I Tried Ouai’s New Dry Shampoo — & It Worked Wonders

In the year 2019, dry shampoo has become a staple product for anyone who doesn't want to wash their hair daily. And while innovative formulas — foams! pastes! mists! — are constantly keeping us on our toes, sometimes nothing gets the job done like a good ole spray. You might already have a go-to formula, but if anyone can make us break our loyalty streak, it's Ouai.

Enter Super Dry Shampoo, celebrity hairstylist and Ouai founder Jen Atkin's dream formula, which has been two years in the making. "We knew we were missing the perfect dry shampoo for girls with fine-to-medium hair who get super oily or really want to extend a few more days between washes," Atkin tells Refinery29. "This is a dry shampoo for anyone looking to cleanse and volumise."

Fans of the brand will remember that Ouai already launched a foaming dry shampoo back in 2017, which Atkin says is perfect for thick and curly hair types. But Super Dry is even more powerful for those with fine hair that gets weighed down easily.

I decided to put Super Dry to the test during a recent spin session at Dumbo's Punch Pedal House. Now, I consider myself a generally active person, but I cannot reiterate how drenched I was after this hour-long class. My brunette bob had become a glorified sweat magnet, and the micro-fringe around my hairline was plastered onto my forehead. After my class, I unclipped from the bike, took a giant swig from my water bottle, reached for the can of Super Dry, and went to town.

Like most dark-haired folks, my biggest qualm with dry shampoo is that it leaves a powdery residue in its wake. However, this stuff instantly freshened up my post-workout hair, with no chalky trace left behind. "You can spray a ton in your hair and you will never get that stiff, starchy feeling," Atkin explains. Consider me impressed. "Also, it's basically like having an incredible perfume in your hair," she adds. This is also true.

All that aside, perhaps the most exciting thing about the new drop is that Ouai is partnering with Period.org to donate £16,000 to deliver menstrual-care products to regional shelters. "As a brand, we’re committed to helping other people as much as we can and taking a stance on things that affect our community," Atkin says. "There are so many women who don’t even have the money to afford hygiene products when they get their periods. We felt so aligned with Period.org's belief that no one should have to be hindered from living their best life because of a natural bodily function."

A spin class-proof dry shampoo that helps women in need? We'll take two cans, please.