Was dry conditioner just a fad or should we give it a second chance?

By now I think it’s safe to say that we are all very familiar with dry shampoo. It takes pride and place on many of our bathroom shelves, and let’s be honest, most of us couldn’t live without it.

So it goes without saying that when dry conditioner hit the market a few years ago, it was expected to make a splash. After all, you would never shampoo your hair without conditioning it. So why would you dry shampoo your hair without dry conditioning it either?

But as it turns out, many of us are yet to adopt dry conditioner into our beauty routines. So was is just a fad? Or an actual gem that was just overshadowed by a superior, older sister? 

For the sake of brittle hair and split ends, we’ve decided to give dry conditioner another go. After all we’d hate to be sleeping on a hair saviour. Here’s everything you need to know if you’re curious about dry conditioner too...

RELATED: Is dry shampoo bad for your hair?

RELATED: How to nail a DIY hair detox

What is dry conditioner?

Despite its name, there’s really nothing “dry” about dry conditioner. An aerosol product, dry conditioner can be used when you don’t have time to wash and conditioner your hair. However, unlike dry shampoo, it actually adds moisture to your hair rather than taking it out. But that’s not to say you can’t use it on days when your hair is oily! While dry shampoo is best used on your roots, dry conditioner is meant for the rest of your hair, particularly your ends.

Why should you use it?

Have you ever noticed that dry shampoo can really dry out your hair? It’s a common issue that many frequent users face, and dry conditioner essentially combats that. This miracle product helps revive your hair, bringing back shine and separating strands. It gives the same results a normal conditioner would, like less frizz and more silkiness, only faster. This makes styling dirty hair so much easier and keeps your third (or fourth or fifth…) day blowout from looking dull and fried.

Who should use it?

Everyone! But for real, this product is a must for anyone who uses dry shampoo on the regular. You can also use this product solo if you suffer from dry ends. There’s no harm in using it on freshly washed hair too!

How do you use it?

As mentioned above, one important thing to remember about dry conditioner is that it shouldn’t be applied like dry shampoo. Instead, you’re focusing the product on your mid-lengths and ends. Spraying the roots will weigh your hair down and take that hard-earned volume away. Dry shampoo absorbs excess oil in the roots, while dry conditioner works to rehydrate your lengths - just in the same way that regular shampoo and conditioner work as a team. A word of advice? Be a little light-handed the first time you use this product. You don’t want to douse your ends the same way we douse our roots with dry shampoo as this can create flat hair that’s too silky to properly style. (It’s a real thing, we promise!)

Dry conditioners bh recommends: Oribe Soft Dry Conditioner Spray, Schwarzkopf Extra Care Dry Conditioner, Pureology Fresh Approach Dry Conditioner, L’Oréal Professionnel Mythic Oil Dry Conditioner, TIGI Rockaholic Dirty Secret Dry Conditioner, and Aveda shampure Thermal Dry Conditioner.

Have you tried dry conditioner? What’s your favourite type?