Trust us when we say that numero uno on our long list of pet peeves (which, FYI, includes public spitting and people telling us when our laces are untied) is that feeling of dirty hair. You know, that sticky feeling in which your scalp is telling you "I need to shower right now" despite the fact you showered less than an hour ago. Maybe you used a shower cap, maybe you ducked your head out of the shower stream. Who's to say? But one thing is for sure: you were too lazy to lather-rinse-repeat (because really, who's got the time?) and now you're stuck looking like Billy Ray Cyrus in his prime (read: v. greasy).
Sure, a few particularly motivated members of society may take that as a cue to spend those extra ten minutes shampooing instead of remaining snuggled up in bed (tradeoffs, you guys). But thankfully, for the rest of us sleep-loving individuals, there's a solution to our Day 3 of Burning Man woes: dry shampoo.
And so, The Cov staff in all their varying degrees of hair length/colour/texture ditched the 'poo for one week (or, fine, for just a few days) with the goal of testing out the most talked about dry shampoos. You can thank us for those extra ten minutes later.
Meet the Panel
(and their current hair routine...)
Emily
My hair is super fine, brown and pin straight—A.K.A. it gets visibly dirty crazy fast. So fast that when I’m not being totally lazy, I wash my hair everyday. Yes, I know it’s supposed to be terrible for your hair and incredibly drying, but, hey, legitimately dirty hair is just not okay with me. Because of my fear of greasy hair, for the most part I don’t use any product at all. Occasionally, if my hair is feeling super flat, I’ll use salt spray. Otherwise, dry shampoo is my go-to, though I usually don’t use it as a shampoo replacement, but rather to give my hair a little body and maybe even make it look a little dirty without the telltale oiliness. And yes, when I’m too lazy to wash my hair every single day, dry shampoo is my best friend.
Erin F.
The first thing you should know about my hair is that it's thin, but there's lots of it—well at least this is what multiple hair dressers have told me. As the resident blonde in the office, it's safe to say my roots get noticeably greasy after only one day. Cue my morning shower: using my favorite Joico K-PAK Shampoo and Conditioner (for my ends only, duh), followed by a little spritz of Moroccan Oil Heat Styling Protection (again, for my ends, duh) and a little blow dry action for 3 minutes. Yup, my hair drys that fast, you can start envying me now. On the rare occasion that I wake up late, I'm stuck with using dry shampoo on my roots. I went through my fair share of dry shampoos during my university years, so you can basically call me a dry shampoo veteran—albeit one who believes that the powdery, the better.
Raleigh
My hair has been color-treated (in just about every shade and hue, too), it's more than familiar with the blowdryer, and the curling iron is also a close friend. I wouldn't go as far as saying my hair is damaged, but it is definitely, ahem, well-loved. Despite all that, it still loves me and I love it right back. My washing routine goes as follows: every two days, under cool water, my roots get massaged with Bumble & Bumble Surf Foam Wash Shampoo. Then, only the ends of my hair enjoy a little action from Bumble & Bumble Surf Creme Rinse Conditioner (this one time, my hairdresser told me never to condition my roots and to always wash my hair under cool water. So I never condition my roots and always wash my hair under cool water.) Then, I usually let it air dry for 30 minutes and finish it off with a visit from my blowdryer.
Nikki
I usually wash my hair every other day, but when laziness sets in I'll go once every three days. On those too-lazy-to-wash days especially, the roots can get a wee bit oily so I'll use a dry shampoo to remedy the situation. My current favourite is the Batiste Floral & Flirty Blush dry shampoo (don't judge a book by it's cover, guys). It smells like amazingness, works well, and blends into my brown hair. It's also pretty affordable which is key because I have a wild and thick head of product-absorbing hair.
Jordana
I have dry hair that i mostly treat with Moroccan oil products, and when using any type of heat to style my hair I make sure to use some type of protective product so as to not damage it or cause it to become more dry. Dry shampoo is not usually a part of my hair care routine however if I am in a time crunch and need to freshen up I will turn to dry shampoo without hesitation.
Katie B.
I have long, natural (sans dye), stick straight, brown hair. Hairstylists would use the word "fine" to describe it—probably because it's a nicer way of saying flat and sad. Due to this I have to wash my hair everyday; after approximately 30 hours of not being tended too, it will start to look greasy. My hair is definitely not damaged, but I do blow dry it most days and I'm addicted to the wand (if you've never heard of it, it's a curling iron and it's the only iron that keeps this sad mess of a mop wavy. I'm obsessed.) Other then that I don't use any product. Ever.
Meagan
After years of ravaging my hair with peroxide, I've dyed my hair back to brown and proceeded to do absolutely nothing with it, color-wise. Now, my routine is as follows. I wash my hair every other day with sulphate-free shampoo and condition with Oscar Blandi. I usually half-blowdry, half-air dry, and rub in a little Kiehl's hydrating oil-in-cream somewhere in between. I've just about abandoned dry shampoo as a concept after the last two bottles––one drugstore brand, one pricey––exploded before I could even so much as spray them in my hair.
Monika
My hair situation is probably more intense than the average person, but it works for me. I wash my hair about two times a week. At the moment I'm using Dr. Organic Virgin Coconut Oil Shampoo and Condition. When I emerge from the shower, can I say I'm one of those girls that are blessed with this mystical blow out look? Absolutely not. I step out of the shower and experience a catastrophic situation of tangles and frizz. This means I blow dry AND straighten my hair. To protect my hair from all that heat, I use Pantene Heat Potion Serum (it gives my hair a glossy effect too). And before I run out the door, I usually spray in a bit of Moroccan Oil Luminous Hair Spray for a little something something.
Erin F.
Experience: Admittedly, the Bumble and Bumble coloured hair powder is definitely something I was hesitant to try. I want to L-O-V-E Bumble and Bumble (I'm a sucker for their packaging!), but after using the Surf Spray, I was less than impressed. Starting with the Blonde Hair Powder, I first noticed the color was too dark for my hair. My roots went 3 shades darker which resulted in my ends looks 3 times lighter—reverse ombre, only three years too late, anyone? What I did love was how voluminous it made my hair—think the heights of Kate Middleton and every Garnier Fructis commercial in existence. With these results, I moved onto the "White" Hair Powder for people with silvery locks and apparently, light blonde hair. Now this is what I wanted! It blended with my hair—dare I say that it made it look even lighter—and gave me the kind of volume I yearn for after flipping through the pages of Allure. I am formally announcing my new profound obsession with Bumble and Bumble.
Rating: 4.5 hair flipping emojis out of 5
Raleigh
Experience: I am a Bumble & Bumble die-hard. Their Surf products I swear by (especially the Surf Spray). So when asked if I wanted to try this tinted dry shampoo, I kind of jumped on it. If your hair needs a lift, like mine always does, I highly recommend this bad boy for voluminous purposes. The downfall? At first blast, the dye left not-so-cute brown dots all over my hands. It washes off right away, but it was still disconcerting. It might be ideal for someone with roots to mask?
Rating: 3.5 (minus 1.5 emojis for unwanted brown spots)
Emily
Would I use it again? Yes—again and again and again.
Rating: 4/5
Nikki
Would I use it again? 100% yes, but I might save it for special occasions and nights out
Rating: 5/5
Jordana
Experience: I used the Klorane dry shampoo in order to prolong a blowdry and keep it looking sleek but not too shiny. I was incredibly happy with the results––not only did it soak up any oil around my roots but it also added volume and hold.
Rating: I give Klorane 5/5!
Emily
Experience: In my mind, Klorane’s original dry shampoo is pretty much the perfect actual hair-wash replacement. It’s a classic dry shampoo that leaves my brown hair slightly grey unless I really rub it in, but it’s light and super effective when it comes to getting rid of oily roots. It also doesn’t build up at all, so it actually feels like there’s nothing in your hair once it’s been absorbed. I wouldn’t use it as a styling product, but it’s ace at making your hair look (pretend) clean.
Would I use it again? Yes. Every lazy morning.
Rating: 4/5
Katie B.
Rating: 4 of the girl wearing the pink shirt raising the roof emojis
Monika
Rating: 4 hair flip emojis out of 5
Meagan
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Emily
Would I use it again? As a styling product, yes. As a shampoo, nope.
Meagan
Rating: 5 out of 5
Katie B.
Rating: 3 teethy smiles out of 5
Erin F.
Experience: After finding this product five summers ago, I was addicted. Casually rummaging through the beauty section of my local drugstore, I turned to this 'new' remedy for greasy hair. After immediately chucking my baby powder, I became obsessed with Batiste and its tropical aroma. Flash forward through years of testing different dry shampoos and I ALWAYS go back to Batiste... always. It's the OG of dry shampoo, cost friendly and does the trick. It's powdery substance immediately made me head over heels for it—and in my eyes—makes it the best product on the market. Say it with me, 'Nothing comes between me and my Batiste'. That's the saying, right guys?
Rating: 5 hair flipping emojis out of 5
Nikki
Would I use it again? Yes, but not my number 1 choice
Rating? 3.75/5