11 Best Dry Shampoos For Colored Hair
I have never regretted keeping a can of dry shampoo in the bathroom drawer, but on colour-treated hair the wrong one costs you tone. What you want is a formula that goes on clear, skips sulfates, and puts moisture back rather than stripping it.
The short answer: pick by hair colour first. A white powder that disappears on blonde will sit on dark brown like dust, which is why several of the picks below come in tinted or fully invisible versions.
So, what are the best dry shampoos for colored hair?
The best dry shampoos for colored hair contain hydrating ingredients and don’t dry your locks. It also shouldn’t leave a white powdery residue on your hair, which can be extra visible on vibrantly colored hair.
Luckily, some great dry shampoos on the market are specially formulated to avoid these problems and work exceptionally well on colored hair.
In this article, we’ve put together a guide for you if you’re looking for the best dry shampoo that will work on colour-treated hair and enhance its beauty.
How To Find The Best Dry Shampoo For Colored Hair
Colour-treated hair needs extra special treatment when it comes to dry shampoo.
Because dyed hair is often already fragile from the colouring process, it can be sensitive to some of the harsh ingredients sometimes found in dry shampoos.
The best dry shampoos for colored hair are those that contain hydrating ingredients and don’t dry out your locks.
Another thing we look for is dry shampoo that doesn’t leave a white powdery residue on your hair.
This residue can be more visible on vibrantly colored hair, so it’s best to avoid products that cause it.
Here are a few criteria we stuck to when putting together our list of best dry shampoos for colour-treated hair:
Doesn’t Leave White Residue
As mentioned above, a white powdery residue is quite familiar with dry shampoos.
This is caused by some powders that absorb oil from your scalp, making the hair look less greasy.
Most of the time, this white residue disappears once you work the product through your hair.
But if you have dyed hair and your colour is very dark or very vibrant, it can be a little harder to hide the white powder.
Luckily, there are lots of shampoos on the market that specifically target that problem.
Some of them choose different ingredients that don’t leave a white cast.
Others use a dye to darken the powder so that when it settles on your hair, it’s less visible.
Safe For Colour-Treated Hair
Colour-treated hair has been chemically altered and contains artificial pigments inside the hair shaft.
Occasionally, these pigments can interact with external chemicals, which is something you’d want to avoid.
When choosing a dry shampoo for coloured hair, make sure all the ingredients are safe for colour-treated hair.
Most dry shampoos that are safe for dyed hair will mention it on their label, so it’s easy to tell what is safe to use and what isn’t.
In our guide below, we‘ve included only products that are safe and effective for use on your colored hair.
Repairing And Hydrating
Even though a dry shampoo’s main job is to keep your hair looking clean and grease-free, that doesn’t mean you should stop there.
These days, there are so many great dry shampoos on the market that do a lot more than just absorb oils.
When you have chemically processed hair, it’s best to use a dry shampoo that contains hydrating and repairing ingredients.
We’re talking keratin, shea butter, Moroccan oil, oat milk, and other great ingredients that will help heal your hair and give it softness and shine.
Try to stay away from dry shampoos that contain a lot of alcohol — they are more likely to dry your hair out while providing no other benefits.
Best Dry Shampoos For Colored Hair
We scoured the market for the best dry shampoos for colour-treated hair.
For a quick overview, use the table below to see what each product is best known for.
For additional details, scroll down to read about each dry shampoo’s unique features.
| Rank | Product | Key Features | Where to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Pureology Style + Protect Refresh & Go Dry Shampoo | Contains an anti-fade technology that helps extend your color | View on Amazon |
| 2. | Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo | Gentle formula with no harsh chemicals; gives hair a lot of volume | View on Amazon |
| 3. | Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo | Contains a superfruit that nourishes the hair and helps it retain color better | View on Amazon |
| 4. | Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk | Intensely nourishing and hydrating dry shampoo that will leave your hair feeling extra soft | View on Amazon |
| 5. | Drybar Detox Dry Shampoo | Multitasking dry shampoo that leaves hair clean while preventing damage & split ends. Multiple scent options. | View on Amazon |
| 6. | Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo Light Tones | Hydrating formula that hides brassy tones on blonde hair | View on Amazon |
| 7. | Suave Professionals Color Care Dry Shampoo | Budget-friendly option with repairing keratin to help nourish colored or damaged hair | View on Amazon |
| 8. | Eva NYC Invisible Dry Shampoo Spray | Goes on clear on dark and colour-treated hair | View on Amazon |
| 9. | Batiste Dry Shampoo Beautiful Brunette | Works great on dark hair because it has a dark tint, making any powder residue completely invisible | View on Amazon |
| 10. | Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Dry Shampoo | Ideal for sensitive scalps or people who don’t like fragrances in their dry shampoo | View on Amazon |
| 11. | Batiste Waterless Cleansing Foam | Foam, not powder, so no white residue; 4.0 stars | View on Amazon |
1. Pureology Style + Protect Refresh & Go Dry Shampoo For Color-Treated Hair
This dry shampoo is specifically formulated for colored hair.
It contains an anti-fade complex formula that protects your hair colour from washing out.
The key ingredient is rice starch, which is effective at absorbing oils and giving your hair lots of volume.
The dry shampoo is scented with an all-natural aromatherapy blend consisting of tuberose, almond milk, and cedarwood, giving your hair a beautiful, fresh scent without synthetic fragrances.
Users note that this shampoo doesn’t leave a white residue even on dark hair, making it great for those who want to avoid the infamous white cast.
Reviewers love how this dry shampoo makes their hair feel clean without stripping colour as a regular wash would, and how much it extends the vibrancy of their colour.
2. Living Proof Dry Shampoo, Perfect Hair Day
We love this Living Proof dry shampoo because it’s so gentle on the hair and contains no parabens, silicones, or phthalates.
It’s safe for colour-treated hair and doesn’t leave a residue.
It uses fast-absorbing powders that suck up oils in your hair and disappear within minutes.
We also love that it leaves your hair smelling squeaky clean, thanks to odour-neutralising molecules and a pleasant fragrance that lasts all day.
This dry shampoo removes dirt, oil, and sweat — all while keeping your colour-treated hair healthy and vibrant.
People love how it lets them go an extra day or two without washing their hair.
Although not everyone loves the scent, most find it pleasant and clean.
A lot of users also noted that this dry shampoo gives their hair beautiful volume, so if that’s what you’re after, give this product a try.
3. Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo
This excellent dry shampoo is made with rice starch to absorb oil without leaving a white residue.
The product is formulated with no harsh chemicals and is one of the few on the market that don’t contain talc or aluminium.
Extremely gentle on your hair, this dry shampoo is perfect for freshening up your look and keeping your colour vibrant longer.
We really love that this dry shampoo contains a powerful superfruit known as sea buckthorn berry.
It contains over 190 biologically active compounds, including vitamin C (15 times more than an orange), vitamin A (three times more than a carrot), and vitamin E.
It also contains high concentrations of the rare Omega-7, which makes up 40% of the berry.
Typically found only in fish oil, omega-7 helps neutralize free radicals and supports collagen production, a key building block for skin, hair, and nails.
With such a powerful combination, this dry shampoo will keep your hair looking clean while protecting your colour and giving your locks much-needed nourishment.
4. Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk
This Klorane dry shampoo with oat milk is great for colour-treated hair because it’s intensely nourishing and hydrating.
Oat milk is a popular ingredient in hair care because it’s naturally cleansing.
It’s also high in antioxidants, as well as vitamin E and ferulic acid.
These components of oat milk help soothe and moisturise both skin and hair.
This Klorane dry shampoo also uses rice and corn starch to absorb oils and dirt from your scalp, leaving your hair feeling fresh, clean, and soothed.
It’s safe for colour-treated hair, as it doesn’t contain harsh ingredients and follows strict European guidelines for safe, clean cosmetic formulations.
Most people agree that this is a great product that leaves no residue, has a fresh light scent, and leaves their hair feeling soft and clean.
5. Drybar Detox Dry Shampoo
This dry shampoo by Drybar is a multitasking star.
First, it’s really good at sucking up oils and grime from your hair, leaving your tresses looking clean and fresh.
Second, it contains golden root extract, a powerful ingredient that increases moisture and helps prevent breakage and split ends.
Third, it’s got a clean formula that won’t damage your colour-treated hair — no parabens, sulfates, or phthalates.
We love that this brand comes in different options, including a “clear invisible” version that works better on darker hair, and a few other scents to choose from.
This is a great dry shampoo for those looking to skip a few washes while also extending their blowout for a few extra days without causing any damage to their hair.
6. Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo Light Tones
Blondes might have more fun, but their hair can sometimes be extra damaged from the bleach.
The last thing you want to do after bleaching your hair is spray-dry it.
If that sounds like you, consider trying this Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo for Light Tones.
Moroccanoil products contain the famous argan oil of Morocco — an excellent ingredient that helps hydrate and nourish hair and skin.
It’s packed with omega fatty acids, phenols, and vitamin E, all of which help replenish lost moisture and nurse your hair back to health after bleaching or colouring.
This particular product also contains subtle violet tones that can enhance your blonde colour and offset brassiness that can creep in a few weeks after you’ve colored it.
This dry shampoo also contains UV protection, which is essential if you are trying to preserve your colour from fading.
It uses ultra-fine rice starch to absorb oil, leaving your hair smelling amazing and enhancing its softness and shine.
Users tend to love it. One reviewer says, “I could live without many things in my life. I cannot live without my Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo.”
We think that says it all!
7. Suave Professionals Colour Care Dry Shampoo, Keratin Infusion
If you’re looking for an affordable but effective dry shampoo that not only makes your hair look cleaner but also heals and repairs your hair, look no further than this Suave dry shampoo.
This will give you the most bang for your buck!
This dry shampoo comes with a special keratin formula that repairs damaged protein bonds in your hair caused by colour treatment.
Reviewers love that it’s easy to massage into the hair, it leaves no white residue, and it has a pleasant smell.
It leaves their hair feeling clean without drying it out.
One user says, “I’ve tried some of the more expensive dry shampoos, and this cheaper Suave brand is among the best. This smells super good and brushes out nicely without leaving my hair all hard.”
With a dry shampoo like this, you can skip enough washes to really extend your colour for a few weeks. And at this price point — it’s a no-brainer.
8. Eva NYC Invisible Dry Shampoo Spray
Eva NYC’s Invisible spray is for anyone who has given up on dry shampoo because of the chalky grey film it leaves behind. It goes on clear, which is the entire problem with cheap dry shampoo on dark or freshly coloured hair.
It soaks up oil at the roots and takes the second-day smell with it, instead of layering perfume over the top of it.
It sits at 4.3 stars across about 3,800 reviews, and it is not a salon-priced bottle.
9. Batiste Dry Shampoo Beautiful Brunette
Having dark hair brings an extra challenge when using dry shampoo — even the most “invisible” formulas can leave a residue.
All dry shampoos contain some form of powder to absorb oil and dirt from your hair.
We love this Batiste dry shampoo because it solves that problem.
And what dry shampoo list would be complete without a Batiste on it?
Batiste is a well-known brand in the dry shampoo world — with so many different scents and formulations, they’ve blown up the dry shampoo market.
They have a product for every hair type and every need.
Not all Batiste dry shampoos are winners, in our opinion. But this Beautiful Brunette formulation is ahh-mazing for dark hair colours.
The oil-absorbing powders in this dry shampoo are tinted to a dark brown/auburn colour so that they don’t show up on your hair, no matter how much you spray!
This gives you the flexibility to use as much product as you need to achieve a clean look, without worrying about white roots.
It smells great, it has a cult following, and it’s safe for colour-treated hair.
However, it doesn’t contain nourishing or hydrating ingredients, so if you have extra dry hair, this might not be the best option for you.
10. Not Your Mother’s Dry Shampoo Clean Freak
If dry shampoo gives you an itchy scalp or makes you sneeze, you’re not alone.
Some of us are sensitive to the ingredients commonly found in dry shampoos and hair sprays.
When you have colour-treated hair, the problem might be exacerbated because your hair and scalp are already extra fragile.
Luckily, Not Your Mother’s Dry Shampoo has an unscented version that is great at making your hair feel clean between washes while being extra gentle on your scalp and your senses.
Don’t be afraid of the unscented part — your hair will still smell clean because this dry shampoo contains odour-eliminating ingredients that banish the smell of dirty hair in an instant.
It also contains gentle oil-absorbing powders that will make your hair look squeaky clean.
It does not leave residue on your hair (as long as you brush it out well) and absorbs quickly, giving you a little bit of volume and a lot of confidence.
Users report that this dry shampoo is perfect for sensitive scalps and noses.
Not a lot of people like smelling like a flower shop, so they really appreciate this dry shampoo.
And with how gentle it is on the scalp, it’s safe for everyone.
11. Batiste Waterless Cleansing Foam
Batiste’s Waterless Cleansing Foam is the pick here, with coconut milk in the formula for shine. Worth being straight about the numbers: it runs 4.0 stars across roughly 1,700 reviews, and it is the most-reviewed dry shampoo foam still on sale. Foam is a small corner of this category and nothing in it matches the ratings the aerosols above manage. It is also the same brand as pick 9, which says more about how few foams are left than about favouritism.
Ever heard of dry shampoo foam?
It’s a little different from the aerosol dry shampoos that dominate the market.
This dry shampoo foam is used the same way as any dry shampoo — you spray it into your roots and use your fingers (or a brush) to work it through your hair.
Except this dry shampoo is not exactly dry.
It has a foamy consistency and will make your hair a little bit wet, but it dries up quickly.
As it dries, it absorbs oils and dirt, cleanses the hair, and gives it a fresh scent.
You can also use a blow-dryer to add extra volume to your tresses.
While it’s not as quick a fix as your typical dry shampoo, it’s certainly a faster solution than washing your hair the traditional way.
Reviews are divided. Some people really love the foam texture because it makes them feel like their hair got a real wash, rather than just like they sprayed an absorbent powder on their scalp.
A big selling point of this type of dry shampoo is that it doesn’t leave any powdery residue.
However, some users don’t love that this dry shampoo makes their hair wet, and that they have to dry it before going out.
It’s certainly not for everyone, but it’s an excellent option for those who aren’t short on time!
We hope this helps you on your journey to find the best dry shampoo for your coloured hair that won’t damage it and will help you extend your colour longer.
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