9 Best Dry Shampoo, Editor Tested and Reviewed (2025)
From the citizens of Ancient civilizations, rubbing clay powders on their hair, ranging from the first commercial dry shampoo that hit the market in the 1940s, spent their lives filling the gap between dirty hair and busy lifestyles. I vividly remember my mom using baby powder in the 1980s and my first purchase of drugstore dry shampoo in the early 2000s. It continued like a spray paint, and probably contained enough chemicals to poison small animals, but did the job of making my painstaking wash, dry, and skipping for a few days of drying Straighten the routine. This break was good not only for my hair but also for my sanity.
Coming in 2022, the commercially produced dry shampoo received its first major black eye when companies like Procter & Gamble and Unilever made voluntary recalls of dry shampoo. Potentially elevated levels of benzene. Familiar drugstore brands like Dove, Nexxus and Suave were considered a sudden risk of cancer, raising questions with common dry shampoos. What actually exists?
Thankfully, most companies are committed to testing products with benzene and other harmful chemicals. Third-party tests are difficult to get, but nonprofits Environmental Working Group (EWG) It is independently funded, Skin Deep Database Tool To help consumers analyze what harmful ingredients lurking in cosmetics and personal care products are. This guide includes data on specific dry shampoos. However, if you’re looking for a completely chemical-free way to expand your style, check out the dry shampoo box alternatives below.
For more hairstyle buying advice, The best hair treatment, Best Heat Protective Spray, The best blow dry brush, The best curling iron, The best hair dryerand Best diffuser for curly hair.
Updated May 2025: Added new dry shampoos from Davines, Divi, Pureology, Pharma-C and Biolage to ensure link and price accuracy.
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I have been using dry shampoo for over 20 years. This guide has tested over 25 popular widely available formulas multiple times on thick, long, hot-painting dark hair for almost four months. I used them. I used dry shampoo in my daily life. After training, I trained during my busy work and on my trip. We also sought the opinions of friends and family to have different types and hair textures when we needed a second or third opinion. I focused on effectiveness (did the hair still look nice at the end of the day?); ease of application; weight, stickiness, or presence of residue. Value; How fast and well blends in with the dry shampoo. And was the scent light or overwhelmed?
Tips for using dry shampoo
Dry Shampoo is a great tool for expanding struggling hairstyles and helps minimize hair damage by reducing the frequency required for heat styles. However, dry shampoo can only be accessed so far.
“Dry shampoo releases and cleans hair from natural oils, but does not remove large amounts of product,” says celebrity hair stylist Gallen, co-founder of hair products company R+Co. “It’s best to use on hair on the second or third day.” In other words, don’t skip the shower for a week. Expect dry shampoo to create a miracle. Also, dry shampoo should not be used continuously for more than a few days. This is because often used can cause scalp buildup and irritation.
Applying dry shampoo at night is another tactic recommended by many experts as it works to absorb oils during sleep. This is a particularly good option for dry shampoos that tend to get thicker. Garen also suggests running a blow dryer with a cold after applying dry shampoo. “If your hair is overly colored or brittle, you can sit on the surface of your hair if you don’t apply dry shampoo and blow it off with cold air,” he said. “This can make your hair stiff. It won’t damage your hair, but it will feel dry or hard.”
What is actually this?
There are countless dry shampoos that claim to revolutionize the dry shampoo experience, but most often, they work almost the same with absorbent starch, carrier agents, fragrances, and aerosol dry shampoos. In the past, many dry shampoos contained talc as an absorbent, which was often contaminated with asbestos. Some dry shampoos may still list it as ingredients, but none of the ones we recommend.
Some companies add starches as well as other natural absorbent minerals, such as kaolin crepes, diatomaceous earth, zeolites, charcoal powders and even volcanic ash. I also tried more unusual formulas like pastes, liquid sprays, and lotions, but I didn’t think the latter two were particularly effective on hair. For each dry shampoo we recommend, we tried to make marketing claims clearer by listing the key functional ingredients that help to absorb the oil.