Being a recent college grad, my new life does not really click with my once lazy college days. This year I have had to adopt some tricks to make my appearance look far better then my effort. Out of all my secrets my favorite has to be dry shampoo. This handy invention that has been around for ages saves me time, sleep and hair follicles.

WHAT ARE DRY SHAMPOOS? As much as we think dry shampoo is a new invention it has been around since the days of the ancient Egyptians to the 1970’s when people were always looking for those simple solutions. What a dry shampoo actually does is use its composition of powders to soak up dirt and oil (instead of washing it away as with traditional shampoos). This seems weird living in a culture where we find the need to oblige to that squeaky clean image, but dry shampoo goes beyond traditional shampoo.

Hairstylists like the famous Oscar Blandi, who has his own line of dry shampoo, use this product for almost everything. He says it’s a great “pick me up in the afternoon” and that is helps create that always coveted “second day” hair. This family of products comes in all formulas, colors and brands, but it definitely has uses beyond a quick clean. These products add volume to limp hair after a long day or add texture to clean hair. Texture is great for styling as the hair holds better … always a plus.

In its recent resurgence dry shampoo has been seen everywhere. Jeanie Syfu the lead stylist for TREsemmé, even used dry shampoo at many fashion shows including Fall 2011 Charlotte Ronson.

Here she used the brands various types of dry shampoo to create that side swept look.

As awesome as dry shampoos are, they do have their limitations. Though all straight and wavy hair types can benefit from them, some dry shampoo formulas can make curly hair very kinky. Dry shampoo on my curly hair does not give the same results as when I use it on my blowout, but it does have its benefits. I am able to go longer between washes and refresh my blowout. Less washing = awesome hair with less damage and less time. How great is that?

WHAT DRY SHAMPOOS WILL WORK FOR YOUR HAIR TYPE: Now here is the hard part, finding one that works for you. I do consider myself somewhat of a connoisseur of dry shampoos. From the first time I heard about them, I’ve been using them. In fact, I’ve tried many of them . My favorite is most definitely the Oscar Blandi Pronto dry shampoo. This one has a great lemony scent and keeps my hair looking and feeling fresh and clean. It also comes in a two forms an aerosol and a nozzle. I have tried both and prefer the nozzle, but both do work well.

Another great brand is TREsemmé. They not only carry a dry shampoo for different types of straight hair but also one for curly hair. After trying both I realized the one for curly hair is quite difficult to use, but my curly hair takes less time to style so I decide I can wash more often. Some others include Label M and Klorane who boast celebrity fans such as Fergie and Leelee Sobieski.

For a 21^st century woman life is fast paced and often times too stressful. This handy little product cuts down time and damage to your hair. Given how long they last and the amazing results … who can resist this shower in a bottle?

Plus check out my in depth report on How Often Should You Wash Your Hair.

– Yiannoula Choros

For more giveaways and contests, sign up for our newsletter HERE.

If you like this post, share it with your friends and give it a LIKE on Facebook.