This New $7 Dry Shampoo Truly Transformed My Hair

I am incredibly, incredibly picky with my dry shampoos. I mean, if I’m going to be spraying something on my head every other day for the rest of my life, it better be hella freaking effective and also relatively affordable, because I refuse to let my greasy roots be the cause of my bankruptcy. But unfortunately, as anyone who has ever used a dry shampoo knows, no dry shampoo is created equally and some brands just really, truly, honestly suck.

MORE: Meet Retinol Oil: The Coolest Anti-Aging Product That Actually Works

I don’t want a dry shampoo that feels like a clear, sticky, texturizing spray, or one that makes my head smell like a billion dead flowers in an attic, or one that’s so powdery and thick, it leaves white splotches all over my scalp. So that eliminates about 70-percent of all dry shampoos in the world, and about 99-percent of all drugstore brands.

Related Stories

This L’Oréal Eye Cream for Dark Circles & Fine Lines ‘Takes Them Away Like Magic’

Boldify’s New Dry Shampoo Is Just $10 for Amazon Prime Big Deal Days 2023

And though I had convinced myself that I was cool with spending $30 every month on the wonderful Rene Furterer Naturia dry shampoo and just never saving for retirement, I pretty much lost my shit when I tried a new drugstore dry shampoo that was not only significantly cheaper, but also better than any brand I’ve tried in a long, long time. So, guys, I’d like to introduce you to my new love: L’Oréal Paris Extraordinary Clay Dry Shampoo.

L’Oréal Paris Extraordinary Clay Dry Shampoo enjoys long walks on the beach, heartfelt conversations under the stars, and hanging out on my vanity. And yes, I know—another L’Oréal product, you ask? How different could it be from the billion other L’Oréal products you’ve tried in the past? But trust me when I say this dry shampoo ticks off all of my little judgmental boxes. While most dry shampoos use alcohol, corn starch, and rice starch to soak up grease, this one is formulated with a bunch of oil-sucking minerals and clays (including kaolinite, montmorillonite, and magnesium aluminum silicate) that really absorb excess scalp oils without feeling heavy, sticky, or too textured.

Even during one particularly shameful weekend when I tried to go three days without washing my curls, I blasted this on my roots every single night (fun fact: Dry shampoo works best when you spray it on before bed, so the starches and clays can really soak up your scalp oils while you sleep), and my hair still felt ridiculously soft and even looked relatively clean and shiny by the time I washed it.

Oh, and the big plus? It’s only $7. (That high-pitched noise you hear faintly in the wind is me crying happy tears of joy.) But, hey, I’m not saying this dry shampoo is perfect. It does have a pretty strong scent that sticks around for a good 15 minutes after you spray it on, but it’s fresh and light, like a mix between cucumbers and clean laundry, that it really doesn’t bother me. Just make sure to shake the can really well before each use, or you’ll end up with a few white patches on your roots that will derail your morning if you have curly hair that can’t be brushed out (*raises hand*). Now, please—just go out and try it so my bandwagon can finally feel full. Thanks.

MORE: Surprise: Makeup Wipes Are Actually Really Bad For Your Skin