Dry shampoo can feel like a lifesaver when you need a quick solution to clean your hair. It cuts on prep time and helps you avoid frequent washes - one of the biggest culprits when it comes down to maintaining hair health.

Yet, when done improperly, dry shampoo can be more of a nuisance than a solution, leaving you with flaky, flat hair that is nowhere near its cleanest, freshest look.

So, how do you dry shampoo hair without making the mistakes we've just mentioned? Simple!

If you stick to the following advice which we've summarised from expert hairstylists, you will see dry shampoo justifies its well-deserved spot as a hair care must-have that should always be available in your bathroom cupboard.

What is Dry Shampoo?

Dry shampoo is a powder or a paste used to clean your hair without washing it with water.

Some dry shampoos are great for removing dirt and buildup from all unwashed hair textures, straight and curly, and all in between. There are special paste-type shampoos that you can apply on coloured hair to enhance the colour.

Some products are intended only for specific hair types. Some peeps swear on using baking soda and cocoa powder as a natural DIY dry shampoo. Mix the right blend of both and you get a quick fix for light and dark hairs.

Blondes, you should lean towards baking soda powder more. Dark-haired girls, be generous with the cocoa powder.

If putting things that you would usually put in your stomach on your head doesn't sound like such a great idea, no worries - there are plenty of dry hair shampoos you can choose from on the market.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Dry Shampoo

• Holding the bottle too close to the scalp
• Applying too much shampoo
• Spraying the wrong hair section
• Slacking on the massage
• Picking the wrong colour
• Rubbing it instantly without leaving it for a while
• Using it daily

Be it as effortless as it is, dry shampooing requires following its basic rules to get the maximum effects.

So, how do you dry shampoo hair to get the most out of it? 

How To Dry Shampoo Hair: The Right (And Easy) Way to Do it

Even pro hairstylists turn to dry shampoo to discipline a naughty strand, style a day-after hair, or increase volume.

Here is how you should do dry shampoo, according to hair experts:

Step #1: Pick the right colour

No one really wants to end up looking like their roots have grown white all of a sudden and out of nowhere.

Too light, and people will start asking if you have forgotten to visit your salon for a colour renewal.

Too dark, and you will get that "I went one shade darker, but I did it myself and somehow didn't manage to pull it off" look.

Luckily, products like Design.ME Quickie Dry shampoo come in light and dark tones so you are sure to find something for your hair.

If in doubt about the colour, pick a neutral dry shampoo shade. You can remove the excess by brushing afterwards. Remember though that the final result may not be as perfect as with the right colour.

As a bonus, you might manage to add an extra day or two to your colouring schedule.

Step #2: Shake the bottle prior to use

This step might seem super simple but it is really important. You may be surprised to learn that not all people know dry shampoos work best when shaken and spread through equally.

Due to its powdery mix nature, a dry shampoo bottle needs to be shaken for at least 20 to 40 seconds prior to application to activate all ingredients. So, why not have some fun and make it a half-a-minute shake-a-thon? it's definitely much shorter than any hair wash!

Step #3: Split the hair into sections

don't just spritz the shampoo all over your scalp. Similarly to a regular hair wash, your roots require the greatest attention.

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For easier access to the roots, use a comb to split your hair into sections. In this way, you will develop a practice about how much product your hair really needs because you will be distributing the shampoo across the scalp in equal measure.

Step #4: Spray in short, directional bursts

Proper spraying is essential and maybe the most complex step of all, in terms of skills and experience. And you thought spraying was a kid's job!

For a precise application that doesn't spread to unwanted hair parts, for instance, overly dry split ends, be confident when spraying and direct the spritzer toward the greasy, dirty part, keeping the bottle about 6 to 8 inches far from the hair.

Don't hold the spritzer for too long, rather do it purposefully and quickly and don't oversaturate the hair with the product - it can create the opposite effect! Don't worry if you don't do it perfectly on your first try. Over time, dry shampooing will grow into your signature hair styling move.

Step #5: Massage the shampoo into the scalp

Never skip on the massage. Massage is key to stimulating dry shampoo to do its job properly. The mechanical movements of your fingers at your roots will help the shampoo infuse the hair fibres, eliminating the grease and the impurities, and activating the added nourishing components. In the end, brush or comb your hair from roots to tips to enhance the impact on all hair. You can also pick up your hairdryer and style your hair the usual way because the dry shampoo will restore some of its natural volume and bounciness.

3 Extra Tips to Dry Shampoo Your Hair

1. Among the many tips about how to dry shampoo hair, many miss mentioning the silky vs. matte effect. If you want the almost-perfect clean look, go for matte dry shampoos. You can get some shine, without the oils, with dry shampoos that are specialised for smooth and silky hair effects.
2. Dry shampoos are not only dirt and grease removers. They can also be filled with nutrients and keratin that feed your hair with essential minerals and vitamins.
3. Despite its powerful cleaning impact, dry shampoo is not a complete replacement for your regular hair-washing products. Treat your hair with water, and reach out for the dry shampoo bottle occasionally.

Which Dry Shampoo is Best?

There is no easy answer to this question. Clients have a variety of personal preferences, hairstyles, and hair qualities. Not all dry shampoos are perfect for all hair types or colours.

If you are looking for an at-home solution, you would be good with one or two dry shampoo bottles. But if you need to equip a professional salon, you will need more than that, including the knowledge of what is in the bottle that makes it a perfect fit for a particular client or occasion. 

We can simplify the quest for suitable dry shampoos by sharing the most important factors in deciding which dry shampoo is best. We point out what to look for in shampoo to avoid certain common issues of using the wrong dry shampoo.

On top of that, we will also recommend some of the best dry shampoos on the market. Knowing how to use dry shampoos is important to get the best results from any products which is why we covered that first.

Here are the important characteristics of dry shampoos you need to pay attention to when picking the right product for your hair needs

Oily Hair Solution

Fine and greasy hair owners will require a somewhat different dry shampoo than clients with a dryer scalp. In fact, if you have an oily scalp, you are most likely to reach out for the dry shampoo bottle more often. Shop our range of hair care products for oily hair.

Greasy hair usually needs frequent washing, but too much water and regular shampoo can cause a counter-effect. The oil glands in our scalp may produce more sebum and worsen the greasy hair condition. Dry shampoo is a beneficial solution that can help you remove the excess oil and still doesn't overburden the scalp with mechanical rubbing and drying. To treat your oily hair with dry shampoo, we recommend: Davroe Revive Dry Shampoo

For Brunettes

Most dry shampoos nowadays have well-developed formulas that don't leave too much chalky residue in the hair. Nonetheless, they are not all one and the same. If you have tested a few brands, you know that some leave less, and some leave more powdery stuff that could potentially mess up a good cleaning effect. 

Blondes may be fine with that since the whitish residue is invisible in lighter nuances - some are even purposefully made to colour blond hair and avoid the dark root issue. But for brunettes, that can be a real problem. No one likes to look like the flour from the cake they made ended up in their hair instead of in their dessert!

Therefore, look for ones made specifically for light and dark brown hair, or black hair.

If you are wondering which is best for brunettes and other darker shades, we recommend: Design Me Quickie Me Dry Shampoo Dark Tones

3. Quick-fix Light Formula

As a hairstylist, you often need a quick root degreaser or a volume replenisher for certain hair parts that need to be full of va-va-voom while others need to be sleek and neatly stuck to the head. On such occasions, dry shampoo can save the day. Lighter formulas do not weigh in the hair. Yet, they still do what they were essentially made to do - clean and volumise hair. 

Light sprays are convenient for dry, damaged hair or hair with split ends that must be treated with care when trying new products. There are light dry shampoo products designed especially for dry hair and for partial, quick-fix hairstyling. Here is what we recommend: Design Me Quickie Me Dry Shampoo Light

4. Volume Booster

It is not a big secret that you can replenish volume with dry shampoo. The tiny sprayed particles create extra space between fibres by removing grease and humidity and keeping the air in, making the hair bouncy and voluminous. Clients are pleasantly surprised when they see the flatness gone. 

The best part of adding volume to your hairstyle with dry shampoos is that you don't need to use the brush and the hairdryer. Without the heat, you can prevent frizz and split ends and maintain healthy, shiny hair for much longer than if you wash your hair daily, or every other day. 

Apart from boosting volume, these products are good growth promoters. Since you will keep the hair healthy, you won't need to opt for the scissors that often. To boost hair volume with dry shampoo, we recommend: Goldwell Kerasilk Repower Volume Dry Shampoo

5. Waterless Deep Cleanser

Cleansing is the dominant aspect of all dry shampoo products. After all, wasn't that the initial idea?

After discovering all the additional dry shampoo benefits, you just need to find your regular salon or at-home bottle that will do the job well. Sometimes, you need that product to do what it was supposed to do all along - deep-cleanse your hair. 

Deep cleansing dry shampoos may be slightly more aggressive on the hair, meaning they most likely resemble the water-and-foam effect that comes naturally with standard water-washing shampoos. To deep cleanse, remove static, and refresh your hair with dry shampoo, we recommend using Design Me Quickie Me Dry Shampoo Foam

6. Frizz Control

If you need a product that will help prevent frizz, we'd recommend trying Batiste. This brand offers so many options for all hair types and they all smell incredible. While we don't stock them, you can get them from most supermarkets or local chemists.

Just apply a small amount on the roots of your hair while holding the can some distance from your scalp. This product tends to leave some powder residue but it brushes in easily and once you master it, you'll eventually stop overusing it when you get the perfect arms-length away. This is great for a home-use product but you'll probably want to consider one of the above products for salon use.

The above six examples touch on the basics of the dry shampoo hunt. To help make up your mind about which is the best among hundreds of products, you may want to consider a few additional deciding factors.

Other Considerations Choosing a Dry Shampoo

1. Is the shampoo a vegan-friendly option?
2. Can you clearly check the ingredients and explain them to your clients?
3. How long does it need to stay in the hair?
4. Do you prefer a shiny, matte or semi-matte finish?
5. Does it have UV protection?
6. Does it come with an assortment of supplementary brand products you can order at one go?
7. Are there different bottle sizes to choose from?
8. Who are your customers and what are their hairstyling needs?

There you go, we hope we made your search a tad bit easier. Most hairstylists need a bit of test-and-try practice before they decide what is their preference.

Whatever you go for, and you can shop our range of dry shampoos here, dry shampoo will be one of your favourite products with multiple advantages. Even if you only use it occasionally it will likely be a handy part of your hair care arsenal.