This Dry Shampoo Is a Holy Grail for Knotless Braid Wearers

I’ve always been a low-lift kind of girl when it comes to my beauty and hair routine so a good dry shampoo is something I’m always looking for. I tried out Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak 3-in-1 Dry Shampoo to see if it could become a staple in my daily hair routine because I wear knotless braids all year round.

I am not kidding when I say my natural hair sees the light of day and a thorough wash routine every three months. I prefer to wear my hair in braids because of its perfect gelling with my lifestyle. As a busy editor who’s also committed to her hobbies — the gym, indoor volleyball, and dance classes — wearing a protective style that allows me to get up and go without thinking twice about my hair is the ideal option. However, I am also trying to be more consistent with my hair routine during the braided months. While this choice of protective styles has been great for my hair growth, I never want my hair to be dry and harbor smells and debris that isn’t necessary.

I started using the Not Your Mother’s 3-in-1 Clean Freak Dry Shampoo a few weeks back and can say it has helped immensely with both smell and build-up. The most significant issue I have when wearing braids is the styling gel that clings to my roots. I try to slick down my baby hairs with edge control and always end up with a ton of it leftover in my hair. And because of the cold weather, I cannot always commit to washing my braids and letting them be wet for three business days — especially when it’s 18 degrees outside.

The smell is my favorite part of this dry shampoo. It has a very fresh powder scent, which is my ideal choice for any dry shampoo. I use the spray bottle over their powder option. The powder is definitely a good option, though, if you don’t have your hair in braids. If you do, it’s much harder to “brush” out as the product is meant to be brushed. You’re better able to use the spray consistently, especially if you have braids like me. When using the powder, the product itself was very lightweight, too. I played around with it for a few days but ultimately decided it was not the easiest for the braided girlies. It is like a way lighter baby powder, and while application is much easier than the spray can it is rather difficult without a rag of sorts to get the product out of your hair.

Now, back to the spray bottle, which is the clear winner of the two if you have braids. The most significant note for the braided girlies is to actually follow the instructions of spraying the dry shampoo at least eight inches from your head. I made the mistake of spraying it only maybe an inch or two from my scalp on several rushed mornings and ended up with a white cast on my braids that took a significant amount of rubbing to get off. This added more time to my morning-get-ready routine than if I’d spent the few seconds following the instructions and spraying farther away from my head. The product is also very potent, so make sure your door or window is open. I spray an excessive amount a few times, and my whole room has a powdery film surrounding me.

Outside of that, the product is very lightweight and doesn’t sit on the scalp too intensely. It also freshens up your braids smell-wise, which is nice, especially if that’s something you care about. After a few weeks of trying it out, this will definitely be my go-to product to keep my braids as fresh as possible.

Get your own Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak 3-in-1 Dry Shampoo below: