What is hair powder and what is it used for?
Hair powder is a hair styling product with many years of history, although not in the version we know and love today.
In the time of Louis XIII at the end of the 1600s, allonge wigs were the hottest of the hot. You’ve probably seen them in pictures. The big beautifully styled curly wigs that were worn by both men and women. The wigs couldn’t be washed and therefore got dirty quickly. This was hidden by sprinkling a thick layer of white hair powder over them.
Today we no longer use the same type of hair powder as back then and we use it not at all to hide dirty hair but rather to give it more body and remedy oily scalps.
Hair powder today is a hair styling product that gives a helping hand to all those who have thin and fine hair or hair that tends to slap during the day. A good hair powder is eminent to give hair more body and volume. If you prefer your hairstyle a little matte, then you will love hair powders that give your hair a matte look.
Many people also choose to use hair powder like a dry shampoo. Namely, to soak up oil in the scalp and thus refresh the hair and perhaps save an extra day before washing.
Hair powder is similar to setting powder or baby powder. It also contains some of the same ingredients, but also includes rice powder which is great for soaking up moisture and oil – and silicone which gives hair texture and body.
How to use hair powder
If you’ve never used hair powder before, you probably have a lot of questions about how to get started and the best way to do it. Now you’ll have all the answers.
Hair powder used on dry hair – When using hair powder, always apply it to dry hair. If you use hair powder on wet hair, the product will have no effect, but it will have the disadvantage of settling as grey-white lumps in the hair. On the other hand, if you use the powder on dry hair, you will add a lot of body to your hair and save yourself an extra day before washing.
Divide your hair into sections for greater clarity – It’s almost impossible to distribute hair powder properly if you don’t divide your hair into sections. I would recommend dividing your hair into 4 or 6 sections, i.e. 2 or 4 on each side of your head. This way you are sure to get the hair powder distributed evenly throughout your hair. Start with the lower sections at the nape of your neck and work your way towards your face.
Remember that a little hair powder goes a long way – The worst thing you can do when using hair powder is to think that the more the better, because it’s actually just the opposite. In fact, you only need to give each section of hair a few tiny sprinkles. And better too little than too much. Overdose on hair powder and it will clump and be visible in your hair.
If you find it hard to control your hair powder because it gives too much, you can cover half of the holes with tape. That should make it easier to control.
Use fingers or brush – To get the best results with hair powder it is important that you get it well distributed in the scalp and the inner cm of hair. Most people choose to use their fingers to massage it well into the scalp, others prefer a brush. It is also at this stage that you can judge whether your hair needs a little extra hair powder.
Finish with polish for extra hold – When you’re done setting your hair, you can choose to give your hair lacquer to give it extra hold. If you use hairspray, you can lift sections of your hair up and give it a coat. This will add extra volume to your hair.
Mess up your hair during the day for more volume – No matter how thoroughly you’ve styled your hair and used hair powder and maybe even a finishing polish. Hair tends to lose volume throughout the day. If you have hair powder in your hair, you can easily reactivate it by turning your head down and tousling your hair.
Hair powder and hair wash
Some hair styling products can be really hard to get out of your hair and it can require several rounds of shampoo. You won’t have that problem with hair powder. Hair powder is hugely effective while it’s in your hair, but it’s also incredibly easy to wash out.
All you have to do is wet your hair and wash it as you normally would. Then your hair will be completely product free until you style it again. Hair powder also doesn’t damage your clothes like hair wax and hair gel, for example, can.
Coloured hair powder
You can also get coloured hair powder. Colored hair powder is a new hair styling product that has only emerged in the last few years. Colored hair powder can resemble a hair color spray, at least if we are talking about one of the hair color sprays that is a touch up spray that hides outgrowths in the hair before the haircut.
Indeed, coloured hair powder is also designed to hide outgrowths. The coloured powder is simply dabbed into the scalp, as you would with a regular hair powder, and then it hides the telltale transition from treated hair to your natural hair colour. It can save you some extra time before you need to book an appointment at the hairdresser.
By the way, a coloured hair powder has the same qualities as a regular hair powder. However, you should be aware that the vast majority of coloured hair powders are significantly more expensive than a regular hair powder.
The difference between a hair powder and a dry shampoo
Many people find it difficult to tell the difference between a hair powder and a dry shampoo, and I can understand that. The two products are very similar and share many of the same properties.
Where the main purpose of a dry shampoo is to remove grease from the scalp so you can go an extra day without washing your hair, the hair powder has the great advantage of giving your hair a lot of body.
So if you’re looking for a product whose primary job is to add body to your hair and whose secondary job is to soak up oils in your scalp so your hair doesn’t get greasy, then a hair powder is definitely the product to buy.
These are the requirements you should make of your hair powder
When we buy products for our hair and skin, we want something that works. Of course, that’s why you’re reading along here, because you don’t want to make a boring mistake. The biggest challenge we face when buying new products is that we often don’t know what to expect from them – what to look for when choosing a product.
That’s why I’ve compiled the 5 most important requirements you should make of your hair powder. If your hair powder can meet these 5 requirements, then you have found the absolute best hair powder for you.
1. How is the ability to give hair volume?
One of hair powder’s top skills should be to give your hair maximum volume. You should therefore look for hair powders that make a noticeable difference to your hair. Often hair lacks structure, especially fine hair. That’s why you can benefit from a hair powder that contains silicone or a similar substance that precisely coats each hair strand and gives it more volume and hold.
2. How does your hair look when you’re done styling it?
The hair powder should be able to stand the test and refresh your hair and give it a lot of volume WITHOUT you being able to see traces of it in your hair. You know you’ve got a good hair powder when it works miracles on your hair without leaving streaks or looking unnatural.
3. How good is the hair powder at soaking up oil on the scalp?
A hair powder isn’t a dry shampoo, but a hair powder should still be super effective at soaking up oil in the scalp to get rid of that greasy hair feeling. After using a hair powder, you should feel like your hair is refreshed and that you can easily go another day without washing your hair.
4. How long does the effect last?
A good hair powder has a long-lasting effect. Especially because you can simply mess up your hair if you think it’s losing body, then reactivate the hair powder and get instant body back in your hair. You should be able to expect a good hair powder to last all day, and even into the evening without any problems.
5. How does it smell?
A hair powder should smell nice. It’s supposed to help freshen up your hair. Of course, it does this by soaking up oils in the scalp, so hair doesn’t clump but instead gets more volume. But to really get that refreshing feeling, many will find it beneficial if the product has a subtle but nice scent.
Have you found your new favourite hair powder?
I hope my review has been useful to you and that you already know exactly which hair powder you want to try. I also hope that I have made you feel comfortable about how to best apply the product.
I’ve posted the link directly to the retailer’s website. That way you can easily compare prices and make sure you’re getting a good deal. If you still have questions that I haven’t answered here, I’d recommend going to the retailer’s page where you can find more information about the different hair powders.