Lately hair care companies are creating a plethora of new products designed to clean your hair differently than normal shampoos. This article about a new hair powder by Buttercream Cosmetics illustrates the latest example. They’ve even coined a new term “shampowder.” Well, we thought it was time to look at these products and determine what, if anything, they’re doing different for your hair.

Weird Ways to Wash Hair

1. Shampowder - Best Dry Shampoo option?

What is it? We’ve previously discussed powder shampoos so read that for more info about dry shampoos. But basically, you spray or sprinkle a powder (cornstarch) on your head and it is supposed to absorb the oil. To finish the cleaning process you comb the product out.

Does it work? Yes, the dry shampoo works for absorbing oil. It also is scented so it’ll leave a bit of that fragrance behind. But it doesn’t clean your hair nearly as well as a regular shampooing. It also may leave a white residue and can leave hair feeling gross. However, if you want to skip a shampooing day or two this product is good in a pinch. It’s also good for color treated hair because it will help reduce the amount of color lost.

2. Conditioner Cleaning

What is it? Believe it or not, some people just wash their hair with conditioner. As some have figured out, conditioners contain surfactants just like shampoos. The difference is that they are used at much lower levels in the formula, they don’t clean as well, and there is more oily materials in the conditioner.

Does it work? For everyday cleaning you’ll likely be disappointed by using conditioner as your hair cleanser. It can start to build up on hair and feel heavy. It will also attract a lot more dust, pollen, and dirt from the air. But again, it will work. Your best bet is to use a conditioner that does not contain silicones. In this case, cheaper products like Suave and VO5 would work better.

3. No-Rinse shampoos

What is it? Here’s a weird way to wash your hair without water. The formula is a real shampoo except you don’t rinse it out. The most popular brand is No-Rinse. The formula is much runnier than a regular shampoo so you don’t need water to make it foam. Just put it on dry hair, work through with your fingers and watch it foam. Then wipe out the foam with a towel for clean hair.

Does it work? This formula will work better than the powdered shampoos. It can clean your hair better than a conditioner. But it won’t be nearly as good as a regular shampoo. But if water is in short supply or you just don’t feel like hopping in a shower, this no-rinse shampoo might be for you.

4. Body wash all over

What is it? As we discussed in this post, body washes and shampoos are similar formulas. If you wanted to, you could use your body wash to wash your hair.

Does it work? A body wash will clean your hair almost as well as a moisturizing shampoo. It’ll even provide a little conditioning. Don’t use it if you’re looking for deep cleansing but for everyday shampooing, it can work just fine.

5. No ‘Poo

What is it? Just what it sounds like…just stop using shampoo. According to the folks at Nature Moms, if you stop using shampoo your hair will be fine. (Unfortunately, this website propagates myths about toxins found in shampoos so feel free to ignore that scaremongering.) Here are some other interesting stories by people who have tried to go some time without shampooing.

Does it work? You don’t actually have to shampoo your hair. Of course, it won’t be clean either. It will be healthier and probably look more shiny. However, it may also look and feel greasy, smell funny, and be difficult to style in any way except laying flat on your head.

The quest for clean hair is never ending. Dry shampoo, No-rinse shampoos, and other products provide options Now you know that you don’t have to always be stuck using that same old shampoo.

Lynn’s Too Lazy To Wash: Do any of these dry shampoo/hair refresher products really work? (I know they can’t substitute for proper washing!) To cut down on the number of times I have to use my hair straightening iron, I’ve tried Batiste (a powder spray) dry shampoo. To be honest the granny smell put me off and it left a gray film on my hair. I’ve now switched to Aveda’s refreshing hair mist which is basically organic lavender water. It’s more expensive but I’m happy with the results. Is this stuff genuinely better or do you think I’m kidding myself?!

The Right Brain responds:

Hey Lynn, just kidding about you being lazy; it’s actually good that you’re limiting the damage from straightening irons. Can hair refreshers help you? Well, sort of but it depends on what kind you use and how you style your hair.

The powdered types (like Batiste and Pssst) will absorb some oil from your hair but the downside is they can leave a whiteish residue, as you noticed. (And if you’re really in a hurry to spend your money, you can read what we previously wrote about the Stila hair refresher. It’s basically a $30 bottle of cornstarch!)

The liquid refreshers, like the Aveda product, are basically fragranced water. They can refresh your style to some degree, but it depends what styling products you used in the first place. These liquids can disrupt the film that mousse or gel put in your hair and may make your style droop.

The Beauty Brains Bottom Line:

If you like the way these products work on your hair there’s nothing wrong with extending your time between washings with a liquid or powder refresher. However, there’s no special technology in the expensive products, so you should shop around for an affordable alternative.

Kate’s Not Sold On Stila Hair Refresher:

Is Stila Hair Refresher anything more than thirty-dollar talcum powder?

The Right Brain’s Not Impressed Either:

Actually, this Stila product is not a $30 bottle of talc powder.

It`s a $28 bottle of CORNSTARCH powder. Ok, to be fair they also throw in a little silk and tapioca starch, but for the most part it`s just cornstarch. (Aren`t you glad you watched our amazing cornstarch video. What, you didn`t watch it? Shame on you!)

Anyway, the product also contains fragrance to make it smell nice, a little silica to prevent caking, and a bunch of preservatives which it doesn`t really need since there`s no water in the product.

Does it work? Well, it sure smells nice and it will absorb some oil from your hair but there`s no special technology in the formula that makes it work better. The Beauty Brains just can`t imagine that it`s worth this much money. Still, some of the people over at Makeup alley rave about it. To each her own!

Ingredients:
Corn starch, silk powder, tapioca starch, mica, silica silyate, fragrance, benzyl benzoate, methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben

Here’s an exciting new product - Frederic Fekkai’s Wash & Wear spray shampoo. You can simply spray this in your hair to keep it clean in between shampoos.

“What an novel, breakthough idea!” you must be saying to yourself.

“Why has no one else in the history of hair care EVER thought of a spray on shampoo that doesn’t have to be rinsed off?” you’re probably pondering as you read this.

“Only the advanced science of the new millenium could have possibly created a spray on product to keep your hair clean between shampoos,” you’re thinking.

Is that what you’re thinking?

If it is, you’re WRONG!

It’s time you learned that, with the possible exception of the Internet, everything that’s worth inventing was created in the 70’s.

Case in point, check out this ad from the Beauty Brains ad vault for Psssst! Shampoo. Possibly the only cosmetic product ever to include a punction mark in it’s name.

Psssst! is also famous for being the first spray on, no rinse dry shampoo. It was essentially a powder that you sprayed in your hair to absorb oil, then you brushed it out. It didn’t work very well and it was kind of messy, but it did prevent hundreds of thousands of women from wearing a bag over their head between shampoos.

So in your FACE , Frederic Fekkai!

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