“Don’t wash your hair every day” is a piece of beauty advice that doesn’t really apply to us folks in Malaysia. When you’re in hot, perspiration-inducing weather daily, you’re more likely to shampoo your hair at least once a day. However, it can do more harm by drying your tresses out, leeching away moisture and nutrients.
We can’t simply sit and soak in all the grease trapped on our scalp, so what we end up with is dull, frizzy hair, which is equally infuriating. The quickest solution? Dry shampoos.
Read on to find out what dry shampoos can do for you, how to use it and our recommendations for the best dry shampoos in the market.
What dry shampoos can do for your hair
Dry shampoos absorb sebum and sweat, breathing life back into limp hair. It’ll seem as though you’ve actually showered when in reality, you’re simply too lazy to hop in the shower (no judgements there). Not all dry shampoos are created equal, though. Some of them can be sticky, weigh your hair down, or leave a white cast that resembles dandruff more than freshly washed hair.
Pick the right one, and you won’t have to deal with that. Before we show you our picks for the best dry shampoos around, we’ll show you how to use one first.
How to use a dry shampoo
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Start by spraying your dry shampoo powder or aerosol on the areas where you need more lift or appear greasy. We like go straight in at the roots to sop up excess sebum. You can start from your crown and work your way down to the hairline, closer to your face.
Run your fingers or a brush through those areas after you’ve given it a spritz to make sure the powder or spray is properly blended. For a little extra oomph, part your hair in the opposite direction, apply some dry shampoo, work it into your scalp, and then flip your hair back.
Dry shampoos will let you go a day or two without washing your hair, and they’ve definitely evolved over the years. The newest formulas contain ingredients that add volume and texture, so check out our roundup of dry shampoos ahead. They smell amazing and come at affordable prices, whether you’re a baller or on a budget.
The best dry shampoos in Malaysia
Comfycare Dry Shampoo
Made by a local Malaysian brand, Comfycare’s Dry Shampoo is designed to absorb oil to keep your tresses fresh. While it was made for new mums to use during confinement, the powder can definitely be used on anyone who needs to zhuzh up their hair. It has a faint but pleasant fragrance to mask unpleasant odour too.
Comfycare Dry Shampoo retails for RM39.95 at Watsons.
Hello Natural Co. Good Hair Day Dry Shampoo
Also created by a homegrown brand, Hello Natural Co.’s Good Hair Day Dry Shampoo adds body and volume to dull, lifeless hair. It’s made with a unique blend of vegetable-derived powders, activated charcoal, and bentonite clay to absorb unwanted grease from your scalp and hair.
If you’re worried about white, cakey bits, fret not. This particular dry shampoo is formulated with darker hair in mind. The light lavender scent will put you at ease whenever you use it too.
Hello Natural Co. Good Hair Day Dry Shampoo retails for RM48 at Hello Natural Co.
Handmade Heroes Drop Dead Gorgeous Dry Shampoo
Handmade Heroes’ Drop Dead Gorgeous Dry Shampoo has earned a stellar reputation for good reasons. It blends out seamlessly and effortlessly, soaks up grease, and adds a whole lot of volume to your hair. Made by our Singaporean neighbours, this dry shampoo uses bamboo charcoal, peppermint, and eucalyptus to make your hair smell great.
Handmade Heroes Drop Dead Gorgeous Dry Shampoo retails for RM49.90 at Handmade Heroes.
Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk
Behold, the ultimate cult-favourite. Klorane’s Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk is a beloved product, and it has stood the test of time. Rice starch picks up the grease to leave you feeling clean and fresh, while it adds texture to your hairdo. It extends the life of your blowout without leaving behind any ashy residue. One of the best dry shampoos out there? Definitely!
Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk retails for RM49 at Watsons.
Batiste Dry Shampoo
Ditch your oily roots and fluff up your hair with this cult classic. Its aerosol can may look like a throwback, but there is nothing outdated about Batiste’s Dry Shampoo. The lemon-scented spray keeps your hair fresh, clean, and smelling like a dream. It can appear white at first spritz but when you run your fingers or a brush through your hair, the powder becomes invisible.
There are nine variations in the brand’s dry shampoo range too, so you can opt for a cherry-scented or fragrance-free one.
Batiste Dry Shampoo retails from RM33.90 at Shopee.
Virtue Labs Refresh Dry Shampoo
This dry shampoo will hardly feel like it’s on your scalp at all. Virtue Labs Refresh Dry Shampoo is a saviour between wash days. It gets rid of build-up, oil, and odour, while reviving your style with each use thanks to its alpha keratin formula.
Virtue Labs Refresh Dry Shampoo retails from RM136 at Sephora.
Fudge Dry Shampoo
Add texture and height to your second-day hair with Fudge Dry Shampoo. It’s a lightweight cleansing formula that’s enriched with rice starch to absorb excess oil for an instant lift. Apricot kernel oil replenishes moisture and smoothes frizzies, so you can expect cleaner, healthier-looking hair, stat.
Spray it directly onto your roots and massage into the scalp using your fingertips. After a couple of minutes, brush through the rest of your hair.
Fudge Dry Shampoo retails from RM69 at Zalora.
Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Biotin Dry Shampoo
Charcoal is able to absorb a range of toxins, bacteria, and chemicals, which is why it’s the key ingredient in Briogeo’s Scalp Revival Charcoal + Biotin Dry Shampoo. It is infused with binchotan charcoal to draw out impurities to detoxify your hair and scalp. Apart from charcoal, the formula is also chock-full of nurturing ingredients.
This dry shampoo also contains a blend of clay, tapioca, and rice starches to mop up excess oil at the roots to keep your hair clean and refreshed. There’s also witch hazel in the mix to balance your scalp’s oil production, so you’ll reap its benefits in the long run. To top it all off, it has biotin, which feeds your hair follicles with essential nutrients for healthier growth.
When your hair is ready for a deep cleanse, use the brand’s Scalp Revival Charcoal + Coconut Oil Micro-exfoliating Scalp Scrub Shampoo. We guarantee you’ll love the cooling blend of peppermint and spearmint oils.
Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Biotin Dry Shampoo retails for RM120 at Sephora.
Frank Body Dry Clean Volume Powder
If you’re looking for something a little more eco-friendly, try going for this dry shampoo as it is not an aerosol, so it’s better for the environment. Its natural ingredients nourish your scalp and hair, and add volume to make your hair easier to style. With this baby, you can get through day five of no washing with ease.
Frank Body Dry Clean Volume Powder retails from RM100 at Sephora.
ECRU Texture Dry Shampoo
Lightweight and ultra-dry, this shampoo will absorb oil and odour while imparting volume and subtle texture to your hair. Suitable for all hair types, you don’t have to worry about this irritating your scalp as it’s got soothing chamomile and aloe vera.
ECRU Texture Dry Shampoo retails for RM89 at Shopee.
IGK First Class Dry Shampoo
If you’ve just had a spin class and you need a heavy-duty dry shampoo to take care of the oil slick, try IGK’s First Class Dry Shampoo. Charcoal powder absorbs sweat, dirt, and impurities, while white tea powder soothes an itchy scalp and strengthens weak hair follicles. It’s certainly a product to stockpile for the apocalypse.
IGK First Class Dry Shampoo retails for RM68 (90ml) at Sephora.
Percy & Reed Radiance Turn Up the Volume Volumising Dry Shampoo
Looking for a transparent, powder-free dry shampoo? Give Percy & Reed’s dry shampoo a shot. It instantly removes excess oil and revitalises your hair without leaving a trace. From the reviews we’ve been seeing, this is no doubt considered one of the best dry shampoos to try.
This dry shampoo contains an active ingredient that’s finer and lighter than most powders used in traditional formulas, so you won’t see any residue, even on darker or coloured hair. And since it there’s no chance of powder building up at your roots, you can have effortlessly tousled waves.
Percy & Reed Radiance Revealing Invisible Dry Shampoo retails for RM46 (50ml), and R94 (200ml) at Sephora.
Balmain Dry Shampoo
If you’re in between wash days, Balmain’s Dry Shampoo will keep your hair refreshed. This rinse-free alternative absorbs grease and cleanses your hair in a single step, so you can banish excess sebum and odours effortlessly. It’s also formulated with silk protein and argan oil for optimal moisture retention.
Balmain Dry Shampoo for RM58 at Shopee.
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo
Living Proof’s Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo is wildly popular for how it goes beyond a typical dry shampoo. This product has attained holy grail status and is often considered by beauty enthusiasts as one of the best dry shampoos you can find.
Powered by the brand’s patented Tripled Action Cleaning Technology (super fancy, we know), it soaks up any greasy buildup with a fast-absorbing powder, while also letting you wash and remove the powders easily from your hair.
The dry shampoo also happens to be silicone-free, so your scalp won’t be clogged with product after a long day. That means your hair will look, feel, and smell like you’ve actually shampooed. After all, no one needs to know how long you’ve gone without a wash.
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo retails for £10 (~RM54.57, 92ml) and £20 (~RM109.13, 158ml) at Cult Beauty.
Akin Dry Shampoo
Akin’s dry shampoo helps your mane stay glorious for another day. This lightweight, ultra-fine spray freshens up and soothes both the scalp and strands with its calming ingredients, while it eradicates dirt, oil, and odour in a jiffy. Whether you have fine, medium, or thick hair, you can always get a bit of lift with this.
Akin Dry Shampoo retails for RM39.60 at Shopee.
