I’ve a bone to choose with the humid, sweltering climate in NYC proper now. I’m already cursed with naturally oily hair, so a number of hours outdoors in the summertime warmth is all it takes to undo my freshly washed roots and depart them greasy and gross.
I do know dry shampoo is meant to be a lifesaver for these moments once you want—however can’t squeeze in—a full bathe. However I’ve additionally realized that these oil-sopping sprays and powders will be disappointing: They often depart a noticeably white residue on my pitch-black hair, and even the merchandise designed to mix into darker strands are likely to create a tough, stiff texture that I hate.
So after I noticed tons of individuals on TikTok raving about how micellar water—a facial cleaning staple that I have already got readily available—also can take in oil in your scalp with out the dreaded firmness or chalky hue, I needed to know extra. Right here’s how the so-called genius answer allegedly works: First, you apply an (oil-free) micellar water (both with a cotton pad or by utilizing a sprig bottle) immediately onto your roots. Then, you rapidly blow-dry the world for immediately refreshed, voluminous, non-powdery outcomes.
In principle, this trick is sensible, Azadeh Shirazi, MD, a San Diego–based mostly dermatologist at La Jolla Dermatology, tells SELF. Micellar water is product of molecules that “have a hydrophilic (water-attracting) head and hydrophobic (oil-loving) tail,” Dr. Shirazi explains. “And the hydrophobic aspect will bind to and seize onto oil, grime, and different buildup”—which is why micellar water is so nice at eradicating sunscreen and make-up out of your face. So the concept is that this handy skincare savior ought to work equally to wash your hair.
This sounds promising however, once more, it’s only a principle: There isn’t any analysis to again up micellar water as a legit answer for shiny scalps, specifically. So given the shortage of strong science, I figured the one option to discover out if this pattern lives as much as the hype was to check it myself.
So did TikTok’s micellar water hack make my hair much less oily?
One of the simplest ways to strive it out for your self, in response to Dr. Shirazi, is with a cotton pad soaked in micellar water as an alternative of the spray bottle methodology. (This transfer, she says, will stop you from utilizing an excessive amount of product and oversaturating your hair.)
So, that’s precisely what I did with my Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleaning Water on day-three hair (after a sweaty boxing class): I dabbed the liquid throughout my roots, finger-combed them to make sure the micellar water was evenly distributed, then waited a couple of minutes (to let it do its oil-grabbing factor). Lastly, I fired up my Dyson and blasted my scalp with sizzling air for 30 seconds.
My speedy response: disappointment. To begin with the plus aspect, my hair did really feel smoother and cleaner than earlier than. That stated, it was nonetheless sort of…sticky. (Dry shampoos is probably not my favourite, however the ones I’ve tried positively did a greater job at eradicating buildup). One other concern? My hair nonetheless appeared shiny (or as my accomplice kindly put it, “slightly greasy”), defeating the aim of tricking folks into considering I not too long ago showered. Plus my roots appeared flat and lacked the oomph I hoped for. (So, as somebody who was promised voluminous, perked-up outcomes on TikTok, I used to be let down.)