The Fab Five: Dry Shampoos

I’ve been a big fan of dry shampoo for years. Its transformative effects had me stockpiling it in my bathroom for fear of running out at an inconvenient time and being forced to leave the house with lank, flat locks. So I’m glad to see that these powder sprays have been enjoying a major beauty revival, thanks to the likes of Guido Palau and Sam McKnight and their backstage tricks at Fashion Week. What was once the lazy girl’s short cut to hygiene, has since come in to its own as a highly effective styling product for drab, fine hair giving it masses of volume and allowing it to hold styles better than ever.

Whether you love cool girl, Karlie Kloss-esque tousled locks, super airy, mega volume or you just want to prolong the life of your weekly blowdry, then dry shampoo is your magic wand. If your hair is particularly flat or greasy first thing in the morning, then try the following tricks just before you go to bed.

Section off your hair and spray each area with dry shampoo at the roots. Wait a full two to three minutes for the powder to absorb any excess oils and then use a brush to brush it all out. Boar-bristle brushes work best to remove the residue. If you have very dark hair, you might want to opt for a tinted powder to prevent your hair from looking grey.

Repeat no more than a couple of days in a row as the build-up of product can cause an itchy scalp. Here are five of my favourites.

Batiste Original Dry Shampoo

This spray is excellent in every sense of the word. It’s great value for money and gives intense volume. The neutral clean linen scent is light and unobtrusive. Love!

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Dry Shampoo

This is a great talc-free option that’s formulated without parabens, sulphates, synthetic dyes or GMO’s. It’s lightweight and smells great. I’m not entirely sure why it’s “anti-ageing” but nevertheless it’s a great refresher for hair between washes.

Klorane Dry Sebo-Regulating Shampoo with Nettle Extract

This is a dry shampoo formulated specifically for oily hair. The nettle extract is astringent and contains enzymes that regulate excess oil. It doesn’t contain any silicones, sodium chloride or sulphates. It has a very faint herbal scent and leaves hair feeling soft to the touch.

Bumble and bumble Prêt-à-Powder

This is a great all-in-one product. Just shake a little on to roots, massage in to the scalp and you’ve cleansed your hair, extended your style and amped up your volume. It smells amazing but needs more vigorous brushing to remove it completely.

Sachajuan Dark Volume Powder

This pigmented spray is a speedy de-greaser and has a pleasant powdery scent. Be sure to shake the can really well before application otherwise the powder will look heavy on the hair.