The sebaceous glands of some people are too reactive and they secrete a lot of sebum. This makes their hair oily and greasy. Are you one of the people with oily hair? You probably wash your hair every day to keep it oil-free.
Well, here is good news. The solution to the problem is dry shampoo. With dry shampoo, you won’t need to wash your hair every day. The shampoo reacts with excess oil and absorbs it, leaving your hair looking dry.
What Is Dry Shampoo?
Dry shampoo is a product that is made of either rice starch or cornstarch, and it comes either as a powder or as an aerosol in a spray can or spray bottle. Dry shampoo absorbs the oil or grease in the hair and makes the hair appear dry. Sometimes, it appears white initially, but after a couple of minutes, the whitish substance will vanish, leaving the hair dry.
There are several brands of dry shampoo and they come in different quantities. You can get dry shampoos on Amazon, Walmart, and other reputable online stores.
What Is Dry Shampoo Made Of?
Dry shampoo is made of several ingredients but its key ingredient is either cornstarch or rice starch. This substance does most of the work. It binds with fatty-acid in the sebum. The reaction leads to the absorption of the oil in your hair. And when the oil is gone, your hair will look dry and fresh.
Another ingredient of dry shampoo is Kaolin. It has a clay-like in appearance. It also helps to absorb grease and reduce the shine of oily hair and give the hair a matte look.
Magnesium Stearate is another ingredient of dry shampoo. When starch reacts with fatty-acid, it is possible for the mixture to harden up. And magnesium stearate prevents the solidification. Instead, it facilitates the dissolution of the oil in your hair.
Denatured alcohol helps with quick evaporation. That’s why the shampoo usually disappears with the oil in the hair. Also, denatured alcohol absorbs heat from the scalp, leaving it with a cooling and soothing effect.
Finally, liquified natural gas is also one of the ingredients of dry shampoo. It is present in spray shampoos and its function is to keep the shampoo in its liquid state. This is why dry shampoo spray is flammable and should not be sprayed near a naked fire.
What Is Dry Shampoo Used For?
As explained above, dry shampoo is used to keep oily or greasy hair dry and fresh. When applied to oily hair, it reacts with the oil, absorbing the oil and leaving the hair dry. In addition, it has an ingredient that cloaks the shine of oily hair with a matte look.
However, you should always remember that dry shampoo is not shampoo in the real sense. It does not clean dirty hair. That’s why you still need to wash your oily hair at least twice a week. In addition, dry shampoo hides the dirt in the hair, and it absorbs body heat, while it gives the cooling effect to an itchy scalp.
How Long Can I Use Dry Shampoo?
With oily hair, you can use dry shampoo about 2 -3 times a week. You must use it moderately. If you apply it every day, the dirt in your hair could build up. Remember, dry shampoo does not wash dirt off the hair. It only cloaks it.
So, we recommend that you spray dry shampoo in your hair 2- 3 times a week, and also wash your hair 2 – 3 times a week, but you don’t have to do both on the same day. You won’t need to wash your hair the day you plan to spray dry shampoo on it. In the same way, you should not spray your hair the day you plan to wash it.
When To Use Dry Shampoo?
You can use dry shampoo any time of the day, but it is better to spray it right before your bedtime. It will work into your scalp and the root of your hair overnight. In the morning, you’ll wake up with dry, fresh hair with a matte look.
Also, you can’t apply dry shampoo when your hair is wet. You have to dry it with a towel or use a hairdryer on it. Wait until your hair is fully dry before you spray dry shampoo on it. The product has the ability to absorb only oil, but it can’t absorb water. Besides, water will reduce the performance of your dry shampoo. So, you can only apply dry shampoo when your scalp and hair are dry.
How Does Dry Shampoo Work?
Dry shampoo has several ingredients, but its main ingredient is cornstarch or rice starch. This is the ingredient that does most of the work. Other ingredients only support. The starch in the dry shampoo reacts with the fatty acid in hair oil. The starch absorbs the oil and makes the hair dry.
The alcohol in the shampoo facilitates the evaporation of the shampoo and also absorbs the heat on the scalp. In the end, your hair will appear dry, while your scalp will enjoy a cooling effect from the dry shampoo.
How Long Does Dry Shampoo Take To Work?
One of the fascinating features of dry shampoo is that it acts fast. In fact, it takes only about 3 – 10 minutes to feel the effect of dry shampoo. First off, in 2 minutes after spraying and massaging the dry shampoo into your scalp, you’ll notice that the oil or grease on your hair will vanish.
About 2 minutes later, the shiny look of your oily hair will change to a matte look. And the color of your hair will become bolder. In about 10 minutes, the shampoo will be through with its work. However, the effect of dry shampoo can remain on your hair for some days.
To make the dry shampoo work better, you need to massage it into your scalp with your fingers. It is possible for dry shampoo to give your hair a whitish look. Don’t let that bother you. It is only for a few minutes. The whitish look will disappear with the oil in your hair.
What Are The Benefits Of Dry Shampoo?
Dry shampoo has several benefits, and that’s why it is in high demand. Here are some of the advantages.
It saves dressing time – After applying dry shampoo to your oily hair, you don’t need to wash it every day. The time used in washing it can be spent on more important activities. You could spend up to 20 -30 minutes to wash oily hair, and dry shampoo will remove washing from your daily routine and save time.
Dry shampoo maintains your hair color – One problem with regular shampoo is that it fades the color of your hair gradually. Conversely, dry shampoo does the exact opposite. It helps to preserve the color of your hair, making your hair look sleek and beautiful.
It absorbs oil and grease – This is the major benefit of dry shampoo. No matter how oily or greasy your hair is, dry shampoo can absorb all the oil and grease in a matter of minutes. The shiny, oily hair will become dry and smooth.
It deodorizes the hair – For people who have smelly hair, dry shampoo will eliminate the odor or reduce it tremendously. In addition to the elimination of odors, it can also give your hair a nice fragrance. Many dry shampoos are fused with great fragrances, and some are not. If you want your hair to have great fragrances, choose dry shampoo with a nice fragrance.
Dry shampoo cools your scalp – The alcohol in dry shampoo absorbs heat from the scalp and soothes the scalp.
What Are The Side Effects Of Dry Shampoo?
As we have explained before, dry shampoo is not real shampoo, and it does not get rid of dirt from the hair. Rather, it hides the dirt. For this reason, dry shampoo cannot take the place of regular shampoo. That’s why we will advise you to use dry shampoo moderately. Overusing it can trigger any of its side effects discussed below.
It can lead to hair breakage – Dry shampoo contains alcohol and this alcohol can over-dry your hair. When the hair is dry, its fibers can snag and break.
Your hair follicle can get clogged – If you apply dry shampoo to your hair too often, or you leave it on your hair for several days without washing it off, it can build up and clog your hair follicles.
It keeps your hair dirty – If the dry shampoo does not remove dirt from your hair, what happens to the dirt? It simply remains in your hair. Dry shampoo only hides it. As days go by, the dirt will continue to accumulate. So, your hair will become dirty and itchy.
This is why you need to wash your hair at least twice a week. In fact, it is better to alternate hair washing with dry shampooing. Your hair needs both of them, albeit not at the same time.
Your hair can get smelly – If you allow dirt to build up in your hair without washing it off, a certain odor may start oozing out from the hair. Nothing can be more embarrassing than smelly hair.
To avoid all the side effects discussed above, you should not apply dry shampoo for more than 2 days in a row.
Does Dry Shampoo Stop Hair Growth?
Yes and no. If you apply dry shampoo moderately to your hair, it won’t hinder the growth of your hair. On the other hand, if you apply too much of it or you let it remain in your hair for several days in a row, it can clog your hair follicles. And when your follicles are clogged, the growth of your hair may be stunted or reduced.
Does Dry Shampoo Disolorize The Hair?
No, dry shampoo does not discolorize your hair if you spray it appropriately. But if you apply too much of it or leave it in your hair for more than 4 days without washing it off, it can have adverse effects on your hair. One more thing – some dry shampoos contain harsh chemicals.
Such chemicals can change the color of your hair. This is why you should never buy dry shampoo that contains chemicals. It is needless to remind you to always check the ingredients of your shampoo before buying it.
Final Words
Dry shampoo absorbs the oil and grease in your hair and leaves your hair smooth and dry. However, it does not remove the dirt in your hair. So, it cannot replace regular shampoo. According to hair experts, you should not leave the dry shampoo in your hair for more than 3 days in a row. When you leave it for too long, you may trigger any of the side effects discussed above. More importantly, you must wash your hair at least twice a week to remove the dirt that is already building up in it. The best solution for oily and greasy hair is dry shampoo, but you have to apply it properly.
