The Great Debate: Dry Shampoo Vs. Baby Powder

I'll be the first to admit just how much I hate washing my hair. I hate it, I do. It's not so much the act of washing my hair that I hate, but the part that comes after; the blow drying, the straightening, the styling. It's all so much work. Not to mention the damage that it can cause your hair.

When I was in high school, I had no other choice but to wash my hair every single day because it would get so greasy. It wasn't until I lived with my sister in university that she sparked the idea of training my hair to not wash it everyday. And, sure enough, by spending a few Saturdays or Sundays locked inside my house, I was able to train my hair to go every second day without washing it.

Then when I started working full time, I realized just how much I loved that extra hour of sleep, so I decided to see if I could go more than one day in between washes. My hair is now trained to go four or five days without washing it (five is usually by accident though...damn snooze button). But, to get this far, I need some extra help along the way. Enter the great debate: dry shampoo versus baby powder.

I think both are really great at getting the job done but, personally, I always, always, always choose baby powder over dry shampoo. In my opinion, baby powder works better at absorbing the oil, which is the the number one goal, and it still leaves your hair feeling normal, like it's your own. It is obviously more noticeable when you first put it on your hair, but with just a little more blending, no one would ever know that you've cheated. I also don't mind the smell, which doesn't last very long anyway, and that's usually the biggest complaint I hear about baby powder.

What I don't like about dry shampoo is that it leaves your hair feeling horrible and it always makes me immediately want to wash it the very next day. Now, I guess maybe that's the whole point, you use it one day and then you wash it the next, but I need (okay, want) a little longer than one day. I will say that I like the smell it leaves all over my hair, because it makes me feel like it's a real shampoo smell when it blows across my face.

To add another point to the debate, baby powder costs a lot less and lasts so much longer. Over the last couple of months I've gone through two bottles of dry shampoo while there's hardly a dent put in the bottle of baby powder, which is what I use a lot more frequently. I'm pretty sure cost wouldn't be a factor if I found a dry shampoo that I loved more, but 8-10 different kinds later and I'm still searching for the one to beat the body powder. So far, though, Dove is the best one I've used in terms of effectiveness, smell, price, and how it makes your hair feel. I'm constantly on the hunt so if I find a better one, I'll be sure to let you all know. I love recommendations too!

While we're on this topic, here's my usual hair routine:

Day 1- Wash day, blow dry, straighten, use very little styling product

Day 2- Quickly restraighten for touch ups (no product)

Day 3- Curl the ends for volume, baby powder on roots

Day 4- Quickly recurl for touch ups, baby powder on roots

Day 5- If I made it this far, I will always blow dry my hair upside down for a few seconds for added volume and then do the same process as the day before.

 

I took this picture this morning before I left for work. It's obviously not the best quality (rushed, as usual) but it gives you an idea. I washed my hair late Sunday afternoon and today is Thursday. I will definitely be washing it tomorrow, regardless of how it looks.

Can you go a few days without washing your hair? If so, what do you find works best for you?

I'd love to hear your thoughts so we can add more to this debate!