Dae's Fairy Duster Dry Shampoo Is Magic For Second-Day Hair

Founder Amber Fillerup Clark gives us all the details.

I believed in magic for an embarrassingly long time. We're talking fairies, Santa, the works. As an adult, I try to keep some of this spirit alive, but the one place I'm skeptical of claims of "magic" is my beauty products. Don't get me wrong, I've seen some transformative results, but more often than not, if it sounds too good to be true, it is. The biggest culprit? Dry shampoo.

So many dry shampoos promise the world, and yet none give me that clean hair look and feel, no matter how technically advanced they promise to be. But if there's any brand that could deliver on promises of magic, it's Dae. Founded by OG beauty blogger Amber Fillerup Clark, the brand is built on a sense of whimsy—for example, its conditioning treatment includes shimmering mica flecks—combined with results you can see. The latest addition, the Fairy Duster Dry Shampoo ($30), seems to follow the same romance-meets-results formula.

Ahead, Fillerup Clark fills us in on the new launch, plus my honest review.

The Inspiration

Fillerup Clark tells Byrdie that the Dae team has been hard at work on the formula "forever," as she wanted the product to feel extra special. The inspiration for the shampoo came to the founder when she was hiking through the Arizona desert—not only is Fairy Duster a cute play on words, but the name of the magical pink plants that are native to her home state.

"Fairy duster plants grow all over the desert in the spring, and since the desert is very muted, these hot pink Dr. Suess-like fairy dusters just pop," says Fillerup Clark. She adds that the plant served as her muse for the product, saying, "the desert story, the little fairy duster flower that looks like a pink 'poof.' It was so perfect."

Fillerup Clark adds that actual fairies also served as the inspo for the launch. "To me, fairies symbolize magic and imagination—a joyful life is different for everyone, but for me, it's definitely taking full advantage of imagination and making even the little moments special and magical."

Dae Fairy Duster Dry Shampoo ($30)

SHOP

The Formula

Fairy Duster is an invisible powder formula in a non-aerosol pump "that poofs like magic" and lasts as long as four aerosol cans. Like the brand's other products, the formula uses plenty of desert-inspired ingredients. The hero at work is Mojave yucca, which has natural cleansing properties. It also gently exfoliates and promotes a healthy scalp.

The formula also uses moringa leaf extract to repair damage and prevent breakage, prickly pear seed oil to add shine, softness, and hydration, and cactus flower to improve elasticity. Fairy Duster is fragranced with the brand's signature citrus scent, which they describe as "an easy summer breeze."

Though the formula is packed, Fillerup Clark reveals that the dispenser was just as important as what was inside. In fact, finding a pump that works like an aerosol can posed such a challenge that the brand spent two years longer creating packaging design than the powder itself. "That convenience of an aerosol is hard to match, but I think we did it! The 'poof' is so smooth and consistent, which was so important."

She adds that the brand's fans have been begging for a dry shampoo, so the pressure was on. "It had to check all the Dae Boxes so we would not launch it until it was just right: like all Dae products, the dreaminess of our formulas is not just the performance but the colors, scents, and textures (all inspired by the desert). So, the DNA of our brand was built into this product."

How to Use It

Fillerup Clark likes all of her products to be multi-functional, so Fairy Duster is also great for adding extra volume, even on clean hair. "I also got my start on social media doing these BIG braids, and our dry shampoo is amazing for those textured big braids or even little baby braids," she adds.

"It’s so easy to use; just section hair and spray right onto your roots, wherever you want that volume and lift. Simply massage and blend in with your fingertips (or with our Limited Edition Fairy Duster Blending Brush—because every fairy needs a magic wand) and go! It’s an incredible style refresher. For second, third, or fourth 'dae' hair, it just gives your look that slept in, sexy lifted look."

The Review

I have fairly oily hair that I would wash once a day if I could, but in an effort to protect my color and my peace, I usually shampoo every other. Because of that, dry shampoo is a necessary evil in my routine, though I've never found one I truly love. I am especially weary when it comes to powder formulas. They are, without a doubt, better for the environment, but they are often worse for my hair. Every time I try one, it's too chalky, and I can almost always see a dusting of powder on my scalp.

That said, I couldn't resist trying a product named "Fairy Duster," and I'm happy to report the results are as magical as I had hoped. The pump is amazing, and though nothing will compare to a traditional aerosol, it definitely has a much better "poof" than other powders I've tried. It distributes the formula finely and evenly, and it smells great. While the product does leave a touch of powdery residue, it pretty much disappeared into my hair after brushing it in. Most importantly, it gave my hair a much-needed boost of volume and made it look almost freshly washed (I'll take what I can get). What can I say? I'm a believer.

Dae Fairy Duster is available exclusively on the Sephora app on February 5, and sephora.com and daehair.com on February 6.

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