The Best Dry Shampoos for Men, According to Grooming Experts
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To understand dry shampoo, it’s first important to know that daily shampooing is usually bad for hair. Overwashing the hair and scalp can dry everything out. For that reason, the great thing about dry shampoo is that it allows people to “buy extra time” between washes by absorbing oil buildup on the scalp, which in turn “de-greases” the hair and helps lift any strands weighed down by this sebum accumulation.
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As for frequency of use with dry shampoo, this depends on the frequency with which one shampoos. And this is often determined by scalp oil production and hair type, says celebrity groomer Melissa DeZarate, whose clients include Taika Waititi, Simu Liu, and Charles Melton. “I recommend a full wash for most hair types by the fourth day [at the latest] to clean off your scalp and give it a fresh start,” she says. “This will also keep the scalp and hair follicles healthy to avoid any potential ingrown hair or infections that can happen.” (The general rule of thumb is to try spacing out shampoo sessions to every other day, and to increase from there with whatever feels feasible.)
Once dry shampoo becomes a key part of one’s hair care regimen, so too should a gentle clarifying shampoo, says Jovan Figueroa, barber and ambassador for STMNT Grooming Goods. A clarifying shampoo focuses on scalp cleaning and will help prevent things like dandruff and itching in the long run. Usually, people will use dry shampoo two or three days after using “real” shampoo, since that powdery or starchy buildup necessitates an actual shampoo later that night.
Read on for the best dry shampoo for men, based on a variety of hair needs and variables. These picks come from DeZarate and Figueroa, plus there are a couple SPY favorites.
What the Experts Say
Here are the things that DeZarate and Figueroa say to look for in a dry shampoo — and what to avoid, too.
The Base Ingredient
Every dry shampoo has a key moisture-absorbing base ingredient — usually a starch or a powder of some kind. Cornstarch, tapioca starch, and rice starches (like oryza sativa starch), as well as arrowroot powder, are all popular. DeZarate likes these options, but says that the starches are better at distributing on the scalp and not leaving a white residue in the hair. (It’s also common for people with darker hair tones to choose a dry shampoo with similar tones.) Other common (and usually secondary) oil-absorbing ingredients include kaolin clay and diatomaceous earth, the latter of which is a pulverized rock powder that can also add some fullness, texture, and grit to the hair.
The Key Ingredient to Avoid
There is one ingredient that many consumers are avoiding with dry shampoos lately: the solvent known as benzene. It’s the latest ingredient to be linked to some cancers, says DeZarate. “What you’re putting on your scalp specifically should be a clean beauty product, since your skin (which is your largest organ) is going to absorb amounts of any product you apply to it,” she says. “The scalp is no exception to this rule.”
Many dry shampoos will advertise that they don’t include talc powder, either, given that ingredients history with similar accusations. It has been long maligned, though, so it’s less of a worry than benzene, which was only recently recalled.
Consider Hair Density (Or Rather, a Lack Thereof)
Figueroa says that people need to consider their hair variables when buying dry shampoo. Most shampoos suit a range of hair textures (since they’re just targeting the oil and root, primarily), but strand thickness and overall density can factor in.
Fine hair types might need something that promises ample volume. (Some fine-haired individuals may even use dry shampoo as a midday pick-me-up the same day as a morning shampoo, DeZarate says.) As an alternative dry shampoo, fine hair types could be better off choosing an actual hair styler with oil-absorbing ingredients (a hybrid dry shampoo/styler). Many of these will provide that lift at the base but will also lock in the chosen hair style for the day.
The Best Dry Shampoos
BEST OVERALL
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day PhD Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo
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Count three grooming professionals as advocates of Living Proof’s Perfect Hair Day dry shampoo — DeZarate, Figueroa, and the seasoned writer of this piece. “I love this dry shampoo, since it even makes your scalp feel clean, which is pretty rare for any dry shampoo,” says DeZarate. “Less is more with this one, so you can do a couple sprays and just quickly massage it into your scalp then you’re good to go.”
Figueroa adds that this rice- and corn-starch formula is adept at removing oil and grease thoroughly and quickly without leaving any white residue. “It is particularly effective for maintaining hair volume,” he adds.
As for me, I’m a huge fan of everything under the Perfect Hair Day (PhD) label from Living Proof. In the last three years of growing my hair out long, I’ve found myself returning to this particular dry shampoo more often than any others. It’s true what DeZarate says about leaving the scalp with a clean feeling; many other dry shampoos can make your hair look healthy, but you also feel the residue there.
BEST VALUE
Puracry Dry Shampoo
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Key Ingredients: Corn starch, rice starch.
Why It Stands Out: It’s a low-cost option that doesn’t cut corners.
The Professional Take: “You’ll get the most bang for your buck with Puracy’s dry shampoo,” says DeZarate. “It’s a vegan and gluten-free option, so there won’t be any allergic reactions and it’ll actually be soothing to the scalp.” The brand is very vocal about its benzene-free formula, too; many low-cost alternatives were recalled because of their benzene use.
BEST LUXURY
Kevin Murphy Fresh Hair Dry Shampoo
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Key Ingredient: Aluminum starch (deemed safe in studies).
Why It Stands Out: It feels luxurious. Plus, because a little goes a long way, the bottle will last a while.
The Professional Take: “This has been my personal go-to dry shampoo since the day I first was introduced,” says DeZarate. (I can vouch for this, too, as I met DeZarate on a magazine photo shoot seven years ago and she introduced me to the brand.) “It is luxuriously thick and very powdery. You can use much less of it than you think because it will absorb any moisture and oil in seconds. One of the best ways to use it is at night before you go to bed so that it can do its magic overnight.”
BEST FOR THIN HAIR
Davines This is An Invisible Dry Shampoo
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Key Ingredient: Rice starch.
Why It Stands Out: It produces the least buildup but remains effective at absorbing oil.
The Professional Take: While most brands will advertise that their dry shampoo is inherently volumizing, here is one that doubles down on its promise by also providing a lightweight formula. I love recommending Davines’ dry shampoo to my sparser-haired friends, because of the fact that it leaves the least buildup on strands.
BEST HYBRID
Hanz de Fuko Quicksand
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Key Ingredient: Diatomaceous earth.
Why It Stands Out: This hybrid hair styler and dry shampoo gives hair a matte, mega-texturized, and voluminous build.
The Professional Take: There is no product on this earth quite like Quicksand. It is a wax styler with sea salt spray properties, meaning it gives you terrific lift and hold at the roots, as well as beautiful texture and separation. Its use of diatomaceous earth as a dry shampoo agent is what elevates it from the brand’s other wax-based stylers, Sponge Wax and Claymation. With Quicksand, you get this unparalleled gritty texture. It takes some getting used to because you’ll definitely want to wash out the grit before the next day’s styling session, but when you’re wearing the product, wow — it’s your fullest, most defined potential, realized.
BEST SPRINKLE-ON POWDER
R+Co Skyline Dry Shampoo Powder
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Key Ingredients: Cornstarch, tapioca starch, kaolin clay, diatomaceous earth.
Why It Stands Out: It’s a travel-friendly powder application that builds serious texture.
The Professional Take: Figueroa and I both love this powder dry shampoo, which has some seriously powerful oil-absorbing and volume-building ingredients. Like the aforementioned Hanz de Fuko styler, the inclusion of diatomaceous earth makes for terrific texture and volume at the root.
BEST FOR DARK HAIR
Olaplex No.4D Clean Volume Dry Shampoo
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Key Ingredients: Aluminum starch, bentonite clay, rice starch.
Why It Stands Out: It works in both the lightest and darkest hair tones without any streaking.
The Professional Take: Many brands will create separate dry shampoos for dark-haired individuals whenever their primary option leaves white streaks in the hair. But here’s a brand whose dry shampoo is truly universal for all hair colors. “I have almost black hair and this is one of my favorite dry shampoos that I can spray in my hair,” says DeZarate. “I know I don’t need to look in the mirror to check if I need to rub it in.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Dry Shampoos for Men
How do you apply dry shampoo?
Many people misuse dry shampoo, says DeZarate. “For a thicker, more powdery dry shampoo, spray it into your hair in parted sections from about 10 inches away so that it’s not concentrated to just one singular spot.” Do this in one-inch sections, following the part and then defining new ones. And go slow: “You can always add more, but when there’s too much, it’s a lot harder to work the product out,” she adds. After that light application, use your fingers to massage the powder into the hair so that it can absorb the extra sebum and oil.
Can you use dry shampoo in wet hair?
No, you should absolutely not use dry shampoo on wet hair — not even on damp strands, says DeZarate. “The oil-absorbing ingredients can’t do their thing if they’re absorbing excess moisture from sweat or water,” she explains. Chances are, you’ll also end up with a paste-like build-up on the scalp, since it’s the water that absorbs the dry shampoo as opposed to the dry shampoo absorbing any oil.
Does dry shampoo replace regular shampoo?
Dry shampoo isn’t meant to be a shampoo replacement; it’s not going to flush away sweat and grime, plus the dry shampoo itself contributes to scalp buildup. DeZarate says to give your scalp a good scrub at least twice per week, and Figueroa reiterates that a clarifying shampoo is the optimal choice for wash days since it helps target the scalp and clean up any residue. (Just make sure it’s a gentle clarifier, since some can be parching on skin and strands.)
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