Is Dry Shampoo Right For You?

You may have heard of the many wonders of a product called dry shampoo. This convenient product is widely touted in some beauty circles, but the cynic in you might be wondering if this product can really offer anything to you in particular. Dry shampoo is a powder that you can apply to your hair to absorb the excess oil and make it look cleaner and smell fresher. Although many people use it successfully, whether or not it is a good fit for you depends on your hair styling habits, your hair's condition and texture, and your budget.

First, consider how frequently you wash your hair. If you wash your hair daily and actually enjoy this process, you probably have no need for waterless shampoo. Perhaps you are one of the lucky few who can wash your hair and let it air dry and it looks perfect. If so, thank your lucky stars and stick to your routine. But if you are like most people and washing your hair is a bit of production, powder shampoo can help. For many of us, washing our hair is followed by conditioning, then blow-drying, then heat styling such as straightening, which adds up to a lot of time spent in the bathroom. Most of us wish we could get away with doing all of this less often, and dry shampoo enables us to take the easy way out sometimes. Also, people who travel or camp a lot will find it useful because it means lighter packing and a quicker beauty routine on the go.

Hair condition and texture also play a role in determining if dry shampoo is right for you. If your hair gets greasy quickly, dry shampoo is made with you in mind. Since its primary effect is absorbing the oil in your hair, then it is great to keep on hand even if you do enjoy washing your hair frequently as you can use it for touchups throughout the day. On the other hand, if your hair is very dry, you may not even need it because you might be able to go a few days between washings without having the telltale slick look. If your hair is colored, dry shampoo can help you prolong the time between colorings since frequent washings are a surefire way to fade your color quickly. And if you use a lot of heat styling, this is a great way to give your hair a break from all of those damaging tools.

Budget is another consideration for this product. Although you can find hair powder in any price range, some of the best dry shampoos can be pricey. Some people consider the convenience worth the effort. Also, when weighed against the cost of styling products and even your utility bills from using heat styling tools, it can actually work out to be cheaper. If cost is a big concern, you can also make your own, although it won't work as well as the commercial products.