You pass by people and you wonder how their hair smells so good.
You want your hair to smell beautiful and luxurious too but you don’t want to use dry shampoo because you’ve read that it isn’t that beneficial to your hair.
In this post, I’ll talk about how to make hair smell good without dry shampoo.
In my personal opinion, dry shampoo is overrated and there are several ways you can make your hair smell good without it.
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1. Use normal perfume
If you don’t have hair perfume, that’s okay.
Just spritz on some regular perfume on your hairbrush and then brush your hair regularly.
This will make your hair smell great for a long time too!
If and when you do have the chance, you can also invest in a great hair perfume like the Island Vanilla Hair Perfume by Pacifica Beauty – it will leave your hair smelling so lovely – almost like baked goods!
2. Use a dryer sheet
If you have a dryer sheet on hand, just rub it all over your hair.
Dryer sheets are a tiny hack to get rid of the smoke smell from hair. After it absorbs the bad smells from your hair, it will leave a nice, fresh-smelling scent in your hair.
One way to use a dryer sheet on your hair is to first divide your hair into sections and then clamp it down on each section of hair with your hands.
The dryer sheet will then absorb the smell and leave behind a clean and homey smell in your hair.
If you have a hairbrush, then poke the bristles through the dryer sheet and gently comb it through it to your hair one section at a time to make sure it is evenly distributed throughout your hair.
You can even finish it up with a blow dryer to get rid of any smells in your hair.
3. Use a hair mask
One of the cheapest ways to get that salon-spa hair treatment without spending a fortune and having great-smelling hair is to use a hair mask.
I’m not kidding when I say that I even love going to sleep because my pillowcases smell like paradise after using a hair mask.
The Garnier Hair Food mask (banana and shea edition) is my favorite.
They also have a papaya and aloe vera kind.
After shampooing your hair (while your hair is still wet), just apply the hair mask generously to your hair. Leave it for 30 minutes and wash it off.
This will not only nourish and moisturize your hair (it leaves my curls soft and bouncy), but it smells good enough to eat.
It has a strong smell that will last the whole day or more and I’ve gotten tons of compliments from people after using it.
4. Use a lovely-smelling shampoo & conditioner
One of the best-smelling shampoos and conditioners you can use for your hair is the Herbal Essences Rose Hips Shampoo and Conditioner Set which is also enriched with vitamin E.
It’s one of the best-smelling shampoos I have personally used on my hair and you’ll smell like a rose after your shower.
The conditioner helps your hair become softer and retain the smell – it’s one of the most popular shampoos and conditioner sets for women’s hair.
If you have curly hair, then please use Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla Curly Hair Sulfate Free Shampoo and Conditioner Set. This is specifically for curly and kinky hair like mine and smells heavenly.
5. Use a beautiful-smelling oil
You can use a beautiful-smelling essential oil like lavender oil or rosemary oil or cedar-wood oil.
All of these essential oils add a beautiful and long-lasting fragrance to the hair.
One of the best oils that I swear by is the Moroccanoil treatment.
This bottle is pricey but it will easily last you for 6 months or more even if you have long hair.
It’s one of the best-smelling oils on the market and it’s considered the best oil for damaged or dry hair because it leaves the hair glossy and nourishes the hair apart from smelling wonderful.
I wouldn’t be recommending it unless it was really good.
It actually tops many lists of best-smelling hair products because it is that lovely.
It even minimizes frizz and protects hair from environmental factors.
You just have to apply it to damp hair and focus on the length of your hair till the tips and your hair will smell great all day!
6. Use a hair mist
If you are looking for an easy solution to have great-smelling hair throughout the day because you cannot afford to wash it, then just get this hair mist.
You can just keep one of these in your bag and then spritz it on whenever you feel like continuing to have great-smelling hair.
It’s great when you’re working long shifts and cannot afford an expensive hair perfume or don’t want your hair to smell like normal perfume.
This one smells coconutty and has a beautiful vanilla smell too so I really like it. It’s got a nice baked goods smell that isn’t very floral.
7. Use a hairspray
Now if you are looking to smell really good and at the same time you want excellent volume and a stronghold for your hair, then use this Cake Beauty Hold Out Flexible Vegan Hairspray with Vitamin E.
It’s completely vegan and is one of the best-selling, best-smelling hair products on the market.
I love it because the scent is not too strong – it’s subtle but it’s very sweet and most women buy it for the smell.
How do I make curly hair smell good?
Honestly, I feel you – I have very curly hair and it’s difficult to make smells last long especially if you have low-porosity hair.
The good news is, you can use butter that smells stronger and it is slightly heavy but if you have really curly or kinky hair – this is not a problem.
The Camille Rose Almond Jai Twisting Butter is my favorite product for curly hair. It not only nourishes and deep-conditions curls but also leaves your hair buttery soft and smelling like paradise.
I’m not kidding when I say that this is one of the best-smelling butter I’ve used for my hair – it’s got a nutty smell because it has almond and honey extracts and it smells like a delicious cake.
How can I make my hair smell nice naturally?
Honestly, if you are against buying hair perfumes and just want to make your hair smell good without all the perfumes and conditioners, then you need to maintain hair health.
1. Wash your hair regularly
Sebum builds up on your face and hair and you know how your face smells after a while when you don’t wash it?
It’s the same with hair.
Hair becomes greasy and it does start to smell if you don’t wash it.
If you have wavy or curly hair and use products to moisturize your hair like creams or leave-ins – then product build-up can also cause the hair to smell especially if it mixes with sweat.
It’s very important to use a good shampoo when washing your hair – something that only removes the product buildup and grease without over-drying your hair.
2. Change your pillowcase often
I change my pillowcase often due to acne but it’s a good practice to change your pillowcase every 3-5 days because all sweat and grime from your hair leaks into the pillow.
It doesn’t matter if you wash your hair and use an old dirty pillow case, the grease will transfer onto your freshly cleaned hair – that’s why it’s important to change your pillowcase and sheets often.
3. Protect your hair
Use protective hairstyles when you are cooking or working in the heat. If you have highly porous hair, you’ll notice your hair smells like food after cooking.
So, cover your hair with a satin cap like this or simply tie it in a bun behind your head.
This will prevent your hair from smelling like smoke or cigarettes or food because less volume is exposed to the fumes or environment.
I hope you learned how to make hair smell good without dry shampoo.
