Foam Dry Shampoo Exists (!!) but Only Really Works for One Hair Type

There are three things we would want if stranded on a deserted island: fresh food, water and, of course, dry shampoo. It is perhaps the most important item in our beauty arsenal, so when we heard about OUAI’s new dry shampoo foam, we were very interested to learn more.

The foam uses diatomaceous earth (a fancy-sounding silicon-based substance that naturally absorbs oils and fats) to absorb oils and product build-up so your hair doesn’t just feel cleaner but supposedly is cleaner. Sounds like magic, right? Well, we had to see for ourselves so we tasked five women with different hair types (including this ever-curious beauty junkie) to put it to the test. Here’s what we all had to say.

Long, Thin Hair
“I really only use dry shampoo when my hair has reached the point of no return and I’m not able to get to a shower, so I was super intrigued by a product that claims to clean your hair instead of just masking grease. First of all, it smelled amazing (like, five other women in the restroom asked me what I was using), but it took quite awhile to really soak in. It wasn’t until about an hour later that I thought my hair looked cleaner and more voluminous. But so far so good…with a little advance planning.” – Abby H.

Coarse, Curly Hair
“This dry shampoo foam was a literal dream come true for my super-thick, super-curly hair. Aerosol sprays were always only OK and loose powders rarely made it past my curls to my scalp anyway, so the idea of using foam was a total game-changer. It was so much easier to apply and worked so well. Basically, it’s the only dry shampoo I’ll be using for the foreseeable future.” – Rosette L.

Thick, Wavy Hair
“It took a loooooooooong time to work but when it did…bellissimo! Oh, and the smell is a dream. OUAI, please consider bottling it as a perfume. I would buy it in bulk.” – Mindy L.

Straight, Color-Treated Hair
“Honestly, I wanted to love this product, so much so that I bought it full-size without even sampling it, and I still try to use it out of sheer hope—but it just doesn’t vibe with my hair. When I apply it, my roots are all wet (and, yes, I read the instructions), but when it dries it doesn’t make my hair look any cleaner. If anything, it leaves my second-day hair looking worse. I’ll still give it two out of five stars though because, I can’t lie, it smells like a dream and looks great on my counter. But I think I’ll be sticking to my *dry* dry shampoo.” – Cristina G.

Fine, Short Hair
“As a person with baby-fine hair, I have to shampoo every day to avoid looking like a wet dog. And while I loved the concept of a dry shampoo that actually cleans your hair (rather than depositing a powder to hide signs of grease), I didn't think the foam sat well with my hair texture. It still looked weighed down and, well, dirty. But honestly, I would continue to use it for the lovely floral smell alone. #shallow” – Katherine O.

Bottom Line
Mixed reviews. OUAI’s dry shampoo foam seems to be a lifesaver for thicker, coarser strands (although the results aren’t exactly instantaneous). But thin-haired ladies could, at the very least, use the incredible scent to distract others from your day-three blowout backslide.