Comparison & Review: Dry Shampoo

I only look to drugstore brands for my dry shampoo because since my hair is so short, I usually just opt for washing it the old-fashioned way. Although most use dry shampoo for its hair-refreshing properties up to 5 days after a regular wash, some use it solely for additional volume. Personally, I find that my hair ends up feeling far dirtier when I begin spraying these powdery products through my tendrils, so the longest I go sans soap and water is usually 48 hours. As you'll see in the breakdown, some of these sprays I'll use predominantly as an after-wash volumizer as opposed to a refresher.

Here are my thoughts on each bottle, moving left to right from my most to least favourite.

1. Klorane Dry Shampoo with Nettle Extract 92.5 g  $13

I am a loyal fan to most French Pharmacie brands, Klorane being one of them. This classic dry shampoo leaves a light, fresh scent on your hair and has quite the powerful spray. It does leave a white cast on darker hair, so beware of this and really massage it in. Since the price is pretty steep on this one, I'm always clipping the $3 off Klorane coupons from my magazines. They happen to show up quite often so when this baby goes on sale at Shoppers, I scoop one up for around $9 flat. Despite there being a relatively small amount of product in the can, the results really last when I use my Klorane. Love this.

2. Pantene Blowout Extend Dry Shampoo 140 g  $6

This new dry shampoo from Pantene uses "natural tapioca" to absorb excess oils without leaving that white powdery residue. I haven't had this one for long so it's hard to say if it's actually better than my loyal Batiste, seen below. It did end up ranking higher based on price and the fact that it doesn't bring about that white residue anxiety. I do find that my results last considerably well throughout the day when I use this particular spray. My first bottle stopped spraying very early on, so luckily I was able to swap it for a new one at Shoppers. 

UPDATE: The spray top on this product is TERRIBLE. Out of the 5 my sisters and I have tried, they  have all stop working and end up dripping product all over the place. Thumbs down.

3. Batiste Original Dry Shampoo 120 g  $10  

Ahhh the classic. This stuff means business. It also means white powder and a pretty fake strong scent that'll linger. Fortunately, there is a version available formulated specifically for darker hair, which claims to not leave any white powder on and around the hair. I haven't tried that particular version, but I may consider it in the future since I love how well Batiste deals with oil absorption. This is my go-to for when I wake up late, can't wash and style my hair, and need a dependable solution. Sometimes, it's just best to stick to what came first.

4. Garnier Fructis Volume Extend Instant Bodifier Dry Shampoo 96 g  $10

I had such high hopes for this electric green can. The scent is nice, without being overwhelming, the spray is okay, but the results just aren't there. Not only do I get barely any volume to begin with, my hair looks flat as ever within an hour of first use. Not worth it at all.

5. Dove Refresh+Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo 142 g  $8 (approx. but who really cares since it sucks!)

Welcome, the world's first hair perfume! I can literally smell this florally explosion even when the product isn't in use. Maybe that's just my hypersensitive nez speaking, but I don't care for such a strong fake smell lingering around me throughout the day. This bottle is (thankfully) now empty, but I only ended up using it as a post-wash volume spray to add the slightest bit of texture and a whole lot of fragrance to my 'do. The spray mechanism on this product is quite weak and it doesn't do much for my oil or lack of volume on day two. Big no! 

Over the years I have also tried the Tresemme's "fresh start" mousse version, which is absolutely horrific, and the Suave dry shampoo (only available in the U.S.) which gives similar results to the Pantene, in my opinion. 

I always have a bottle of dry shampoo on hand, and a miniature version of either Batiste or Klorane in my travel bag. I really despise the feeling of sticky buildup on my scalp and skin in general, therefore simply spritzing some absorbent powder liquid onto my roots isn't my ideal form of dealing with greasy hair. As a texturizing spray, style refresher or root lifter for updos, Klorane, Pantene and Batiste are definite recommendations. In the end, if my hair is looking seriously flat and greasy, a 5 minute shower and scrub sounds much better!  xx