Style Hair Hair Care How Much Dry Shampoo Is Too Much? Dry shampoo can be just the solution your busy mornings need. But could there be any consequences to this whole "dirty hair" trend? By Chelsea Traber Burns Chelsea Traber Burns Instagram Chelsea is a former beauty editor and writer with a decade of experience serving the beauty, fashion, and lifestyle sectors. Highlights: * Worked at W Magazine as a fashion intern and accessories assistant * Former Real Simple beauty editor * Former social media editor at Beautycounter * Former senior beauty editor and beauty director at Women's Health Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 31, 2022 Fact checked by Emily Peterson Fact checked by Emily Peterson Emily Peterson is an experienced fact-checker and editor with Bachelor's degrees in English Literature and French. Our Fact-Checking Process Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: LightFieldStudios/Getty Images While dry shampoo has major benefits—it can extend your blow-dry, soak up oil, and add texture to limp strands—it may also cause harm to your scalp and strands when overused. We spoke to Mona Gohara, M.D., a dermatologist at the Yale School of Medicine, and celebrity stylist Sunnie Brook Jones to reveal the truth behind our favorite bad hair day fix. "For some, it can create irritation, or inflammation of the hair follicles," Gohara says. "Most of the time, the scalp is un-fazed by dry shampoo, but when irritation does set in, it's not fun." So how much is too much? Gohara and Jones both recommend using dry shampoo no more than two days in a row. "My general rule of thumb is two times a week max for any leave-in product that doesn't involve washing the hair, unless it's a hydrating oil," Gohara says. Here are a few other tips on the healthiest way to use dry shampoo. 01 of 03 Choose Wisely For more complicated treatments, it might be best to talk it out with your stylist before you head to the salon, so everyone is on the same page. “When undergoing a major color change, schedule a phone consultation with your stylist prior to your appointment so you can book the right length of time and have realistic expectations of what can be achieved,” says Sheenon Olson, creative director of ATMA Beauty, a salon in Miami. “If you want to go from black to platinum blond, it needs to be done gradually to maintain the integrity of your hair.”. Paul Westlake Not all dry shampoos are created equal. Jones recommends staying away from formulas that list alcohol as one of the first few ingredients, as it can majorly dehydrate strands. A good one: Klorane Dry Shampoo ($10; amazon.com) lists alcohol as the fifth ingredient, and it contains rice starch to absorb oil and oat milk to help soothe and hydrate hair. 02 of 03 Spray the Right Way Rather than dousing your whole head in powder, "Only spray the oily spots where you need it," Gohara says. Also, make sure to apply it to your hair—not the scalp directly—to prevent product build-up from clogging the hair follicle, which can lead to inflammation and irritation (read: an itchy, flaky scalp, and even potential hair loss). If your hair is dry, avoid spritzing the length of it to keep strands from turning rough and brittle. 03 of 03 Shower Smarter When it is time to wash your hair, use a clarifying shampoo, like Suave Essentials Daily Clarifying Shampoo ($2; target.com), followed by a nourishing conditioner, like Head & Shoulders Smooth and Silky Hair & Scalp Conditioner($6; walmart.com). This combination will wipe out any product build-up while replenishing moisture. Between washes, use an oil, such as Ouai Hair Oil ($28; sephora.com) from mid-shaft to ends to keep strands hydrated. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit