wash that day right outta your hair

you've probably heard of it but are unsure what it really is, despite the description right there on the bottle.

dry shampoo.

AKA hair powder.

with everything becoming more streamlined these days, it sounds only logical that shampooing one's locks could be done without the use of water. and since it seems like california is in a constant state of water shortage, dry shampoo would be a genius idea.

actually, dry shampoo works like this: depending on the formula selected, user would either sprinkle powder or spray fixative onto day old washed hair to make it appear like you haven't been wearing the same hair from yesterday.

dry shampoo or hair powder is meant to sop up the oils from the scalp making hair look and smell fresher, especially helpful if you went ofr korean bbq last night, as that charcoal smell definitely lingers a bit.

some brave or desperate souls, depending how you look at things, have tried baby powder as a last ditch alternative to shampooing but that tends to leave a milky residue and can clump up on you like kitty litter, making it look as if you have spent your morning scraping the popcorn from your circa 1977 ceiling.

being an wash-hair-every-day type of gal, i was totally skeptical of dry shampoo but in the interest of science and research for long weekend style, my locks went AWW (absent without washing).

well, the facts are in, long weekend stylers. read on . . .

stila has a product called hair refresher ($28 for 2.6 oz) which comes in 2 delicious scents. it works well and smells absolutely amazing, but if you happen to have darker hair, you could end up with the george washington powdered wig look, which we are told is no longer en vogue. blondes and silver foxes - you'll like this one.

next up, klorane extra gentle dry shampoo with oat extract. klorane has a nice clean smell and gets the job done efficiently. although, we have heard rumors of the product evaporating quickly once can has been opened but that could be due to perhaps poor can engineering.

salon grafix has recently reformulated their dry shampoo, making it waaaay better than their previous incarnation. the old version salon grafix dry shampoo would rub off on clothes or pillowcases, giving you that dreaded ring-around-the-collar look that was first uncovered in the 70's. the new improved invisible dry spray shampoo is now colorless so there is ONE formula for blondes, brunettes and redheads. NO rub-off residue to give away the game of day old hair. and for about $6 for a 4 oz can, you can just about give up washing your hair entirely.

TIGI rockaholic dirty secret dry shampoo - just like the name of this one, don't we? clocking in at around $10 for a giant 6.3 oz can, this smells a little more chemical-ly but our tester is quoted as saying "it gets the job done" and that's really the important part isn't it? another positive is that TIGI leaves no residue behind so it's safe for even brunettes to use.

the very last entry is Bumble and bumble's hair powder, available in 4 shades and $35 for a 4 oz can. since this powder is colored to compliment hair shade, if user is not careful or wants to nap later on a white pillow, there will be a residue price to pay. the residue does wash away with soap and water but your shoulders could end up looking like the by product of an asbestos removal gone bad. besides an oil sopper-upper, the B & b hair powder can also double as a root touch-up product should that particular service be needed. testers were not as happy with this, we thinks because of the residue issue.

long weekend style, over and out.