The 5 best dry shampoos for refreshing greasy, oily hair

Hair that hasn’t been washed in a few days is usually in need of a spritz or two of dry shampoo. It provides an instant refresh by sopping up a bit of that excess grease, adding texture, and smelling great. But if your hair is considered oily, you may find yourself reaching for that bottle more often.

According to Dr. Antonella Tosti, a professor of dermatology at the University of Miami and founding member of the International Society of Trichoscopy, how oily your hair is depends on how much sebum is depositing on your hair shaft. Greasy, oily hair is often the result of overactive sebaceous glands, which can be caused by hormone imbalances, stress, certain medications, and more.

Regardless of what causes it, slick, oily hair can be annoying and unsightly to some. If you find yourself with a consistent oily scalp, you might want to look into how often you’re washing your hair. In the meantime, it’s always good to have a bottle of dry shampoo on-hand so you can tackle oily roots while on-the-go. Dr. Tosti says that people with oily hair should look for formulas with quality absorbents since they “act like little sponges that absorb the grease.”

These are the best dry shampoos for oily hair:

1Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo

Sephora
Sephora

Living Proof’s much-loved dry shampoo does the job of eliminating greasy roots. Fast-absorbing powders soak up oil and sweat, while a patented healthy hair molecule helps remove powders, so hair is left residue-free. Bonus points for the time-release scent, which keeps hair smelling fresh all day long. Yes, please!

2Batiste Original Dry Shampoo

Ulta
Ulta

Shop It! $8.99, Ulta.com.

While you want your dry shampoo to sop up oiliness, what you don’t want is for it to leave hair feeling stiff, sticky, or tacky. Batiste’s lightweight formula is great because it is particularly easy to brush out, leaving hair soft, touchable, and instantly refreshed. The starch-based “no water needed” formula eliminates grease and excess oil right at the roots.

3Suave Professionals Refresh & Revive Dry Shampoo

Target
Target

Made with real mineral clay to effectively absorb oil from the scalp, this citrus-smelling dry shampoo zaps greasiness. Simply section out hair, spray it at the roots, gently massage in, then brush it out and style normally.

4DryBar Detox Dry Shampoo

Sephora
Sephora

This super-absorbent formula is made up of micro-fine rice powders that absorb both oils and odor, leaving a matte finish and lifted roots.

5Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk

Sephora
Sephora

Gentle oak milk in this dry shampoo makes it suitable even for sensitive scalps. Corn and rice starch cleanse the hair, while naturally absorbent microspheres go deep to rid the hair of excess dirt, oil, and odor. Plus, the powders are ultra-fine, so it sprays on invisible and won’t leave behind a chalky residue.