Nothing gets me excited quite like the possibility of a good dry shampoo. From the moment I first witnessed my blonde friend pour what looked like a quarter pound of baby powder on her head in a dorm room, my life was inexorably changed. Since then, the days I’ve chosen dry shampoo over an actual shower are countless. My feelings towards dry shampoo are fiercely loyal, but my brand preference: not so much.
I’ve tried them all. From pricey sprays in Bluemercury to cheap powders stocked at Sally’s Beauty—none ever convinced me to give up the search for the perfect dry shampoo. Until finally, nearly six years after that life altering moment in a TCU dorm room, I found my match.
I first spotted Stranded perusing Instagram, where I stumbled onto a post by Dallas lifestyle bloggers, Lauren Scruggs Kennedy.
I’m lucky to be able to pour any old white powder on my blonde head, so the idea that someone had created a product catered to a variety of hair shades seemed brilliant. Plus, it’s all sulfate- and paraben-free and such, and even gives back to the Lauren Scruggs Kennedy Foundation. Plus plus, Kennedy has some pretty luscious locks, so I trust her. I ordered my blonde bottle for $26 (not cheap, but loose powder shampoo always seems to last a long time), and quickly received. Here’s why I will actually order this stuff again.
It lifts as it cleans.
You know how Margot Robbie always seems to have this incredible volume? Take this picture, for instance. It all looks so effortless, much like Robbie’s rise to massive popularity in 2016. It’s not enough to just lift the oils out of my hair; I want a little boost while I’m at it. Stranded provides. So much so that I actually use it on freshly washed and dried hair, just because I like the way it looks.
The packaging.
I’m a sucker for solid branding. I’ll never give up Mac products. Stranded’s simple cursive logo and clean packaging are eye-catching. As are the chic illustrations on how to use. Most importantly though, the bottle is short and compact, making it one of the few dry shampoos I’d feel comfortable toting around.
It smells real good.
And not in a weird, perfumey type of way. It just sort of smells fresh. The ingredients in Stranded are safe and simple, so I assume it’s the natural scent of one of those things. It could be the tapioca powder. It could also be the polymethylsilsesquioxane (a real word!). I don’t know. And I really don’t care. I’m just grateful that whatever smells so lovely is in there.
