Dry shampoo is one of the most important products in my routine. Sure, it doesn’t sound as splurge-worthy as some of the more colorful and luxurious green beauty products, but it ranks as a necessity in my book. I have hair that’s fine and prone to oiliness at the roots about 24 hours after being washed. Dry shampoo allows me to go without washing my hair for at least three days, which is not only convenient — it’s way healthier for my locks. Washing hair too frequently disturbs the natural balance of oils that protect your scalp and moisturize your hair. It leads to a dry, itchy scalp and hair that is brittle and prone to tangling and breakage. Hopefully by now you’re using a natural shampoo that is free of some of the worst ingredients for your scalp and hair, like sodium lauryl sulfates. This will help rebalance your scalp’s production of oil and strengthen your hair. In addition, adding a dry shampoo to your routine will continue to help balance your natural oils and give you great looking hair in the process.
What’s this about great looking hair? I know what you’re thinking — dry shampoo can be a messy endeavor. You may have tried dry shampoo in the past and felt that the results were more like a powdered wig than anything else. Learning to properly apply dry shampoo with a light hand is the key to getting fresh, full hair. Over do it and your hair can look chalky and weighed-down. Get it right and your hair will likely look better than it does right after it’s washed. Here’s how to do it:
- Brush hair from the roots to tips with a bristle brush. This helps redistribute the natural oils through the shaft of the hair.
- Sprinkle dry shampoo into a small dish. You should need less than a teaspoon or so to get started.
- Use a large clean powder brush to apply the dry shampoo to your roots. Dip the brush into the dry shampoo and tap to dust off excess. Using a comb to separate hair into segments, lightly brush the dry shampoo through the roots of your hair.
- After brushing dry shampoo throughout your roots, flip your head over and massage your roots with your fingertips to distribute.
- Finally, brush through your hair with your regular brush to smooth and style.
Applying dry shampoo with a powder brush allows you to distribute evenly and lightly, which helps you avoid over doing it. I like to apply dry shampoo before I go to bed and then wrap my hair into a bun for fresh, full hair in the morning. I also like to sprinkle a little dry shampoo onto my roots after washing and drying my hair because it gives my hair more body and texture. One final note about dry shampoo: while I would normally DIY something as simple as dry shampoo, I don’t think DIY is the way to go here. The dry shampoos I’ve purchased, like One Love Organic’s Healthy Locks Dry Shampoo, use powders and clays that are very finely milled and give much better results than anything I’ve mixed myself.
