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Maybe it’s that I have lots of very good-looking and put-together friends, but so many people I know take their hair-washing regimen seriously, myself included. At a certain age, we learned the hard way that wash-and-go is an urban myth and evolved past the two-in-one shampoo-conditioner. For me, wash day means I am staying in for the evening (I’m a night showerer) so I can wake up with clean, calmed-down hair.
Even if you have healthy, non-chemically blemished strands, they’re not long for this world if you put in all the time and effort to heat-style just to wash it away and do it again tomorrow. Plus, now we know daily shampooing is not so great for hair, nevermind that I’m just not ambitious enough to achieve a perfect coif every day. But that doesn’t mean I’m okay with succumbing to complete slobbery.
Stretching a style for days requires strategy, and that’s where dry shampoo enters the picture. Not just a hairstylist’s tool or a gym-bag staple, it’s your second- and third-day hair’s best bud and a beauty editor’s secret weapon. We’re busy ladies!
As far as dry shampoos go, Batiste is a drugstore superhero — it’s like Photoshop’s magic wand tool for greasy, limp strands. It’s a time machine in a can, extending the span between wash days in just a few spritzes. Also, Batiste offers multiple scent options to cater to whatever vibe you’re feeling that day; maybe you’re leaning more towards fruity, floral, or fresh, but all options smell fancy. We all have different hair types and tolerances, so read on to find out how Batiste extends beyond basic dry shampoo products to offer nuance so each of us can fulfill our own unique needs.
For fresh-feeling hair plus shine in-between washes
I typically go anywhere from three to five days between full wash days, with a very regimented in-between routine — two days with hair down, one day half up, and the final one or two days in a bun, ponytail, or braid situation. I need products that can come along for the ride without leaving too much buildup, and dry shampoo has become a holy grail for me.
Since my hair is fairly fine, I want something that will soak up oils without weighing down my roots. I’m also a platinum blonde, so dry shampoo is a life-saver for my delicate strands that get slightly more pulverized with every lather. Stretching time between washes is a crucial part of chemically-damaged hair maintenance.
Batiste Original Dry Shampoo checks all my between-wash boxes: It absorbs oil better than most other dry shampoos I’ve tried, and it brushes out easily, so I’m not stuck with a bunch of product at my roots when I hit day five. I’m super stoked on the brand’s NEW Touch of Gloss Shine Mist too. It’s a lightweight mist that I spritz on my ends when they’re looking a little dull after days without conditioner. It gives my hair that shiny, fancy finish, like I just got a fresh blow-out. —Kara McGrath, Deputy Digital Editor
For a volumizing roots-refresh
After too many lazy days of headache-inducing high ponytails or topknots that subtly destabilize my center of gravity, I crave any other hairstyle. I’m bored of the utilitarian pre-wash updo. I want to swish and flick my hair over my shoulders like the carefree 30, flirty, and thriving individual I am. I deserve it!
Back when dry shampoo originally entered the picture, Batiste was one of the first I tried. Now its selection of volumizing formulas has collagen to help plump up strands and make your hair look fuller. Same concept, more options. That said, this dry shampoo shows you what to do and where — the light veil of white powder left on your roots shows you where to massage it in for the full effect.
Give the can a vigorous shake, then spray it on from a foot away. What you really want is for the delivery system to do its job the way it’s meant to — by evenly distributing a light veil of the stuff in the area you want to target. This is why I prefer the aerosol cans to the ones in shakeable containers that make you feel like you’re seasoning your head. The spray is easier to target areas and evenly distribute. I always start small with just a mist of dry shampoo. A little really does go a long way, people. I massage it into my hair, working midway upward toward the roots, before tousling and styling with my fingers.
After getting into a shag haircut this year, I was unprepared for how reliant on volume this style is to look… good. A flat shag is a pitiful thing, but I can’t wash this mop every day. Batiste Volumizing Dry Shampoo gives me a few more days of texture and body, and on the last day, a little extra applied to the lengths gives me a boost by adding slight grip to the strands for cute, bouncy braids (as opposed to flat, greasy braids, which are a dead giveaway that I’m as greasy as I am lazy). So even when I do revert back to my end-of-days updos, the dry shampoo helps those buns and ponytails appear nice and plump. —Sable Yong, Beauty Writer
For a stealthy style-saver, especially for dark hair
Straightening my wavy, thick hair can take upwards of 45 minutes. After all that time spent on a perfect, pin-straight hairdo, oily roots are an unwelcome guest a couple of days later. What I love most about Batiste’s Dark Hair Dry Shampoo is its ability to absorb excess oil on my scalp, stretching the longevity of my blowouts without any evidence of leftover white residue.
It’s on days four and five that I rely on Batiste the most. I’ll spray a generous amount of Dark Dry Shampoo an arm’s length away from my greasy, flat roots, parting sections of my hair at the front and back hairline while working my fingers throughout to evenly distribute. Even with the hint of color, there is little to no transfer onto my fingertips, making this an ideal product for those struggling to find a dry shampoo under $10 that blends seamlessly into their dark hair. Trust me, there is nothing worse than a look ruined by an overpriced dry shampoo leaving marks and irritating your scalp from all that rubbing. After all, you're trying to prolong your wash day not require one.
With just a few spritzes of Batiste's Dark Hair Dry Shampoo, fragranced with hints of bergamot, white peach, and vanilla bean, my midweek hair instantly feels, looks, and smells revitalized. —Talia Gutierrez, Beauty Assistant
Between-wash hairstyles don’t get enough love, but now it’s never been easier to put off a day or two. Batiste’s dry shampoo collection offers a behind-the-scenes boost for anyone wanting to stretch a style and protect their hair from overwashing (it’s a thing). So go ahead and set the wash-and-style schedule of your dreams, and your hair will look and feel healthier. Glad Batiste sorted that out for us.
