A lifesaver for people who find it hard to get up in the morning! (Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo)

Member Name: gemzeh

Product:	Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo
Date:	03/01/09 (164 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Really cheap, great smell, lifesaving product, great for festivals

Disadvantages: Not as good as a proper hair wash

Why would anyone use dry shampoo?

I have been after a decent dry shampoo for ages as my hair is quite thick (I have lots of it), and I usually have to wash it every day as my head produces lots of natural oils, which can lead to my hair looking really greasy. This can be a complete nightmare for me as it can take a long time to wash, dry and style long hair. That combined with trips to the gym (doing proper cardio stuff!) and working in smoggy London mean that I often need something to give my hair a boost between washes. Sometimes in the morning I also just don't have time to go through the whole hair washing and styling routine. I had previously heard that hair stylists working in the fashion industry combat this problem by using powder (such as talcum powder) on their models' hair if they need to send them out on the catwalk but haven't got time to go through the whole styling process. I admit I have resorted to this in extremely time pressed situations, but I wanted to try something that would be easier to use and leave my hair in better condition! This is where dry shampoo comes in!

Is it easy to track it down?

Having seen people raving about Batiste dry shampoo on various beauty websites, I decided to get some as I've been unable to find a good dry shampoo, and I've been looking for about five years! Tracking it down was really hard. I knew they stocked it at Boots, but whenever I went in and perused the shampoo section closely, I could never find it, and the shop assistants didn't seem to know what I was talking about! It transpired that the product had become quite popular and as they only ever had about four of the cans available on the shelf, they were simply being bought up; hence I could never find them. Thankfully I think Boots must now be aware of this because I rarely have a problem finding it now. If you look at the photo of the product above, it will also make it easier to track it down, as the colours of the packaging are quite distinctive (the tin looks pretty retro!). This should help, as I had absolutely no idea what I was actually looking for when I first tried to track it down. More places also stock it now, so you can also get it from Tesco, Asda, Superdrug, etc. I've also seen that you can now get it on Amazon (!) so this should be pretty easy to find now.

Is it simple to use?

On the back of the product, it has instructions, which are really easy to follow. Batiste dry shampoo comes in a spray can (a bit like a small deodorant), so all you need to do is spray the product evenly over your hair (making sure you leave about 20 cm distance), rub it in with your hands (as you would when putting normal shampoo in your hair), and then brush it out. When you spray it onto your hair initially it looks pretty white, but once you have rubbed the product in and brushed it out of your hair, it stops looking white and just looks clean!

Is it any good?

My review of this product is to say it's an actual lifesaver. Considering we all have such busy lives and ladies' hair routines can just take forever, this is a real weapon in your "getting ready for work" arsenal when you have ten minutes to get ready before you leave the house! Not only does it stop your hair from looking dirty and/or greasy, it also refreshes you hair and somehow gives it a bit of a 'lift' so when I have used this dry shampoo, it basically looks like I have washed my hair and given it a proper blow dry! It also smells like...holidays! It has a coconut smell (hence the 'tropical' in the title), which I can smell all through my workday (so at least 8 hours plus). There is also an 'original' version available, which is the same product, it just doesn't smell as nice! I am also completely blown away by how little it costs (I usually buy it for around £1.99 from Boots), as most of the other dry shampoos I have found cost around £5 and just aren't as effective. Even if you are lucky and don't have greasy hair that needs to be washed every day, you will probably still find Batiste dry shampoo useful for situations like festivals, where the thought of spending longer than absolutely necessary in the showers is just horrifying. This also wont take up much space in your festival bag compared to shampoo and conditioner, etc.

Are there any drawbacks?

Batiste dry shampoo is essentially a 'fix' for between washes. As it doesn't actually 'wash' your hair like a normal shampoo, it's no substitute for the real thing. I've also read on some beauty websites that users have had problems with the can becoming 'stuck' and the product not coming out after a few sprays. I've used Batiste for months and have never encountered this problem, but I always make sure I shake the can before I spray it. Apparently if you do encounter this, if you take it back to the shop you purchased it from, they are usually willing to exchange it for a new one. I'd also say that originally I did have a nightmare trying to get hold of this product, but now it is stocked everywhere, so you really shouldn't have a problem.

Summary: Use this product in between washes if you have greasy hair