If you have color-treated hair, you’re probably familiar with the dilemma of cleaning your hair in often enough where it looks good, but seldom enough that you don’t strip it of your brand new color.
Colored hair tends to be dry and fragile, so the more you wash it, the more you damage it. Not to mention that every wash leaves you literally watching your money go down the drain as the color pigment escapes your locks every time you shower.
No worries – dry shampoo is here to save the day! Dry shampoo is a great invention for girl with color-treated hair. It allows you to wash your hair less frequently because it keeps your hair looking clean and fresh between washes.
But not everyone has a great experience with dry shampoos, in fact people with dyed hair often have the hardest time finding a dry shampoo that works for them.
Whether it’s a white residue or a drying formula, there are many unpleasant side effects of dry shampoo that can ruin your look.
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, there are some great dry shampoos on the market that 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 color-treated hair and will enhance its beauty.
How To Find The Best Dry Shampoo For Colored Hair
Color-treated hair needs extra special treatment when it comes to dry shampoo. Because dyed hair is often already fragile from the coloring 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 your locks out. Another thing we look for is dry shampoo that doesn’t leave a white powdery residue on your hair. This residue can be extra visible on vibrantly colored hair, so it’s best to avoid products that have that problem.
Here are a few criteria we stuck to when putting together our list of best dry shampoos for color-treated hair:
Doesn’t Leave White Residue
As we mentioned above, a white powdery residue can be quite common with dry shampoos. This is caused by some of the powders that dry shampoos use to help absorb oils from your scalp and make 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 color 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 simply 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 Color-Treated Hair
Color-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 picking a dry shampoo (or any product, for that matter) for colored hair, make sure that all of the ingredients in it are safe to use on color-treated hair.
Most dry shampoos that are safe for dyed hair will mention it on their label, so it’s easy to tell what it safe to use and what isn’t. In our guide below we made sure to only include products that are safe and effective to 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 color-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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Pureology Style + Protect Refresh & Go Dry Shampoo | Contains an anti-fade technology that helps extend your color |
| 2. | Living Proof Dry Shampoo, Perfect Hair Day | Gentle formula with no harsh chemicals; gives hair a lot of volume |
| 3. | Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo | Contains a superfruit that nourishes the hair and helps it retain color better |
| 4. | Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk | Intensely nourishing and hydrating dry shampoo that will leave your hair feeling extra soft |
| 5. | Drybar Detox Dry Shampoo | Multitasking dry shampoo that leaves hair clean while preventing damage & split ends. Multiple scent options. |
| 6. | Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo Light Tones | Hydrating formula that hides brassy tones on blonde hair |
| 7. | Suave Professionals Color Care Dry Shampoo, Keratin Infusion | Budget-friendly option with repairing keratin to help nourish colored or damaged hair |
| 8. | OGX Refresh Revitalize Extra Strength Dry Shampoo | Super nourishing formula, great for dry hair. Powerful at absorbing oils |
| 9. | Batiste Dry Shampoo Beautiful Brunette | Works great on dark hair because it has a dark tint, making any powder residue completely invisible |
| 10. | Not Your Mothers Dry Shampoo Clean Freak (Unscented) | Ideal for sensitive scalps or people who don’t like fragrances in their dry shampoo |
| 11. | Nexxus Between Washes Dry Shampoo Foam | Foam consistency that leaves your hair extra clean but requires drying and styling |
1. Pureology Style + Protect Refresh & Go Dry Shampoo For Color-Treated Hair
This dry shampoo is specifically formulated to work on colored hair. It contains an anti-fade complex formula that protects your hair color from washing out.
The key ingredient is rice starch, which is effective at absorbing oils and giving your hair a lot of volume.
The dry shampoo is scented with an all-natural signature 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, so it’s great for those who want to avoid the infamous white cast. Reviewers love how this dry shampoo makes their hair feel clean without stripping their hair color as a regular hair wash would, and how much it extends the vibrancy of their color.
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 color-treated hair and doesn’t leave a residue. It uses fast-absorbing powders that suck up the oils in your hair and disappear within minutes.
We also love that it makes your hair smell squeaky clean with the use of odor-neutralizing molecules and a pleasant fragrance that is released throughout the whole day.
This dry shampoo removes dirt, oil, and sweat – all while keeping your color-treated hair healthy and vibrant.
People love the way it allows them to go an extra day or two without washing their hair. Although not everyone loves the scent, most people find it to be 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 awesome dry shampoo is made with rice starch to effectively absorb oils without leaving behind a white residue.
The product is formulated with no harsh chemicals, and is one of the few ones on the market that don’t contain talc or aluminum. Extremely gentle on your hair, this dry shampoo is perfect for freshening up your look and keeping your color looking vibrant longer.
We really love that this dry shampoo contains a powerful superfruit known as sea buckthorn berry, which 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 has high concentrations of the rare Omega-7, making up 40% of the berry. Typically only found in fish oil, omega-7 keeps free radicals at bay and promotes the production of collagen, 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 color and giving your locks much-needed nourishment.
4. Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk
This Klorane dry shampoo with oat milk is great for someone who has color-treated hair because it’s intensely nourishing and hydrating.
Oat milk is a popular ingredient in hair care because it’s naturally cleansing. Oat milk is also high in antioxidants, as well as vitamin E and ferulic acid. These components of oat milk help skin and hair feel soothed and moisturized.
This Klorane dry shampoo also uses rice and corn starch to help absorb oils and dirt from your scalp, leaving your hair feeling fresh, clean, and soothed.
It’s safe to put on color-treated hair as it doesn’t contain harsh ingredients and follows strict European guidelines about safe and 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 the oils and grime from your hair, leaving your tresses looking clean and fresh.
Second, it contains golden root extract which is a powerful ingredient that increases moisture and prevents breakage and split ends. Third, it’s got a clean formula that won’t damage your color-treated hair. No parabens, sulfates, or phthalates.
We love that this brand comes in different options, including a “clear invisible” option that works better on darker hair, and a few different scents to choose from.
This is a great dry shampoo for those looking to not only skip a few washes, but also extend their blowout for a few extra days without adding 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 spraying drying products on it. If that sounds like you, consider trying this Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo for Light Tones.
Moroccanoil products contain the famous argan oil of Morocco. It’s a wonderful 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 coloring.
This particular product also contains subtle violet tones that can enhance your blonde color and offset some of the brassiness that can creep in a few weeks after you’ve colored it. This dry shampoo also contains UV protection which is so important if you are trying to preserve your color from fading.
This dry shampoo uses ultra-fine rice starch to absorb the oil and makes your hair smell really nice while 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 Color 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 the damaged protein bonds in your hair that result from the color treatment.
Reviewers love that it’s easy to massage the product into their 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 color for a few weeks. And at this price point – it’s a no-brainer.
8. OGX Refresh Revitalize Extra Strength Dry Shampoo, Argan Oil of Morocco
OGX is another great affordable haircare brand that has color-safe products, such as this dry shampoo with argan oil.
Free of harsh ingredients, this dry shampoo is infused with hydrating oils, silk proteins, and other great ingredients that nourish, soften, and moisturize the hair.
If you struggle with any damage or dryness after dying your hair, and you’re worried about using a dry shampoo that would make it worse – this is the product for you.
This dry shampoo does the opposite of drying your hair while being surprisingly effective at absorbing oils and giving your ‘do a fresh and voluminous look.
Did we mention it smells amazing? Users rave about the scent and how their hair feels hydrated and healthy after using this dry shampoo. Some did note that it can leave a white residue is too much is sprayed in one spot, so keep that in mind.
9. Batiste Dry Shampoo Beautiful Brunette
Having dark-colored hair brings an extra challenge when it comes to using dry shampoos – even the most “invisible” of them can leave a residue because all dry shampoos contain some sort of powders to absorb the oils and dirt on your hair.
We love this Batiste dry shampoo because it provides a solution to 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 Brunetter formulation is ahh-mazing for dark hair colors. The oil-absorbing powders in this dry shampoo are tinted to a dark brown/auburn color so that they don’t show up on your hair, no matter how much you spray!
This gives you the flexibility to put as much product as you need to achieve a clean look, without worrying about walking around with white roots.
It smells great, it has a cult following, and it’s safe for color-treated hair. However, it doesn’t contain any nourishing or hydrating ingredients, so if you have extra dry hair, this might not be the best option for you.
10. Not Your Mothers 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 color-treated hair, the problem might be exacerbated because your hair and scalp is already extra fragile.
Luckily, Not Your Mothers 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 odor-eliminating ingredients that will 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 their sensitive scalps and sensitive 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. Nexxus Between Washes Dry Shampoo Foam
Ever heard of dry shampoo foam? It’s a little different than the aerosol dry shampoos that dominate the market.
This dry shampoo foam is used the same as any dry shampoo – you spray it at your roots and use your fingers (or a brush) to work the product through the hair.
Except this dry shampoo is not exactly dry. Having a foamy consistency, it 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 take the opportunity to blow dry it to add a whole lot of extra volume to your tresses.
While it’s not as quick of a fix as your typical dry shampoo, it’s certainly a faster solution than getting yourself in the shower and 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 instead of just feeling like they sprayed absorbent powder on their scalp. A big seller for this type of dry shampoo is that it doesn’t leave any powdery residue at all.
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 a great 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 colored hair that won’t damage your hair and will help you extend your color longer.
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