The CONS of Using Dry Shampoo
If you’re a fan of washing your hair less (like me), you’re also likely a fan of dry shampoo. These days, I see so many women relying on dry shampoo to bring life back into their hair and add volume and texture in between washes. Many women are also trying to shampoo their hair when wet less and less. I personally try to wash my hair one a week. Dry shampoo has truly been a godsend for my beauty routine since I hate using shampoo every day. Once you find one you love (looking at you, Oribe dry texturizing spray <3), you won’t be able to look back. The perfect dry shampoo freshens up your hair, preserves your style, helps manage excess oil on your scalp, and smells amazing. Of course like many things in life, too much of a good thing can actually be bad. So I started looking into the pros AND cons of dry shampoo, and believe it or not there are actually cons of using dry shampoo!
First, what does dry shampoo actually do?
Dry shampoo is usually alcohol or starch based. These ingredients essentially “soak up” oil and grease in your hair. While it doesn’t actually clean your hair the way wet shampoo does, by absorbing the oils in your scalp, it gives the appearance of a cleaner hairstyle. So while your hair may look cleaner, it doesn’t actually replace a good old shower and shampoo.
There are a lot of benefits to using dry shampoo – these include:
+ Convenience. If you’re on the go and not able to shower and wash your hair everyday, dry shampoo lets you go longer in between washes.
+ Dry shampoo can make your style last longer. Want to extend your fresh blowout by a few days? Dry shampoo is the answer.
+ Get ready faster. Don’t have time to wash your hair? Want to squeeze in a quick workout before going into the office or out for drinks? Dry shampoo will be your new best friend.
+ Volume – dry shampoos add volume and texture to your hair, which can be perfect if you’re trying to achieve a certain look.
+ Decreases the frequency of using heat to style your hair – this one’s simple. The less often you wash your hair, the less often you’ll use a blowdryer, straightener, or curling iron. Heat is bad for your hair, so the less often you use heat tools, the better for your hair!
+ Conserves hair color. Colored hair is much higher maintenance than natural hair, and it’s best to wash your hair less to preserve your salon highlights. Dry shampoo helps!
The pros are great – but is dry shampoo healthy for your hair? While it isn’t necessarily bad for your hair, there are some cons to using it too often, and you may be making mistakes you didn’t even know when it comes to using it!
The Cons of Using Dry Shampoo
Unfortunately, dry shampoo can’t be used as a replacement for actual shampoo. At the end of the day, you still need to wash your hair. If you don’t, the actual dry shampoo will lead to buildup that traps bacteria on your scalp. Dry shampoo also leaves leftover residue in your hair – if you have a dry scalp or dandruff to begin with, this can be exacerbated by dry shampoo, leading to flakes on your head. If too much dirt, oil, and bacteria gets trapped on your scalp, it can also lead to pimples on your scalp. Using it too often can also lead to hair loss – yikes!!
Dry shampoo also only temporarily makes your hair look better – eventually, you will need to wash your hair. Only using dry shampoo will make your hair look dirty and greasy. Also, beware of toxic chemicals (aluminum) in cheap brands of dry shampoo!
Now, this doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to your favorite dry shampoo, but there are some things to keep in mind when you do use dry shampoo!
Tips for using dry shampoo:
+ Use it sparingly. Don’t use it every day! Because so many dry shampoos are alcohol based, this can really dry out your scalp and hair.
+ Only spray dry shampoo on oily areas – these are the places that actually need it. If you spray it everywhere, it’ll dry out your hair.
+ Make sure you keep the bottle at least 6 inches away from the scalp. This ensures an even spray, and you won’t get too much concentration of dry shampoo on one part of your head.
+ Brush out the dry shampoo on your scalp – make sure you distribute the product down the roots. If you spray it on the top of your head, gently massage it in. Avoid the ends of your hair – this tends to be the driest area!
+ Choose the right formula for you. Avoid using anything that’s too heavy for your hair type – experiment with different powders and sprays until you try one that works for you.
The Best Dry Shampoos
Not all dry shampoos are created equal. These are my favorites that I’ve tried –
+ Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray
(not technically a dry shampoo, but it does many of the same functions – really, it’s my favorite hair product of all time.)
What are your thoughts on dry shampoo?
I’ve tried a couple of dry shampoos, but I’ve yet to find one I really like! Definitely going to look into the Oribe one! But yes, there are definitely pros and cons to everything, and I’ve always wondered what the cons were! Thanks for sharing this great post, Amy! 🙂
XO, Elizabeth T.
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I read this thinking I knew everything there is to know about dry shampoo but I’m pleasantly surprised!!