When you’re a mom it can feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day, so any timesaving hacks are always welcome. That pre-parenthood hair and beauty regime often gets sacrificed first, but there is a simple way you can still keep your locks looking clean and healthy when your focus is on your kids and not your ‘do – and that’s thanks to dry shampoo.
How dry shampoo works
Our scalps produce sebum to help keep our skin and hair healthy and lubricated, but when that sebum is left to build up over days it can make hair look greasy. Dry shampoo can help by soaking up excess oil. It typically has a starch or alcohol base that absorbs the sebum.
That starch base can also be used as a styling aid, prolonging the look of a professional blowout for another day or so. It can also add more texture to fine hair and create the appearance of greater volume. (YES!!!)
How to choose the right dry shampoo for your hair
Dry shampoo comes in different applications, including loose powder and foam, but an aerosol can is the most widespread option. An aerosol application is a light, fast drying, and easier to apply in an even, controlled layer (kind of like hair spray). It can also help add extra volume and texture to hair when using dry shampoo as a styling product.
There are a lot of products to choose from, so you can pick a particular scent, or a tinted spray to blend in with your color hair (best thing ever for moms like me with dark hair!). If you’ve had a little help with your hair hue, you can get some tips for dyed hair to help!
How to use dry shampoo
Dry shampoo is easy to use, but there are a few guidelines to make sure you get the most from it. Follow our step-by-step approach, and for extra tips on how to use dry shampoo, check out these tips.
- Make sure your hair is dry.
- If you’re using a spray-in dry shampoo, shake the can well to disperse the starch/alcohol base.
- Hold the can 6-12 inches from your roots (or the distance that the instructions recommend).
- Part your hair and lift up a narrow section, holding the can behind.
- Direct the nozzle toward your roots and apply an even, light spritz across the roots and a couple of inches of hair closest to your scalp – use a sweeping motion back and forth.
- Leave the product on your hair for a few minutes, so it can soak up any excess oil (if you can apply it the night before, so much the better).
- Massage your roots with your fingertips to work the product through your strands and into your scalp.
- If your hair still looks and feels greasy, apply another light layer of dry shampoo.
- Comb or brush from the roots to the tips to remove any excess product.
Dry shampoo is a great way to freshen up your hair occasionally and is a useful tool to simplify a busy mom’s life. Just remember that washing your hair is the only way to get it really clean, so keep up with your shampoo routine two to three times a week.
