Review: Aveeno Active Naturals Pure Renewal Dry Shampoo

Longtime readers know that I'm a bit of a dry shampoo connoisseur and I've lost count of how many dry shampoos I've reviewed here over the years. I've got oily skin, oily roots and side-swept bangs, so dry shampoos are a necessity for me when I skip a day between washings. A few sprays and my bangs can return from the Land of Grease to live another day!

I was very excited when I received the new Aveeno dry shampoo for review a while back because I've had good experiences with Aveeno haircare (I'm a big fan of Aveeno Nourish+ Moisture Shampoo, which won my Cheapie Award for "Best New Shampoo" in 2009). I've been using this dry shampoo for over a month now, so let's see how it's been working for me.

Aveeno Active Naturals Pure Renewal Dry Shampoo

(retail: around $7.99, 4.8 oz)

Keep reading for my full review, included before-and-after photos...

I believe this is the first dry shampoo I've ever used that contains seaweed extract.

From the Ulta website:

Description

Discover a pure way to refresh and renew your hair without washing with water. This exclusive Active Naturals formula, infused with Balancing Seaweed Extract, instantly revives hair for healthy manageability. Rejuvenates hair for a clean, fresh look between washes. Removes excess oil and impurities to help boost volume. Sulfate-free for gentle cleansing. Developed by Aveeno's expert team of scientists and a leading stylist, Aveeno's Active Naturals formula harnesses the power of nature and science for beautifully healthy looking hair.

Directions

Shake can vigorously before use and in between sprays. Hold 8-10 inches away from head and spray lightly and evenly to dry hair, focusing on the roots. Leave in for 1-2 minutes, brush out thoroughly and blend away excess powder into hair using fingers. Style as desired. If nozzle clogs, rinse under a stream of warm water.

Ingredients: Isobutane, SD Alcohol 40-B, Propane, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Magnesium Stearate, Arcylates Copolymer, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Magnesium Carbonate, Water, Glycerin, Fragrance.

Let's get right to the before-and-afters:

The above pic was taken 48 hours after my last washing. I pulled back the top layer of my bangs to reveal how greasy my hair gets in the area where my bangs rest on my forehead.

Following the directions on the can, this is what my hair looked like immediately after application. I held the nozzle 8-10 inches away from my hair and sprayed lightly, focusing on the roots as directed.

Again, following the directions to a "T", I left this product in my hair for two minutes, and then "brush[ed] out thoroughly" and "blend[ed] away excess powder into hair using fingers." The above picture was taken immediately after brushing and blending as directed.

And here's what my hair looked like after combing my bangs into place (please excuse the gray hairs--I'm overdue for a coloring).

Overall, I'm very pleased with the results of this product. It does a very nice job of absorbing the oils in my hair and I absolutely love the fragrance, which is very clean and fresh and very Aveeno-esque.

One thing I want to warn you about--especially if you're an experienced dry shampoo user--is that you really need to follow the directions with this product. I'm used to using dry shampoos that I can spray onto my hair and then immediately work through with my fingertips. If you do that with this dry shampoo, it's not going to yield the best results (trust me, I've tried). You really need to follow the directions and let this product sit in your hair for a good 1-2 minutes to allow it to "work its magic" before combing/brushing out. If you don't do this, I've found that this product becomes very powdery and doesn't absorb oil nearly as well as when you allow it to sit in your hair for a minute or two. 

As for any residual white cast--I know this is a concern for those of you with darker hair--I have light brown/dark blonde hair with blonde highlights so it's hard for me to say whether or not you'll see a white cast in your hair after you use this product. For me personally, it seemed to help restore my hair to its original color (my hair gets very dark-looking when it's oily) and the "after" pics you see above represent what my hair normally looks like when it's clean.

I know that a lot of us use dry shampoos for added volume (this is a great trick even if your hair is clean--a few sprays of dry shampoo can pump up the volume on even very fine or thinning hair) so I want to mention that I do see a touch of extra volume when I use this product, but not a lot in comparison to other dry shampoos I've used over the years.

FINAL VERDICT: I think this is a nice addition to the world of drugstore dry shampoos. The fragrance is beautiful and it really adds to the overall "refreshed" feeling I get when I use this product. I think it does a very good job at absorbing the oils in my hair (just remember to follow the directions to a "T") and I don't experience any residual white cast after I've brushed out this product. The only thing it lacks, for me personally, is the added volume that dry shampoos can provide, but it does give my hair a touch of volume (just not as much as other dry shampoos I own). If your main concern is oil absorption and you prefer clean, fresh scents in your hair, I think this one's definitely worth a shot.

Do you already own Aveeno Active Naturals Pure Renewal Dry Shampoo? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.