Dry Shampoo Tips, Tricks, and Recommendations

Up until the last year or so, I washed my hair every. single. day. Since I have long, thick hair, this was no small investment of time and energy. I had heard of dry shampoo, of course, but the one time I tried to use it, I purchased the cheapest drugstore variety I could find and I was not impressed. (You get what you pay for.)

After reading several recommendations on various beauty blogs, I gave dry shampoo a second try and now I'm a huge fan! I wash my hair usually only every third day now, and I love it! Not only does it save me time in the morning, but I've found that second- and third- day hair hold curls and braids more easily too.

The most important things to remember when using dry shampoo? 

1. Choose one that blends well into the hair, leaving no visible residue. (I've found this to be true with all the brands I'm listing below.)
2. Always spray in short, quick bursts at the roots of your hair from underneath, shaking the can regularly.
3. Blend, blend, blend, by rubbing your roots vigorously with your fingertips.
4. Don't over-apply, especially if you'll be going more than one day between shampoos--the product does tend to build up and you don't want to weigh down your hair, just freshen it up.

Considering that I've only been using dry shampoo for a relatively short period of time, I've had the chance to try several different brands. All of the dry shampoos I'm listing here are products I would recommend -- they all blend well into the hair without leaving any visible residue and they are all effective. But I do prefer some over the others for various purposes and reasons:

Herbal Essences Naked Dry Shampoo - This has a nice minty fresh scent that doesn't linger too much. I would call this my top pick thanks to it's combination of effectiveness, scent, and price.

Dove Refresh+Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo (not pictured) - Another great drugstore choice if you're on a budget. I only prefer the Herbal Essences over this one because of the scent.

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Blush - This is a great choice for travel, because it comes in a handy 1.6 oz size as well as the full size. 

KMS California Hair Play Makeover Spray (not pictured) - Another good travel choice, but pricier than the Batiste. I really like the light fragrance of this one too. It would be my favorite, if not for the price.

Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo - Another nice, lightly scented choice, but definitely on the pricey side. (I used Birchbox points to purchase mine after trying a sample and loving it, which made it more affordable.)

Do you use dry shampoo? Which one is your favorite?