There are two words that, when put together, would usually cause me to run a mile: “dry shampoo”. This is because dry shampoo would usually give me a worse result than the offending “greasy” hair (although I must admit I never go more than three days without washing my hair). I have dark brunette hair, and a blast of dry shampoo in my roots would often result in a deposit of chalky white residue. That’ll be the talc designed to “soak” up excess grease. It would also inevitably leave gritty bits on the scalp – resolutely the opposite of the feeling of freshly shampooed hair.

Of course, no product can do that except for proper shampoo and hot water – hair washed the good old-fashioned way. But I have tried a few dry shampoos recently that are brilliant at giving the hair a new lease of life without needing to wash it. (Of course, this is always the preferred method, but if you have hair longer than a bob a daily hair wash isn’t always an option.)

The added bonus is dry shampoo can give hair the appearance of extra volume, and make thin hair look a little thicker. The only one I’ve liked until now is Perfect Hair Day Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo by Living Proof (from £15, Living Proof), which doesn’t leave the hair feeling dirty and really does revive your style. The trick I’ve found to using this, and many aerosol dry shampoos, is to really obey the “spray from 15cm away” rule, and to leave it for at least 60 seconds after spraying. This is an excruciatingly long time to wait when you have grey powder sitting in your hairline, but it’s worth it. After a minute, massage the product into the roots and brush your hair. It really is the key and results in the hair at your roots looking a little more lifted and thicker.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Living Proof spray was my gateway into a whole world of hairstyle-reviving products. I’ve been really impressed with the just-launched G5 3-in-1 Dry Shampoo by Typebea (£26, Typebea), which is a relatively new player in the haircare industry. The clever co-founder, Anna Lahey, is also the name behind the impressive collagen brand Vida Glow. We’re off to a good start. This is an aerosol dry shampoo that includes the patented ingredient Baicapil, which is clinically proven to help hair regrowth. Time will tell if this dry shampoo actually helps the hair to grow, but I like how skincare-driven the formulas in this haircare line are. Apparently dry shampoo is the most requested product by Typebea’s customers – and it’s a great one at that.

The same goes for JVN, the haircare brand founded by Queer Eye presenter Jonathan Van Ness. The brand’s new Perfèct The Essential Dry Shampoo (£26, Space NK) was formulated for even the most sensitive scalps. It also borrows technology from skincare, this time inspired by micellar water (which is used in gentle skin cleansers and attracts dirt particles via tiny droplets of oil suspended in water). It’s refreshing on the scalp and leaves zero residue.

Elsewhere, the haircare brand Ouai (pronounced “way”) has launched a reformulation of its dry shampoo, Super Dry (£26, Space NK). It works a treat on all hair types and colours and is honestly one of the best-smelling haircare products on the market. The scent – it comes in Melrose Place and Cape Town – lingers for hours. Cape Town is particularly lovely, with notes of ginger, spearmint and tomato leaves.

Finally, if you don’t like the idea of an aerosol, try the new dry shampoo by Fable & Mane (£28, Fable & Mane). It uses tapioca starch to absorb excess oil and has the added benefit of rosemary extract to make the scalp feel more refreshed. Also, like all of Fable & Mane’s products, it smells fantastic – a warming mix of saffron, nutmeg and jasmine. It adds body and volume to fine hair, too.

Three more body boosters