Review
The Gloss Report: Dry shampoos
16 March 2018
1 / 11
The Gloss Report: Dry shampoos
With our busy lives there just isn't always enough time to squeeze in a hair wash - even we glossy crew skip it now and then. However, thanks to the ever-so-convenient invention of dry shampoo we have been managing to fake our suds sessions and stay fresh with a spritz here and a ruffle there.
Now a staple product in every woman's beauty drawer, we thought it about time we sort the winners from the losers and bring you a full round-up of which dry shampoos were able to breathe life into our limp locks and give us some much needed volume.
2 / 11
IGK Hair Jet Lag Invisible Dry Shampoo, £23 for 260g
The promise: “Invisible dry shampoo that erases mild dirt and oil without leaving it dry or brittle.”
We give it: 9/10
Review: “I use dry shampoo regularly, either to skip a hair wash (my hair needs washing daily) or to add volume when styling - but I’m used to white powder formulas that force me to keep an eye on my shoulders all day long. This, therefore, is a game changer; it really is invisible (at first I worried nothing was coming out). It’s made of finely milled volcanic ash to gently cleanse, has various natural extracts including ginger root, kiwi, mango and passion flower, and best of all has minimal fragrance and is vegan, cruelty free and sulphate free. It really does cleanse - I put it to the ultimate test post-facial, when my hair was greasy from an oily scalp massage, and within a few seconds my hair looked freshly glossy and blow dried, only without that chalky residue. It does have some grip to it though; it feels a little like hairspray until you (carefully) brush it through, but for fine and thin hair like mine that’s a bonus and kept that lifted volume in place for longer. The only downside is the price, but it's a huge can and I'll be using it for styling too. I might skip hair washes more often…”
Reviewer: JJ
3 / 11
COLAB Original Dry Shampoo, £3.50
The promise: "An amazing quick fix formula to absorb oil without white residue (after brushing) – for effortlessly refreshed hair in an instant."
We give it: 9/10
Review: “Dry shampoo plays a very important part of my hair routine as my roots tend to get greasy even after one day without a wash, so I need something to keep the oils at bay. I must say I’m not overly fussy when it comes to the dry shampoo that I use, as long as it freshens up my hair I am a happy customer. The original dry shampoo by COLAB (the brand created by beauty blogger Ruth Crilly ) is one of my go-tos as it’s cheap, cheerful and does exactly what it says on the tin! It mops up my greasy roots with just a few quick spritzes and also gives the hair a great boost of volume, something that I look for in a good dry shampoo. It’s not the most undetectable formula on the market, so fussy ones might want to bear this in mind, however it does the job in terms of results and I always make sure I have a can of this in my beauty stash. This particular love-themed packaging is one of my favs too!”
Reviewer: ATH
4 / 11
Living Proof Healthy Hair Dry Shampoo, £23
The promise: “Absorbs and removes oil, sweat and odour. Works on all hair colours because it leaves virtually no visible residue or powdery build-up behind.”
We give it: 7/10
Feedback: “A dry shampoo is a hair care staple of mine when it comes to boosting volume and disguising the effects of an overdue hair wash. On the day that I tested this out, my hair was extremely greasy - whichever product I was putting through its paces was going to have its work cut out for it. This was very impressive though - my hair was left less oily, it gave my roots loads of lift and there were no tell-tale white streaks left behind once it was massaged in. I would say though that its nozzle can be a little aggressive in terms of the amount of product it dispenses. It’s quite hard to make your spritzes short and sharp so as a result, it can feel a little overly drying. One for particularly greasy days, but those with fine hair might find it a little too much.”
Reviewer: AM
5 / 11
Philip Kingsley One More Day Dry Shampoo, £16
The promise: "The lightweight, ultra-fine spray refreshes and soothes both scalp and strands with friendly ingredients, eradicating excess dirt, oil, odour and sebum and keeping flakes and irritation at bay."
We give it: 9/10
Review: "I've never really used dry shampoos but was tempted by this one as it's created by expert trichologist Philip Kingsley. The spray itself was a lot more lightweight than I expected and had a fresh talcum powder-like smell that was actually very refreshing. The formula settled into my hair very quickly and felt very soothing on the scalp, leaving my hair feeling clean and silky with lots of volume and texture. Despite the fact that I've heard many people complain about experiencing an itchy scalp a few hours after using a dry shampoo, this one contains Allantoin and Bisabolol which are known to calm and relieve itchy or irritated skin, and I have to say they clearly worked as I had no issues right through until my next hair wash. One More Day left my scalp/hair looking and feeling perfect all day long. Definitely a keeper."
Reviewer: KB
6 / 11
Show Beauty Premiere Dry Shampoo, £30
The promise: "A volumising dry shampoo that absorbs impurities and oils whilst providing added texture and shine without leaving residue between styling."
We give it: 6/10
Review: “In my experience you can’t beat the good old “Batiste for Brunette” for a dry shampoo that’s value for money… but money aside, you do get something else from this brand, with its sleek dark packaging and crystallised lid. It has a lighter, powdered spray, meaning that it doesn’t make your hair feel heavy in the slightest. This lighter texture also means it is easier to ruffle through your hair, and because it’s colourless you can hardly tell you're wearing it. It also adds a natural-looking shine, leaving your hair fresher than other brands which tend to dull it down and give a flat one-fits-all shade when they’re coloured. The only down side apart from the cost is the scent. It reminds me of walking down the baked goods aisle of a supermarket, which some may like, but for me it was a little overbearing and I could still feel it lingering even after a hairwash.”
Reviewer: CK
7 / 11
Klorane Oat Milk Dry Shampoo, £8
The promise: "Extends the life of blow-drys and helps decrease the frequency of washing hair."
We give it: 8/10
Review: “As the sensitive-skinned member of the Gloss team I was pleased to give this Klorane dry shampoo a go as their formulas are well known for being gentle thanks to their natural ingredients. This didn’t disappoint - with oatmeal which is very calming for dry skin as well as softening plus nettle which can regulate sebum production, it worked a treat on my hair and gave me a bit of volume while freshening up my day-old hair. It did leave a lot of grey powder due to the force with which it comes out, so I had to make sure that was all eradicated before I left the house - but all in all it did what I needed it to.”
Reviewer: JJ
8 / 11
Percy and Reed Dry Shampoo, £12
The promise: "The unique formulation soaks up excess oil, cleanses the scalp and adds texture and body to fine hair, leaving your hair looking fresh, shiny and bouncy."
We give it: 7/10
Review: “I’ve never used dry shampoo as I’ve always been worried that it would make my fine hair seem flat and dull. This however did give my hair that newly washed feeling; it was soft and smooth, with added shine. It leaves the hair feeling less oily and dirty and a lot more refreshed, and I was surprised to see it didn’t flatten my hair down as much as I thought as it wasn’t a heavy product. It has a really light formula and the scent reminded me of a salon product which is always a bonus. However because it made my hair softer, it was quite flyaway so I couldn’t really create any volume to my hair. That said, I would use it again if I needed a quick boost after work if I hadn’t washed my hair that morning, but it’s no replacement for the real thing!”
Reviewer: SM
9 / 11
Bumble And Bumble Prêt-à-Powder, £23
The promise: "Equal parts dry shampoo, style extender and volume in a pinch."
We give it: 10/10
Review: "Previously I had a fairly heated and rather irrational hatred for dry shampoos, as with having quite thin hair I’ve always found them to ironically make my hair appear more greasy or dry it out so much I’m left with the bouffant of a pensioner. However, in a last ditch attempt to save on some shower time I gave this Bumble & Bumble product ago and it has totally rocked mine and my hair's world.
"Ideal for all hair types and textures this product is equal parts dry shampoo, style extender and volume in just one little pinch. Looking, smelling and in fact working a bit like talcum powder, simply shake the bottle lightly into the roots of your hair and massage until the powder is no longer visible. With just a ruffle here and a shuzz there you’re left with brighter, bouncier and cleaner looking hair. Not only working to hide a missed shower (or two) this powder is also perfect for when you want to max up the volume and add a little bounce into your 'do.
"It’s not the cheapest out there but think of all the money you’ll save on shampoo, conditioner AND volumising sprays - in fact I’d go as far to say it’s an absolute steal.The fact that it comes in a pretty pearlised pot is just the icing on the cake. I’ve bulk-bought a load in - God forbid it ever gets discontinued..."
Reviewer: KR
10 / 11
Batiste Dry Shampoo Original, £2.99
The promise: "Revitalises hair and removes any excess grease. Hair feels gorgeously clean and fresh with added body and texture."
We give it: 10/10
Review: "My first experience with Batiste was choking on it, as my sister excessively sprayed it into her hair (with extremely bad aim). My initial reaction to dry shampoo was negative - I thought that it seemed damaging to the roots and (after unpleasant experiences on the train) people didn’t need a justification to miss a shower.
"Fast forward 6 years later and I can't live without this stuff. This miracle-in-a-can helped ease the zombie appearance of late night university deadlines and late night university parties. You simply hold the can 30cm from your head and spray it into the roots. You'll be left looking like you have white hair (which can leave you feeling slightly panicked on your first time using it) but once you massage this into the hair, excess grease gets removed and it'll feel refreshed and clean.
"This is also great for adding a little bit of oomph to your look and comes in a selection of choices to suit your needs - from volumising to scented and even colouring, Batiste were one of the first major dry shampoos on the market and deserve their status as top dogs."
Reviewer: HI
11 / 11
Redken Pillow Proof Blow Dry Two Day Extender, £17.50
The promise: "An oil absorbing dry shampoo to instantly refresh and rejuvenate, without leaving visible white patches."
We give it: 10/10
Review: Non-chalky with a formula that doesn’t leave locks with a dusty residue, this has become my new festival essential for helping my hair feel just as fresh at the end as it did at the start (more or less). Refreshingly lightweight, only a few sprays were needed to make my blowdry last just a little bit longer and it sank in so quickly that I didn’t even notice it was there. A quick-fix way to make hair more manageable when you haven’t had a chance to wash it, it’s a definite SOS haircare must-have that every girl should have.
Reviewer: AM