13 Best Dry Shampoos That Instantly Minimize Grease
Finding the best dry shampoos for your hair can be a daunting task, given how many formulas are available out there. There's probably one for every hair-care need or quirk you've got. Do you buy a dry shampoo to match your hair color? Do you want to go extra on the volume or do you just need something to refresh your scalp from product buildup? Well, whatever your dry shampoo preference may be, we found the very best to suit your next hairstyle. Below, take a look at every Allure-approved dry shampoo that soaks up grease without a trace of white residue left behind.
Our Top Picks:
- Best Overall: Living Proof Perfect Hair Day (PhD) Dry Shampoo, $30
- Best for Brunettes: Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo Dark Tones, $26
- Allure Best of Beauty Winner: Olaplex No.4D Clean Volume Detox Dry Shampoo, $30
- Best Luxury Dry Shampoo: Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo, $48
- Best for Oily Scalps: Klorane Dry Shampoo with Nettle, $24
- Best for Protective Styles: Taliah Waajid Protective Styles Dry Gel Shampoo, $8
- Best Under-$10: Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Original Dry Shampoo, $9
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are dry shampoos good for your hair?
- How do you apply dry shampoo?
- How we test and review products
- Our staff and testers
Best Overall: Living Proof Perfect Hair Day (PhD) Dry Shampoo
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Why It's Worth It: There are many reasons the Living Proof Perfect Hair Day (PhD) Dry Shampoo has won multiple awards (Best of Beauty and Readers' Choice to be exact). It doesn't absorb oil like other dry shampoos but removes it. How, you ask? It's thanks to the formula that includes OFPMA, a proprietary molecule that coats the hair to remove powder, dirt, oil, and hydrated silica to soak up sweat.
Editor Tip: This dry shampoo does have a lovely citrus-based fragrance, but for those who have sensitive scalps, we recommend the gentler Perfect Hair Day Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo.
Key Ingredients: Hydrated silica, OFPMA, starch | Who It's For: Anyone who wants award-winning results.
Best for Brunettes: Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo Dark Tones
Why It's Worth It: Anyone with a hair color that's darker than blonde knows that, in terms of pigment blending, some dry shampoos just don't cut it. Enter: Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo Dark Tones, a powder dry shampoo that's tinted for brunettes. Each spritz instantly minimizes the look of greasy hair while its oil-absorbing formula leaves hair feeling just washed clean.
Editor Tip: Not a brunette? Don't fret, because the Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo also comes in a shade for light hair colors, which works for blonde and redheads.
Key Ingredients: Argan oil, rice starch | Who It's For: Any brunette who wants grease-free hair looks.
Allure Best of Beauty Winner: Olaplex No.4D Clean Volume Detox Dry Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: You know a product is good when multiple Allure editors love it enough to give it a Best of Beauty Award. The Olaplex No. 4D Clean Volume Detox Dry Shampoo is one of our editors' favorite dry shampoos for its transparent mist that effortlessly blends into any hair colors without any residue left behind. That's all thanks to its innovative formula, which features a micro-fine starch that soaks up oil while rambutan seed extract supplies a touch of moisture that leaves strands feeling silky-smooth rather than crunchy.
Editor Tip: Like all Olaplex products, the No.4D Clean Volume Detox Dry Shampoo is also spiked with bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, the brand's signature bond-repairing additive that strengthens hair and minimizes breakage.
Key Ingredients: Micro-fine starch, rambutan seed extract | Who It's For: Anyone who wants a transparent, barely-there finish from their dry shampoo.
Best Luxury Dry Shampoo: Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: When it comes to prestige products worth your hard-earned dollars, the Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo should be at the top of your list. This best-selling dry shampoo is an Allure editor- and professional hairstylist favorite for its ultra-light mist that absorbs oil while boosting volume and minimizing frizz and flyaways. This product is also great for taming static hair, too.
Editor Tip: If you'd like a non-aerosol option, Oribe's Serene Scalp Oil Control Dry Shampoo Powder is a spritz-less powder formula that won a 2023 Allure Best of Beauty Award for its ultra-light, blendable formula.
Key Ingredients: Starch, watermelon extract, lychee extract, edelweiss flower extract, bamboo, rice silk | Who It's For: Anyone who wants to give their hair the luxury treatment.
Best for Oily Scalps: Klorane Dry Shampoo with Nettle
Why It's Worth It: Klorane's original Dry Shampoo with Nettle is beloved by editors and top stylists for its ability to prevent dryness and brittleness. It easily extends the life of a blowout by a day or two without a trace of ashy residue, even if you've used it more than once throughout the week. Ditch those oily roots and get into the fluff and volume this leaves your hair with.
Editor Tip: Sensitive scalps, we already know you'll love the mild, Ultra-Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk, which is spiked with its star ingredient to soothe itchiness.
Key Ingredients: Nettle, corn starch, rice starch, silica | Who It's For: Anyone in need of extra-strength oil maintenance.
Best for Protective Styles: Taliah Waajid Refresh and So Clean Dry Gel Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: Made specifically for protective styles, Taliah Waajid's dry gel shampoo works wonders to refresh the scalp while reducing hair follicle irritation. It's infused with avocado, peppermint, witch hazel, and a SciNatranol peptide fortifying complex with bamboo, basil, and biotin. Apply to one area at a time and use a small damp cloth to cleanse.
Editor Tip: Once you reach wash day, make sure to check our guide for washing protective styles to ensure you have the best at-home hair-washing cleanse possible.
Key Ingredients: Avocado oil, peppermint oil, witch hazel extract, bamboo extract, basil extract, biotin | Who It's For: Anyone in need of itch and sensitivity relief between wash days for their protective styles.
Best Under-$10: Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Dry Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: We love the Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Dry Shampoo because of its drugstore price ($7) and high-quality formula. New York City- and Ohio-based hairstylist Mia Santiago agrees: "This dry shampoo works with all hair types (especially curly hair) and textures," she says.
Editor Tip: Santiago adds that it's an aerosol spray that doesn't leave a white cast, which is a huge win in both her book and ours.
Key Ingredients: Rice starch, barley starch | Who It's For: Anyone who wants an effective dry shampoo at a budget-friendly price.
Best Translucent Powder: Verb Dry Shampoo Powder
Why It's Worth It: Verb's vegan, talc-free dry shampoo powder cuts out damaging sulfates and parabens. Simply divide your hair into sections and dispense the tapioca starch powder via a precise spray nozzle. Let it sit for two minutes before giving your scalp a quick massage. It's also available in Light Hair and Dark Hair versions so you don't deal with unnecessary white residue.
Editor Tip: If you do end up applying too much, just use a blow dryer to sweep away the excess.
Key Ingredients: Tapioca starch, glycerin | Who It's For: Anyone who wants a non-aerosol dry shampoo spray.
Best Hydrating Mist: R+Co Spiritualized Dry Shampoo Mist
Why It's Worth It: Santiago says that the R+Co Spiritualized Dry Shampoo Mist isn't your average dry shampoo. "There's definitely a unique spin on this one as it's not powder or starch-based, but it's a mist," she says. Plus, it's made of moisturizing glycerin, strengthening silica, and conditioning castor oil, so hair is shiny and clean for days.
Editor Tip: Santiago recommends spritzing the hydrating formula onto your roots and giving it a quick blow-dry to create volume.
Key Ingredients: Castor oil, glycerin, micellar water, silica | Who It's For: Anyone whioo wants a starch-free (and, therefore, crunch-free) dry shampoo finish, especially fine hair types.
Best for Nighttime: Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: The cheery packaging on the Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo isn't the only selling point. According to Santiago, this dry shampoo is great to spritz on your roots before going to bed. "I personally use this one on myself," she says. "It smells amazing and the rice starch works its magic by absorbing all oils and creating volume overnight."
Editor Tip: This dry shampoo is also spiked with sea buckthorn extract, which is known for its antioxidant-rich and moisturizing properties.
Key Ingredients: Rice starch, sea buckthorn extract | Who It's For: Anyone who wants a talc-free, grease-reducing dry shampoo.
Best for Extending Blowouts: Kristin Ess Style Reviving Dry Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: Hairstylist and colorist Kristin Ess created her namesake brand with one thing in mind: affordable, effective hair products. The Style Reviving Dry Shampoo is no different. Coming in at only $15, this product is made with rice starch to eliminate debris and oil and vitamin C to keep hair looking glossy and feeling smooth.
Editor Tip: Good news, sensitive scalps: this formula also comes in a fragrance-free option.
Key Ingredients: Rice starch, vitamin C | Who It's For: Anyone who wants a dry shampoo that doesn't dry out their hair.
Most Iconic: Batiste Original Dry Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: The can may look like a throwback, but there is nothing outdated about using a tried-and-true Batiste dry shampoo. The lemon-scented spray bulks up hair fibers for a completely refreshed look. It appears white at first spritz, but run your fingers or a brush through your hair, and the powder is undetectable.
Editor Tip: Batiste’s dry shampoos come in so many different variations, but for an intensive cleanse, we like to spritz the Dry Shampoo Overnight Deep Cleanse on our roots before slumbering into our beauty sleep.
Key Ingredients: Rice starch | Who It's For: Anyone who wants a truly reliable, classic dry shampoo
Best Tinted Powder: Billie Floof Dry Shampoo
Why It's Worth It: Indie razor brand Billie entered the dry shampoo game with Floof, a volumizing formula made from plumping biotin, dirt-absorbing rice starch, and grease-targeting baking soda. This super-fine loose powder comes in two versions, one for light hair and one for dark, so you can wave chalky residue goodbye for good.
Editor Tip: This dry shampoo bottle is cute enough for a shelfie, but it's as innovative as it is adorable. The key is its tiny pinhole applicator, which makes patting in the product a total breeze.
Key Ingredients: Rice starch, biotin, baking soda | Who It's For: Anyone who wants a spray-free tinted dry shampoo
Are dry shampoos good for your hair?
As with any product you put on your body, whether a dry shampoo is actually good for your hair depends on two factors: your specific hair type and concerns, and its ingredient list. New York City-based hairstylist Devin Toth says that dry shampoos don't actually clean your hair, but rather mask buildup. "However, if used correctly, they can prolong the freshness of your hairstyle by reversing or minimizing the side effects of grease," he says. Toth also adds that a dry shampoo creates a matte, airy texture at the roots of your hair, which really supports a bouncy hairstyle full of life and movement.
While every dry shampoo will take care of dirty, oily hair and let you go a day (or two) longer without washing your hair, some are formulated with styling ingredients that add volume, thickness, and texture. Some are also spiked with nourishing ingredients like conditioning glycerin and shine-enhancing antioxidants to target brittle texture, lackluster finishes, and itchiness.
How do you apply dry shampoo?
If you want a step-by-step guide on how to apply your dry shampoo, we have a full expert-approved tutorial on how to use dry shampoo correctly for you to check out. But, here's the gist of everything you need to know from it:
Before you even touch your hair, Los Angeles-based hair stylist Chris Appleton previously told Allure that prepping the product itself is key to a residue-free look. "This will make sure the product’s formula is evenly distributed inside of the bottle, making for even distribution on your scalp," he said.
After your product is ready to go, grab a comb and part your hair into sections, starting with the oiliest ones first.
News flash: you're probably holding your dry shampoo bottle too close to your roots. Each product does have its own directions for use, but a rule of thumb is to spray the dry shampoo a full 12 inches away from your head, aiming for the roots as you spritz. "Keeping the proper distance between your hair and the aerosol bottle is so important," Appleton said. Remember to only apply the dry shampoo onto oily areas to prevent product build-up and unnecessary waste.
Do you tend to brush your hair immediately after applying dry shampoo? Well, stop doing that. "It’s really crucial to let the dry shampoo sit for a few minutes so it can work its magic properly," Appleton said. "After you’ve let it sit, you can massage it into your scalp with your hands to really activate the ingredients that soak up the oil."
If you used too much product, no need to panic. Just simply run a brush or a comb through your hair from root to tip to disperse any build-up, et voilà.
How we test and review products
We always enlist a range of testers for any review, but hair-care products and tools are another story. While some can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and concerns, many are created with specific consumers and their needs in mind. When reviewing hair care products, we also take into account testers’ experience levels. For instance, an innovative new blow-dryer may feature industry-leading technology, but if the only people who find it intuitive to use are professional hairstylists, we have to consider this when determining whether it is worthy of a recommendation.
For our review of the best dry shampoos, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and experts for the piece — who all have different hair concerns and types, desired outcome (i.e., want a voluminous finish), and whether one product was tested across multiple hair types. Testers considered performance across three primary categories: efficacy, ease of use, value. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors — in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon — is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
