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Cue the tears and pass the tissues, because it turns out dry shampoo is not good for you. Is it convenient? Oh yeah. Is it suffocating your scalp and causing hair loss? Turns out, oh yeah, too.
As misleading as the name implies, dry shampoo is not actually a shampoo, nor does it do the basic functions of a shampoo. It’s not cleaning your hair or scalp. Most absorb excess oil, but in the process of doing so, also irritate and cut off circulation in the scalp. Which in turn leads to potential hair loss.
“It goes into your scalp, it builds up, and your scalp can’t breathe,” says French hair maestro Christophe Robin. “You want your scalp to be fresh and to be able to breathe. It’s okay for one night ever so often, because you’ve got a date and have no time to
, but not for one day and one night, and you continue to put more on.”
Okay, so what to use to clean your hair instead?
Well, shampoo.
“Washing your hair every other day with a no sulfate shampoo, that’s fine,” says Robin. “Some people need to wash their hair often, whether from exercise, from their job, their hair type, and that’s okay.”
Or use a vinegar spray for a light clean. “It’s antibacterial, and it’s great for your scalp,” says Robin. Use that on the second or third day, and take a towel, and rub after you spritz it in. (DPHUE Apple Cider Vinegar Leave-In Hair Therapy and Christophe Robin has three types of vinegar spray based on hair type.)
And if you’ve just gotta have your dry shampoo, don’t forget to use it correctly: You spray or massage it on, rub the area with a towel to remove grease, and then brush the rest of the dry shampoo out with a brush.
Read More Hair Tips and Tricks:
The $10 French Secret to Covering Those First Gray Hairs The Right (French!) Way to Wash Your Hair You’re One Product Away From Perfect, Healthy Hair