Best Buys: 7 Dry Shampoos That Do More

Dry shampoos have come a long way since their early days of doing away with excess oil. Today’s offerings give your locks just about everything they could wish for, while giving your ’do another day.

By Liz Ritter, Executive Editor · Jul 29, 2014

Dry shampoos have come a long way! Today’s offerings give your locks just about everything they could wish for, while giving your ’do another day. Click through to see some of our top picks.

1 / 8

ColorProof DrySpell

What makes it different: By default, all dry shampoos add a little extra make-your-color-last-longer insurance since you’re washing less, but this vegan and gluten-free version has the power to actually help protect your color even more by coating strands with its proprietary ColorLast System. The oil-absorbers are also a little out of the ordinary, as the spray relies on clay (don’t worry, you can’t see it) to help refresh. The result is totally clean strands that are replete of that “powdery” feeling. $21, sleekhair.com

2 / 8

Salon Grafix Play It Big Volumizing Dry Shampoo

What makes it different: The best thing about a blowout? Big hair that has tons of volume and bounce. The hardest thing about a second-day blowout? Trying to desperately recreate that fullness that almost always falls to the wayside during the night. This aerosol spray helps get that “big look” back by infusing the hair with strengthening (yet never stiff-feeling) keratin and protein. $10, ultra.com

3 / 8

Klorane Dry Shampoo With Nettle

What makes it different: Not only does this do typical dry shampoo duties (oil absorption, volumizing), it actually normalizes the scalp. In a three month clinical study, the nettle-formula worked to elimiate hyperseborrhea—a scalp condition that causes the production of excess oil—in 100% of participants. $20, drugstore.com

4 / 8

Death Valley Dry Shampoo

What makes it different: Specifically formulated to thicken hair to create those textured, full-of-volume looks, this unique-smelling dry shampoo is all about bringing on the “big” hair while adding just a little bit of shine. It’s so good, you’ll want to use it even if you aren’t relying on it for second-day hair. $30, randco.com

5 / 8

Philip Kingsley One More Day

What makes it different: A dry shampoo that’s not so concerned about your strands? Sounds like an oxymoron but that’s exactly what this specifically formulated scalp-health one is designed to do. Packed with soothing ingredients like zinc PCA, allantoin and bisabolol that are intended to help the overall health of your scalp, the spray not only refreshes but also helps calm irritation and flaking. An added bonus: It has an unbelievable fresh (but not in-your-face fragrance) that makes hair smell clean on contact. $25, philipkingsley.com

6 / 8

Evo Water Killer Dry Shampoo

What makes it different: Billing itself as a dry shampoo and styling spray in one, this bounce-inducing product gives flat roots a serious lift while erasing all signs of oiliness in its tracks. $25, evohair.com

7 / 8

SHOW Dry Shampoo

What makes it different: With a sweetly seductive scent (it was formulated by famous fine fragrance expert Givaudan) and an uber-luxe bottle to boot, this hard-working dry shampoo somehow manages to eliminate all excess oil but still leaves hair feeling hydrated, thanks to its unique blend of aloe vera, mango, kiwi and ginger lily. $47, Bergdorf Goodman

8 / 8

Bamboo Style Cleanse Extend Translucent Dry Shampoo

What makes it different: Ingredients like organic bamboo extract mean that this dry shampoo not only absorbs excess oil but it helps eliminate product buildup as well, making it great for curly hair. It’s also good for adding volume to freshly washed hair. $ 22, sephora.com