A new arrival on the styling scene, styling powders are a must have hair product for every hair type.
Why you need them:
You want volume, especially at the root of your hair.
You have fine, straight or slippery hair that won’t hold a style.
What do they do:
Styling powders add texture and increase volume. You can actually see it happening immediately.
They have a powder to liquid consistency that has a sticky/tacky feel. This immediately texturises your hair and helps it stand up at the root.
How do you use styling powders:
Always add styling powder to dry hair.
Styling powder is applied to the roots and top of your hair. Make sure the ends of your hair are styled (ie straightened or curled as you want to wear it) before applying styling powder.
Sprinkle a little powder straight from the bottle onto your roots, either side of where you part your hair. Lift up the hair on your crown and sprinkle some powder at the roots.
You can also put some powder on your fingertips and then apply to your hair.
Using your fingertips, gently massage the powder into your hair and scalp.
You’ll feel your hair hold immediately and then you can style as you like.
Add some powder to your hair before back-combing your hair for mega volume that stays in place.
Best bits about styling powders:
They work in straight and curly hair, and on long or short hair too.
Mattifying product so won’t give you an oily finish.
I like to think of it as Kate Moss hair in a bottle. If you love Alexa Chung’s hair, you can get that perfect messy texture in seconds.
They are reworkable. That means later in the day if your hair falls a little flat, just get your fingers and work the volume back into place.
What’s the difference between brands?
I can’t really see a difference between the Schwarzkopf Osis Dust It and Schwarzkopf Taft Styling Powder. They have also recently released a women’s branded product from their range. All of these are fab products. Evo Haze was another trailblazer styling powder which is now being copied by every brand around. The Aveda Pure Abundance seems to have a less sticky texture so I prefer wearing this one on a regular basis. I often feel I need to wash my hair the day after wearing a styling powder but not so much with the Aveda.
Things to look out for:
Don’t shake the bottle – you’ll activate the powder inside the bottle and it will liquefy. You’ll use it up before it gets to your hair.
Don’t add too much – it is a sticky product so apply the smallest amount at a time. If it’s not enough you can always add more but you can’t reverse the effect.
Hairstyle inspiration:
Styling powder is effortless messy hair in a bottle but it has so many uses. I use it at the roots in my curly hair for volume, and before teasing my hair into classic beehives. If you have soft hair that won’t hold a style, this is your perfect product.
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Have you tried styling powders? Do you love them as much as I do?
This is wonderful! I have been watching so many hairstyling videos on YouTube and have felt absolutely ignorant when seeing stylists sprinkling powder from a small bottle on to their subject’s hair – wondering to myself “What is that???” I have learned a great deal from everyone’s posts! Yay! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and questions – I don’t feel like a “styling dweeb” anymore! ???????
thanks so much Meggie! xx
Hello,
What do you do if you have too much mattifying powder in your hair??
you can use a little hair oil to try and soften it, but it depends on where it is in your hair. You can try brushing it out (gently) and massage a couple of drops of hair oil in. It’s not a guaranteed fix but it can help, or you might need to wash your hair. Good luck xx
Hi! I just found this and I know it’s 3 years old but I have fine hair that needs a lift, but I also suffer from frizz and flyaways what are your thoughts? Anything else in the market that you can suggest?
Thanks so very much
Hi Rachel, I love the volume powders for adding root lift and volume for fine hair, they’re amazing! If you want to tame flyaways I would use hairspray. Instead of spraying it on your hair, spray it on a brush or on your hand. Then smooth over the top of your hair to catch any flyaways and stick them down. Hope this helps xx
Does the volume last all day? My hair is Asian hair and flat on my head, super frustrating :p
Hi Marie, these powders are great as they ‘reactivate’ so you can get more volume later in the day. I’d highly recommend them!
Hi, my hair is so thin but very long, I can’t wear it down because my hair looks like it doesn’t fit my head as it looks so horrible. I need volume, a big boost! Any options?
Hi Emilie, a haircut and this styling powder will change your life! You won’t believe the difference it makes x
I just used a teasing powder in my hair. I will have my hair colored later this week. Will the teasing powder have any effect on applying hair color?
Hi Denise, it depends what type of colour and how much product you uses. It won’t interefere with permanent colour but if using a semi-permanent colour it’s bets to wash your hair before to remove all product. If you’ve used a lot of product your hair can feel sticky. If so, wash your hair before your appointment.
where can i get osis+ or taft powder in mexico? or any styling powder?
Hi Ana, Osis+ is from Schwarzkopf salons but the taft is available at pharmacies and drugstores like Duane Reade. I’m sorry I don’t know any specific stores in Mexico. Christina
Where can I Taft styling powder? I need somewhere that is reasonable; don’t want to pay $20 for a hair product I have never tried.
Thanks!!
Hi Becky, Taft is available at priceline in Australia and Boots in the UK. I’m not sure in the US as it may be under the brand Got2B
I use the big sexy hair brand. I got it at Walmart and it works great. It’s a litthe over a half ounce bottle for $15, which is way more product than you think.
Had my hair cut yesterday, she used this product it worked immediately. Can’t wait to get it.
Loved it
It’s one of my fave styling products! SO easy to use x
I JUST STARTED USING A POWDER ON MY HAIR. MY HAIR IS VERY FINE AND SHORT. LOVE THE VOLUME IS GIVES BUT WAS WONDERING IF I STILL NEED TO USE MOUSSE OR GEL WHEN BLOWING MY HAIR DRY???
Hi Amy, depends on your hair and what look you want to create. You can use just the powder on dry hair, or you can add mousse in wet hair and blow dry your hair for extra volume x
THANKS FOR THE INFO I’LL GIVE IT A TRY BOTH WAYS AND SEE WHAT WORKS BEST
I have only just found out that such a product exists. My hairdresser used it on my hair yesturday and i couldnt belive what a difference it made. My hair is only short so tend to use wax or putty which tends to make my hair greasy, but the powder gave it great volume not only yesturday but also today cant wait to go out and purchase some (dont suppose they sell it at the pound shop lol)
Your hair will never be the same Nola! You can find the Schwarzkopf at Boots, think it is called got2b x
I love volummizing powder! Recently I used too much and am having a hard time getting it out of my hair. Any suggestions?
Unfortuntately it’s a hard one to reverse without washing your hair. At least it is matte and although feels sticky, it won’t look bad. Unlike oils which are obvious when you have applied too much. Best to be careful when using it and just add a little at a time.
I have very fine hair so my new hair stylist used this product. Unfortunately, she used too
much. I have washed my hair four times in the last two days. It still looks and feels greasy. Be cautious on the amount used. If anyone has suggestions for removal, let me
know. I have tried baking soda and vinegar. I think it may just take time. Learn from my
experience, use a Very Small Amount to start.
Hi Lori, try using a clarifying shampoo to remove any product remaining in your hair. I still love styling powders but I agree that you only need to use a very tiny amount.
Thank you!
Your article finally explained what they are and what they do in simple terms without trying to sell a particular brand at the same time 🙂 I have a question though: my hair is fine and flat, but it’s also frizzy. Would these styling powders (I’m eyeing the Taft one because of its attractive pricing) help with frizz? Or, can I use anti-frizz leave-in conditioners together with the powder? If yes, then in which order would you suggest using them (anti-frizz first, then the powder or vice versa)?
Hi Tuyana, use the anti frizz product first, then styling powder is the last product you use. The Taft is great value!
Hi!
Thanks for the heads up on the powders. I’ve been using my dry shampoo to fluff up my hair for a while now and using it all up in the process. Do you think I can layer the products?
I try to not wash my hair more than twice a week, so I use dry shampoo (Batiste) on most of the other days. My hair is super thick and wavy/straight. And I like it BIG! Like Texas Big.
Thank you so much for the blog I end up trying your ideas more than any other blogger.
B
Thanks so much Barb! If you love big hair you will love these powders. Yes you can layer the products, use the dry shampoo before the styling powder. Make sure the dry shampoo absorbs into your hair and brush it all through before adding the styling powder. If you backcomb or tease your hair add a little powder and it will hold really well too. I love big hair too x
Longtime lurker, here–I’m very intrigued by these styling powders, but I always assumed that they were just a more expensive version of dry shampoo. What is the difference? {besides what you already mentioned in the comments above: “The powder is white but unlike dry shampoos it completely disappears. You use a lot less than dry shampoo too. These styling powders dissolve completely so there’s no dandruff moments.”}
Thanks for de-lurking Mikaela! These styling powders add a sort of gritty texture to your hair, which really adds a lot of volume and makes hair easy to style. Dry shampoos spray a fine powder which disappears as it absorbs the oil from your hair but styling powder has a weird powder to liquid reaction. It feels cool as it starts to dissolve and really adds texture to your hair. Dry shampoo sort of takes a day of oil off my hair but leaves it looking the same, where these amp up the volume so it looks like I have a lot more hair. Hope this helps! Plus the new schwarzkopf ones are even cheaper than dry shampoo if you want to give them a try.
I have used the Schwarzkopf Osis Dust It to control too much shine (as when I’ve overdone it with another styling product that leaves my hair “greasy”). I never thought of using it to add volume! Duh! That’s brilliant! And I have super fine, soft thin hair so I’ll definitely give it a try as a volumizer!
That’s another great use for it Mimi, and you’ll love it even more for the volume too
Thank you for this! I’ve been wanting to try texturizing powder for a while, but have been hesitant. I need to hit up sally’s ASAP.
Hi C, what colour is the powder? I.e. will it work on dark hair or will it look like I have me roots dipped in flour? Lilit
The powder is white but unlike dry shampoos it completely disappears. You use a lot less than dry shampoo too. These styling powders dissolve completely so there’s no dandruff moments.
I’m in love with the Dust it. Have been using for sometime now and couldn’t live with out it. I have oily hair and I love that it doesn’t add any more to it.
I’m the same Beck, I love these powders!
I’ve been looking forward to this post! I like the Aveda, but it’s pricey so I haven’t rebought some in a while – I think I’m going to have to break down and buy it again:)
Looking forward to trying out the others – those three ladies are my hair icons!
Try the cheaper options, they really are good but you can’t use as much as the Aveda as you can feel them more in your hair. I don’t know if that’s a good thing and they last longer, or it’s a bad thing because they leave a residue. Whatever it is, they really are the best volumising product.
I am obsessed with this as you know and I pretty much make it my mission to spread the word on this amazing product!
Let’s lead the crusade for styling powders! They are amazing and you wear them so well too x