Dry Shampoo 101: What is It and How Does It Work?

You’ve probably heard about dry shampoo from a beauty blogger or TikTok influencer, or at least seen it on the hair care aisle in your favorite store. But if Google and TikTok are to be believed, you have questions about dry shampoo like what it actually does, when you can use it, and if it’s good for your hair type.

We’re the #1 selling dry shampoo, and we have answers to your dry shampoo questions. Read on for your cheat sheet for Dry Shampoo 101 and soon you’ll be a fresh-hair-between-washes-SME.

What is Dry Shampoo & What Does It Actually Do

Dry shampoo is a personal care product made of an absorbent starch such as rice, aluminum, tapioca. When applied to your hair or scalp, dry shampoo absorbs grease and oils and adds fragrance, helping refresh your hair, make it look less greasy, and leave it looking and smelling clean.

Some dry shampoos contain keratin, an animal-based protein, and others are vegan, containing plant-based proteins.

Are There Different Types of Dry Shampoo?

Dry shampoo comes in powders, pastes, and sprays. Powder dry shampoo is sprinkled onto your scalp and rubbed through your hair. Paste dry shampoo is rubbed between your hands and massaged onto your scalp. Most dry shampoos come in an aerosol can and is applied to your roots from about 6”-8” away.

Which type of dry shampoo you choose depends on your needs and preferences. If you’re looking for a non-aerosol dry shampoo, consider a powder or paste. However, those come with cons as well.

• Powder dry shampoos come in smaller packages, but it can be easy to use too much if you tip the container too hard. It can also be harder to apply powder dry shampoo directly to the roots of your hair.
• Dry shampoo pastes provide control for precise application, but they don’t distribute through your hair as well as powders and sprays.
• Spray dry shampoo is less messy, fast-to-use and distributes more evenly and easily into the hair.

All Batiste™ Dry Shampoos are aerosol sprays to give you a superior experience. If you’re looking for a small size dry shampoo spray, try Batiste™ Travel Size, which easily fits in purses, gym bags, makeup kits and desk drawers.

Some dry shampoos have additional benefits in their formula for specific needs and hair types. Examples include volumizing , texturizing, sweat-activated , touch-activated and overnight. Plus, you can choose among different fragrances of dry shampoo, depending on whether you’re feeling floral, fruity, or spicy.

What’s the difference between dry shampoo and shampoo?

Shampoo requires water and dry shampoo does not. Surfactants like SLS in shampoos bond to dirt and oils and rinse away with water. Dry shampoo contains starch to absorb dirt and oils, then brush or shake out. Dry shampoo goes on dry hair and can be used without showering or rinsing your hair.

Dry Shampoo is a great substitute on days that you don’t want to wash hair, or days where you want to extend your style. However, it should not be completely substituted for regular shampoo. Dry shampoo, shampoo, and conditioning treatments are all part of a regular hair care regimen and are used at different times to help keep your hair healthy.

When Should You Use Dry Shampoo?

Use dry shampoo when you need a refresh between washes. Use it in the morning if you want to keep your hair from looking greasy. Add dry shampoo midday if you’ve gotten sweaty or want to freshen up. If you’re not planning to shampoo, you can also use dry shampoo before bed so it can absorb oils overnight.

Follow our tips for how to use dry shampoo to make sure you’re getting all the benefits.

Is it Okay to Use Dry Shampoo Every Day?

Like everything in life, it’s possible to get too much of a good thing. Dry shampoo doesn’t replace shampooing your hair, but it can help keep you from over-shampooing. Use dry shampoo between washes, 2- 4 days per week, depending on how many times you wash your hair.

If you experience dry hair, then consider adding a conditioner or leave-in hair mask to your routine. If you’re using dry shampoo with braids, twists, or faux locs to absorb shine and oils on your scalp, be sure to also moisturize. Get more tips on how to use dry shampoo with braids in our guide.

Can You Leave Dry Shampoo In Overnight?

Dry shampoo can be used overnight to absorb oils and freshen your hair while you sleep. Wake up feeling fresh and brush or style your hair in the morning.

Try a dry shampoo formula made for this purpose like Batiste™ Overnight Dry Shampoo.

Can You Use Dry Shampoo on Wet Hair?

Dry shampoo is made to use on dry hair. It’s ok to use dry shampoo on hair that is damp from sweat or working out, but it’s not designed for use on wet hair. If you’ve just showered and shampoo, you don’t need dry shampoo – save that for between washes when you need a refresh.

And if you’re looking to use dry shampoo after swimming or getting caught in the rain, wait for your hair to be mostly dry before using. Dry shampoo means no water – you don’t need to get your hair wet to use it, and in fact, you shouldn’t! Dry shampoo on dry hair.

Can You Use Dry Shampoo after a Brazilian Blowout?

Dry shampoo can help extend the life of your Brazilian Blowout by helping refresh your hair without having to wash and reset – and lose your sleek, straight locks. Between Blowouts, use dry shampoo on your roots, let it absorb for a few minutes, then either brush or finger comb to distribute.

To add that just-got-out-of-the-salon sheen back to your Blowout, try Batiste™ Touch of Gloss Shine Spray along your strands to up the glam and glimmer.

Can You Use Dry Shampoo after Working Out?

Using dry shampoo after working out is one of the best times to use it! Dry shampoo on your roots will help removes sweat, grease and oils and infuse your hair with a fresh clean scent.

Learn more about dry shampoo after a workout with our tips and tricks.

Batiste™ Products are Part of Healthy Hair Care

Use Batiste™ Dry Shampoo between washes for fresh, clean feeling and the fragrance you love. For deep conditioning, try Batiste™ Overnight Leave-In Hair Mask for convenient, no-rinse hydration. Or choose Batiste™ Bare Dry Shampoo , when you want clean hair without any added fragrance. Keep all three in your go bag so you’re ready to freshen, hydrate, or add shine whenever you need a little extra.