The Dry Shampoo Our Beauty Director Swears By Is Only $5
The Dry Shampoo Our Beauty Director Swears By Is Only $5
We updated this article in January 2023 to include two additional picks from R+Co and Garnier based on recent testing by the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab, plus additional information on each product and how to find the best dry shampoo for you.
For the times when you want to stretch your style or skip wash day, using dry shampoo is a must. "Dry shampoo is used to eliminate sebum, the scalp's natural oil produced from the follicle," explains Gio Bargallo, a colorist at Rita Hazan in New York City. "The components of starch absorb the oils to have a grease-free appearance and feel." Not only can use it between washes to absorb oil and refresh hair, you can also use it to add volume and grit to otherwise fine or limp strands.
To find the best dry shampoos on the market, our Beauty Lab rounded up 118 products from top brands and narrowed down the field to find the best of the best. We sent more than 250 consumer testers home with dry shampoo (all of which with the labels masked to remove brand bias) and collected survey data from more than 1,800 women to find what's most important in a dry shampoo, from scent to texture to ease of use.
Important note: In recent years, some dry shampoos have been recalled due to benzene contamination, a cancer-causing chemical compound, including a Procter & Gamble recall in December 2021. Most recently, in October 2022, Unilever issued a voluntary recall due to a possible benzene contamination during manufacturing. Two of our top picks, Dove Volume & Fullness Dry Shampoo and Suave Refresh and Revive Dry Shampoo, appeared on the recall list, but since the affected batches were for very specific lots manufactured prior to October 2021, we opted not remove these products from our roundup. That said, you will find more recall specifics in our review of these products below, so that you can check the lot numbers of products you may already own or review them before purchasing. Specific questions can be directed to [email protected].
Our top picks:
Below are the best-tested dry shampoos you can buy, along with picks from our industry-leading beauty experts, editors and testers, plus more information on how we test hair products at the Good Housekeeping Institute to find the best dry shampoos.
1) Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo
Living Proof
sephora.com
$41.00
Backed by MIT research and developed by a team of hair stylists and biotech scientists, this fresh-smelling dry shampoo excelled in every test our scientists threw at it. It scored best for making hair look fresh and clean, nabbed the second highest satisfaction score from consumers and top scores for being easy to brush through hair and not leaving hair feeling powdery. It also got a rare perfect score for not leaving hair feeling sticky.
"Re-applying the product it made my hair look full and great — not greasy," said one tester. "It was the most effective one I've ever tried, said another. "I almost wish it wasn't this good — it allowed me to go 4 days without showering and my hair still looked good." Some testers noticed a slight white residue after use, which should easily dissipate with a good brushing. Its price tag is steep, but we think it's worth it.
2) Volume and Fullness Dry Shampoo
Dove
target.com
$4.89
A favorite of numerous Beauty Lab analysts, this affordable Dove pick is the one to reach for if you want hair that actually feels clean, not built-up or ashy. Its fresh scent is reminiscent of the brand's clean-smelling soaps and shampoos. It did get a below average score for leaving visible residue on hair and a few testers commented that it left a white residue, even on blonde hair, so make sure you take care to really brush it through and massage the product into the scalp and hair. Even still, it's one of the closest things to a real shampoo you can get sans water — and it's what our beauty editors personally reach for when they restock on dry shampoo.
Take note: Certain batches of this product corresponding to production dates October 2021 and earlier were included in a recent voluntary recall by their manufacturer due to potential benzene contamination. Please check this list of affected lot numbers to compare to those of existing products in your home and on any products you were planning to purchase. Lot numbers can usually be found at the bottom of aerosol cans and/or on the product labels.
3) Skyline Dry Shampoo Powder
R+Co
amazon.com
$32.00
This powder shampoo doesn't require aerosol and in Lab tests, it didn't leave hair feeling sticky, gritty or dull while effectively absorbing oil. Testers praised it for its great scent, and it scored tops for not irritating scalp and being easy to brush through hair. "I loved the fine mist which disappeared instantly into my hair," said one tester, and others agreed, calling the silky powder light and refreshing. "I didn’t have to struggle to get rid of any white patches," even on dark hair, said another. Because it is a powder, some testers felt there was a learning curve and found it harder to apply than aerosol product.
4) Refresh & Revive Dry Shampoo
Suave Professionals
walmart.com
$4.30
Formulated with mineral clay to absorb oil from the scalp and hair, this affordable dry shampoo is best for when you want to zap grease but don't want to feel weighed down by product. We haven't Lab-tested this pick, but Good Housekeeping Beauty Director April Franzino often finds herself reaching for this dry shampoo from Suave. "It leaves zero residue and feels like nothing on hair, yet absorbs oil and makes your hair look freshly washed," she says.
Take note: Certain batches of this product corresponding to production dates October 2021 and earlier were included in a recent voluntary recall by their manufacturer due to potential benzene contamination. Please check this list of affected lot numbers to compare to those of existing products in your home and on any products you were planning to purchase. Lot numbers can usually be found at the bottom of aerosol cans and/or on the product labels.
5) Invisible Dry Shampoo
Garnier
amazon.com
$10.99
Like a tropical escape in a bottle, this coconut-scented spray earned impressive marks in Lab tests. Testers confirmed it leaves hair looking and feeling clean without feeling sticky, gritty or powdery. It also got top scores for being easy to apply and brush through hair without irritating the scalp. After use, "my hair looked very shiny and it felt very smooth and silky," said one tester, who loved that the product "made me feel like I had already showered and styled it. It felt and looked clean!" It won't add much volume to hair, but testers absolutely adored the "fresh, clean, island-y smell" that wasn't too overwhelming.
6) Original Dry Shampoo
Batiste
amazon.com
$12.97
This cult-favorite dry shampoo has amassed over 10,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, where users swear it's the best dry shampoo out there, and at a relatively reasonable price. "You can barely see it once it goes on, but once you brush it through you'd have no idea it was even used," says one. Our panel also unanimously voted it their favorite go-to dry shampoo in an initial survey. In our Lab, testers also liked that it was suitable for sensitive scalps and easy to brush out. One tester raved: "Of the dry shampoos I've tried, this one worked the best in terms of making my hair look and feel less greasy while not coating it and making it sticky or tacky.”
7) Detox Dry Shampoo
Drybar
ulta.com
$23.00
Drybar is known for its infamous blowouts, so it's no surprise that the brand's dry shampoo is known for making those blowouts last. If you have fine hair that skews greasy or oily, this is the dry shampoo for you: it adds volume, and the super absorbent rice powder formula soaks up every last trace of grease. We tested the Clear Invisible iteration, and testers said, "my hair was shiny and healthy-looking."
This heavy-duty grease zapper can leave strands feeling a little chalky, but the great trade-off is that it adds volume and makes hair look freshly blown-out. The scent smells just like the salon, which most testers adored, calling it "almost woodsy," though some found the fragrance polarizing. It's pricey, but seriously powerful as a little goes a long way.
8) Hint of Color Dry Shampoo
Batiste
walmart.com
$14.93
Those with dark brown or black hair know the struggle of using dry shampoo: the powder-based formula can leave your hair looking dull and chalky (and maybe worse than it did in the first place). That's where Batiste's Hint of Color line comes in. With a range of shades that match brunettes from light brown to deep brunette, these tinted dry shampoos blend seamlessly with dark hair. Some reviewers even use it to camouflage grays or color regrowth in a pinch.
9) Dry Shampoo
Moroccanoil
amazon.com
$26.00
While we haven't Lab-tested this pick, our editors say that Moroccanoil's dry shampoo is perfect for those with dry scalps or curly hair. It's formulated with ultra-fine rice starch that won't add grit to your hair, and the signature argan oil formula feels nourishing on the scalp and adds healthy shine to hair while still fully degreasing. That means no additional dryness or flaking, which can happen with use of other dry shampoos.
"The formula disappears completely with some massaging, you won't be stuck with any residue, and I absolutely love the signature scent" says one GH editor. This dry shampoo comes in two shades: a violet-tinged light formula to nix brassiness in blondes, and dark tones to seamlessly blend on brunettes.
10) Dry Wash Shampoo
Paul Mitchell
amazon.com
$25.50
This dry shampoo by Paul Mitchell got top scores from our consumer testers for ease of use and performance. "It made me feel like I just had a fresh nice blow dry at a salon," said one. "My scalp was never greasy, and made my coarse hair shiny." It makes sense that it was the ultimate winner in our test for not making hair dull. Our testers all loved the "subtle, fresh" scent, and several said they prefer it to the brand they currently use, though some said, "it made my scalp feel slightly gritty," and it didn't add a lot of volume to hair.
11) Plump for Joy Dry Shampoo
Not Your Mother's
walmart.com
$4.79
"I use a lot of dry shampoo, and I can’t justify spending a ton of money on dry shampoo every month," says one of our beauty editors. "This volumizing one is my ultimate drugstore staple. I always have a bottle in my bathroom and gym bag. I love this scent, but the brand has a ton of other options depending on your hair wants — like texturizing or just refreshing —and each has a fun, fresh smell."
12) Style Reviving Dry Shampoo
Kristin Ess
amazon.com
$17.00
We haven't Lab-tested this pick, but the powder-based formula is another beauty editor favorite for controlling oil in light blonde hair. "I love that my hair actually feels like it's clean after using it," says one editor. "Not like I just added on more product. It does have a powdery feel at first, but absorbs any excess oil and doesn't leave residue."
The best dry shampoo for every hair type, including oily and thin hair, from top brands including Dove, Living Proof and more.