The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us? Our beauty experts have rigorously tested a wide range of dry shampoos to bring you this comprehensive guide.
10 Best Dry Shampoos That Keep Hair Fresh Between Washes
From K18 to Sam McKnight, these are the hair saviours to reach for on repeat. Louise Whitbread and Lucy Smith, Tuesday 17 June 2025 12:44 BST.
We have found the best formulas that create volume and texture, offering solutions for every hair type and budget.
Our Top Picks
- Best overall: Arkive the reset – £14, Boots.com
- Best budget buy: Batiste sensitive scalp – £3, Boots.com
- Best for coloured hair: K18 airwash – £48, Cultbeauty.co.uk
- Best lightweight, sustainable formula: Davines more inside invisible dry shampoo – £28, Sephora.co.uk
- Best for city living: Klorane detox dry shampoo – £12, Lookfantastic.com
- Best for volume: Sam McKnight lazy girl – £24, Spacenk.com
- Best luxury dry shampoo: Oribe gold lust dry shampoo – £45, Cultbeauty.co.uk
- Best for very oily hair: Amika perk up ultra oil-control dry shampoo – £28, Cultbeauty.co.uk
- Best for a long-lasting scent: Ouai super dry shampoo melrose place – £26, Spacenk.com
- Best for daily use: Living Proof perfect hair day (PhD) advanced clean dry shampoo – £20, Sephora.co.uk
Dry shampoos have firmly established themselves as essential components of modern beauty routines, providing a quick and effective way to revive greasy hair between washes. Whether you have overslept or completed a vigorous workout, these mists, sprays, powders, and foams offer a convenient solution. Recent innovations in dry shampoo formulations include fine fragrance blends, pollution protection, and added volume and texture, all designed to avoid leaving a white residue on the roots.
Unlike traditional shampoos that use surfactants to remove oil and dirt before rinsing, dry shampoos employ starches to temporarily absorb greasy oils from the roots while enhancing volume. Application is straightforward: simply spritz onto the roots, ideally by creating a centre parting, and brush through with fingers or a hairbrush until no visible trace remains. Within seconds, limp and lifeless hair can transform into full-bodied, soft-to-touch locks.
The dry shampoo market is diverse, with options ranging from luxury products costing over £40 to budget-friendly alternatives under £5. To identify the best products worthy of inclusion in your hair care regimen, our team conducted extensive testing over several weeks.
How We Tested
We evaluated numerous dry shampoos on hair that had not been washed for three days, ensuring a rigorous assessment of their effectiveness. Our testing covered both light and heavy-duty formulas, suitable for various hairstyles including updos and wearing hair down. Key criteria included scent, finish, added volume, discretion, and value for money.
Why You Can Trust Us
Louise Whitbread is a beauty writer with extensive experience in testing and reviewing skincare, makeup, and haircare products. She provides honest opinions based on thorough research and insights from industry experts. Lucy Smith, The Independent's beauty writer, has covered a wide range of topics from Olaplex launches to hair dryers, consulting with trichologists and hair stylists to offer informed advice on ingredients for healthy hair.
Additionally, the IndyBest team has compiled guides on other hair products, such as shampoos for oily hair, purple shampoos for blonde and coloured hair, shampoos for men, and sulphate-free shampoos for sensitive scalps.
The Best Dry Shampoos for 2025
1. Arkive the reset – Best Overall
Size: 200ml. Cruelty-free and vegan-friendly: Yes. Why we love it: Smells like a fine fragrance, invisible finish. Take note: Very strongly scented.
Arkive, created by hairstylist Adam Reed, offers reasonably priced, luxurious hair care essentials. The reset formula is an ultra-fine mist that uses rice starch to absorb excess oil and baobab to care for the scalp. Its scent, inspired by Reed's grandmother's greenhouse, features notes of tomato leaf, rhubarb, honeysuckle, and redcurrant, lasting all day. This product adds volume without leaving a white cast.
2. Batiste sensitive scalp – Best Budget Buy
Size: 200ml. Cruelty-free and vegan-friendly: No. Why we love it: Cheap, widely available, fuss-free, good for sensitive skin. Take note: Has the distinctive dry shampoo scent, stiff texture.
Batiste dominates the dry shampoo market with its accessible products. This sensitive scalp formula is an improvement on previous versions, offering excellent value at £3 for 200ml. Designed to soothe itchy and sensitive scalps, it reduces the harsh white tinge common in other Batiste products, though the scent may still be noticeable.
3. K18 airwash – Best for Coloured Hair
Size: 118ml. Cruelty-free and vegan-friendly: Yes. Why we love it: Leaves hair feeling and looking clean, leaves no white powdery cast, lasts ages. Take note: Very expensive.
K18 airwash is a transformative wet mist that revives limp hair, making it appear freshly washed. Its odorBIND complex replaces greasy scents with a light fragrance, while microbeads absorb oil and hydrolysed hyaluronic acid maintains hydration. The clear formula is ideal for colour-treated hair, providing long-lasting results despite the high price.
4. Davines more inside invisible dry shampoo – Best Lightweight, Sustainable Formula
Size: 250ml. Cruelty-free and vegan-friendly: Yes. Why we love it: Sustainably produced, lightweight with no white residue. Take note: Full-size bottle is not budget-friendly, but travel sizes are more affordable.
Davines prioritises sustainability through regenerative farming and reduced waste. This dry shampoo is lightweight, adding volume and texture without residue, perfect for achieving beachy waves.
5. Klorane detox dry shampoo – Best for City Living
Size: 150ml. Cruelty-free and vegan-friendly: Yes. Why we love it: Improves even the greasiest hair, adds volume and texture. Take note: Strong mint scent.
This formula effectively revives hair after several days without washing, providing volume and a fresh feel. It protects against pollution with a scent of herbal aquatic mint, lemon, and tea, making it ideal for urban environments.
6. Sam McKnight lazy girl – Best for Volume
Size: 250ml. Cruelty-free and vegan-friendly: Yes. Why we love it: Looks and smells luxurious, comes in handy mini sizes, leaves no white residue. Take note: Pricey.
Created by hairstylist Sam McKnight, this dry shampoo offers volume, body, and clean hair in one. It features a powerful spray nozzle and no white residue, extending salon blowouts.
7. Oribe gold lust dry shampoo – Best Luxury Dry Shampoo
Size: 286ml. Cruelty-free and vegan-friendly: Yes. Why we love it: No sticky or crunchy finish, leaves hair soft to style, smells luxurious. Take note: Very expensive.
Oribe's dry shampoo absorbs excess oil and product buildup with a subtle scent of watermelon and lychee. It leaves hair soft and manageable, ensuring a good hair day for those with a generous budget.
8. Amika perk up ultra oil-control dry shampoo – Best for Very Oily Hair
Size: 250ml. Cruelty-free and vegan-friendly: Yes. Why we love it: Smells fresh, adds an extra day to very greasy hair before washing, lightweight. Take note: Quite expensive.
This lightweight dry shampoo is ideal for oily scalps, extending time between washes. It contains UV filters and vitamin E for protection, delivering on its promises despite the cost.
9. Ouai super dry shampoo melrose place – Best for a Long-Lasting Scent
Size: 127g (travel size available). Cruelty-free and vegan-friendly: Yes. Why we love it: Wonderful floral scent that lasts longer than the eau de parfum, non-chalky and feels soft in hair, a little goes a long way.
Inspired by the melrose place fragrance, this dry shampoo features notes of rose, lychee, cedarwood, and white musk. It absorbs oil without powdery residue, leaving hair fresh and fragrant.
10. Living Proof perfect hair day (PhD) advanced clean dry shampoo – Best for Daily Use
Size: 184ml (other sizes available). Cruelty-free and vegan-friendly: Yes. Why we love it: Smells ultra clean like a crisp apple, no ashy residue unless sprayed super close, leaves hair looking and feeling clean, can be used on clean hair for extra volume. Take note: Secure the lid to prevent leaks.
This talc- and silicone-free formula includes scalp-soothing red algae, glycerin, and antioxidants. With a bright apple-lemon scent, it revives greasy hair quickly and is suitable for all hair colours.
The Verdict: Dry Shampoo
Arkive's the reset stands out as the best overall, combining luxury packaging, a beautiful scent, and effective performance at a reasonable price. K18 airwash also deserves recognition for its transformative abilities, making even the greasiest hair look freshly blow-dried. For more recommendations, explore our reviews of the best hair bonding treatments for serious TLC.
