The Best Dry Shampoos Will Definitely Carry You In Between Washes

How many days in a row can you go?

If you shudder at the mere thought of flat, greasy hair in a world before dry shampoo, you’re not alone: our budget-friendly winner reportedly sells two bottles of dry shampoo every second, and the $3 billion industry is only on the upswing. But the dizzying array of dry shampoos on the market might leave you wondering which bottles actually get the job done right. After all, how different can powders that absorb oil and eliminate odor really be? Spoiler: pretty darn different.

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We tested both fan favorites and lesser-known dry shampoos in a quest to find the ones that work best at reviving unwashed locks across a variety of hair types and textures, from thin and grease-prone to coarser, dry strands. We asked testers to consider which ones did the best job creating volume without leaving behind a gritty mess, and also looked at ease of use — testing products in aerosol cans, shaker cans, and, in one instance, a paste that turns to powder. We also considered scent and number of uses per bottle (our price ranges are based on cost per ounce), which made all the difference with the dry shampoos worth shelling out a few more bucks for.

Editor’s note: We did not test dry shampoos for natural, textured hair or hair worn in protective styles, as the criteria for such dry shampoos is significantly different and warrants its own review, which we plan to publish in the near future.

Batiste Clean & Classic Dry Shampoo

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If you’ve stepped into a drugstore in the last few years, you’ve probably seen Batiste dry shampoo. Our testers across various hair types found it effective at creating volume, absorbing oil at the roots, and transforming a greasy mane of fine, oily hair into a tousled, textured look. That was hardly a surprise: Batiste is the most popular dry shampoo in the world. But that’s not why it’s our pick.

Start poking around and you’ll see why Batiste is such a favorite. The brand’s game is variety and lots of it. Batiste also offers specialty formulas that target different #HairGoals: strength and shine, hydrating, and volumizing.

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This dry shampoo may not be the most lightweight or residue-free upon initial application — you’ll find that most options at lower price points share this characteristic — but give your hair a good brushing or combing or flip it upside-down and tousle it with your hands until the product is no longer visible, and you’ll be good to go. As with practically all dry shampoos, you’ll want to make sure you spray all of your roots evenly, being careful not to dispense too much of the product in one spot. Batiste’s dry shampoo is also available in a formula especially for darker locks (to eliminate the issue of residue), as well as one for blondes. Reviewers with thinning hair also note that the colored products work well to fill in spots where hair is particularly sparse.

But let’s talk fragrance, specifically because there are so damn many of them. We found the scent of the original formula — the one we tested — to be quite subtle and pleasant, like to that of clean laundry. Other options include cherry, tropical, floral, “fresh,” “bare” (described as a “clean and light” scent), and “blush” (another floral variation), many of which are available in wallet-friendly five-packs.

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If you’re worried about being weighed down, the most lightweight formula we tested in this price bracket was Marc Anthony’s Refreshing Coconut Clear Dry Shampoo, a product that, true to its name, applies almost invisibly and comes in an enormous bottle that lasts approximately forever. We almost crowned it the winner, but its coconut scent, while some found it delightful, is a bit too strong. (One tester in Camp Coconut-Hater said she couldn’t even bear to try it after taking the cap off.) But if you’re up for a scent that’ll transport you to endless summer in a volumizing dry shampoo that leaves no visible evidence, give this one a try.

One of our in-house testers with thicker hair, who uses Batiste on the regular, even attested that they can go a whole week without washing their hair again if they apply enough of the stuff. Color us impressed! Nearly all our testers said they’d spend their own money on Batiste dry shampoo — or noted that the product is already their drugstore go-to.

While we were secretly hoping for an under-the-radar surprise pick to check off all the boxes, we’ve gotta hand it to Batiste for creating a cult-favorite formula that’s earned its status for a reason: it just works, and at the lowest price per ounce among all the dry shampoos we tested. Our advice? Get a multi-pack and stock your office! And your car! And your home! It’s quite possibly the best return on investment you’ll find in your drugstore beauty aisle.

Get it from Amazon for $6.49.

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo

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If your beauty-product tastes are more Sephora than drugstore and you’re willing to drop some additional cash on a lighter-weight dry shampoo than our $ pick, you simply can’t go wrong with Living Proof’s Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo. The barely noticeable formula provides a bit of texture and was a hit across all hair types and textures. The consensus was clear: this stuff produces lasting volume and refreshes days-old hair like none other we tested within this price bracket.

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While the product does apply white, it absorbs very easily. This is due to something the company calls its “Healthy Hair Molecule” (OFPMA), a patented technology that helps eliminate frizz, smooth strands, and repel dirt and odors so hair stays cleaner longer. Be especially sure to spray 6 to 10 inches away from your scalp. Comb through and/or massage it into your hair with your fingertips until it’s completely disappeared. The feeling of any grittiness or product on your scalp quickly fades.

One BuzzFeed staffer with super-dry hair who’s a regular user of Living Proof’s dry shampoo attests that it helps her blowouts last several days longer than they otherwise would. Other users with grease-prone hair were impressed by its ability to create volume without feeling heavy or full of product. So go on, apply this stuff and run your fingers through your tresses with abandon!

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After using Perfect Hair Day, you might also be delighted by its delicate “I just left the salon with fancy products in my hair” scent. You may, like one of our testers did, even find yourself wishing it were a perfume. The product is formulated with a time-released fragrance that keeps hair smelling clean all day, and it’s safe for colored and chemically treated hair. And while this is neither a deal-maker nor a deal-breaker, did we mention how much we love its easy-on-the-eyes, minimalist slate-colored bottle? Your drugstore fave is shaking.

Perfect Hair Day is rivaled only by Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo, a product that won us over across pretty much all criteria. It ultimately lost out to Living Proof’s dry shampoo because the bottle didn’t last as long. It’s still a solid contender, though, with its fun packaging and a luxurious but not overpowering floral scent that smells expensive.

We’re confident in calling Living Proof’s Perfect Hair Day one of the best dry shampoos on the market — if not the best — considering its value, its stellar ability to perk up sad, dirty hair for the entire day (or longer), and its pleasant, long-lasting scent.

Get it from Sephora for $14.

Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo

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Oribe’s Gold Lust looks, smells, and works like money, and we think it more than earns its status as the best high-end dry shampoo your hard-earned cash can buy.

When BuzzFeed UK staffers pitted drugstore and luxury dry shampoos against each other, editor Remee Patel called Oribe “literally the most glorious product” she had ever used, adding, “It’s so bloody classy, it’s literally class in a can. Before, my hair was slightly flat, but after just a few sprays it looked like I’d been styled for a photo shoot — I felt so goddamn glamorous.” We truly can’t put it any better than that (not least because we’re not versed in charming Britisisms).

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Like a “sexy hairstyling ghost,” as another BuzzFeeder described it, this stuff is so lightweight that at one point we had to make sure something was coming out of the spray bottle because we could barely even feel it. (No one would dare call it “gritty,” as some did with our $ and $$ picks.) But the effects were certainly visible: instant volume, a silky-soft clean feeling, and a hint of fresh fragrance (that won’t compete with your perfume) to mask any eau de dirty scalp. Even those of us with darker hair, who would normally see a speck of residue upon initial application, had none. We hardly even had to work it through our hair with our fingers to see results. A little goes a long way with this product, too. Witchcraft? No, just an absurdly expensive dry shampoo that, as it should, works absurdly well.

If you regularly spend the equivalent of this product’s price tag getting your hair blown out at a place like DryBar (whose dry shampoo was a very close runner-up at this price point) and you want upkeep between salon visits, this might be the product for you. Plus, at nearly twice or thrice the size of other bottles we pitted this one against, Oribe’s 6-ounce can should last even if you’re using it a few times a week. (For comparison, DryBar’s Detox Dry Shampoo weighs in at 3.5 ounces, with a $23 price tag.)

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This price bracket also included dry shampoos in shaker cans, as well as one maverick on the scene that starts off as a paste and then turns powdery. While we were intrigued and went into the testing phase open-minded and hopeful, nothing stepped up to the plate the way Oribe did. And can we also talk about how pretty the bottle is? The chic black packaging with gold-scribble ombre detailing wouldn’t look out of place in a luxury-hotel toiletries collection.

Who needs to spend $48 on a bottle of dry shampoo? Well, of course no one needs to — especially with similar products on the market whose effects rival this one at nearly half its price. But if you’re a loyal fan of the Oribe brand and/or you get off on dropping cash on luxury hair products, this is THE luxury dry shampoo you want in your gold-faucet-adorned bathroom. Money can’t buy you happiness, but it turns out it can buy you a dry shampoo that makes you feel nothing short of fabulous each time you pick it up.

Get a 6-oz. bottle from Nordstrom for $48.