Dry shampoo is a quintessential collegiette beauty product—it’s easy to use and makes a huge difference in your overall appearance! The miracle that is dry shampoo transforms bed head and day-old hair into locks that look like they were just styled (and we’ll vouch for anything that makes us look like we spent more time on our looks than we actually did!).
While dry shampoo cannot completely replace regular washing, it’s an easy way to freshen up on a busy schedule, like right between afternoon yoga and Thai food with your bestie. “Washing” without water can be a lifesaver when you wake up late with no time to style your hair. Dry shampoos can also hold you over when it’s an inconvenient time or place to shower—think music festivals or overnight trips.
These underrated hygiene helpers are widely available and have earned a spot in our beauty closet, right next to hairspray. We’ve selected some of the best dry shampoos on the market for you to check out, all arranged by price point. See why hairstylists and Her Campus readers are raving about these seven in particular!
1. The Lion Mane Tamer
Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Dry Shampoo, Ulta, $5.99 (7-oz can)
Big hair needs big help. Luckily, there’s a lot more to this product than its adorable packaging! Jen Morgan, a sophomore at Messiah College, says it works well with her thick, wavy hair. Clean Freak Dry Shampoo absorbs excess oil from even the wildest jungles of hair and leaves a refined, light matte finish.
The Not Your Mother’s website recommends applying a generous amount and using a hairbrush to work the product evenly through your hair. Hairstylist John Francis Maseda of John Francis Beauty says girls with thick hair can also spray dry shampoo on the ends of their hair to make styling easier. This is because using dry shampoo will help absorb product at the ends of the hair as well as absorb oil at the roots. Maseda says that girls with thicker hair don’t need to rely on dry shampoo for texture, though, because the hair is already coarse.
2. The Straight Hair Savior
psssst! Instant Spray Shampoo, Drugstore.com, $6.99 (5.3-oz can)
This product is a personal favorite of Celebrity Hairstylist and New Image Beauty Expert Ursula Stephen. She uses it frequently because it effectively removes oily buildup and buys her time in between shampoo periods when she’s in a bind. She says it works especially well for girls with straight hair or chemically relaxed hair.
For the best results, shake the can between uses and before every application. Then spray your hair from six to eight inches away, lifting sections of hair and covering your entire scalp. Let the product sit for a few minutes before brushing your hair.
3. The Invisible Wash
Biotera Invisible Dry Shampoo, Sally Beauty, $7.69 (4.5-oz can)
One of Maseda’s top recommendations, this product vanishes immediately after application, unlike some dry shampoos that make you feel like you’re wearing a veil of powder. The formula controls excess oil so you are left with shiny hair instead of greasy hair. The dry shampoo gives your hair more texture and body by reducing the amount of grease near your roots that can contribute to a flat hairstyle.
If you use this product in place of regular shampooing, you can prolong the life of colored hair because washing with water makes dyed hair fade faster. To use, shake the can and spray your hair and scalp (especially the roots) from eight inches away.
4. The Light-as-a-Feather Fix
Batiste Dry Shampoo (Original), Ulta, $7.99 (5.05-oz can)
This dry shampoo is as sheer as the fabric the company is named after (batiste is a fine light cotton material). Kelsey Mulvey, a senior at Boston University and HC’s How She Got There editor, says she swears by this lightweight product. “With some of the dry shampoos I’ve tried, my hair always feels like there’s so much product in it after a quick spray,” she says. “Luckily, Batiste does the job wonderfully and leaves your hair feeling as fresh as it can feel without taking a shower.”
To apply, hold the can a foot away from your roots, spray and massage the product into your scalp. The fine application of Batiste’s dry shampoo will give your hair a much need uplift (minus the “stiff as a board” feeling!). Batiste has an extensive line of dry shampoos that include sultry and fruity scents.
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5. The Color Booster
Hint of Color Dry Shampoo, Ulta, $8.99 (6.73-oz can)
Another novelty from Batiste, this dry shampoo will both color and clean your hair. This line of tinted formulas offers three shades to spice up to locks of any hue. The light option is made for brilliant blondes, the medium option accommodates a range of beautiful brunettes and the dark option is perfect for those with deep hair colors. With a colored dry shampoo, you don’t have to worry about the powdery appearance that comes with some other mattifying sprays.
However, beware of the color rubbing off on your clothes or your skin.
This dry shampoo does leave a bit of residue on when it comes in contact with other objects, so use it sparingly!
6. The Nourishing Cleaner
Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk, Drugstore.com, $18 (3.2-oz can)
The name alone is comforting enough to woo us! Another one of Stephen’s recommendations, this dry shampoo uses corn and rice starch to stamp out dirt and oil in your hair. The formula is also made with oat milk, among other natural ingredients, to soften and protect your hair (you won’t find any parabens or sulfates in this ingredients list!).
To use, hold the can 10 inches away from your head and spray only your scalp and roots (the formula is not meant to be applied to the length of your hair).
7. The Extra-Dry Formula
Rene Furterer Naturia Dry Shampoo, Beauty.com, $24 (3.2-oz can)
If you wake up with oily hair (despite showering the night before), reach for this powerful product instead of the shower curtain. Maseda says Rene Furterer’s dry shampoo is especially effective in combating excess oil because of its chalky texture. He cautions collegiettes to apply with a light hand though, because too much product can result in a dusty look. Due to the powdery nature, Maseda say this dry shampoo works best on blondes (the light product stands out more on darker hair colors).
Maseda says the product “create[s] body and coarseness to the hair for styling” and that many hairstylists (like himself) use dry shampoo as styling aid rather than something to clean hair. However, he says many women do use it because it “will extend washing hair by absorbing oils at the roots as well as absorb product through the ends.”
Maseda suggests dry shampoo as a styling tool for girls with fine or soft hair in particular because it adds to the texture and gives hair coarseness. He says this “can add body and make soft, silky hair easier to pin.”
Now you have no excuse for greasy roots! One of the best things about dry shampoo is that it’s a breeze to use. A quick spray before heading out the door can make a drastic difference in how you feel for the rest of the day (we’ve all had those hat days!). Dry shampoos are a great touch-up for breaks between classes, so toss a travel-sized can into your purse or book bag to stay fresh all day (it’ll be our little beauty secret!).