MEGA SUPER VOLUMISER, DRY SHAMPOO AND BACKCOMB SPRAY REVIEW pt 2 (high end and budget)

Hi there you.

So as promised, I am following up my MEGA SUPER DRY SHAMPOO SPRAY REVIEW, which was an overview of all the budget dry shampoo sprays for flat, fine and oily hair, primarily with a view to giving volume above any other benefit, with a run down of high end sprays, and backcomb fakers, which give the ultimate volume and hold too (budget and high end).

REDKEN PILLOW PROOF TWO MORE DAYS STYLE EXTENDER

They say....

Transforms hair from day-old to amazing. Hair powder absorbs oil, extends the life of blow-dries, and instantly refresh hair. Corrects product over-use too. Go from a worn-out blow-dry to refreshed, full-bodied matte texture.

I say....

I was seduced into buying this after my experiences with Pillow Proof Blow Dry Express Primer which I will review in due course. I have to say, for the price, there isn't really enough results from this product to justify the price that I have spent on it. I figured because it seems to be permanently out of stock that this would cure all ills in my hair world, but actually, it's pretty much just a dry shampoo like many others. It doesn't give a ton of volume, but it does happily neutralise any smells in your hair, and there is the nifty feature that if you've put top much oil, or serum, or any other product in your hair, this will help normalise the textures and stop you having to wash your hair again. 

Conclusion

If you're flush for cash, I would recommend picking this up as it does outperform your average pharmacy dry shampoo, just for the balancing of your hair from too much product use (we've all done it!), however, if like me, you're not, you'll be just as happy with something like Aussie or Vo5 for less than half the price.

You can purchase this from Look Fantastic for £11.95

SEBASTIAN PROFESSIONAL DRYNAMIC DRY SHAMPOO

They say....

Sebastian Professional Drynamic Dry Shampoo (212ml) will refresh your hair and revive your style in one simple step. Formulated with Recharge Technology, it will improve manageability and ease of styling, whilst enhancing body, volume and texture. It's the perfect product for keeping your hair in pristine condition from morning until night.

I say....

I love Sebastian Professional products. I'd say apart from Keratase, they are my ultimate product crush and trust in them completely, so when I say they'd released a dry, volume building shampoo, I had to snap it up. According to Sebastian themselves, the key element that makes this dry shampoo a winner amongst others is that its particles are spherical as opposed to square, so they sit together more comfortably and make hair easier to restyle at will. I'm not an expert on particles, but I will say that when I go out, this is the dry shampoo I stick in my make up bag in its travel size, as when I go out and sweat, and my hair gets flat and crappy, this leaves no white marks, and whips up dirt and enables me to reboost my style without creating a scaggy feeling scalp. 

Conclusion

Although pricey at full size, this is also available in a travel size which makes it far more accessible to the less affluent of us (i.e. ME) and it does perform, for a dry shampoo, exceptionally well at making hair look full of life after a night on the tiles. 

You can purchase this in travel size for £8.40 from Lookfantastic.

BUMBLE AND BUMBLE THICKENING DRYSPUN FINISH

They say....

Translucent dry spray creates instant fullness and texture to spin hair into an airy silhouette.

I say....

I read rave reviews about this, so I desperately wanted to try it, but it's not cheap, so after some weeks of ebay raking, I found a partially used bottle for £12.00 so decided to take the plunge. My hair is a complicated thing, naturally, it's very dark brown, poker straight, but easily kinked and is super thin, and super flat, and oily at the roots. Add onto this that I bleach it white, then dye is blue, it's in ravaged condition, and on top of this, I have extensions which are coming to the end of their blissful existence so my hair can look a hot mess if I don't tend to it. Now, I have also read bad reviews of this, but they tend to be from people who just haven't got a clue what they're using. This is a spray to FINISH your hair, not to pick it up when it's a greasy sludge. I spend most of my time wishing I was Alison Mosshart, with the big, messy in a good way, mop of hair.

Alison Mosshart - at some point in the past

And this is basically what the spray does, is gives you separation, mess, but not frizz, oomph, and a general 'dryspun' look, so matte, a thick texture but not HUGE, and dare I say it, and I hate to say it because it sounds crap, a 'rock chick' kind of undone goodness. However, as with these kind of sprays, your hair will feel pretty gritty the next day, and spraying more won't make it better unless you're going for a full on Jesus and Mary Chain type crown of gunk....

JAMC - A long time ago

As a side note btw, i've had my hair done by their (JAMC's) hairdresser. He works in Toni and Guy Academy in New Oxford Street and he's AWESOME. 

Conclusion

Use this for what it's intended for, and you won't be disappointed. It gives you unkempt, bohemian hair, but the price is the only downside, as it is quite expensive. 

You can purchase this from Look Fantastic or direct from Bumble and Bumble for £21.50

ORIBE THICK DRY FINISHING SPRAY

They say....

Plump up the volume with this high-density finishing spray that inflates hair for extra thickness and lushness. Oribe's secret for hair that is big, beautiful, beyond luxurious.

Key Benefits:

Creates voluptuous, bombshell hair
Adds density and dry hold without stickiness
Thickens by swelling the hair shaft from roots to ends
Lightweight moisturizers prevent hair from looking dry and dull
Formulated without parabens or sodium chloride.
Colour and keratin treatment safe.
UV protection for hair.

I say....

Ladies and gents, welcome to getting your bank account ABUSED. This stuff is PRICEY, I mean, super duper pricey. I treated myself to this on my birthday, and as I walked away from Space NK, I nearly burst into tears realising i'd spent EVERYTHING and therefore wasn't going to have quite as fancy a week as i'd planned. FOR HAIRSPRAY.

However, may I also welcome you to a new experience in hair. Oribe, as a brand, is luxe, and everything about them, kind of, makes the price tag feel worthwhile. The packaging looks good, the promises are delivered and the ingredients sumptuous. This spray is available in two formats. Dry finishing, and THICK dry. I obviously went for the thick and I am so so glad I did. People tend to say that this and the Bumble and Bumble are the same. I would have to disagree. Whereas B&B gives me a fluffy, purposefully flyaway look, this gives me hair that I never DREAMED could be on my head. Again, this isn't a hair pick me up, this is a finishing spray, and it finishes you like a mofo. 

I wash and blowdry my hair, with my far too many potions, straighten it, and then I grab this and lift sections at the root and spray. I then tip my head upsidedown and spray again. I then blast it with the hairdryer, as instructed, and what you are left with is hair like a QUEEN. I mean, your hair will be HUGE, but not frizzy, not messy, just HUGE. It also doesn't feel disgusting the next day, instead it feels easy to style as it has grip. I honestly cannot recommend this enough. It does everything i'd want a product too. Sadly it's so expensive that I only use it when i'm going somewhere, as looking that great comes at too high a price for my purse. Sadface.

Conclusion

A worthy investment item, that up until this point, I haven't found anything that comes even close to competing results wise. 

You can purchase Oribe from Space NK for £36.00, or less, if you can find the mythical yet NEVER STOCKED travel size, detailed here

BIG SEXY HAIR WHAT A TEASE BACKCOMB IN A BOTTLE

They say....

What it does: An instant teasing spray, this specialised formula gives hair massive height that's easy to shape and style.

- Provides ultra-hip height

- Delivers a medium-firm hold

- Contains expanding ingredients

Tip: Can be used on all hair types for a modern, teased look. Mist into hair, focusing on ends. Lightly work throughout hair, using your hands to separate and expand the shape.

I say....

It sounds good doesn't it, and this, as far as I know, was one of the first backcomb without the damage products on the market, and I snapped it up about six years ago. However, as much as I was enamoured with it then, the fact that it's the same formula that hasn't been updated, has left me, well, not very enamoured now. It says to focus on the ends, and lightly mist through hair. I would NEVER recommend that. It does give you a backcombed hold, yes, but it's like glue, actual glue, and this type of product is available cheaper, less aggressive, and more easily obtainable from your local drugstore. Therefore, I do not recommend.

Conclusion

Yes, it will make your hair stand up all night, and yes, it's like wallpaper paste in longevity, but there are better, and cheaper options. 

You can purchase this, if you're so inclined, from feelunique for £15.25

VO5 DRY BACKCOMBING SPRAY

They say....

dry backcombing spray with collagen, for hair that is big in all the right places

Want big hair but worried about the damage caused by backcombing? This dry spray instantly gives fullnes for amazing volume, minus the damage! It adds grip so your big hair stays plumped for longer, and can also be used as a "pick me up" style re-activator.

I say....

I LOVE THIS STUFF. Serious y'all. I love it. The only reason I tried it was I mistakenly picked it up thinking it was the body boosting dry shampoo version, and when I got home I was a little taken aback at the strength of the root boost, before realising it was a backcomb spray. I use this when I want to create a crazy Janic from The Real Ghostbusters type fringe with a ponytail......

Janice off of The Real Ghostbusters.

Yeah, I know, she's a cartoon. However if you've been reading this blog for any length of time you'll know my entire aim is to look like one. 

So, yes, if you use this you will have to wash your hair in the next two days, as it's a super duper strong spray that creates mega hold volume. However, unlike big sexy hair, it's cheap, and you can touch your hair without your fingers sticking to it. All I do is lift sections of my hair I want volume in, spritz a little, hold it until it dries off, and it just STAYS.

Conclusion

A great budget product that does exactly as it says, lasts all night and doesn't break the bank

You can purchase Vo5 dry backcombing spray from Boots for £3.79

UMBERTO GIANNINI GLAM HAIR BACKCOMB IN A BOTTLE

They say....

Umberto Giannini Glam Hair Backcomb In A Bottle is the MUST-HAVE product to achieve full on glamour and up-do’s without wrecking your hair with backcombing.

I say....

Again, I LOVE THIS STUFF. I first bought this in a little travel size on the way out for the night when my hair felt like a pile of rubbish and needed some oomph. I popped into the toilets of waterloo train station, spritzed this at the roots and ba da bing! VOLUME A GO GO! Again, like the Vo5, all you need to do is spray, push into shape and once it dries, this stuff stays put. You can achieve huge volume at the roots with this, although I wouldn't recommend putting it anywhere else, as it'll not really give you many benefits if you do that. The point of this is to lift and stay, and thats what it does. 

Conclusion

This product is available in two sizes, and if you're umming and ahhing about it, i'd suggest treating yourself to the travel sized version. I have carried a bottle of this in travel size around for four years now and I don't plan on stopping. It does exactly what you want it to do, and it's cheap, readily available (if you have access to boots that is) and makes you BIG.

You can purchase this at Boots for £6.00 full size and £1.99 travel size.

Thanks for reading! Hope this has been useful to you lank haired ladies. 

THE MEGA SUPER DRY SHAMPOO SPRAY REVIEW for limp, greasy, flat haired humans (budget brands)

Hi there humans!

One of the bane's of my life has always been my hair. It's thin, it's flat, it's straighter than straight, and cannot hold a style for any length of time. Throughout my life I have spent HOURS and much moneys on trying to get it pouffy and luxurious, and the struggle has felt for many years like a thankless battle. In the 90's there was a great shampoo that was sold in Superdrug that I cannot remember the name of, but it basically turned your hair into wool, but really thick, easily styled hair that needed no product. AT ALL. My dreams came real, until they stopped making it. Next, it was Batiste as my nan had tons of cans of it in her pharmacy-like bathroom cupboards (I cannot possibly describe how weird my nans hoarding was when it came to new products, but I myself have carried on this tradition to the horror of my purse strings and the people around me). Anyway, in the mid to late 2000's, dry shampoos started morphing and multiplying into uber mega dry shampoos, and me, well, my job seems to have been to buy THEM ALL FOREVER FROM EVERYWHERE.

So i'm here to help. With dry shampoo choices that is. Warning, this post will be freaking HUGE.

First up.....

CHARLES WORTHINGTON STYLE SETTER DRY SHAMPOO

They say....

The ultimate styling products keep every strand in its place without losing any of the hair’s natural beauty and movement. Impossible? Not with this professionally formulated collection that has been designed to deliver optimum hold and texture on all hair types, ensuring maximum, red-carpet glamour all day, every day. And, to match the high-end style, the products all boast a high-end fragrance, composed of a subtle blend of green apple blossom, daisy and violet, with white cedar and musk.

Infused with Sweet Blue Lupin Peptide, this dry shampoo absorbs oil to freshen up your hair and revitalise your look.

I say....

I bought this as it promises hair healing qualities as WELL as sucking up your oily ways, and imbibing a lovely scent into your hair. It also promises hold which is useful when you want to go out of a night and not be pouffing up your style in the bathroom every five minutes.

To make this a less painful read, i'm going to give each feature a mark of out ten across the breadth of sprays I regularly use.

Volume created: 5

Hold: 4

Fragrance: 8

Lack of powdery appearance: 8

Lack of gritty feel: 7

Price: 9

Overall: 6

Conclusion

I appreciate very much the conditioning benefits this product boasts, but in all honesty, the actual purpose of this product is to make my hair big. It doesn't really do that, and it doesn't hold particularly well on my head. It does do a good job of making hair feel fresh and clean, which is the main goal of a dry shampoo, obviously, but for the purpose that i'm using it for, this isn't a winner. However if you want your hair smelling fresh and grease free, this is a good, cheap option. 

You can buy this direct from Charles worthington for £5.99

UMBERTO GIANNINI GLAM HAIR MORNING AFTER DRY SHAMPOO

They say....

Umberto Giannini Glam Hair Morning After Dry Shampoo revives and refreshes lank, lifeless hair and gives that second day feeling that keeps hair perky and poised all day.

I say....

They're short and sweet, and this range is aimed at a youthful 'undone' kind of market, and I do enjoy the packaging, as it does feel like it's made for a party girl, and despite my age, that's what I am mofo. It's cheap, and it's cheerful, and not only does it come in 200ml size, it comes in a handbag happy mini size which you can chuck in your make up bag and use to give yourself a literal, morning after perk up in whoever's bathroom you've woken up near. You know what the biggest HOOPLA about this product, it's the fact that no matter how badly you apply this stuff, there are ZERO white marks. NONE. This is a big plus mark for girls who don't have 360 degree mirror vision in their house, because I have gone out before with a ridiculous white splodge on the back of my head. 

Volume created: 6

Hold: 5

Fragrance: 5

Lack of powdery appearance: 10

Lack of gritty feel: 8

Price: 9

Overall: 6

Conclusion

This is a great budget product, the no white marks at all give it bonus points as it's a rarity in these type of products. It absolutely works for the grease busting thing, and the smell is pleasant, if a tiny bit musty, in a 'i'm wearing vintage clothes and the smell is in my hair a bit so i'm trying to cover it up' way, if you can imagine that. I think that is kind of what they're going for here so....thats okay. There isn't a massive whomp of volume, but a good amount, and it's an all round good performer for the price.

You can purchase this from Boots for £6.00

ALBERTO VO5 PLUMP IT UP DRY SHAMPOO

They say....

This dry shampoo has been developed with collagen to give instant body to tired, lifeless hair & banish greasy roots.

Boost body & grip whilst refreshing your style

For fine, flat or oily hair

I say....

DRUM ROLLLL! This is one of my FAVOURITE budget dry shampoos. I love it. I LOVE IT. It doesn't matter how many others I buy, I keep coming back to this one and discarding the rest in favour of this (however the new aussie one is competing, stay TUNED with your EYES). This beast though, this lovely beast, it gives mega volume, it literally does plump everything up to a good healthy volume with minimal white marks. It keeps the volume for a reasonable amount of time as long as you're not sweating and dancing, it smells inoffensive, and it is a BARGAIN. Bear in mind there are two types you need to purchase the one for flat, fine and oily hair. 

Volume created: 8

Hold: 7

Fragrance: 6

Lack of powdery appearance: 7

Lack of gritty feel: 7

Price: 9

Overall: 8.5

Conclusion

This is a great budget dry shampoo that does exactly what it promises and for a bargain price. I recommend picking this up if you suffer from lank locks. It gives you volume, pliability and grip aplenty! 

Available in Boots and Superdrug for £3.59

FUDGE URBAN CRISP PEAR AND SWEET VANILLA DRY SHAMPOO

They say....

Revitalises locks when you’re short on time. Hit the roots & brush through to remove powder. Special micro powders get rid of dirt and oils. Boost & refresh your style on the move.

Spray on roots then blast excess away with a dryer for a fresh feel when you’re short on time. Spray all over glossy hair & brush through to give a matte finish.

I say....

So fresh and new there's barely anything about this on the internet yet, even on Fudge Urban's own website. However I spotted this in my local Boots and i'm a sucker for the Fudge Urban range, due to it smelling super sweet, having awesome packaging (I am a simple soul, I am attracted to shiny things), and being aimed a market who like to express themselves and achieve more outlandish styles whilst being friendly on your purse....so basically, teenagers, but sod it, i'm 35 but i'm 18 in my head....and, er, a little bit outside given the amount I get ID'd buying alcohol. Now, this doesn't give you much in the way of volume, but it doesn't claim to. However, it DOES whip the oily muck out of your hair, and does not leave white powdery marks, and it smells FANTASTIC, so if you suffer from second day oily scalp mustiness, this is a lovely thing to pop in your bag to make you feel fresh again. I really do recommend it, and it's CHEAP.

Volume created: 4

Hold: 4

Fragrance: 9

Lack of powdery appearance: 7

Lack of gritty feel: 7

Price: 8

Overall: 7

Conclusion

I would recommend this for the purposes of actual mucky hair as opposed to making it big. You can spray this on your pulled back into a ponytail hair and it transforms the grease into matte clean looking hair, and gives your hair grip and a little bulk to style with. It smells nice, and it does what it claims. 

You can purchase this from Superdrug or at Boots where it's currently on offer for £3.99 as opposed to the usual £5.00

AUSSIE AUSSOME VOLUME MIRACLE DRY SHAMPOO

They say....

Low on volume? Short of time? Meet the next big thing. No shower necessary. A quick blast from Aussie Aussome Volume Miracle Dry Shampoo cleanses from the root for an instant boost of volume and texture (and incredible fragrance!). It is the quick fix for a between-wash burst of volume!

It contains Jojoba Seed Extract that was used for centuries by the indigenous Australians as it was believed to naturally condition hair.

I say....

DING DING DING DING JACKPOT!!!! We have another winner in our midst. Again, extremely new on the shelves, I picked this up when I was replacing yet ANOTHER Aussie Aussome Volume Deep Treatment Mousse Light (here's a little tip for you, if you want to spend four quid on a product that you use once, which then explodes in your shower, you replace, and it repeats the same behaviour, then go buy that, if not, don't bother), and I saw this cheeky new stranger, sat on the shelves promising VOLUME and CONTROL, whilst also doing all the other stuff that dry shampoos do, AND smelling nice. I was sold! 

Now, I dye my hair blue, and it's bleached, but recently I had a major allergic reaction to hair dye and until I know what i'm allergic to, I can't dye it, so it's currently a very washed out greeny bluey yellow mess. Therefore I don't want to wash it much, so I got in and used this on my five day old greasy flat mop. IT WORKED LIKE A DREAM. Seriously, it gave a very impressive boost of volume, no white marks, and my hair smelt as new as five day old hair could hope to. I WAS IMPRESSED. So much so I even went clubbing and didn't feel self conscious at all (I never go partying without washing my hair ever usually). My hair didn't look dirty or gritty, just fashionably texturised. 

Volume created: 8

Hold: 8

Fragrance: 8

Lack of powdery appearance: 8

Lack of gritty feel: 8

Price: 8

Overall: 9

Conclusion

 I highly highly recommend this to you, I actually would say go buy both this AND the Vo5 offering, and see which you like best, because it's hard to pick between them. However, this is pretty darn amazing and does exactly as it promises and more. 

You can buy this from Boots or Superdrug for £4.49

BATISTE DRY SHAMPOO XXL VOLUME - BIG AND BOUNCY

They say....

Batiste Dry Shampoo Big and Bouncy XXL Volume revitalises hair, banishes oily roots and gives you so much body and texture, your Up-Do takes no time.

A quick burst with our unique formula gives dull, lifeless hair the volumising makeover it needs. No water and no backcombing - just big-style glamour and a great clean, fresh feeling. No need to worry about skipping a shampoo.

I say....

Some people love this. I am not one of them. If I wore updo's, then I imagine I might really like it, but alas, I used this three times before tossing it into the bin yelling 'BE GONE THY DEMON'.  It made my hair feel DISGUSTING. Honestly, I couldn't get my fingers in my hair, and once I started getting a bit sweaty (as is my wont), oh my goodness, it was REPULSIVE. My roots turned into a vicious sludge, I was itching, and my hair did NOT look nice. If you're into the whole rockabilly thing, I reckon you'll adore this, but me, I was offended by it. Yes, batiste hurt my feelings. Big time. 

Volume created: 8

Hold: 8

Fragrance: 8

Lack of powdery appearance: 3

Lack of gritty feel: 1

Price: 7

Overall: 4

If you want this muck, you'll find it at Boots for a reasonable, if you like that sort of thing, £3.99


So thats my round up of the budget brands. Stayed tuned, or whatever people do in the internets, for my high end round up of dry shampoo's PLUS low and high end backcomb sprays.

I am flat haired. Make me big. MAKE ME HUGE.