Our top drugstore pick, Dove’s Volume & Fullness Dry Shampoo, does exactly what it says on the can: It delivers a major boost in volume and fullness to hair, even after a long Peloton ride. I appreciate that this pick is easy to find in drugstores, and I truly love the scent. It’s very lightweight and uses tapioca starch to absorb sweat and oil. Even better, it’s PETA-certified cruelty-free and is not tested on animals.
As someone with fine, straight hair, I use this all the time as a little pick-me-up to deliver freshness and some extra body to my strands. For those with darker hair, it “shows up pretty white and took some time to massage in,” said one SELF staffer, but it’s still a great budget pick in our book.
Best Non-Aerosol Spray: Bumble and bumble Prêt-à-Powder Post Workout Dry Shampoo Mist
Pros
- Two sizes available
- Great for using on the go
- Works on most hair textures and colors
Cons
- Takes some trial and error
This Bumble and Bumble dry shampoo is very different from most traditional sprays in aerosol cans—instead, it comes out as a fine mist loaded with bamboo extract and silica to refresh your hair. In my experience, using your hands (or a brush) to work the product into your scalp delivers great results, although the brand also says you can blow dry your hair after applying it to get it to work even faster. The bottle is small, portable, and perfect for stashing in your gym bag. And if you have dark hair, rest assured it’ll still be invisible: “It didn’t show up white at all on my hair,” one brunette tester confirmed.
More great options
Still haven’t found your perfect match? These dry shampoos are also backed by the experts we spoke with (not to mention tons of five-star reviews).
Odele Dry Shampoo
Amazon
Pros
- TSA-friendly
- Vegan, cruelty-free formula
- Budget-friendly
Cons
- Smaller bottle
- Pump may dispense more product than needed
One of my favorite powder formulas, Odele’s Dry Shampoo, comes in an easy to use pump. It contains no parabens, dyes, synthetic fragrances, sulfates, or phthalates. It’s also vegan, safe to use on color-treated hair, and really easy to blend into your roots. It has a subtle fragrance that isn’t strong at all, with notes of cucumber and ylang ylang (perfect for those with a sensitive nose).
Drybar Detox Thickening Dry Shampoo for Thinning Hair
Ulta
Drybar
Detox Thickening Dry Shampoo for Thinning Hair
Pros
- Delivers a lot of fullness and volume
- Contains caffeine to help prevent hair loss
Cons
- Strong scent
- Some Ulta reviewers say it leaves a white cast
For thin hair, I’m a huge fan of this Drybar option. (The scent takes me back to the many, many hours I spent getting blowouts at the OG salon when it first opened in NYC.) It’s made with caffeine, which studies show can help prevent hair loss, plus rice starch and silica to refresh your roots. And I’m not its only fan—Ulta shoppers love it too: “I have straight, flat hair, and this not only does a great job of absorbing oil, but also really gives me some volume,” someone wrote. “I like that it seems to last for multiple days. With other dry shampoos, I feel like I have to reapply if I go more than one day, but this one seems to continuously absorb oil over time.”
Verb Refresh Dry Shampoo for Light Hair
Amazon
VERB
Refresh Dry Shampoo for Light Hair
Pros
- Great for colored hair
- Also comes in a version for dark hair
Cons
- Only comes in one size
- Some Sephora reviewers say it leaves some build-up in their hair