Everything I Use to Not Wash My Hair (2025)

I have fine, wavy hair, which means that the fresh volume and shiny texture of wash day are almost always short-lived. My first fix is this dry shampoo from Amika, which refreshes my texture, plus adds a volume boost. I’ve tried many, many dry shampoos, but this one is my favorite because it’s invisible in the best way. It doesn’t leave a white cast in my hair, but it also doesn’t have that chalky or sticky feeling in my hair that many other “invisible” dry shampoos do. Plus, it smells great, like a not-too-sweet vanilla, and is talc-free.

This dry shampoo is my budget-friendly alternative to the Amika. It’s not really a dupe, but it works reliably enough for me to keep one on hand as a backup if I need to save a few dollars between cans. This one does provide great volume that lasts a couple days without needing to reapply. It leaves a white cast if you spray too much in one area, so if you have darker hair, I’d recommend trying its brunette version.

Photo: Retailer

About a year ago, during a haircut, my hairstylist sprayed and ruffled up my bangs to refresh them. I was surprised at how perfect they looked. I immediately purchased this continuous mister and now a quick spritz and a dollop of curl cream is a staple in my wavy-hair refresh.

I still love my Amika and Batiste dry shampoos, but when I need more than just oil control I dip into this dry shampoo paste, which also helps with styling. A little bit goes a long way and it has a gritty, waxy texture that adds a ton of volume when rubbed directly into the scalp. I use this almost exclusively on my bangs because it gives them a boost of volume at the base but still makes it easy to style them at the ends.

Photo: Retailer

While I’m battling greasiness at the roots of my hair, I’m usually battling dryness at its ends. This Kérastase night serum is my holy grail for keeping my long hair hydrated. I love that it can be applied to both dry and damp hair — though I most often use it when my hair is dry — and my hair is reliably softer and more hydrated every time. The serum is lightweight and spreads easily, so I never feel like I’m wasting product, another thing that makes this splurge feel worth it for me. Like all Kérastase products, this also smells incredible: a fresh, musky floral scent that layers nicely with other products.

Photo: Retailer

I’ve always been someone who just sprayed regular perfume onto my hair as I walked out the door, but I recently learned that many perfumes contain parabens, formaldehydes, and other ingredients that can cause damage or breakage to your hair. I began looking into hair perfumes, which are formulated to be lighter and less damaging to hair, and this became an immediate favorite. It sprays very softly and has a light, sweet floral scent that sits really nicely on hair throughout the day

Photo: Retailer

When any hope of fresh, voluminous hair has gone (usually after a workout), I usually just lean into the look with a slicked-back bun or ponytail. There are many hair oils that could work for this, and I would always recommend that you look into the best oils for your hair type, but this Trader Joe’s Vitamin E Oil has always done the job for me. It’s thick enough to truly help weigh down my hair but without the added fragrance or other ingredients that I don’t need mixed in with so many other products. I give my hair a few spritzes of water, brush this oil into my hair, and slick it all back using a bristle brush and a hair tie. Then, I top it off with a reliable gel or hairspray to lock in moisture and keep everything in place.

Finally, wash day. While this is a great routine to avoid overwashing, product buildup from avoiding shampooing is its own issue. Wash day is a reset, especially in a week in which I’ve worked out and used many of the products listed above. The Briogeo Scalp Revival scrub leaves my scalp feeling very clean and my hair is soft and shiny.