InstagramDespite what health experts say, greasy hair phobia is real. A lifetime spent combating an oily scalp proves it.
Growing up, my mother constantly encouraged me to use baby powder as a solution for reviving my tresses. But after awkward days of sporting chalk-white streaks, the solution fell to an unhealthy hair-washing obsession. This could only help for so long, as my soft hair started to get brittle from the constant shampoo and conditioner cycle. I knew there had to be another solution, one that wouldn't leave a powdered residue or the faint resemblance of dandruff.
And so my tumultuous, long-term relationship with dry shampoo began.
Bottle after bottle, I sought to attain the perfect combo of greaseless revival while keeping my locks red-carpet ready (and by red carpet, I mean around the office). Whether it was from the drugstore or a name brand, I spritzed and brushed with fervor, hoping I'd find the one. Some days I thought my expectations were too high: Is a product with a nice smell that's not chalky, soft to the touch and long-lasting too much to ask for? Of course not, said the hair gods, and then they sent down heaven on earth (also known as Toni & Guy Casual Matt Texture Dry Shampoo, $14.99).
For someone with thin but curly, wavy hair, the dry shampoo had to embrace the texture of my hair without weighing it down. With a colorless powder, I could spray the day away, from the gym to work to a night out without messing up my styled hair. The product continued to make my natural texture shine through and, to my amazement, grease begone. I even was able to go a three full days without a hair wash, and every morning, my trusty dry shampoo was there to fulfill all my hair dreams. This is the moment I knew we were in it for the long haul.
Another favorite I turn to quite often is Macadamia Professional Style Extend Dry Shampoo, $25. With a similar texture to that of Toni & Guy, the smell of this magical concoction is what really sold me. Like an exotic tropical vacation in a bottle, this one works better after curling my hair. It delivers almost a sea salt spray-like result with its hold, giving my curls a beachy feel.
For a night out, I found myself gravitating toward Salon Grafix Play It Big Volumizing Dry Shampoo, $9.99, which gave me a whole lot of volume while also de-frizzing and refreshing my roots. The spray goes on clear so it never looks like you have too much product in your hair. It also has strong hold and kept most of my strands in place.
A couple months later and my once-dried ends are slowly repairing. The fear of greasy hair is now gone with a spray of a bottle.