6 dry shampoos for men that keep your hair fresh between washes
According to dermatologists, it’s actually a good thing not to wash your hair every day. So on the days between washes, you can (and probably should) use any of the best dry shampoos for men featured here. These waterless shampoos typically come in aerosol spray or powder forms (with one notable exception, as you'll see on this list), and harness ingredients like charcoal, rice starch, and superfine minerals to cut through sweat and grease, neutralize odor, and refresh your style, without stripping your scalp of the natural oils it needs to stay balanced.
After budget considerations, your best dry shampoo mostly comes down to your preferred vehicle: Powder or aerosol spray. The latter is the more popular choice, mostly because it's so easy to apply. Powders require a bit more finessing than spray-and-go aerosol cans — and they tend to make a mess in your sink — though they don’t contain the chemical propellants present in aerosol cans. So they’re the better choice if using “natural” personal care products is a priority for you. Or take the wildcard option and choose a paste, which can also double as a styling product.
For best results with a powder or spray, part your hair in several, small sections, then spray or squeeze a small amount of product straight onto the roots. Don’t stress if you see some white residue — it’ll dissolve when you massage the shampoo into your scalp. If you have a boar-bristle brush on hand, you can use that to thoroughly distribute the product through your hair. And always apply dry shampoo to dry hair, as it won't distribute evenly if your hair is wet.
With that primer in mind, scroll on to shop six of the best dry shampoos for men, from detoxifying scalp treatments to purifying styling pastes.
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01The basic spray
You can't go wrong with Batiste Dry Shampoo, a drugstore staple that's also a bestseller on Amazon (it's received over 11,000 five-star ratings, and counting). It dries quickly, doesn't leave behind a sticky film, and really makes your hair look freshly washed — a straightforward workhorse, all around. Some reviewers found the scent a little too strong, but others noted that it does fade over time.
One reviewer wrote: "I always come back to Batiste! It is the only one that I’ve found that does everything I want a dry shampoo to do. 1) gives volume, 2) absorbs the oil, 3) sprays well (I know that sounds crazy, but some of them come out in a tiny stream! Batiste spreads!), 4) smells good with lots of options, 5) isn’t filmy! (Like hairspray! Yuck!) So trust me, I have tried SO many others... I always come back to Batiste."
02The premium spray
This dry shampoo from Living proof has garnered a devoted following on Amazon, where it’s received over 5,300 five-star ratings. The science-backed formula employs the brand’s patented Healthy Hair Molecule, a weightless substance that repels dirt and oil — so not only does this ultra-fine mist absorb existing impurities, but it’ll keep your hair from getting dirtier over time. Odor neutralizers and a light fragrance keep you smelling fresh, too.
One reviewer wrote: “This is the best dry shampoo I've found. I have super-fine hair that tends to flatten out and look greasy if I don't wash every day. This helps me stretch it to a second day easily and sometimes a third. It doesn't leave any residue, and I feel like it effectively makes my hair [...] look cleaner. It fluffs it up a bit without having that really noticeable heavy feeling or excessive fluffiness that some dry shampoos leave.”
03The basic powder
This dry shampoo powder from Hair Dance is another bestseller on Amazon, where customers have given it over 3,700 perfect ratings. It contains just five ingredients: organic rice starch, organic colloidal oatmeal, silica, organic olive leaf, and lavender oil, which all work to purify your scalp and hair. The pointed nozzle offers more precise application, and cuts down on mess — a great thing for powders, which can get unwieldy. That $10 price tag is pretty unbeatable, too, especially since you only need to use a small amount at a time.
One reviewer wrote: “My hair is ALWAYS oily at the roots and the aerosol cans of dry shampoo make my hair stiff, but this stuff...this stuff is amazing! Adds volume, doesn't completely dry out my hair, and does not leave residue or build up (I have black hair so this is very important). Also, my hair smells super fresh after using. Would give more stars if I could!”
04The premium powder
A cult-favorite in the luxury grooming world, this natural shampoo powder from Briogeo is an especially smart choice if your hair is very oily. In this formula, kaolin clay and charcoal draw out impurities and soak up excess grease, and witch hazel helps normalize your scalp’s oil production for cleaner hair in the long run. Amazon reviewers also reported that the powder feels light and non-irritating on sensitive scalps, and the fragrance is fresh but not overpowering.
One reviewer wrote: “Several puffs of this stuff rubbed in and combed through gives me truly clean-looking hair, soft and bouncy volume and ABSOLUTELY NO ITCHING! My scalp feels even better than if there was nothing in my hair at all. Never before could I get away with skipping two washes, but this powder lets me get on with my life when I just don't have time to worry about washing/drying/styling.”
05The paste
This R+Co product is a best-of-both-worlds situation: It combines the oil-absorbing powers of a dry shampoo with the texture and hold of a matte-finish styling paste, courtesy of volcanic ash (which works to cleanse and balance your scalp), oil-absorbing zeolite, and coconut oil. The invigorating eucalyptus and lemon fragrance gives your hair a fresh, just-showered scent. Massage a small amount into your roots for the grease-cutting and volumizing benefits, then use the remaining product to style your hair as usual.
One reviewer wrote: “In LOVE with this dry shampoo! [...] It is exactly what I want for that second day hair! Absorbs oil, gives great texture (it is a dry shampoo paste), and it smells amazing. On the back of the label it claims to be 100% badass, in my opinion it's more like 110%.”
06The gold standard
The Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo is the gold standard of luxury dry shampoos, and it's beloved as much for its effectiveness as its signature fragrance — a warm, spicy blend of bergamot, Sicilian orange, and vetiver — that smells as good as (or better than) any bonafide shampoo in your shower. Formula-wise, this contains bamboo extract that leaves hair feeling soft and strong, while an antioxidant complex helps to protect from environmental aggressors that can weaken hair. Transparent, plant-based powders absorb grease and oil, without leaving behind a ton of white residue.
One reviewer wrote: “This is my all time favorite dry shampoo. Not only does it smell incredible it works great too! Expensive but so worth it.”
