per George Michael, long hair expert, in his book George Michael's Secrets for Beautiful Hair (1981 Doubleday):

"...The so called dry shampoos clean the hair by the use of friction. If you spray or powder your hair with one of these products ( or even use the old-fashioned remedy of cornstarch) and simply leave it on, your hair will not get clean. When these products are applied to oily hair, for example, they absorb oils the same way a blotter does, but your hair is still dirty. It takes vigorous motions to remove the "shampoo" and these are not good routines for long hair. In addition, such products aren't very effective cleansers, and the powders dull the hair."

I agree. I'm not so sure I like the idea of cleaning my hair using powder and friction. Sounds kinda like using sand paper.

[alxardnax]

Thanks for all the input!

[luthein]

Dry shampoo works by absorbing oil. Once the starch absorbs the oil, it is then combed out. Most of the shampoos contain cornstarch, rice powders, or other grain powders to soak up oil; just like they soak up oil in culinary dishes.

I apply cornstarch with a makeup brush to my temples, which extens my wash by 1 day. I lightly apply powder at night to give it time to absorb, lightly fingercomb, then brush it out in the morning. I find that this solution protects my length from over-cleansing and mechanical damage from detangling wet hair.

I haven't experienced damage from cornstarch; I've had the opposite result. However, some shampowders contain drying alcohols, and those should probably be avoided.