The *correct* way to apply dry shampoo
Bad news: You’ve probably been doing it wrong this whole time
Fact: Dry shampoo is an absolute saint of a product. A few spritzes is all it takes to sop up extra oil and zhoosh up limp strands for a clean just-showered look. But even though most of us having been using it for yonks, you’ve probably been applying it wrong this entire time.
Put your hand up if you usually just spray dry shampoo willy nilly all over the top of your head? And then kind of rub it in and go? Don’t get us wrong, it probably makes your hair look voluminous and fluffy, but beneath all that jazz is a whole other story, girl.
See, if you apply dry shampoo incorrectly, it can actually be super unhealthy for your scalp; uneven application can exacerbate product build-up and cause your scalp to become irritated and pissed-off. Cue flakiness, itchiness and everything you don’t want for your beloved scalp.
To help you avoid screwing up your scalp health, we’re going to do everyone a solid and provide an easy peasy breakdown of how you’re actually supposed to apply dry shampoo.
The toolkit
You’ll obviously need a dry shampoo (surprise!). For the most seamless results for dark hair, go with a tinted option. We used Batiste Dry Shampoo Brunette, but if you have lighter hair, go for the blonde variant. You will also want to have a good comb on hand (we used Lady Jayne Comb Wet Care).
1
Give yourself some distance
Starting with dry (presumably dirty) hair, begin by holding the dry shampoo around 15cm away from your scalp.
2
Spray your roots
To give yourself a solid, freshly-washed look, you’ll have to divide your hair into sections. The best way to do this is to slide a finger through your hair to lift a section, and simply spray at the roots. Repeat in sections, moving down from the top of your scalp.
3
Massage it into your scalp
Once you have sprayed dry shampoo evenly throughout your roots, blend the powder by massaging it into your scalp with your fingertips. For added volume you can flip your hair upside down and shake out your roots.
4
Comb it through
After working the product through your hair, you’re going to need to smooth things out a little (without wrecking the awesome volume you’ve got going on!). Gently comb through your strands from roots to tips to ensure you get rid of any visible residue.
The final look
And that’s how you apply dry shampoo the *correct* way!
Wondering how often you should actually wash your hair? Check out what this hair expert had to say.
What’s your favourite dry shampoo and why? Let us know in the comment section below.
Main and inset image credit: Sevak Babakhani
Hair and makeup credit: Sarah Laidlaw
Erin Docherty is a Beauty Writer for BEAUTYcrew, Beauty Editor for Women's Health magazine and a Grooming Writer for Men's Health magazine. She has a keen interest in cosmeceutical skin care and is currently working on minimising her 9-step skin care routine – because ain’t nobody got time for that. When she’s not writing about the latest beauty news, or applying copious amounts of serum, you can find her spending all her money in Sephora.
