The Brunette's Guide To Using Dry Shampoo

Ditch the grease, without looking like a Halloween extra...

If you’ve got dark hair, you know the score with dry shampoo. You edge towards the can of promise, hold the nozzle down and expect a spritz of grease-dissipating joy. Sadly, what you get is a mist of white chalk instead, and rather than looking like a better-haired version of your former self, you look like an extra from American Horror Story. Bad times indeed. Here are the five ways to make sure that NEVER happens again…

1. Pick the best dry shampoo...

By now you probably know that white or chalky dry shampoo is napalm for your hair type because it's just too pale. Opt for a coloured dry shampoo like Sachajuan Dark Volume Powder, £24 which gives your hair that messy 90’s feel and mega volume. Or try Oribe’s Dry texturising Spray, £38 which adds texture to darker hair sans the chalky finish. This one also has a clear formula, so if you’ve got afro hair or very curly hair it wont become matted and from too much powdery gunk. Or try label.M Brunette Dry Shampoo, £11.95 which is ideal if your hair isn’t especially greasy and you just need a style refresh. Sorted.

2. Apply it and wait...

The biggest mistake we all make is using the actual dry shampoo incorrectly. Start at the nape and spray through 10cm away from your hair to get the full effect of the spray (too close and the formula will just clump in one place). Work through your hair, finishing with your parting and leave it for 5-10 minutes to absorb the oil. That’s non-negotiable, sorry.

3. Use the right brush...

Oily roots can make dark hair look much finer. That's because it clumps the strands together and makes the hair look stringy, which isn’t as apparent with fair hair. Upgrade your regular brush to a boar bristle brush which has natural fibers that pick up and help to distrubute the oil to the lengths of your hair where you need it more.

4. Finish up

Finally, your hair should be pretty grease-free by now, but if the ends are a little stiff (nobody wants crispy hair) add a few drops of a silky hair oil through the ends like Shu Uemura Art Of Hair Essence Absolue, £39.50 which lasts forever and is worth every single penny for it’s hair softening prowess.

5. Thicken it

Finish with a few shakes of Viviscal Hair Fibres, £19.99 if you hair is lacking thickness or you’re worried about thinning locks. You're DONE.