How Much Dry Shampoo To Use?

You can use dry shampoo to keep your hair clean without getting wet. However, how much dry shampoo should you be using? Click here to find out.

Dry shampoo is a must-have in anyone’s beauty kit, especially if they want their hairstyles to last a little longer. It also comes in handy during those days when you can’t take a shower but need to look presentable.

However, as helpful as dry shampoo is, there are a few guidelines you need to keep in mind when using it. For example, you need to know just how much dry shampoo you can use in one go. 

After all, using too much can leave your hair even greasier than before. On the other hand, use too little, and it won’t do what it’s supposed to do – absorb the excess sebum or oil in your hair.

With that said, how much dry shampoo should you actually use? What tips can you follow to ensure you look your best when using dry shampoo? Let’s find out below.

How Dry Shampoo Works  – A Quick Look

To understand how much dry shampoo to use in one go, let’s first take a quick look at how it works.

Dry shampoo typically comes in either a fast-drying spray or powdered form, with spray variants being more popular choices. 

These are made using an alcohol or starch base, porous ingredients that help absorb the excess oil and grease in your hair. Using dry shampoo is perfect if you just need a quick way to freshen up during the day or between washes.

It’s also an excellent way to prevent the buildup of excess sebum from your hair follicles, which helps avoid oilier-looking roots.

To use dry shampoo, you have to apply it to your roots to absorb the excess oils and sebum from your scalp. Doing so will leave your hair looking cleaner and fresher without having to go under the shower.

Aside from this, dry shampoos also help your hair smell fresher, just like how it would after taking a shower. This is because it can also eliminate unpleasant odors from your hair, such as those coming from cigarette smoke, vehicle pollution, and even barbeques.

You can also use dry shampoo to add more volume to your hair, giving it that bouncy and fuller appearance. 

Because of this, this hair product is considered valuable, especially during those days when you’re running late and no longer have the time for a quick wash.

It’s also the perfect way to keep your hair looking clean and fresh during unexpected circumstances, like when you’re traveling or at the hospital.

However, as mentioned, you need to apply just the right amount if you want your hair to look fresh and clean, not greasier or oilier. 

How Much Dry Shampoo to Use – Helpful Tips for Proper Dry Shampoo Use

While there’s really no precise measurement you need to adhere to when using dry shampoos, you can consider factors like your hair’s condition and previous experience to estimate how much dry shampoo you need to use for your hair.

Of course, there are also a few helpful tips you can follow to ensure you apply the proper amount and get the best results. Check them out below.

Prep and Section Your Hair

Dry shampoo works best when you apply it correctly. So, to do this, you need to prep your hair by parting it into sections.

Doing so ensures that the dry shampoo is applied evenly to your hair, absorbing as much sebum and oil as it possibly can. It’s best to start with the oiliest part of your hair, as this is where you need to apply the product the most.

Shake It Up.

Once you have parted your hair into sections, the next thing you should do is shake the can. While dry shampoos can also come in powder form, aerosol sprays are the most common form of dry shampoo.

With that said, you should shake it up before you open up the can, as this allows the product to blend well together and evenly, which prevents residues from settling at the bottom.

Aside from this, a well-blended dry shampoo formula is more likely to be effective at absorbing the excess sebum and grease. Doing so will also prevent it from clumping in your hair when you apply it.

Aim and Spray.

Once your dry shampoo formula is already well-mixed, you can now aim and spray it at your hair. However, there are a few things you should note when you do.

• Keep your distance.

First, you need to make sure that you don’t spray too close to your head. In general, you need to keep a distance of at least 10 to 15 cm away from the roots. 

Doing so prevents it from becoming too concentrated on a single area, which can result in clumping and additional greasiness later on. A higher concentration of dry shampoo building up on your scalp can also mean it will be trickier to wash out later on.

• Keep it going.

Aside from keeping your distance, you also need to ensure that you’re not just spraying everything in one location. Doing so will also make the substance accumulate in one spot, causing a buildup of residue that you’ll have difficulty washing out later on.

So, once you have covered one area, you need to keep it moving and move on to the following sections. For this, you can spray your roots in a sweeping motion so that the product is evenly distributed on your hair and scalp.

• Less is more.

Aside from this, you also need to ensure you apply the proper amount. With dry shampoo, the general rule is less is more since you only need to cover the oiliest areas of your scalp, not your whole head.

Moreover, you can always layer on more of the product if you feel like you haven’t sprayed enough to absorb the oil properly. Of course, several factors can affect this as well, including the level of oiliness in your scalp, your hair type, and just how thick your hair is.

For example, if you tend to have oily and thick hair, you’ll need to apply a bit more product to ensure it absorbs all the excess oil and grease.

Let It Sit and Massage.

Once you have covered all the oiliest areas of your hair with dry shampoo, the next thing you should do is to let it sit and work its magic. Fortunately, dry shampoos work incredibly quickly, so you only have to wait a few minutes to get the best results.

Likewise, you can also massage the substance into your roots to help the dry shampoo’s starch element absorb the oils more quickly. Doing so also allows any leftover white residue to disappear, leaving you with fresher and cleaner-looking hair instead.

While you can do this with just your hands, you can also use a brush to distribute the dry shampoo more evenly across your locks and remove any excess from your scalp. Using a brush will also help you avoid getting your hands messy with the substance.

Use a Hairdryer or a Wide-Tooth Comb.

This step is optional since you can just leave your hair as is once the dry shampoo has worked its magic on your locks. However, if you want to ensure that the substance doesn’t concentrate only on your scalp, you can blast your hair with a hairdryer afterward.

Aside from further distributing the substance across your locks, blasting your hair with a hairdryer after applying the dry shampoo can also add more volume to your locks. 

If you don’t own a hairdryer, you can always use a wide-tooth comb as an alternative. In this case, you can use the comb to distribute the powder evenly and remove any excess from your hair.

Too Much or Too Little – What Happens to Your Hair with Dry Shampoo

Now you know the ways to ensure you apply the proper amount , let’s discuss what happens when you use too much or too little. 

Too Much Dry Shampoo

Like with any product, overuse or excessive use of dry shampoo can be more counterproductive than helpful. This is because using too much in one go usually leaves a buildup of residue in your scalp, which can clog your hair follicles.

As a result, this can affect your hair’s growth, and it can even lead to a condition called folliculitis. It can also leave your hair looking oilier than before due to the residue buildup.

Too Little Dry Shampoo

On the other hand, what happens when you use too little dry shampoo? Again, dry shampoos are designed to absorb excess oils and grease from your hair and scalp, so using too little of it won’t get you your desired effects.

This means your hair can still end up looking greasy and oily if you use too little amount of dry shampoo. This is especially true if your hair is naturally oilier than others, so you may need to apply a bit more than those with dry hair.

Dry Shampoo as Regular Shampoo Substitute – the Risks of Overusing Dry Shampoo

Let’s discuss a bit more on why overusing dry shampoo can be counterproductive and even harmful to your hair. 

While dry shampoo can certainly be helpful on days where you just don’t have the time to shower, it’s still best to remember that it’s no substitute for regular shampoo and hair washing.

In this case, using dry shampoo too frequently, such as doing so for several consecutive days, can result in the following:

• Greasier and clumpier hair
• Limp, dry, and duller-looking hair
• Unpleasant smells
• Conditions like seborrheic dermatitis
• Hair breakage
• Poorer scalp health

Overall, when you’re using dry shampoo, the key is to use it in moderation. Doing so helps avoid the side effects mentioned and ensures that your hair remains healthy and fresh.

Final Thoughts

Dry shampoos are undeniably helpful for keeping our hair clean and fresh, even on the days when we can’t take a full shower. However, like with any hair product, using the right amount is critical to ensure it does its job well.

Of course, when it comes to dry shampoos, the exact amount varies from person to person, especially since we all have different hair types. 

With that said, hopefully, the tips mentioned above have helped you learn more about how much dry shampoo to use and how much is too much.