Dry shampoo: What you should know

There’s been a lot in the press about dry shampoo, pretty much ever since it first hit the shelves. At first, it was pitched as a revolutionary new product- a life saver, almost, there for us in our greasy-hair moments in the same way that deodorant is for sweat- but then the scare stories began. There was talk that regular use of dry shampoo could cause itching, irritability, and even hair loss, to name but a few unpleasant symptoms.

There are probably a few of you out there that completely cut your use of dry shampoo after hearing the rumours, and there are also probably a few of you who thought toss it, if I’ve got greasy hair, I’m still going to use the stuff. Whichever you are (or even if you’ve never tried dry shampoo before), we’ve done your research for you, and we’re here to tell you the real truth about the stuff.

First thing’s first: dry shampoo isn’t actually bad for your hair; it’s your scalp you should be worried about. Over-using dry shampoo can cause your scalp to become irritable and flaky- so unfortunately those rumours were true. But before you chuck your stash of Batiste away, it’s not the actual shampoo that causes the irritation- it’s the fact that many people don’t wash their hair as often as they should when they use it. Your scalp still needs to be cleansed in order to allow for new hair growth, and not doing so can lead to a microbial build-up, which can lead to problems such as Seborrhoeic Dermatitis.

And what about hair growth? Because dry shampoo essentially coats the hair, and is not absorbed, it can clog the follicles on your scalp, blocking new hair growth. It can also cause strands of your hair to stick together, meaning some extra hairs might be pulled out of your head attached to others during brushing. Again, though, this is only with excess application of the product, paired with a lack of hair washing.  

So how can we avoid overuse of dry shampoo? What is actually considered “too much”? Well, applying dry shampoo on a daily basis would be considered excessive use. It isn’t the sort of product that’s designed to be used alongside your morning cleansing and makeup routine- treat it for emergencies only. And by emergencies, we mean waking up to discover your hair is greasier than that pizza you ate last night and you have a hot date/important work meeting/speech to give later that day. (Note: if you’re staying in all day, or just nipping to the shops, your greasy hair can stay greasy- it’s not the end of the world).

Our verdict is this: dry shampoo isn’t the horrific product that some people are making it out to be. If that was the case, it just wouldn’t sell anymore; let’s face it. We don’t see why it can’t be used as an emergency grab-and-go solution when you physically don’t have time to wash your hair before leaving the house. If you want to play it a little safer, look for products that are all-natural, non-aerosol and eco-friendly. There are plenty around.

Image credit: Matrix