Waterless shampoos, also known as dry shampoos, are amazing hair products that you must have in your pouch all the time. The beauticians say, when things fall apart, dry shampoo can save the day!

Dry shampoo refreshes your hair between wash days by soaking up excess oils and eliminating unpleasant odors on the hair roots and scalp.

However, how to use dry shampoo in the most effective way, perhaps few people may know.

Just buying the right dry shampoo for your hair is not enough to have beautiful hair. Besides buying, you also have to know how to use it effectively!

Without much ado, we will delve into, first, what dry shampoo is and how different it is from your typical water-based shampoo. We will also understand the best sequence to apply it to achieve lovable hairstyling results.

Should Dry Shampoo Be Used Before or After Styling?

When styling hair, should I use it before or after using dry shampoo?

Well you are not alone, this question baffles pretty much everybody. And our answer is  “Use dry shampoo after styling”.

However, there are some people who think that dry shampooing before styling. They claim that applying a little dry shampoo before using a hair strengthener or curling iron makes the hair easier to manage.

This usage can actually be dangerous for the hair. The essence of using dry shampoo is to remove excess oils in your hair. The heat from the styler also dries the hair. Combining the two will cause your hair to become damaged, shabby, and not achieve the style you want.

Can you use Dry Shampoo as A Styling Product?

Definitely yes! Dry shampoo is an all-in-one product that you must carry with you wherever you go. Dry shampoo can help turn a flat and greasy hair day into a fab and full hair day.

When used correctly, dry shampoo adds body and texture to your hair which is a great feature for hair styling.

Here are easy ways that you can use  dry shampoo as a styling tool:

• Volumize natural curly hair. Giving your hair a quick part of dry shampoo before heading out lifts your tresses giving you an instant volumized look.
• Keep your curls from clumping together. Having oily hair can really be hectic because they easily clump onto one another. However, using dry shampoo soaks off the excess oils leaving the hair wavy and voluminous.
• Can be used as a texturizing spray to achieve beachy waves. If your hair is straight and flat, you can use dry shampoo to add some texture and volume in place of the mouse.
• Adds grip to bobby pins which makes it easy for you when doing any updos.
• Conceal dark roots for blondes. To achieve this, you should opt for a powdered shampoo instead of starch-based shampoo since its formula imparts white powder which makes the regrowth lines less noticeable.

How Should You Prepare Your Hair Before Styling?

Preparing your hair before styling is the first thing to do if you want to keep your hair healthy. Styling gives your hair bouncy curls, and acquires straight strands that look sleek. However, it may bring forth the risk of damage due to straightening, drying, curling, or even physical damage if you are not prepared properly.

Therefore, to acquire better results after styling, you need to refer to the notes below.

• Make sure your hair is clean and dry.  A clean and completely dry toisc will make it easier to style and last longer.
• Oil your hair to moisturize dry hair strands. This will protect your hair from any heat-related damage.
• Conditioning. Conditioning your hair after cleaning makes it look healthier, nourished and hydrated. Ensuring your hair is shinier, smoother and ready for styling.
• Brush to get rid of knots. This makes styling easier and helps the hair absorb products easily and evenly.

TIP: Avoid pulling off knots from your hair when it is wet, as this is the time when it is most vulnerable and can easily break a couple of strands. It would help if you considered using a brush to gently comb it and smooth out individual strands for easy styling.

How To Use Dry Shampoo Correctly To Get The Perfect Result? 

Step 1: Prepare 

Most shampoos are packaged in aerosol cans, which you must shake well before use to distribute the formula evenly.

Divide your hair into small sections. Use shampoo little by little to avoid excess and residue.

Step 2: Apply the shampoo

You should spray the shampoo one foot away from your roots. Spraying it from a closer distance will leave a white residue while spraying it further than a foot means missing the target point.

Two puffs are enough for every section. However, this may differ depending on how greasy your hair is. Moreover, if you have thick hair, be sure to be a little more generous with the shampoo to saturate and soak the oils fully.

Spray from bottom to top and always use dry shampoo sparingly.

You should also leave the shampoo on your hair for a few minutes before shaking and combing so it has time to work.

Step 3: Finish 

After spraying, comb your hair to filter out the white residue. It will be better if you use the dryer on a medium setting to dry your hair. This will help dry out excess shampoo residue, making them easier to remove and adding volume to the roots.

After drying your hair, take a comb again and run it through your hair from the hair roots to the tip ends of your hair. This will disperse the residue making it less noticeable, and there you are, looking gorgeous again!

The DON’Ts when Using Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo is one of those very addictive products. It even gets better if you are using it correctly because you have already benefited from longer washing periods, reduced color loss and an ever-fresh looking look.

If you are using it and wondering whether it really works, then you must be using it wrongly.

Do not spray the shampoo too close

You should spray the shampoo from 10-15 cm away from your hair roots because the product is too concentrated and could easily wet your hair, making it difficult to brush it off. It may also leave chalky marks, which I bet nobody wants.

Do not overuse it

Just like any other part of your body, your scalp and hair must be cleansed. However, dry shampoo can only absorb excess oil and remove unpleasant odors. What’s more, it makes hair and scalp dry with drying ingredients.

Meanwhile, shampoo will usually clean the scalp and hair strands, providing moisture and nutrients. Therefore, it cannot replace regular shampoo.

To ensure the health of the hair and scalp, it is best to use them only for 2 days in a row

How To Choose The Right Shampoo For Your Hair?

It is no secret that to look good, you must always be choosy and sensitive with the beauty products you use, whether it is on your hair, skin or even nails because what works for your friend might rake havoc on you.

That said, the choice you make MUST be informed by your hair type and color tone.

The best dry shampoo for blondes

Neutral and light dry shampoos that apply clear are the best fit for blonde hair tones.

If you have blonde hair, the ultimate go-to dry shampoo is Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo Light Tones which is awesome for refreshing and reviving light-colored hair between wash days. It had ultra-fine rice starches that soak excess oils and product buildup from the hair roots and scalp.

Moreover, the Argan oil-infused formula guards your hair against the effects of UV light. One last thing that makes this product ultimate for blonde hair is the Subtle violet undertones that balance hair brassiness and the signature Moroccanoil fragrance.

Another awesome dry shampoo for blonde hair is Bumble and Bumble Pret-a-Powder Tres Invisible Dry Shampoo . This product leaves a translucent finish and a very sweet light fragrance on your hair, making it suitable for office wear.

The best dry shampoo for dark hair

If you have dark hair tone, you must be super careful with the dry shampoo you choose since some tend to leave a white residue that can look conspicuous on dark hair…

The residue is a result of the starchy products found in dry shampoos that are brightly colored, thus leaving your hair chalky.

However, this should not worry you as there are improved dry shampoos specifically meant for dark hair. For instance, Batiste, dry shampoo is a beautiful brunette, which is formulated with a hint of color to blend seamlessly with brunette hair without leaving any white residue.

Another dry shampoo for dark hair is Morrocanoil Dry Shampoo For Dark Tones. To take a look at its cool features, please click here! It is formulated with ultra-fine rice starch that soaks excess oils without leaving any residue. It leaves your hair fresh and clean without affecting the natural richness of dark hair tones.

Tip bits:

You must use the best shampoo that goes well with your hair type to get the best results. Therefore, to make the right choices, you should take your time to read the features of any dry shampoo you want to see whether it was meant for your hair type or not.

It would help if you also were careful with the manufacturer’s guide on how best to use the product. If you find what dry shampoo works best for you, the results will be great.

Conclusion

Now you know you should use dry shampoo after styling.

After reading this, you can perhaps understand why the dry shampoo you are using has never given you the results you so wished. It is either you are using it wrongly, or you chose the wrong shampoo for your hair type. Most people don’t know the right way, get mixed up, or blindly believe in doing it their own way.

One last thing, dry shampoo is a temporary fix to regular hair washing. Even though it makes your hair look cleaner and less oily, you should wash your hair at least once every three days to ensure that they are clean. For best results, always use dry shampoo after styling!