I Tested the K18 Dry Shampoo During a 17-Hour Work Day

Mar 09, 2025

We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

It saved me when I needed it the most.

InStyle / Getty Images

I love having a stable eight-hour day, but every so often, those hours expand exponentially to become something truly treacherous. One day this past week, for example, I left the house at 5:30 a.m. and didn’t return until 10:30 p.m. This random Wednesday consisted of many calendar events combined into one mega day—and because I had to look presentable from dawn to dusk, I decided to test K18’s dry shampoo and see how my wavy hair blowout from the previous day held up. Because what’s a stressful day without a little experimentation?

My mega day consisted of waking up before the sun rose and getting out the door for an early morning Pilates class, then getting my headshots taken at 8 a.m. before the work day began. During my lunch break, I had a cupping appointment, and finally, I had two events after work, one of which was a fancy dinner. To keep my hair fresh and to truly test K18’s hair-renewing product, I didn’t wash my hair the night before or the morning of. Instead, I let my blowout from the day prior do its thing.

I followed the instructions to apply the dry shampoo, did a single spritz per section, and held the bottle about a half-foot away from my head. I then waited a couple of minutes before brushing my hair. I was impressed that there wasn’t any white cast or starchy buildup on my scalp or around my part because that’s usually the epicenter of a gunky mess post-application.

My hair maintained its shape during and after Pilates, which is a feat in and of itself because I’m a big sweater. I headed to my headshots appointment, and the hairstylist complimented me, saying he didn’t need to touch a strand.

Once the photo sesh was over, I headed home to work. Usually, around lunchtime, my wavy hair tends to go flat, and I need some sort of volumizing spray. Today, however, it stayed perky and looked great—even at 3 p.m. The non-aerosol dry shampoo removes oil and smells for up to 72 hours without weighing down hair.

I went to cupping (if you’ve never been to the therapy, I highly recommend it) and thought my hair would surely lose its shape since I was lying down for the appointment, but it held up nicely. I had a brand preview and then a work dinner at 7 p.m., meaning I’d go into hour 12 of my day and 24+ hours without washing my hair. I brushed out some strands but didn’t need to do much else. I even received some compliments from friends and colleagues.

Unlike other dry shampoos, this one had no intense, headache-inducing aroma. The subtle scent was present but not at all overwhelming. And, thanks to the odor-eliminating formula that absorbs oil with the help of translucent microbeads, my blowout remained lifted for most of the day.

Finally, when all was said and done, I arrived home, exhausted but impressed with my new go-to dry shampoo. My hair flattened a bit, but it wasn’t greasy or piecey like it usually is after so much activity.

Overall, I’d recommend this K18 dry shampoo to anybody searching for a cleansing product that doesn’t leave a white cast, buildup, or starchy mess. You can see below that even while I was a zombie after this monstrous day, my hair remained alive and well.