Time-strapped beauty addicts have long touted the benefits of one lifesaving product: dry shampoo. Since washing, blow-drying, and styling can’t be an everyday reality for all of us, dry shampoo has oft stepped in to save the day with its oil-fighting, volumizing, yummy-smelling benefits. Yet as with any miracle product, popularity begets options, and sometimes too many options. To offer his thoughts on dry shampoo all-stars and best practices, we caught up with professional hairstylist Zachary Rej Morad.

The Right Product

First things first: “what do I buy?” In a market flooded with options here are some of Morad’s favorites.

Extra Volume:

Need a little extra oomph? “Women seeking volume need a weightless dry shampoo like Oscar Blandi Pronto Invisible Volumizing Dry Shampoo Spray,” Morad says.

Lightweight & Residue Free:

“I love L'Oréal Professionnel Fresh Dust because it's lightweight and leaves very little residue in the hair after re-applying.”

Throughout-the-Day Clean:

“There are some women who need to touch up their dry shampoo throughout the day, in which case Shu Uemura Volume Maker powder brush would be best because its discreet and convenient.”

Dark Hair Answer:

“Another amazing dry shampoo is Bumble and bumble Brown Hair Powder—it’s perfect for those dark haired ladies who have experienced a white buildup in their hair from other dry shampoos.”

Makeshift Solution:

No dry shampoo on hand but need an instant fix? “Baby Powder will absorb light oil build up and leave you hair smelling fresh. However, if you have heavy oil buildup then baking soda is the way to go! A great trick is to use an old makeup brush to apply either of the two powders.”

The Right Application

Now that you’ve chosen your goods, here’s how to use them. “There is no right amount of dry shampoo to use; it’s different for everyone. I always say to use sparingly because it’s my experience that with most brands, a little goes a long way. You should apply the product down your part and around your hairline for normal hair. For oily hair you may also want to also apply it through the top layers of your hair,” Morad suggests.

We often play a little game called “how many days can my blowout last?” so we wondered if it’s fine to apply dry shampoo multiple days in a row. “I get asked this question a lot and the answer is 'yes!' Most of the time you can use dry shampoo for about two to three days before you begin noticing a lot of build-up,” Morad says.

 

Do you have a dry shampoo you love? Share your favorites with us below, or let us know if you’ll be trying one of these recommendations!