If you’ve ever avoided a workout due to hair that’s looking especially good, it’s not just you. Spending major dough on a styling service is all for naught if it falls flat in spin class later that night. The good news is there’s a way to keep it movin’ — and keep your hair in shape. Dry shampoos — a powder formula that you can spray or dab on your hair — are excellent solutions for sweat-slick hair.
Whether you’re burning up in HIIT or kettlebell swinging at CrossFit, dry shampoos can wick all the ick away in no time. To take the guesswork out of finding formulas that really absorb sweat and oil, add volume, and lay undetected, we tested over 25 dry shampoos to find the ones that deserve a place in your gym bag.
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10 Dry Shampoos to Give Your Post-Workout Hair a Boost
1. Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo ($44)
Best for: Dry Hair
Oribe has been known to have a strong beauty cult following, and this dry shampoo doesn’t disappoint. If you have dry hair that’s been color-treated, this strand saver conditions and revives with myrrh, lavender and chamomile extracts. We tested it after a boxing workout, and the shampoo absorbed all the sweat without leaving any white residue. Oribe’s signature watermelon, lychee and flower extracts also infused our locks with a refreshing, floral scent.
2. Captain Blankenship Mermaid Dry Shampoo ($19)
Best for: People with allergies
First of all, who doesn’t want mermaid hair #AmIRight? For those with sensitive, allergy-prone skin, this all-natural dry shampoo is made for you. Talc- and aluminum-free, this powder shampoo means zero allergy triggers. While the self-sprinkling application needs some getting used to, the white clay, arrowroot powder, and rice powder mix leaves a silky finish. We used it after a run, and it continued to help maintain volume, despite the heat and humidity.
3. Nunzio Saviano Dry Shampoo Blotting Sheets ($24)
Best for: Oily Hair
Like the blotting sheets for your face, these rice paper slips soak up sweat and oil from a greasy scalp. The anti-frizz sheets are enriched with coconut oil and have natural UV filters to protect your hair from the sun’s damaging rays. It might seem counterproductive to clean your hair with oil, but the coconut oil in these sheets helps smooth things out and lets the color of your mane really shine. While these sheets aren’t the best bet after a serious workout, for everyday maintenance, they make the grade.
4. Klorane Dry Shampoo with Nettle for Oily Hair ($20)
Best for: Fine, limp hair
If you haven’t heard about nettle, it’s a plant that’s been used as an astringent that can absorb excess oil. In a cinch, this dry shampoo can freshen up extra dirty locks and give your coif volume and body. Full disclosure: The formula is slightly drying, but our tester said she’d take that over greasy or damp any day.
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5. Dove Refresh + Care Fresh & Floral Dry Shampoo ($13)
Best for: Darker hair tones
The brand’s classic dry shampoo just got a facelift with a whole new line of light, scented and unscented versions — perfect for those who are sensitive to fragrance products. The low-residue formula helps revive and refresh hair, while stripping oil and sweat. It also helps balance the natural oils in your scalp, so it’s not drying. Shake the can vigorously before use and brush through it, if you have time — or just shake and go. Bonus: Dove’s dry shampoos come in travel sizes so you can easily carry it to the gym.
6. BioSilk Silk Therapy Dry Clean Shampoo ($17)
Best for: Color-treated hair
We admit: We’re obsessed with all things BioSilk, and this dry shampoo is no different. The peppermint, lavender and flower extracts in the formula makes your hair smell heavenly. Plus, it left our locks feeling clean and super soft. Not to mention the shampoo has actual silk, which contains amino acids for strong, healthy tresses.
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7. R+Co Death Valley Dry Shampoo ($17)
Best for: Travel
Tiny but mighty, this bergamot, wild fig and lotus flower-scented spray mopped up sweat and grime on a hot day. The translucent formula makes it easy and quick to add volume to your hair. If you got a blowout that you want to maintain, carry it in your purse or gym bag to revive lifeless hair post-flight or right before a meeting.
8. Elizabeth and James Nirvana Rose Dry Shampoo ($28)
Best for: Normal hair
We tried this dry shampoo after an Orangetheory workout, and it worked wonders on thick hair. The water-free micro powder boasts rose root extract and vitamin B for strength and shine. It dispenses pretty noticeably on dark hair, but you can smooth out the formula by combing your locks with your fingers. The seductive floral scent is so good that we’d love to bathe in it.
9. DryBar Detox Dry Conditioner ($33)
Best for: Blowouts
You know that intoxicating scent that immediately hits you upon entering a DryBar? That’s what this dry conditioner smells like. It doesn’t leave any white streaks and delivers moisture like an in-shower conditioner. Plus, you can rest easy knowing that it’s a paraben-, sulfate- and phthalate-free formula, and it’s totally safe for color-treated hair. We’re ready for our next bottle!
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10. Herbal Essences Dry Shampoo Revitalize Cucumber & Green Tea ($14)
Best for: Scent aficionados
Hair smelling a little funky? This is your new BFF. The affordable price tag doesn’t hurt either. We tried this dry shampoo after a sweaty spin workout, and it made our hair brand new again. Sulfate- and paraben-free, the cucumber and green tea-scented shampoo is a bonus for anyone who is making the transition to natural products.
Disclosure: All products featured on our site are hand-picked by our editorial team in the hopes of getting you closer to your health and fitness goals. We only recommend products we love and believe that you will, too. If you come across an affiliate link on our site, that means we receive a small commission should you decide to make a purchase.
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