I’ve been harping about aerosol dry shampoos being a problem for a while now. I’ve switched to tapioca starch. But maybe you aren’t as much of a DIY-sort or just don’t want to mess with all of that, and I hear you.
Sometimes, you just aren’t up for a project (though it is low effort, I swear). Sometimes, we just need something that’s ready-to-use without the potential for a mess.
I Dew Care has a great little non-foam, non-aerosol dry shampoo for you – Tap Secret ($10-16). It’s most cost-effective to buy 3 (to get it to $10 ea), so if you have friends or family members who might appreciate it as a holiday gift or want to try it, I recommend that route!
I loved the idea of it so much that I bought I Dew Care Tap Secret to try despite having a solution that works for me. And I haven’t been just buying things to try them!
As an added bonus – the container is reusable! I figured even if the contents aren’t for me, I’d get a super-convenient tapioca starch dispenser.
How to Use I Dew Care Tap Secret Dry Shampoo
To use it, you uncap it and tap the foam puff along your hairline. I tend to do my part, make another part/section, and tap again. Then, just like you’d use any other powdery dry shampoo (even aerosol), massage it in and shake it out, done.
I haven’t traveled in a long time, now, but I really love the idea of this dispenser for travel. No tiny aerosol to jam in your quart bag. No benzene.
Happily, there was no discernable fragrance which is a big win for me. Likewise, it did a nice job of absorbing oil without leaving a white cast or greyishness once it was massaged in. It definitely got me through another day without shampooing.
What I Didn’t Like (but You May)
One thing that was a drawback for me personally is that this dry shampoo has clay as an ingredient. You may enjoy depending on your preferences! It’s great as an oil absorbing agent, and it means a little goes a long way. For me, though, using enough to get the job done gave my hair some hair some, “teeth,” or grip. This is great for volume, but can come at the cost of the ability to run your fingers through it.
The downside of this quality, though, is that it feels awful to run your fingers through. It isn’t unique; if you’re used to using texturizing powders like this one from Big Sexy Hair (oh, cool – they now have a lighter option, Lite, that I haven’t tried) or this one from Kristen Ess, it’s a similar feeling.
I think those products have their place (indeed; I own the Kristen Ess one and have used the original Big Sexy Hair one), but by themselves, they aren’t dry shampoos. That quality isn’t what I’m looking for in a regular dry shampoo product. I still want my hair to mostly feel like hair.
On the upside, it washes out easily so no problems there. I’ll use it, but I’d definitely use it when I planned to shampoo the next day. It may also be one of those products that is best used before your hair seems oily – so I will need to report back on that.
What I’m Unsure Of Regarding Tap Secret.
Since the applicator sponge is integrated with the packaging, I don’t know if you can take it off to clean it. Given the nature of the product, I’d think you’d want to eventually if you’re reusing the container. Despite my critique of the contents, I’m not ready to swap them for tapioca starch yet (maybe I’ll find a use for those properties), so I haven’t disassembled it to find out.
The Bottom Line
Finally, I would recommend I Dew Care Tap Secret dry shampoo despite not being completely satisfied with the texture aspect. Having a thorough understanding of the texture will help you use it effectively and work around what I consider its only critical point.