Review Of Best Dry Shampoos

From BuzzFeed

THE BEST DRY SHAMPOOS

We hope you love the products we recommend! We do a lot of research and testing before making our picks for the best thing to buy in each price-point. Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. Prices and availability subject to change. For more info on how we choose products and make money, go here.

BATISTE CLEAN & CLASSIC DRY SHAMPOO

  • A little goes a long way
  • Available in color-specific formulas
  • Available in a variety of scents

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LIVING PROOF PERFECT HAIR DAY DRY SHAMPOO

  • Long-lasting volume
  • Formula absorbs quickly
  • Delightful, lingering fragrance

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ORIBE GOLD LUST DRY SHAMPOO

  • Nearly invisible
  • Incredibly lightweight
  • Hint of fresh fragrance

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If you shudder at the mere thought of flat, greasy hair in a world before dry shampoo, you’re not alone: our budget-friendly winner reportedly sells two bottles of dry shampoo every secondand the $3 billion industry is only on the upswing. But the dizzying array of dry shampoos on the market might leave you wondering which bottles actually get the job done right. After all, how different can powders that absorb oil and eliminate odor really be? Spoiler: pretty darn different.

We tested both fan favorites and lesser-known dry shampoos in a quest to find the ones that work best at reviving unwashed locks across a variety of hair types and textures, from thin and grease-prone to coarser, dry strands. We asked testers to consider which ones did the best job creating volume without leaving behind a gritty mess, and also looked at ease of use — testing products in aerosol cans, shaker cans, and, in one instance, a paste that turns to powder. We also considered scent and number of uses per bottle (our price ranges are based on cost per ounce), which made all the difference with the dry shampoos worth shelling out a few more bucks for.

 

Editor’s note: We did not test dry shampoos for natural, textured hair or hair worn in protective styles, as the criteria for such dry shampoos is significantly different and warrants its own review, which we plan to publish in the near future.

BATISTE CLEAN & CLASSIC DRY SHAMPOO

Starting from $8

THE DETAILS

6.73 OUNCES

AEROSOL CAN

BEST-SELLING DRY SHAMPOO IN THE WORLD

VEGAN AND CRUELTY-FREE

MADE IN THE UK

WHAT / WHO IT’S BEST FOR

  • Drugstore-beauty junkies
  • People who are picky about fragrance
  • People with thinning hair

WHY WE LOVE IT

If you’ve stepped into a drugstore in the last few years, you’ve probably seen Batiste dry shampoo. Our testers across various hair types found it effective at creating volume, absorbing oil at the roots, and transforming a greasy mane of fine, oily hair into a tousled, textured look. That was hardly a surprise: Batiste is the most popular dry shampoo in the world. But that’s not why it’s our pick.

Start poking around and you’ll see why Batiste is such a favorite. The brand’s game is variety and lots of it. Batiste also offers specialty formulas that target different #HairGoals: strength and shine, hydrating, and volumizing.

Batiste Dry Shampoo held by hand
This dry shampoo may not be the most lightweight or residue-free upon initial application — you’ll find that most options at lower price points share this characteristic — but give your hair a good brushing or combing or flip it upside-down and tousle it with your hands until the product is no longer visible, and you’ll be good to go. As with practically all dry shampoos, you’ll want to make sure you spray all of your roots evenly, being careful not to dispense too much of the product in one spot. Batiste’s dry shampoo is also available in a formula especially for darker locks (to eliminate the issue of residue), as well as one for blondes. Reviewers with thinning hair also note that the colored products work well to fill in spots where hair is particularly sparse.

But let’s talk fragrance, specifically because there are so damn many of them. We found the scent of the original formula — the one we tested — to be quite subtle and pleasant, like to that of clean laundry. Other options include cherry, tropical, floral, “fresh,” “bare” (described as a “clean and light” scent), and “blush” (another floral variation), many of which are available in wallet-friendly five-packs.

Batiste Dry Shampoo with cap off

If you’re worried about being weighed down, the most lightweight formula we tested in this price bracket was Marc Anthony’s Refreshing Coconut Clear Dry Shampoo, a product that, true to its name, applies almost invisibly and comes in an enormous bottle that lasts approximately forever. We almost crowned it the winner, but its coconut scent, while some found it delightful, is a bit too strong. (One tester in Camp Coconut-Hater said she couldn’t even bear to try it after taking the cap off.) But if you’re up for a scent that’ll transport you to endless summer in a volumizing dry shampoo that leaves no visible evidence, give this one a try.

One of our in-house testers with thicker hair, who uses Batiste on the regular, even attested that they can go a whole week without washing their hair again if they apply enough of the stuff. Color us impressed! Nearly all our testers said they’d spend their own money on Batiste dry shampoo — or noted that the product is already their drugstore go-to.

While we were secretly hoping for an under-the-radar surprise pick to check off all the boxes, we’ve gotta hand it to Batiste for creating a cult-favorite formula that’s earned its status for a reason: it just works, and at the lowest price per ounce among all the dry shampoos we tested. Our advice? Get a multi-pack and stock your office! And your car! And your home! It’s quite possibly the best return on investment you’ll find in your drugstore beauty aisle.

USER REVIEWS

 

“So I use this in order to conceal my scalp. I have lost an incredible amount of hair. I used to use eyeshadow; however, being this is an aerosol can, it works like a charm. Shake it well, use it a little farther than you would think to, and if your hair is straight, comb through. Mine is curly, however, and I use a pick in order to disperse the excess while I have my head over the sink. Lasts all day. Oh, and of course it works as a dry shampoo. I am so grateful for this product. It helps me face the world without having the insecurity of my thinning hair.”

— MLFrom Amazon

BATISTE

Best-selling cult fave

LIVING PROOF PERFECT HAIR DAY DRY SHAMPOO

Starting from $24

THE DETAILS

4 OUNCES

AEROSOL CAN

ALLURE BEST OF BEAUTY AWARD WINNER

PARABEN- AND SILICONE-FREE

VEGAN AND CRUELTY-FREE

MADE IN THE USA

WHAT / WHO IT’S BEST FOR

  • People looking to mask odor
  • People who use dry shampoo more than regular shampoo
  • Those with frizz-prone hair

WHY WE LOVE IT

If your beauty-product tastes are more Sephora than drugstore and you’re willing to drop some additional cash on a lighter-weight dry shampoo than our $ pick, you simply can’t go wrong with Living Proof’s Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo. The barely noticeable formula provides a bit of texture and was a hit across all hair types and textures. The consensus was clear: this stuff produces lasting volume and refreshes days-old hair like none other we tested within this price bracket.

Living Proof Dry Shampoo closeup

While the product does apply white, it absorbs very easily. This is due to something the company calls its “Healthy Hair Molecule” (OFPMA), a patented technology that helps eliminate frizz, smooth strands, and repel dirt and odors so hair stays cleaner longer. Be especially sure to spray 6 to 10 inches away from your scalp. Comb through and/or massage it into your hair with your fingertips until it’s completely disappeared. The feeling of any grittiness or product on your scalp quickly fades.

One BuzzFeed staffer with super-dry hair who’s a regular user of Living Proof’s dry shampoo attests that it helps her blowouts last several days longer than they otherwise would. Other users with grease-prone hair were impressed by its ability to create volume without feeling heavy or full of product. So go on, apply this stuff and run your fingers through your tresses with abandon!

Living Proof Dry Shampoo
After using Perfect Hair Day, you might also be delighted by its delicate “I just left the salon with fancy products in my hair” scent. You may, like one of our testers did, even find yourself wishing it were a perfume. The product is formulated with a time-released fragrance that keeps hair smelling clean all day, and it’s safe for colored and chemically treated hair. And while this is neither a deal-maker nor a deal-breaker, did we mention how much we love its easy-on-the-eyes, minimalist slate-colored bottle? Your drugstore fave is shaking.

Perfect Hair Day is rivaled only by Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo, a product that won us over across pretty much all criteria. It ultimately lost out to Living Proof’s dry shampoo because the bottle didn’t last as long. It’s still a solid contender, though, with its fun packaging and a luxurious but not overpowering floral scent that smells expensive.

We’re confident in calling Living Proof’s Perfect Hair Day one of the best dry shampoos on the market — if not the best — considering its value, its stellar ability to perk up sad, dirty hair for the entire day (or longer), and its pleasant, long-lasting scent.

USER REVIEWS

“It not only absorbs oil and sweat but gives you great volume! A little goes a long way and you do need to brush it out to move the product around and get rid of the white color, like any other dry shampoo. I can definitely skip washes and create hairstyles I thought would be impossible for my long, thin hair.”

— JohserFrom Sephora

LIVING PROOF

Beauty-store standout

ORIBE GOLD LUST DRY SHAMPOO

Starting from $44

THE DETAILS

6 OUNCES

AEROSOL CAN

NO PARABENS, SULFATES, OR SODIUM CHLORIDE

VEGAN AND CRUELTY-FREE

MADE IN THE USA

WHAT / WHO IT’S BEST FOR

  • People who swear by luxury beauty products
  • People who get frequent blowouts
  • People with color-treated or damaged hair

WHY WE LOVE IT

Oribe’s Gold Lust looks, smells, and works like money, and we think it more than earns its status as the best high-end dry shampoo your hard-earned cash can buy.

When BuzzFeed UK staffers pitted drugstore and luxury dry shampoos against each other, editor Remee Patel called Oribe “literally the most glorious product” she had ever used, adding, “It’s so bloody classy, it’s literally class in a can. Before, my hair was slightly flat, but after just a few sprays it looked like I’d been styled for a photo shoot — I felt so goddamn glamorous.” We truly can’t put it any better than that (not least because we’re not versed in charming Britisisms).

Oribe Dry Shampoo with hand
Like a “sexy hairstyling ghost,” as another BuzzFeeder described it, this stuff is so lightweight that at one point we had to make sure something was coming out of the spray bottle because we could barely even feel it. (No one would dare call it “gritty,” as some did with our $ and $$ picks.) But the effects were certainly visible: instant volume, a silky-soft clean feeling, and a hint of fresh fragrance (that won’t compete with your perfume) to mask any eau de dirty scalp. Even those of us with darker hair, who would normally see a speck of residue upon initial application, had none. We hardly even had to work it through our hair with our fingers to see results. A little goes a long way with this product, too. Witchcraft? No, just an absurdly expensive dry shampoo that, as it should, works absurdly well.

If you regularly spend the equivalent of this product’s price tag getting your hair blown out at a place like DryBar (whose dry shampoo was a very close runner-up at this price point) and you want upkeep between salon visits, this might be the product for you. Plus, at nearly twice or thrice the size of other bottles we pitted this one against, Oribe’s 6-ounce can should last even if you’re using it a few times a week. (For comparison, DryBar’s Detox Dry Shampoo weighs in at 3.5 ounces, with a $23 price tag.)

Oribe Dry Shampoo with cap off
This price bracket also included dry shampoos in shaker cans, as well as one maverick on the scene that starts off as a paste and then turns powdery. While we were intrigued and went into the testing phase open-minded and hopeful, nothing stepped up to the plate the way Oribe did. And can we also talk about how pretty the bottle is? The chic black packaging with gold-scribble ombre detailing wouldn’t look out of place in a luxury-hotel toiletries collection. 

Who needs to spend $44 on a bottle of dry shampoo? Well, of course no one needs to — especially with similar products on the market whose effects rival this one at nearly half its price. But if you’re a loyal fan of the Oribe brand and/or you get off on dropping cash on luxury hair products, this is THE luxury dry shampoo you want in your gold-faucet-adorned bathroom. Money can’t buy you happiness, but it turns out it can buy you a dry shampoo that makes you feel nothing short of fabulous each time you pick it up. 

USER REVIEWS“This is THE best dry shampoo I have ever used. Well worth the money. The can is bigger than other dry shampoos I have purchased, so I’m sure it will last me awhile. And it doesn’t leave anything on my hair where I feel I have to dust off. Just plumped up my hair with my fingers and I’m all set. I have gotten compliments on days I’ve used it.”

“Like all Oribe products, this dry shampoo is amazing and well worth the price. It smells fantastic and will get you through the day without having to wash your hair. The can is also massive, so even though it costs a lot it will take you forever to get through.”

— jess93From Nordstrom