For those who wish to clean dirty hair yet are short on water--or time--dry shampoo is a viable alternative to washing your hair. Dry shampoos come in two forms: aerosol spray or loose powder. Neither actually cleans your hair, but instead helps to blot excess oil, making your hair appear cleaner. While they're seemingly easy to use, you'll need to use specific techniques to successfully clean your hair.
Step 1
Comb through your hair before applying the dry shampoo. This helps to distribute oils more evenly and eliminate tangles before you apply the dry shampoo.
Step 2
Lift your hair at the crown of your head (where hair tends to be oiliest) and lightly spray the dry shampoo to the roots and about 1 to 2 inches above the scalp. If you are using a powder dry shampoo, gently shake the powder onto the scalp in the crown area.
Step 3
Massage the powder into the crown, paying extra attention to spots where your hair appears oily. Massage is as though you were lathering regular shampoo.
Step 4
Wait three to five minutes. This allows the active ingredients, which include clay, silica and rice and cornstarch powders, to better absorb oils.
Step 5
Comb or brush your hair out, taking care to make sure you remove all powder from your scalp. Avoid using your fingers, as it could transfer oils back to the hair.
Step 6
Flip your hair upside down and shake your hair to ensure all flakes or powder have been freed. To eliminate mess, do this over a bathtub.
Tips and Warnings
- In addition to the crown of your hair, dry shampoo can be applied anywhere your hair looks or feels oily. This can include the nape of your neck or sides of your hair.
- When it comes to dry shampoo, a little goes a long way. Avoid spraying too much as this can mean you will be shaking powder out of your hair all day.
Things You'll Need
- Comb or natural-bristle brush
