What's the Dealio with Dry Shampoo?

A few years ago, the concept of dry shampoo was foreign to most people but now it's being mentioned everywhere. In fact, Marie Claire magazine just named Klorane Dry Shampoo one of the 15 Best Products of ALL TIME. Rebecca Romijn said the Klorane was her one "desert island" product she couldn't live without. Dry shampoos are basically powders that absorb oil and odors and add texture. They come in a powder form (just like a bottle of baby powder) or a spray form (my favorite). Using traditional shampoo on your hair every day is a sure way to dry it out, damage it, and speedily fade out any color you've had done. Yet for many, hair becomes oily by the second day and something's gotta be done! Who might need dry shampoo? Let's see...

1. The Busy Mom - Can't take a shower until the kids are napping at 3:00 but still need to run errands and host a playdate. Luckily Oscar Blandi makes this nice travel size spray called Pronto that fits right in your diaper bag. And smells like lemon verbena!

2. The Partier - Shut the bars down at 2:00 am, hit the all night diner at 3:00, too tired to take shower by 4:00 but hair smells like cigarettes and french fries. Just spray some vanilla scented Ojon Rub-Out Dry Cleanser and pass out.

3. The Always Late One - Oh NO! Overslept again and must catch bus to work in ten minutes. Hair looks a little greasy but no time to wash. Sponge bath and dry shampoo to the rescue!

4. The Oily-haired one - Ok, here are my rules for you. Use a clarifying shampoo, do not use conditioner anywhere on your hair except the roots if you have to, and put some mousse on the roots after showering. If roots seem a little crunchy when dry, just brush through. This will help slow up the oil production. Dry shampoo should get you through the next day.

5. The Thin/Limp-haired one - You already use volumizing products and blowdry your hair upside down and all that jazz. Yet the next day you are back to thin and limp hair. Add some texture and body back with dry shampoo.

6. The Coarse-haired one - Your hair looks terrible when you first wash it, all frizzed out and unruly. Yet by day three, the natural oils have calmed it down and things are looking better. Hey, even Justin Timberlake confesses to only washing his hair every ten days. If there were just a way to wash only the roots of your hair... Oh wait! There is!

7. The Salon Regular - Don't you wish you could have that professional blow-out salon look ALL the time? Some people do. They go to the salon for a blowout once a week (say Monday or Tuesday) and then use dry shampoo to keep the style going through Friday. Multiply the price of a blowout by 4 and it doesn't seem that outrageous for having amazing hair the entire month.

8. The Stylist - There's no better way on a photo shoot to add some grip and volume to a style (especially with super clean hair) than this. Batiste is a hair stylist's kit staple and super affordable.

I thought of some more (The Camper! The Humanitarian!) but you get the idea. Remember to keep spray about 12 inches from your roots. Let dry and then brush through. Powder (try baby powder if you're not sure this is for you) needs to be shaken, then quickly open bottle and poof powder into the air ABOVE hair so that it lightly falls down on head. If you poof it directly onto the hair, you will have big white spots. It's kind of like spraying perfume in front of you and then walking into it. People with really dark brown or black hair need to be careful because even the sprays can show up as white if used too closely. There are some dry shampoos made especially for dark hair (try Orlando Pita T3 Refresh Volumizing Dry Shampoo in dark tone - also comes in light and auburn ). One of the first companies to try colored ones was Bumble and Bumble. I hope they re-formulate because it's a great concept but the product is a little too sludgy. Want to try one that's not so heavily scented? Rene Furterer Naturia Dry Shampoo may be the one for you.