Tag: affordable beauty

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If you’ve been here a while, you know that I have dry skin. My scalp is the same way… So I can go a solid week without washing my hair. That doesn’t mean a week with no dry shampoo, though. I usually need dry shampoo by the third day after washing. I use it for more than just oil absorption though. I add it to my roots for volume as well. Not to mention, I’m a mom of two wild little boys, so the amount of time I have to wash and dry my hair… is limited.

When I’m looking for a dry shampoo, I’m looking at several aspects. First, does it actually work? If it does the job I’m looking for then I look for a few other things. Does it leave a white cast? Does it smell good? Does it make my hair feel gross, or does it actually make it feel cleaner?

As with everything… This is a personal preference. What works for me might not work for you! And that’s okay! These are my opinions and you are entitled to yours.

First up, this Klorane dry shampoo with oat milk. Overall, of every single dry shampoo I’ve tried, this is probably my absolute favorite. It has almost no scent, maybe a slightly clean scent, but no heavy perfumes. Its a white-ish powder, but hardly leaves a white cast in my hair. They actually sell a version for darker hair as well. It truly does absorb all of the oils from my scalp. My hair truly feels clean when I’ve used this. It’s a little bit pricey, and it comes in a smaller size can than most, but I believe its worth it.

This Klorane is the same it just isn’t in an aerosol can. Which I like because its better for the environment and just in general. It has the same qualities as the aerosol can. You just squeeze the bottle and it puffs out. I can’t say enough good things about this dry shampoo. Unfortunately this style of bottle does not come in a darker hair version.

This Drybar Detox Whipped Dry Shampoo Foam is definitely an interesting one. I personally love it. It smells amazing (like everything from Drybar), leaves no white cast at all (because its a foam and you rub it right into your roots) and I think it gives my hair tons of volume. However, if you use too much, this can get out of hand and make your hair feel cakey and gross. A little bit goes A LONG WAY. If you have really greasy hair, I would absolutely pass on this one. If you’ve got dry hair, you’ll probably like this.

My best friend has much more oily skin than I do. At first she liked this, but after a few uses, she realized that she didn’t love it as much as she thought. She felt as though it made her hair look greasier than it was to begin with. All a matter of your skin type and preference. If your thinking about this one, I’d probably try a smaller size. If you want it for the amazing scent, I’d go with the traditional Drybar dry shampoo. It works really well too!

This Amika Perk Up dry shampoo is a really good basic dry shampoo! It doesn’t leave a terrible white cast. It has a nice scent that’s not too over powering. One thing I like about Amika is that you can get find a lot of package deals on their website. Not to mention the super fun packaging!

Dove Dry shampoo is a super affordable dry shampoo. It does the job, but I feel like it leaves my hair feeling a little bit chalky. It doesn’t seem to absorb as well into my hair as the others. I have also noticed it definitely leaves a white cast. It smells really good though, and this sample size I have is perfect for on the go. It’s not my favorite out there but it works in a pinch.

This Living Proof PHD Dry shampoo gets a lot of hype. And for good reason! It really is as good as people say it is. I love how it makes my hair feel so clean! However, it does leave a white cast. I don’t even have dark brown hair. I have to rub it in pretty well. To me, that’s not an issue because the dry shampoo works so well for me. It has a really light, clean smell. The only thing I would complain about is the white cast.

Oribe… Oribe is an extremely pricey brand if you ask me. It’s the most expensive product I’m talking about today. Do I like this dry shampoo? I loved it. Do I love the price? Absolutely not. I’ve seen it ranging in the $43-$46 range. I think that that price is absurd. Especially when there are brands out there that are literally a fraction of the price and do the same thing.

Don’t misread what I’m saying. I REALLY liked this dry shampoo! Like so much that I kind of want to buy another… But I cannot swallow the pill of spending that kind of money. I got it in my FabFitFun box, and basically paid for the dry shampoo and the rest of the box was free. If you have the money and are okay with spending it. I highly recommend this product. But if you’re a saver.. or on a budget… I’d say skip it.

It doesn’t leave a white cast at all. It really does make my hair feel clean. I’m actually really sad that I used it all up. But I did use it sparingly, so it lasted me a long time.

This No Drought from Lush is amazing. It smells so good and it seems to replenish itself when I’m not looking. Just kidding. But I’ve had this since October and used it many times, and it doesn’t even look like it. It’s a loose powder, so its a little bit different than your standard dry shampoo, but it works really well. I am a huge fan of Lush products, because they don’t have any bad ingredients and are all natural. On top of that, they smell SO GOOD!

There are a few others that I’ve tried and really like, but don’t currently have in my bathroom.. because, well, I clearly don’t need them.

A staple dry shampoo is Batiste. Its all around a great workhorse of a dry shampoo. It does leave a white cast, but they do have a dark hair version if you have issues with the white powder. You can buy a small, medium, or large of the original. They also make a ton of fragrances, although some of them are a bit too strong for me. So there is a ton of variety when it comes to this affordable brand. Batiste Dry Shampoo – $9

Another great affordable option is EVA NYC. This is a great basic dry shampoo and it does a great job. I honestly don’t remember what it smells like, because I haven’t used it in a while, but that tells me that it wasn’t a strong smell. EVA NYC Freshen Up Dry Shampoo – $12

One last affordable brand is Hask. I think I went through 7 different bottles of this. I honestly didn’t have a preference for one over the other, I really liked all of the different types that I tried. Its a great affordable option! HASK Biotin Thickening Dry Shampoo – $8

Dry Conditioners

While we are talking about dry shampoos, I don’t want to neglect the ends of my hair. I heat style, probably more than I should… depending on the week and what I’ve got going on. I usually use my blow drying brush the day I wash my hair and then two or three days later I usually use my wand to curl it for the remainder of the time until the next wash. I might straighten it if I want it straight for another day. I might also add a few curls to my previously curled hair if I feel like I need it.

I know that heat styling is not great for your hair, so I thought I’d try some dry conditioners. I’ve used both the Drybar and Amika shown below and really like them both. I just mist them lightly on the ends of my hair on the fourth or fifth day after washing. Both of them give my hair a great smell and leave it feeling soft, but not greasy. These products would probably really benefit someone with much drier, courser hair as well.

Some Tips…

Less is more. You can always add more dry shampoo but it’s pretty hard to take it away.

Put it in your hair before bed. I always put dry shampoo in at night. Sleeping helps it to absorb into my hair and if there is an issue with a white cast, it’s mostly rubbed in by morning.

Train your hair. So often people say I can’t use dry shampoo my hair is too greasy. Your scalp produces oil when it needs it. By washing your hair every single day with shampoo you are stripping the oils and telling your scalp to produce more. I used to have super oily skin, and scalp. (Now I’m just a walking Sahara desert. Thanks pregnancies.) It took me some time to use dry shampoo successfully. I had to teach my hair. I started out slow and eventually, when I was an oily gal, I was able to go a solid 3 days without washing.

Rub it in. You don’t just spray dry shampoo into your head and expect it to magically degrease your scalp. You have to spray it onto your roots, let it sit, and rub it in with your fingertips. Doing this also allows you to build a little bit of volume.

Use it for volume. I said earlier that I don’t use it just to absorb oils. I use it to help my super fine hair look a little thicker.

Dry shampoo is all about trial and error. You have to find what works for your hair. I tried to find, and link, trial and sample sizes for you, so if you’re interested in one but don’t want to commit to a full size bottle, try out the mini!

I’d love to hear about your favorite dry shampoos! Are there any I’m really missing out on?

XOXO