10 best dry shampoos to keep your locks looking fresh in between washes

What makes this dry shampoo stand out in a crowded haircare category is not only how well it works, but the luxe fragrance it’s coupled with. Like many dry shampoos, it uses rice starch to mop up excess oil and add body, but the spray is so fine and lightweight that there’s zero powdery residues or chance of weighing hair down. It’s also paired with a dose of moisturising vitamin E that protects the hair from daily aggressors, as well as leaves it silky soft to the touch.

But it’s the neroli scent that makes this a real winning formula. Leaving a faint whisper of what could be an expensive perfume, it doesn’t overpower but lingers throughout the day. It’s worth every penny and has the bonus of being slightly larger than most dry shampoo bottles.

Promising comparable results to actually washing your hair with a rinse-out shampoo, we are pleased to report that this is as close to the real thing as you’re going to get. You also won’t find a dry shampoo that you can use for as many consecutive days as this – well without the dreaded itch setting in. We were impressed with how smooth, soft and shiny our strands not only looked but felt, helped by the specially-designed nozzle that evenly distributes the product with no grittiness or rough texture to the hair. A true cleansing formula rather than a volumising styling product.

This dry shampoo, like all of Virtue’s haircare, contains a keratin protein identical to the one found in our tresses that can repair the broken structure of the strand – ideal for those with fragile, frizzy or damaged hair types. The dry mist uses tapioca starch and kaolin clay to absorb excess oil and sweat without leaving behind a powdery build-up and the fresh floral scent it’s teamed with adds to its appeal. There’s no contributing to build-up so we found you can even push your roots an extra few days before washing.

For purse-friendly hair-refreshers, you still can’t beat the endless choice from this iconic hair brand that sells over two cans every second globally. You’ll find a dry shampoo for every hair colour, hair type and styling option, but the latest Batiste naturally trio is our favourite yet. The brand has cut down on packaging use, and the formula is made with 100 per cent natural extracts, but the real winner for us are the new fragrances. You won’t find any overpowering scents like past formulas, these are more delicate and smell more like a luxe brand, especially this green tea and chamomile that reminds us of our favourite sandalwood perfume.

Refreshing hair in-between washes since 1971, the French pharmacy brand Klorane is the pioneer of dry shampoo as we know it today. Originally created for mothers to use in hospital while giving birth, today the brand has a whole collection of grease-sapping bottles and sell one every nine seconds globally.

While all the formulas are worthy of a spot in your bathroom, this one is particularly good for root lift, as it’s loaded with flax fibres for body boosting as well as a blend of plant-based powders that rid strands of excess oil. For best results, remember to leave it in a couple of minutes to work its magic before styling. A few extra minutes won’t hurt either, we liked to spray, apply our make-up before coming back to brush out for super clean strands.

Whether you’re blessed with tamer kinks or full-on coils, this brand specialises in looking after curls and has a first-rate dry shampoo for prolonging wash days in their line. With curly hair prone to dryness, this alcohol-free foam works a treat without leaving strands parched, like other formulas, with its wet foam-to-powder formula. Plus, it has a light scent that deodorises the scalp courtesy of aloe vera juice, peppermint and spearmint that adds to its performance. While we tried to apply and go with this one in a rush, we did find we preferred to use a diffuser for added root lift.

These innovative cleansing cloths from the legendary hairstylist’s haircare line work just like dry shampoo and make a quick fix for greasy roots, hairlines and fringes on the go. Infused with witch hazel to mop up grease and impurities, simply wipe over areas that need refreshing.

We love how they leave our hair feeling clean yet glossy and well-conditioned thanks to the added hair-loving ingredients. Plus, they’re certified compostable – made from tree pulp the brand promise they’re biodegradable in as little as six weeks. The only downside is the price, but if you’ve got bangs that can’t withstand the summer heat they’re the perfect handbag hero.

Named after one of the driest places on the planet, this works well as a dry shampoo eliminating excess oil without totally stripping strands. But, where it really comes into its own is as a root-lifter and texture spray. A must for those that get creative with their strands, and like to experiment with more lived-in looks or tousled styles – think California cool girl vibes. Fine hair types will want it in their haircare arsenal for providing body-boosting oomph too, and if you’re a master at updos it creates grit for brilliant hold. It also gets bonus points for its bergamot and woody scent that we couldn’t get enough of. 

From the Italian sustainable haircare brand comes this new offering which is equal parts brilliant refresher as well as a volume booster. Fast and effective at eliminating excess oil, we were super impressed with how light and clean it left strands feeling. For root lift, blast on to your roots and team with a classic upside-down head flick to let gravity work its magic, or spritz through the lengths without brushing it out to create the illusion of a fuller mane. Either way, we found it left strands beautifully soft, shiny and manageable thanks to the added moisturisers. And the subtle fragrance mix of vanilla and grapefruit adds to its stand-out qualities.

Fans of the now infamous Sol de Janeiro bum bum body cream (£27.20, Boots.com) will love this dry shampoo with the same exotic cheirosa 62 scent. Filling the nose with its nutty, vanilla and salted caramel scent, it acts like a perfume for the hair and lingers throughout the day. Kaolin clay and rice starch draw out impurities absorbing grease, while provitamin B5 strengthens and moisturises strands making it a top choice for performance too. Plus, it comes in a mini version perfect for easy packing on a summer get-away.