Is dry shampoo good for me?

What is dry shampoo?

As the name suggests, dry shampoo is a hair product to make your hair look cleaner and less oily without washing it. After applying this type of shampoo, you don’t need to wash it out of your hair. It gives a relatively quick solution, but even if it’s called shampoo, it doesn’t actually clean your locks. Well, putting powder on hair is not new. It was Henry IV of France (1553-1610) who first used powder, although for a different reason. He wanted to hide his grey hair by using brown powder. Others around him started to follow him and saw its other benefit: the powder helped to reduce the greasiness of hair. Later in the 18th century hair powder was used for wigs. Today you can choose powder or foam, if you want to use a dry shampoo.

What is in a dry shampoo?

There are some differences between powder and foam (spray) version, but to soak up the grease, the main ingredients can be:

• Starch (cornstarch) – It binds fatty acids.
• Clay (Kaolin) – It absorbs grease.
• Laminaria saccharina extract (from brown algae) – An anti clumping agent.
• Magnesium stearate (made of palm oil) – Another anti clumping agent.
• Denatured alcohol – A solvent for the cornstarch and kaolin.
• Liquefied petroleum gas – Propellant for the spray can.

Ingredients, you may prefer to avoid.

Maybe you agree, that checking the list of the ingredients can be overwhelming. Sometimes I have the feeling that ingredients have their own language. Nevertheless, if you prefer to have a look, here are some which are doubtful:

• Siloxane and Silicones – Used in a wide variety of different products. There are argues about they are safe or not, but actually we have just a little idea about its long term effects on health. The environmental effects are more known. Getting into the wastewater it can mix with other harmful chemicals and it’s not easy to get rid of it later.
• Talc – Although it’s purest form is not necessarily dangerous, if it’s contaminated with asbestos it can pose health risks.
• Cetrimonium chloride – A preservative and antistatic agent. If you use it for a longer time, it can make your hair dry and dehydrated. By some, it is considered to be possibly toxic, irritating and allergenic.
• Alcohol – Use dry shampoo with alcohol carefully. Overuse of them may damage your hair and scalp. Alcohol can absorb natural oils that are needed and dry your scalp.

How does dry shampoo work?

To put it simple, this kind of shampoo don’t actually clean your hair, but soak up the excess oil and grease from hair follicles. Most of them include also a fragrance to make your hair smell fresh.

Do we need dry shampoo?

Not everyone uses it, but it’s a great way to reduce the normal hair washes per week. Instead of washing your hair every day, you can use normal shampoo one day and dry shampoo on the other day. On the other hand, it’s a quick solution when you are in a rush. Just remember not to overuse it.

Read more about itchy scalp.

Is it good for all hair types?

Anyone with any hair types can use dry shampoo, but it might take some time to find the right one for you. Also, you may need different amounts for greasy or normal hair. Another important thing is not to use it too often in a row. It’s time for a normal wash after 2 usages, otherwise you may have itchy scalp and too much build-up. After a dry shampoo, don’t use hair oils. About hair styling, some say that using a dry shampoo before heat styling tools is great. Others say that it can make your hair dry and vulnerable.

Unless you have really dry scalp or thinning hair, dry shampoo can be a part of your hair care routine.

How to make dry shampoo at home?

Please follow and like us: