What is dry shampoo?
Dry shampoo is a hair care product designed to refresh and clean your hair without the need for water. It typically comes in the form of a spray, powder, or foam. Dry shampoo works by absorbing excess oil and sebum from the scalp and hair, which can make hair appear greasy and flat.
Dry shampoo is a convenient solution for various situations, such as when you don’t have time to wash your hair, want to extend the time between washes, or need a quick hair pick-me-up after a workout or during travel. It can leave your hair looking refreshed and voluminous.
However, it’s important to note that while dry shampoo is a useful tool, it should not replace regular hair washing with water and traditional shampoo, as it doesn’t provide the same level of cleansing.
Overusing or using it incorrectly can lead to product buildup and potential scalp issues. It’s essential to follow the instructions on the product and use it in moderation to maintain healthy hair and scalp.
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The Dry shampoos have either alcohol or starch, such as corn and rice starch. These shampoos are available in different forms, such as aerosol sprays, powder, mists, foams, or mousse.
These products are now available for specific hair types, colours, and textures. One of the main reasons for its popularity is its ease of use and its portability. This blog post will further provide a simple guide on how to use dry shampoo and will let you know whether it is terrible for your hair or not.
How to Use Dry Shampoo on Hair? A Step-By-Step Guide
Dry shampoos are available in different forms, and you can choose the one that best suits you. How often you need dry shampoo depends on your hair type, texture and length.
Step 1
Before application, it is best to shake the bottle for even distribution of the ingredients. All forms of products except powders can be shaken well before use for better results. Once done, comb your hair to make it easier to apply in the oily section of your hair.
Step 2
When spraying, maintain the proper distance between your hair and the shampoo bottle. It will help you to prevent any residues that are hard to remove.
It is best to aim at your roots from a distance of six inches. Also, it is best to apply the shampoo on the oily areas rather than all over the scalp. Apart from this, the amount of product needed depends on the hair type and other factors. If you have thicker hair, you need more product than thinner hair.
Step 3
After spraying the shampoo, you can let it sit for a few minutes to make it work efficiently. Then, massage your head well and brush it thoroughly to spread the product evenly across your hair.
If you notice any white residues after spraying, you can blow dry your hair to remove it. Aside from this, you can also add leave-in conditioner at the ends when your hair is too dry.
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How Does Dry Shampoo Work?
Our scalp has hair follicles that contribute to hair growth and sebum production. Sebum is a natural oil produced on your scalp to keep your hair moisturized. When you go out or work out, your scalp builds up oil and dirt over time. It gives your hair a greasy appearance, and over time it will lead to dandruff and other worse hair conditions.
As it is hard to wash, blow dry, and style your hair every day, dry shampoo rescues people by saving time. The alcohol and starch-based ingredients in the dry shampoo will soak up the oil and dirt in your hair and remove it to make the hair appear cleaner.
Is Dry Shampoo Bad For Your Hair?
The safety of the dry shampoo depends on how often you use it. If you use it occasionally, it is considered safe. But if you use it often and replace it with traditional shampoo, you could develop potential damage. Frequent application of dry shampoo will damage your hair and worsen your scalp condition.
Hair Damage
Using a dry product often will contribute to hair breakage. Most products have alcohol that makes your hair dry over time. When your hair becomes too dry, the individual strands of your hair will break and make it look worse.
Clogging of Hair follicles
When you leave the dry product without washing it off from your hair for a prolonged period, the products will build up on your scalp. So, the product that builds up in the scalp will start itching over time and lead to a condition called folliculitis, a microbial infection in the hair follicle.
Does not completely cleanse oil
Even though dry shampoo helps to control oil buildup, it doesn’t wholly cleanse oil from your scalp. The alcohol and starch in your dry shampoo will absorb the oil and dirt and make your hair look clean. However, it is not as effective as traditional shampoo in removing oil and dirt from your scalp. So, relying entirely on a dry shampoo is not the best idea.
Risk of Cancer
Some products have ingredients like Talc to absorb the oil effectively. But the Talc has a harmful substance called Asbestos which can induce cancer in humans. Even though the product with talc is not directly linked to cancer, it is best to avoid replacing traditional shampoo with its dry version. Research shows that inhaling Talc also causes respiratory diseases in humans.
Hair growth
If your scalp has too much product built up, it will affect your hair growth with dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. Apart from this, dry shampoo also contains ingredients that prevent hair growth, such as Butane, Propane, Isobutane, Phenoxyethanol, Silicons, etc.
Best Dry Shampoos to Try
If you want to buy a good product, it is best to choose one without any harmful ingredients. Ktein Natural Detox dry shampoo is one of the few dry shampoos without harmful ingredients. There are other dry shampoos, such as Anomaly Refreshing Dry Shampoo, Batiste Instant Hair Refresh Dry Shampoo, and COLAB Dry Shampoo Instant Hair Refresh.
NOTE OF CAUTION:
These are popular but contain ingredients like Butane, Isobutane, and Aluminium. However, people prefer these products as they are easy to use and provide better results.
Conclusion
Dry Shampoos are one of the best products to rescue you from a bad hair day. However, it shouldn’t be an alternative to traditional shampoo. Dry shampoo can only absorb the oil and dirt from your hair and give a cleaner look, but only regular shampoo can clean oil from your hair.
The improper use of dry shampoos can lead to a build-up of the product ingredients and clog the hair follicles. So, always spray the product on your hair from a distance of 6 inches and only use it occasionally.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do I need a hair wash after dry shampoo?
No. You don’t need hair wash after using dry shampoo. But, you should not be without washing your hair for more than two days after applying dry shampoo.
2. Which is better: wet or dry shampoo?
Both shampoos have a unique function. But Dry shampoo is never a replacement for Wet shampoo.
3. How many times a week is it okay to use dry shampoo?
You can use it twice a week but not more than that.
4. Are there any alternatives for Dry shampoo?
When you run out of dry shampoo, you can use cornstarch, Apple cider vinegar, etc.
Sources
- Cleaveland Clinic – Sebaceous Glands
- Cleaveland Clinic – Does Dry Shampoo Actually Clean Your Hair?
- Healthline – Can Using Dry Shampoo Damage Your Hair?
- Healthline – How to Manage Scalp Folliculitis?
- American Cancer Society
- Respiratory Disease as a Result of Talc Inhalation, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Vol. 38, No. 6 (June 1996)
- Tucker D, Masood S. Seborrheic Dermatitis. [Updated 2023 Feb 16]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-.
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