Refresher not Shampoo! (Batiste Dry Shampoo)

Member Name: cyberem78

Product:	Batiste Dry Shampoo
Date:	17/05/09 (67 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Has a cooling effect on the scalp. Dries up oily roots.

Disadvantages: Leaves a lot of residue. Can make hair look unkempt.

I have very long hair and between washes my roots can begin to feel a little bit oily and heavy. It's an absolute nightmare if I make plans to go out on the 'razz' at short notice and I haven't recently washed my hair. I just feel dirty and can't relax. Mousse and hairspray didn't seem to help the problem - they just increase the amount of residue on my hair making it feel thick and with straw-like texture as well as being greasy! I thought I'd found a potential solution though when I saw this Batiste Dry Shampoo in my local pharmacy.

I have the Batiste 'Blush' variety. The product comes as an aerosol can sized at 150ml or 5.05 fluid ounces. It's a reasonable sized cannister and looks like a mini hairspray. The 'Blush' can is coloured baby pink and has an illustration of flowers on it. I think this refers to the scent of the spray. The can has a push button top which you need to hold down to dispense the spray.

Details on the can include what the benefits of the product are. The company claim that this dry shampoo will "revitalise greasy, dull and lifeless hair between shampoos". There are also detailed directions for use. It states in bold letters that the can must be shaken vigorously before use and between sprays. It says the can should be held 30cm from head and sprayed evenly over hair.

Before trying this on my hair I squirted it into the air to see what the mist would be like. It is actually a very powerful puff of what seems more like a powder than a liquid. The spray reaches a length of around 30 inches and is very harsh nearer the nozzle. It also produces a sharp shocking noise. The spray is definately harder to control than your average hairspray can.

When I used this I first sprayed it at my roots which were the problem area. I found having to shake between sprays a little bit difficult and time consuming. The spray leaves a shocking feeling on my scalp - it sort of semi-freezes it momentarily. It's like a blast of ice and is actually really refreshing. I could imagine this being a lovely sensation if I was particularly hot or on holiday. Once I had covered my roots I fluffed up my hair a bit to 'massage' the product through the strands. I was really surprised at how much less oily my hair felt. It is like the spray dries up the greasiness.

I then sprayed a little over the lengths of my hair, mostly to create a pleasant aroma through the whole head of hair. After I'd finished I looked down at my hair and saw that I had seemingly turned grey! I quickly got a hairbrush and combed the product through my hair. There was a lot of excess residue that came out onto the brush bristles. I was also slightly concerned that parts of my darker hair nearer the roots looked ashen or white-grey.

The aroma of the product is very mild and reminds me of old fashioned floral talcs and lavender pommanders! I wouldn't say the scent was really appealling but it does have a spring air-like freshness to it that makes your hair seem quite clean.

After I use this spray I FEEL I feel a lot better and my scalp feels clean but I would say that my hair doesn't LOOK newly washed. The spray definately leaves a thick amount of residue so that after one use you really do need to wash your hair properly! I also have a natural wave in my hair but usually dry it straight and I found that this spray seems to emphasise the curl and kink, making my hair look a little messy.

I would say that this spray should not really be called a 'dry shampoo' but should perhaps be called a 'hair refresher' or something like that! The 'Shampoo' term gives the impression that this product can clean the hair when infact it can't. I do think the spray is excellent for balmy summer days when you need a quick fix and your head feels sweaty and oily. The cool effect is very special and can really make my scalp feel a lot more settled, less itchy and heavy. Ultimately though I couldn't rely on this product to make my hair feel clean enough to go on a serious evening out. It's more like something to keep handy at the beach.

Summary: More of a refresher product than a dry shampoo.