Whether it was from a cry for attention over a new ‘do or from serious boredom during the pandemic, I decided to get trendy curtain bangs a few months ago. And while they look fabulous when I properly style them, they get incredibly greasy—fast. Instead of having to wash and style my bangs every day, I’ve turned to the life-changing Batiste Original Dry Shampoo, which has been the perfect go-to to liven up my bangs (and my hair) in between washes. Of course, this is just one of the few reasons I can’t get enough of this oil-absorbing spray.

It’s safe for color-treated hair.

Dying my graying roots at age 29 comes with a lot of maintenance, and I can spray this dry shampoo onto my scalp knowing it won’t ruin my dye job. Plus, it helps me skip washes, which is key to maintaining my color. “The thing that damages hair color the most is when you get the fibers wet and wash out the color with shampoo,” says Perry Romanowski, an independent cosmetic chemist. “Dry shampoo prevents water exposure, which makes it better for color-treated hair.”

It makes oil magically disappear.

Unlike some other dry shampoos that feel heavy and weighed down, this formula feels airy on my scalp. “Not only does it cut the grease and oils from hair, but it also makes hair soft, shiny, and manageable,” says Eliut Rivera, a hairstylist and owner of Eliut Salon in NYC. “Especially if your hair is thin and limp.”

Its de-greasing action is thanks to rice starch. “Rice starch has a slightly higher oil absorption capacity than tapioca or corn starches, and it also has a small particle size that allows it to be sprayed and distributed on the hair easier,” says cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos.

It keeps my curtain bangs looking their best.

Yes, it helps remove oil when I haven’t washed my hair for a few days, or right after a workout, but I’ve also found it to be incredibly useful on my new quarantine curtain bangs. Bangs notoriously get oily faster than other parts of the hair, thanks to their position right on top of the forehead, and from touching them with dirty, oil-filmed hands throughout the day. I like to use this dry shampoo on just my bangs to cut the oiliness and bring them back to life, without having to wash just them in my sink—a fun little activity I used to do too often, before discovering Batiste.

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It acts as a primer for certain hairstyles.

Even after I just washed my hair, I sometimes like to blow dry it out and then apply Batiste Dry Shampoo to add body. It also works wonders in adding texture to braids or a half-up hairstyle. To use this dry shampoo, “you want to section the hair where your part is, and make sure you keep the can at arm’s length—do not bring it close to your head,” explains Jana Rago, a hairstylist and owner of Jana Rago Studios in Boston. “When spraying it, you want to start at the scalp and spray down to the middle of your hair shaft. If you’re using Batiste right after a workout or sweating a lot, first take a blow dryer and put it on cool to push the oil away from your roots, and then start to spray in this dry shampoo to extend your hairstyle.”

It doesn’t irritate my scalp.

The lightweight, simple starch formula is free from parabens and sulfates—two ingredients that I find irritating. “Since [Batiste Dry Shampoo] doesn’t contain detergents like sodium lauryl sulfate or decyl glucoside, it won’t be as irritating to the scalp,” explains

Romanowski. “Also, it’s sprayed on the hair and very little is supposed to get on the scalp—you’re supposed to comb it out, which will also help reduce irritation and damage.”

“The rice starch is what absorbs the oil,” explains Dobos. “Rice starch has a slightly higher oil absorption capacity than tapioca or corn starches, and it also has a small particle size that allows it to be sprayed and distributed on the hair easier.”

Its scent is subtle and long-lasting.

It’s light, a little bit tropical-smelling, and not overly powdery like a few other dry shampoos I’ve used. “I think the fragrance is just created in such a way that it is made to last longer,” says Romanowski. “This would be done by using more ‘base notes’ that don’t smell as strong when you first smell it but stay on the skin or hair surface longer, like musk or vanilla or something.”

This cute can, with its colorful branding and light, refreshing scent, just makes it so much easier for me to use my time more efficiently—I spend less time washing my hair, less time blow drying, less time dealing with flakiness from an over washed scalp, and more time living my life on my own timeline, rather than worrying about my oily scalp.

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