Dry shampoo is an absolute necessity for many people and with so much choice, which ones are actually worth the hype?
With life seemingly getting busier and more hectic week by week, hair wash day comes around far too quickly. To revive and refresh your hair in between washes – and save the hassle of dealing with the hairdryer for one more day – dry shampoo can swoop in and come to the rescue.
There's a range of options on the market, from budget-friendly heroes to luxurious products that demand a splurge. With that in mind, we decided to see if the pricier, branded options were worth the money – or whether we ought to stick with our cheap and cheerful own-brand versions.
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We each bought a branded dry shampoo and tested it over the course of a week to see how they measured up. Here's how we got on:
Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Joia dry shampoo
As much as I wish I was blessed with thick, bouncy hair, mine is actually annoyingly fine and gets greasy unfairly fast, so dry shampoo is an absolute must-have in my house.
I usually go for dry shampoos that add volume in an effort to give my limp, lifeless hair even a hint of body, so I was a little nervous to try Sol de Janeiro's Brazilan Joia dry shampoo in case it didn't give me the root boost I so desperately crave.
In recent years, I've become a little obsessed with the Sol de Janeiro brand and the completely delicious fragrances of its products. My favourite body moisturiser of all time, its famed Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, comes in its signature Cheirosa 62 scent and I was delighted to spot its dry shampoo in the same dazzling aroma.
Sol de Janeiro's Brazilan Joia dry shampoo promises to "eliminate excess oils" and "provide weightless volume". I was impressed when the vegan and cruelty-free product did exactly what it says on the tin.
It's incredibly easy and fast to use and while, like all dry shampoos, it does leave a white residue that needs brushing out, it fades quickly and leaves my hair looking and feeling fresh and clean, with a decent amount of volume. I absolutely adore the fragrance and while the product is extremely effective, it's the smell that's got me completely addicted.
It's ideal for a quick fix between hair washes and it smells completely divine – I've never had so many compliments on how "amazing" I smell! It's expensive, but I'm really pleased with this product and will definitely be repurchasing.
Price: Prices start from £14
Where to buy: You can buy Sol de Janeiro's Brazilian Joia dry shampoo from Selfridges, Boots, Look Fantastic, ASOS and more
Rating: 5/5
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo 198ml
Considering I'm usually a Batiste girl through and through, I was very intrigued to see how well a £22 dry shampoo would actually work. I'd usually begrudge paying that sort of money for a dry shampoo, but after snapping up a sample size in my M&S Beauty Advent Calendar, I thought I'd give it a go.
I'm usually pretty good with washing my hair, and aim to wash it every other day. As I've gotten into such a strict hair washing routine, that sadly means that my hair becomes greasy very quickly.
As much as I love Batiste products, I find myself covering my scalp with it so much that my hair almost looks white. Although Batiste is affordable, I personally don't think it's entirely effective, but how did a £22 dry shampoo work?
Naturally, the Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo smelt absolutely incredible. Don't get me wrong, Batiste smells good, but this dry shampoo had a real luxurious salon scent.
I rubbed this into my roots before I went to bed, and again in the morning, and the results were pretty impressive. I basically looked like I'd washed my hair, and it had such a beautiful shine.
There were no powdery marks like I'd usually get with Batiste, and my hair felt generally fresh and silky. The only downside was that it left my hair feeling a little knotty, but this could be because my hair was already dry anyway.
Although this stuff is expensive, I do think it's worth it once in a while, but I don't think I could ever succumb to buying it regularly, considering how much I use dry shampoo.
Price: £22
Where to buy: Marks & Spencer and Cult Beauty
Rating: 4/5
Batiste Original Dry Shampoo
I've actually never tried dry shampoo before, so felt there was no better brand to start with than Batiste – which is well-known for its wide range of popular products. I opted for the original, as I wanted to see what the hype was about.
I picked up a 200ml bottle from my local Boots store for £2.44, reduced from £3.25. I sprayed it on my hair, rubbed it in and brushed it out and definitely noticed a difference. My roots looked less greasy and my hair had more volume. I'd always been quite apprehensive of dry shampoo as I was worried about it leaving powdered residue in your hair, but this wasn't the case at all.
The product gave my hair a nice little boost, perfect for a refresh between hair washes. What's more, it smelt lovely too. I was really impressed with this dry shampoo and would definitely use it again.
Price: £2.44
Where to buy: Available in a wide range of retailers, including Boots stores and online.
Rating: 4/5
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