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TL;DR
Our favorite product for our oiliest hair days is the Klorane Dry Shampoo, a formula designed to absorb excess grease after second or even third day hair while soothing the scalp, sans stickiness. A close second is the Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo, which stops oil before it even starts and helps your hair achieve sky-high volume.
It stands to reason that everyone should have a good dry shampoo in their beauty arsenal— especially if lathering up daily isn’t your jam and greasy roots tend to show up by day two. According to New Jersey-based hair stylist and hair loss expert Amanda DiChiara, those with perpetually oily scalps should use dry shampoo as needed to eliminate grease, with the bonus of adding extra texture and grit to the hair. “For oily strands, I would look for something that has no parabens and avoids sulfates that would dry out your hair,” DiChiara says. “You want something that’s not going to leave the hair dry or sticky and also has reparative and moisturizing properties since it will essentially balance out the scalp.”
To determine the best options for slick strands, we tested over 20 formulas, considering each one based on its oil-absorbing abilities, texture, feel, ease of use, volumizing power, and finish. We paid particular attention to formulas designed specifically for greasy locks, as skipping washes is a little trickier to pull off with oily hair. With a few spritzes of the right dry shampoo from our curated list, no one will know you’re rocking second- or third-day hair.
Why not to overuse dry shampoo on oily hair
“You can overuse dry shampoo—if you do, it will leave a film on the hair, almost as if there’s too much buildup on the hair. I recommend my clients to use it on day two after a wash, but sometimes they use it the day of to prevent the hair from getting oily the next day.” —Amanda DiChiara, New Jersey-based hair stylist and hair loss expert
Best Overall
Klorane Dry Shampoo
Award-winning formula
Volumizing
Blends well
Temporary white residue on darker hair colors
Active Ingredients: Oat milk, corn starch, rice starch, natural absorbent microspheres, silica | Hair Type: All | Size: 3.2, 5.4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
This award-winning product earned a top spot on this list due to a unanimous love for its oil absorption, ease of use, invisibility, and volume. Formulated for all hair types and textures, this gentle, earth-sourced formula leans on starch and silica to tackle excess oil and odors, while oat milk works to soothe the scalp. The ultrafine powder sops up grease from your roots but doesn't leave you with a dry, chalky feeling. Just keep in mind that it can have a slight white residue on dark hair, but it's easily combed away and blends into the strands well.
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Emily, tester: “This product revived my roots and gave them back the just washed lift. Even the next morning after sleeping, my hair still looked clean and didn't have any signs of grease.”
Best Powder
Bumble and Bumble Prêt-a-Powder
Excellent oil absorption
No residue
Travel-friendly
Slightly messy
Active Ingredients: Polysilicone-22, zea mays (corn) starch, tapioca starch, avena sativa (oat) kernel flour, silica | Hair Type: All | Size: 0.5, 2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
If you're partial to powders, Prêt-à-Powder is far from aerosol-based and pairs well with fine, wavy, and curly hair types. (We tested it on all three.) We were impressed by the product's oil absorption—and though it was a tad messy, we found it pretty easy to use, which is great for a loose powder. While it isn’t as volumizing as others, we noted that its texture and invisibility created a virtually undetectable finish. Plus, the two-ounce non-aerosol container is perfect for travel and likely won't leak in a bag.
Ali, tester: “This was easy to use. I had used other powder applicators before and hated that it ‘puffed’ everywhere. Although this was a powder, it was easy to control.”
Best for Platinum Hair
Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo Light Tones
Diminishes brassiness
Volumizing
Lightweight finish
Potentially too heavy for fine hair
Active Ingredients: Argan oil, rice starch | Hair Type: All | Size: 1.7, 5.4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
For those with platinum, silver, or white hair, we highly recommend Moroccanoil Light Tones. This divine dry shampoo clocked perfect scores for oil absorption, invisibility, and texture and a near-perfect score for volume. Rice starch absorbs product buildup and grease, while argan oil smooths and nourishes bleached strands. Platinum-haired tester Taylor appreciated that it sprays purple out of the can, like your favorite purple toning shampoo, for neutralizing brassiness.
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Taylor, tester: "Not to be dramatic, but my jaw dropped when I realized this formula was purple and it left an actual tint on my hair. I feel icier than ever and completely oil-free, too.”
Best for Blondes
Verb Dry Shampoo for Light Hair
Sets quickly
Invisible finish
Volumizing
Strong scent, which can irritate sensitive skin
Active Ingredients: Glycerin, rice starch, bilberry extract | Hair Type: Curly, fine, straight, thick, wavy | Size: 5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Calling all blondes! This dry shampoo soaks up most (if not all) of the oil in your hair. When we tested it, we were impressed by its ease of use, invisibility, volume-, and texture-enhancing properties. Formulated for light locks, the ultrafine mist does an impeccable job of refreshing unwashed hair and giving it the icy-cool tone you crave. Admittedly, it has a strong scent, but those who are looking to disguise dirty hair will love that it imparts a fresh, clean smell. Conversely, if you have super sensitive skin, you may want to skip this one since added fragrances can irritate the skin.
Best for Brunettes
Billie Floof Dry Shampoo
Two shades
Powder-based
Invisible blend
Cute but inconvenient container
Active Ingredients: Biotin, rice starch, baking soda | Hair Type: All | Size: 1.2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Though the curvy container isn't the most convenient, the loose powder dispenses just the right dose of product every time. This dry shampoo calls on rice starch and baking soda to absorb grease, plus biotin to encourage healthy growth. Our tester Samantha said the brown clay hue blends well in both brunette and dirty-blonde hair, though she noted it might not be ideal for super-dark or super-light hair.
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Hannah, tester: “It worked pretty well—it did what it was supposed to do. I like that it’s more eco-friendly than other options.”
Best for Natural Hair
Kristin Ess Style Reviving Dry Shampoo
Strengthening
Offers volume at the roots without making hair dry
Sets quickly
Can be overly drying
Active Ingredients: Zip-up technology | Hair Type: All | Size: 4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
We're big fans of this Kristin Ess Dry Shampoo for natural hair. After trying it out in The Lab, our tester Latifah, who has 4B curls, praised the absorbency and finish, noting that it didn't leave behind a chalky white residue. Upon running her fingers over her roots, she didn't feel any remaining grease, either. In addition to all-star absorber starch, the moody matte can is full of plant-based strengtheners, including wheat protein and keratin. In particular, the zip-up technology it is infused with specifically targets color fade and split ends as well.
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Latifah, tester: "I think it sucked up excess oil and gave my hair a bit of volume. I can imagine using it when I have a ton of product buildup and need a refreshed look."
Best Volumizing
Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo
Volumizes and absorbs oil
Extends look of hair for several days
Softens hair
May wet hair
Active Ingredients: Oribe Signature Complex (watermelon, lychee, edelweiss flower), celery seed extract, translucent starch blend | Hair Type: All | Size: 1.5, 6 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Apply Oribe’s Gold Lust Dry Shampoo on day one for extended volume—yes, even on blowout day—and find that it prevents the scalp from greasing up for the next three days. This dry shampoo preps our hair for the week as it acts as a fusion of texture and bounce. And when we switch from blowout to updo, the formula’s translucent starch blend never fails.
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Derek, tester: “I love its lasting scent and volumizing effect—everything, from the packaging to the smell, feels luxurious.”
Best Invisible
Drybar Detox Clear Invisible Dry Shampoo
Undetectable
Lightweight
Boosts volume
Contains oil
Active Ingredients: Proprietary powder blend, potato starch, kiwi extract, alma oil | Hair Type: All | Size: 3.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Living up to its name, Drybar's Detox Clear Dry Shampoo flaunts a 100% sheer, truly undetectable finish. Our testers noted that it didn't leave streaks or a chalky residue. Since it contains a small amount of plant oils, it's not the best for degreasing, but overall, we loved the absorbency and the fact that it promotes a ton of volume and hold. Though the fresh, slightly sweet scent lingers for a few hours, our testers said it's pleasant and not overpowering.
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Best Drugstore
COLAB Original Dry Shampoo
Brunette and blonde versions available
Infused with softening vitamin E
Can be used on hair extensions
Scent can be too much for some
Active Ingredients: Vitamin E | Hair Type: All | Size: 4.1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Colab’s Original Dry Shampoo prolonged contributing writer Chelsea Avila’s blowout for four days and helped relieve any nape-of-neck itchiness on slick-back days. She found that it does have a strong mist—she describes it as “cooling,”—and it absorbs the oil from the midsection of the hairline without causing strands to stiffen up. Blondes and brunettes can color-correct and simultaneously add dry shampoo to the crown with options designed for each hair hue. Just keep in mind that the scent can be strong, so you may want to sample it first before buying.
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Lauren, tester: “It was easy to use and worked like a typical dry shampoo spray. I appreciated that there were not a ton of white particles floating in the air after spraying it. The instructions said to spray it, massage it in, and then brush it. I did these steps and found it blended into my dark hair nicely.”
Best Cream
Rossano Ferretti Parma Dry Shampoo Cream
Innovative consistency
Peppermint absorbs odor
Made of 90% naturally derived ingredients
Small dose per bottle
Active Ingredients: Linseed extract, peppermint, sage | Hair Type: Fine, medium, thick | Size: 1.7 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
A newish little innovator that has become a mainstay in our dry shampoo arsenal, Rossano Ferretti’s Parma Vivace cream is the first of its kind. It’s cream-based, so there is a learning curve when applying it: Pour a few drops into the palms of our hands and rub them together. Then, run your fingers through your hair, taking extra time to massage it into the scalp. You’ll find that it absorbs oil and conditions the hair with nourishing ingredients like sage, rosemary, and peppermint. The only gripe we have with this product is the fact that it comes in a small bottle; we wish it was larger.
Jackie, tester: “The product looks milky white in your hand, but it didn't leave any residue or color in my dark brown hair like spray dry shampoos usually do. It did not become flaky, and was easy to blend in.”
What to Look for in a Dry Shampoo for Oily Hair
- Absorbent Ingredients: When buying dry shampoo for oily hair, you'll want to look for a formula with absorbent ingredients. Starch, clay, charcoal, silica, tapioca, and baking soda not only soak up grease and absorb sweat but also help control odors.
- Hair Color: You should also consider your hair color, as tinted and chalkier formulas aren't ideal for everyone. A white residue usually isn't an issue for people with blonde, white, platinum, silver, or otherwise light locks. (There are also some purple-tinted powders if you want an icier look.) However, those with brunette or black hair will want to look for either an invisible finish or something with a brown tint.
- Scent: Many dry shampoos are fragranced (some more heavily than others). If you're sensitive to strong smells, you may want to look for a fragrance-free formula. On the other hand, scents can help mask the odor of unwashed hair, in which case a nice-smelling dry shampoo is your best bet.
Meet Our Experts
To get a well-rounded take on choosing the right dry shampoos for oily hair, we tapped the following experts:
- Amanda DiChiara is a hair stylist at NY Jungle Salon & Spa in Paramus, New Jersey.
- Lizzie Caplan is a master stylist at Soon Beauty Lab in New York City.
Why Trust Byrdie
Theresa Holland is a writer specializing in cosmetics, and has been writing for Byrdie since 2020, where she covers hair products, skincare, makeup, and fitness gear. Allison Lax is a writer for Byrdie who uses dry shampoo religiously. For this story, they spoke to two hairstylists, while Theresa compiled hands-on testing insights from The Lab, reviewed product specs, cross-checked ingredients lists, and referenced several peer-reviewed articles to round up our top picks for oily hair.
According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find enough dry shampoos for oily hair from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business to meet this percentage. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.com, and we will evaluate the product ASAP.