Dry Shampoos: Do They Work?
You woke up late, barely have enough time to get dressed and put on your make-up, but your hair looks like it needs some uplifting. No time for a shower, let alone a shampoo and blow dry. Should you try a dry shampoo or will you be sorry you bothered?
The Egyptians began the practice of hair shampooing as early as 2000 B.C. using citrus juice and animal fats to replenish lost oils and make their hair shine. Through the centuries, various shampoo tinctures were created but overall, people have been unsatisfied with how dry and frizzy wet shampoos leave their hair. Early experiments of dry alternatives were made used talcum powder and rice flour. Now, dry shampoo products have progressed to using starches, clays, vegetable powders and other oil removing chemicals.
Dry shampoo became popular in the 1970’s. Remember Psssst? Dry shampoos were not intended to replace wet shampoos but simply be an emergency stop gap when unable to really wash one’s hair. Dry shampoos work by using absorbent powders to soak up the oil that is weighing down the hair making it appear dirty. Commercial dry shampoos also have some fragrance that will mask odor and adds to feeling that your hair has been cleaned.
It is possible to make up your own dry shampoo using corn starch and various herbs. The difficulty of using an at home mixture is successfully getting the white coloring out of your hair so not to draw more attention to the hair you are trying to refresh.
Using a dry shampoo can allow you to skip a shampoo or two, though your hair will not feel as clean as washed hair. If your hair is really dirty, then using a dry shampoo isn’t really feasible since it will take too much dry product to absorb all the oil and it may leave a white powdery residue.
Some hair experts do think that daily washing is damaging to the hair and skipping some days is beneficial. Other people feel that wet shampoos have too many chemicals in them so they prefer to reduce how often they are used. Some women have also been able to reduce their hair washing and styling to once a week by using dry shampoo which also helps preserve the color of color treated hair.
We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.
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I own dry shampoo. I purchased it at Ulta and I love it. I have really thin, blonde hair that would have to be washed daily in order to prevent too much oil build-up, but with dry shampoo I can run to the grocery store or grab brunch on Sunday morning without looking like a greasy beast who didn't shower :)
September 1, 2010 - 10:44amThis Comment