Are You Over-Using Your Dry Shampoo?
Don’t get us wrong, we live for pampering ourselves with beauty products, but sometimes washing our hair feels more like a chore than any sort of treatment. That’s where dry shampoo has literally changed our lives, or at the very least, our morning hair care routines. We’re guilty of grabbing this stuff for more than just refreshing a blowout, too.
But because it has become such an integral part of our lives, we started to wonder if it’s possible to over-use it? To find out, we went to a few pros to get the lowdown on exactly how much dry shampoo to use before it’s time to jump in the shower. Check out their tips below!
Don’t think of it as a replacement for washing your hair.
“You need to think of dry shampoo as a blow-dry extender,” says Stylist at SCK Salon in New York City, Clint Wilson. “Using it too much before you shampoo your hair can cause build-up and make the hair appear to have a residue on it.” he explains.
Basically, you need to think of dry shampoo as a styling assistant and not a cleansing solution for your strands. Turns out, overusing it and not scrubbing frequently could potentially cause annoying scalp conditions, notes Trichologist, Anabel Kingsley. “Very importantly, dry shampoo does not remove dead skin cells from the scalp, which is vital to the health of the hair,” she says. “In this way, using dry shampoo over an extended period of time could increase your chances of developing a flaky, itchy scalp—and apart from being a nuisance, a flaky scalp is known to worsen hair loss in certain individuals.” Ah!
Get to know your own hair’s needs.
Everyone’s hair is different, that’s why it’s difficult to make a hard and fast rule on when you absolutely have to wash your hair. You may know a friend who only has to wash her hair once a week, while you struggle to manage an every-other-day routine. However, Wilson says there’s one incredibly easy test you can try. “I would say the general rule of thumb is if you can’t really run your fingers through your hair anymore, it’s time to shampoo,” he notes. Another option? Wilson says if your hair is visibly oily and has no bounce, it also may be time for a wash.
You can also measure how much you wash your hair by the quality of your blow-dry. Wilson says that a great blow-dry can last up to a week, while something with “pretty good” standards will get you about 3-4 days.
But trichologist Anabel Kingsley believes that you shouldn’t go more than two days without washing your hair! “Look at how dirty your face gets after 24 hours—the same applies to your hair and scalp,” she says. “You will know your hair is in need of a proper cleanse as your roots will become oily and your hair dull, gritty and lackluster. You will probably also find your scalp gets slightly flaky and itchy.”
However, she notes that Phillip Kingsley actually makes a dry shampoo called One More Day Dry Shampoo ($26, phillipkingsley.com) that’s formulated to keep your scalp healthy. “It is formulated with Zinc PCA, allantoin and bisabolol, which work together to calm the scalp and reduce flaking and itching,” she says. “It also contains very fine particles, so you get added body upon application but without grittiness.” But again, she tells us that when your hair is really dirty, a shampoo is always best.
It could also depend on your scalp health.
According to Kingsley, those with serious scalp issues like dandruff or psoriasis should practice washing their strands with an actual shampoo every day, as not to make the condition worse.
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