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Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo review
Dry shampoo can be a lifesaver between wash days or for those with busy schedules. However, it can leave hair feeling weighed down, dried out or coated with visible residue. Those who use shampoos for colored hair also have to be careful that their shampoo won’t strip away their color.
Living Proof claims to make hair look and feel instantly healthier while also improving hair’s health over time with their Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo. It’s safe for color-treated hair and contains no sulfates, phthalates, parabens or silicone.
We wanted to see if Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo could really make hair look and feel healthier, so we decided to put it to the test. Here’s what we discovered.
Testing Living Proof
We tested Living Proof dry shampoo with three testers who have a variety of hair types and concerns. Two of the three testers had professionally dyed hair, while the third had short hair without any chemical processing. One tester had already been using Living Proof hair products for a few years. Each tester used the dry shampoo three to five times per week for 3 weeks, either to keep hair looking clean and reinvigorated between washes or to freshen up after high-impact exercise.
What is Living Proof?
Living Proof was founded in 2005 by a team of hairstylists and Massachusetts Institute of Technology professors who wanted to use science to create hair care products that solved hair concerns rather than simply covering them up. Living Proof also works to improve the beauty industry’s harmful effects on the planet by partnering with TerraCycle to help consumers recycle their empty product containers. Their products are also formulated without any animal testing.
Living Proof’s dry shampoo is part of its popular Perfect Hair Day (PhD) line. The company’s patented Healthy Hair Molecule helps deliver five traits of healthy hair: smoothness, volume, conditioning, strength and polish. The dry shampoo is also formulated to help hair stay cleaner longer so it requires less washing, saving you time and helping protect your hair’s natural oils.
How to use Living Proof
Living Proof dry shampoo is formulated to mimic the benefits of washing your hair in the shower. It can be used on days when you don’t wash your hair or to freshen up sweaty hair after a workout. The amount of Living Proof shampoo used will depend on your hair type and the amount of oil, sweat and odor present in your hair. Divide dry hair into sections and spray Living Proof dry shampoo in a sweeping motion for 1-2 seconds at a time from 6-10 inches away. Wait 30 seconds for the powders to activate, then massage or brush out hair to remove any excess product.
Key features of Living Proof
Living Proof dry shampoo neutralizes odors and absorbs oil and sweat in a powder that easily releases from hair, cleaning it without leaving behind residue. The shampoo powder works on all hair types and won’t remove products you used to style hair when it was wet. It comes in an aerosol format that is easy to apply. Living Proof is upfront about their ingredients and why they include or omit particular ingredients in certain hair products. Their website also offers helpful usage tips and tricks, such as how to use Living Proof dry shampoo with different hair types and how to manage any white residue left behind.
Other top hair care products
Here are other dry shampoos worth looking into.
Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk
If you’re looking for a non-aerosol dry shampoo, this loose powder option, formulated with scalp-soothing oat milk, can be applied directly to hair or into the palm of your hand with its spray nozzle. It absorbs dirt and oil in 2 minutes, refreshing hair and adding volume.
Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo Dark Tones
White residue from dry shampoo is a concern for all users, but especially for those with dark hair. This dry shampoo avoids the issue by using ultrafine rice starch that dissolves when it’s massaged in. It performs particularly well on naturally coily or textured hair.
IGK First Class Charcoal Detox Dry Shampoo
For a truly heavy-duty clean, this dry shampoo is formulated with charcoal powder and white tea powder to absorb excess oil without irritating the scalp. It’s the brand’s deepest cleaning dry shampoo and it leaves hair looking refreshed and volumized.
Sold by Sephora, Ulta and Amazon
Living Proof price
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo is available in three sizes: a 1.8-ounce mini size for $14, a 4-ounce bottle for $26 and a jumbo 7.3-ounce bottle for $39.
Where is Living Proof sold?
Living Proof dry shampoo is available at Sephora, Ulta, SpaceNK and Amazon as well as directly from Living Proof.
Living Proof benefits
This dry shampoo gave hair volume and freshness. After using Living Proof, hair looked and felt cleaner. One of our testers loved having Living Proof dry shampoo in her gym bag to freshen up hair after an intensive workout. When used correctly, it didn’t leave a visible residue or feel like it was contributing to buildup. The dry shampoo’s scent was strong initially, but it wasn’t the kind of cheap, heavily perfumed odor of cheaper dry shampoos, and our testers agreed that the smell dissipated quickly.
Living Proof hair products are PETA-certified cruelty-free and contain no silicone, parabens, phthalates or sulfates. Compared to other dry shampoos our testers had used, Living Proof shampoo offered noticeably higher quality and more effective results.
Living Proof drawbacks
Not all of our testers liked the way Living Proof dry shampoo made their hair feel. One commented that her hair felt weighed down, sticky and dried out after using it. Users with dry or damaged hair may find that this product leaves hair feeling extra dry.
Living Proof dry shampoo is pricey compared to similar products, and some users felt they had to use a lot of product for it to be effective. Some may find this dry shampoo too expensive for frequent use.
While our testers generally liked the dry shampoo’s smell and didn’t find it overwhelming, it may still be too strong for users who are particularly sensitive to fragrance. On the other hand, those hoping the dry shampoo’s time-released fragrance means scented hair all day long may be disappointed; the scent was present, but not necessarily noticeable throughout the day.
Should you get Living Proof?
For the most part, our testers could see and feel the difference that Living Proof Dry Shampoo made to their hair. If you have chemically treated hair, maintaining your color with a safe and effective dry shampoo means Living Proof will probably be worth its higher-than-average cost. Based on our overall experience, Living Proof dry shampoo is a great option for someone who enjoys higher-end hair care products that deliver premium results.
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Sian Babish writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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