Elizabeth and James branches out of fragrances and into dry shampoos

Now that the temperatures have started to cool, it’s the perfect time to think about adapting your beauty routine to combat the effects of cold weather. One helpful habit I suggest is cutting back on how often you wash your hair each week.

While daily washes seem like a good way to keep hair looking shiny and voluminous, in the long run, the practice can deplete hair of moisture until it is left very dull and dry. Coupled with dry, frigid air, it’s a total recipe for disaster.

Still, the idea of not washing your hair every day can be unsettling to some individuals. The solution? Buy a top-notch dry shampoo that can absorb oils from your roots, while keeping your hair smelling and looking great. In this week’s Fab or Flub? column, I’ll be reviewing a dry shampoo by the brand Elizabeth and James (famously owned by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen).

Available at Sephora, the Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black and Nirvana White Dry Shampoos ($28 each) are the first fine-fragrance dry shampoos designed to refresh, volumize and texturize hair.

Inspired by the brand’s popular Nirvana Black and Nirvana White fragrances, the water-free micro-powder is lightly perfumed and is made with natural rice starch to absorb oils while adding body and texture.

First impression

If you’ve followed Fab or Flub? over the past two years, you’ve heard me lament on more than one occasion the lack of a perfect dry shampoo formula. While some dry shampoos are rubbish (Herbal Essences Naked Dry Shampoo), others have shown signs of promise (Batiste Dry Shampoo). Still, I’ve yet to find one that can absorb oil from the scalp without leaving a white residue that makes my hair feel gritty.

At three times the cost of the average dry shampoo, the Elizabeth and James dry shampoos are far from budget-friendly and I cringe a little at the thought of paying that much for a hair product that isn’t shampoo or conditioner. Still, I’m a big fan of the Elizabeth and James signature fragrances, and the fact that the brand has captured them in dry shampoo form is reason enough for trying them.

For those not familar with the two fragrances, Nirvana Black is a mix of violet, sandalwood and vanilla; Nirvana White is a combination of peony, muguet and musk. Having tried both fragrances, I can attest that their dry shampoo counterparts smell exactly the same (fantastic) without being overwhelming to the senses. Both versions feature a formula that is lightweight and waterless, which means you don’t have to worry about weighing down your hair with product.

This might seem like a random observation, but it’s worth mentioning that I was quite impressed at the way the product sprays. Unlike some dry shampoos that spray wildly and go everywhere, Elizabeth and James’ dry shampoo sprays in short, small bursts so you have better control and waste less product. The dry shampoo does a great job of absorbing into the hair upon contact and, best of all, does not leave behind white patches.

Fab or flub?

Fab! I’m normally not a fan of high-priced dry shampoos, but there’s no denying that the Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black and Nirvana White dry shampoos are worth every penny. Unlike other dry shampoos that leave your hair feeling gritty and still unclean, this lightweight formula refreshes and restores second-day hair to its original form.

Applied directly to the roots of the hair, the dry shampoo absorbs oil quickly and (with the use of a comb or your fingers) brushes out easily without leaving behind any white, chalky residue. As was expected, both versions of the dry shampoo smell fantastic and the fragrances linger in your hair hours after you’ve sprayed it. Overall, the product left my hair as shiny and as soft as it is on the days that I wash it.

This story was originally published November 18, 2016 at 1:34 PM with the headline "Elizabeth and James branches out of fragrances and into dry shampoos."