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Nexxus

Volume Refresh Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo

  • Dry shampoo
  • aerosol
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Curly-method
  • Not vegan · ingredient list
Size5 oz
Price$16.99seen at one store · 5 oz
Where to buy1 store

Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.

Scent:

Reviewers describe it as fresh.

“Neutralizes odor and absorbs excess oil” (Brand page)

Strength: Strong

Past recall: Conopco DBA Unilever recalled some lots of this product in October 2022. FDA lists it as terminated. Read the notice

Manufacturer page: nexxus.com

Not enough priced dry shampoos to place it

We have not priced enough dry shampoos to place this one.

Price and stores

Great for

Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Matte, textured stylesabsorbent powders do the mattifying

Maybe skip if

this product has a strong scent
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Aerosol avoidancethis is a pressurised can
Vegan and cruelty-freeour record does not support both claims here

Dry shampoo absorbs excess oil between washes. It does not replace washing your hair and scalp.

What the formula actually does

Read from the label, not the marketing

Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.

Oil-absorbing ingredients High in the list

Absorbent powders or starches high in the list.

Fast-drying alcohol High in the list

Fast-drying alcohol in the first three ingredients.

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

Fragrance Prominent

Fragrance is in the first eight ingredients, so it makes up a larger share of the formula.

from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.

Ingredients that matter

The ingredients that change a decision

The workhorse ingredients, plus anything lower down that changes a decision. The chips name what an ingredient does. They are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
Hydrofluorocarbon 152a propellant Pushes the product out of the can Neutral
Butane propellant Pushes the product out of the can Neutral
Alcohol Denat. drying alcohol Speeds drying but can leave hair feeling dry Drying
Tapioca Starch starch Soaks up oil and adds grip Neutral
Isobutane propellant Pushes the product out of the can Neutral
Propane propellant Pushes the product out of the can Neutral
FragranceFRAGRANCE (PARFUM) fragrance The scent Fragrance
Biotin vitamin A trace vitamin addition Neutral
Collagen Amino Acids amino acid A trace of amino acids Protein
Citronellyl Methylcrotonate fragrance The scent Fragrance
Benzyl Salicylate fragrance The scent Fragrance
Citral fragrance The scent Fragrance
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesNo sulfates or silicones. Contains fragrance. Pressurised aerosol. Fast-drying alcohol is in the list.
Full ingredient list (21)

In the US, ingredients above 1% are listed from most to least. Below 1% they can appear in any order. Each note keeps three things apart: what the ingredient generally does, its role in this type of product, and what its position can tell you.

  • 1 Hydrofluorocarbon 152a
    General function

    A non-flammable aerosol propellant used in dry shampoos and finishing sprays.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    PubChem
    • propellant
  • 2 Butane
    General function

    A pressurised gas that pushes an aerosol out of the can and evaporates immediately.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    PubChem
    • propellant
  • 3 Alcohol Denat.
    General function

    Fast-drying alcohol used to make sprays set quickly. In leave-on products it can leave hair feeling dry, especially in high position on the list.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Evaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.

    May not suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Porous hair gives water up easily as it is; a fast-evaporating solvent high on the list accelerates that.

    May not suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    It evaporates quickly and takes some water with it. On hair already short of moisture, a formula built on a lot of it can finish drier than it started.

    PubChem
    • drying alcohol
    • solvent
  • 4 Tapioca Starch
    General function

    A fine starch that absorbs oil and leaves a dry, grippy feel.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Adds grip and body with no oil attached, which is what lifts fine hair at the root instead of weighing it down.

    DependsMaximum-hold styling

    Starch gives texture and grip rather than a set film; firm hold usually needs a polymer alongside it.

    • starch
    • powder
  • 5 Isobutane
    General function

    A pressurised gas that pushes an aerosol out of the can and evaporates on contact.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    PubChem
    • propellant
  • 6 Propane
    General function

    An aerosol propellant, usually blended with butane to set the spray pressure.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    PubChem
    • propellant
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 7 Fragrance · FRAGRANCE (PARFUM)
    General function

    An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    Declared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.

    • fragrance
    • declared fragrance
  • 8 Biotin
    General function

    Vitamin B7, included for label appeal in thickening and growth-positioned products. Applied to hair it does not reach the follicle.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    PubChem
    • vitamin
  • 9 Collagen Amino Acids
    General function

    An amino acid of the kind hair protein is built from. Small enough to sit inside the cuticle, and used for water binding rather than strength.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Amino acids are the smallest protein fraction and bind water as well, so they add far less stiffness than a hydrolysed protein does.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.

    DependsProtein-sensitive hair

    The lightest option in the protein family, but still protein — worth watching if protein reliably stiffens your hair.

    • amino acid
    • humectant
    • protein
  • 10 Isopropyl Myristate
    General function

    A very light ester that makes products glide and disappear quickly on the hair.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    A light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Spreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.

    PubChem
    • light ester
    • emollient
  • 11 Silica
    General function

    A fine mineral powder that absorbs oil and adds grip. It is what makes texture powders and matte pastes feel dry to the touch.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    A dry powder takes up oil and adds friction between strands, which is most of what root lift in fine hair actually is.

    PubChem
    • powder
    • thickener
    • mineral
  • 12 Citronellyl Methylcrotonate
    • fragrance
  • 13 Benzyl Alcohol
    • preservative
    • solvent
  • 14 Benzyl Salicylate
    General function

    A soft floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 15 Citral
    General function

    A lemon-scented fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 16 Citronellol
    General function

    A rose-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 17 Eugenol
    General function

    A clove-scented fragrance component listed separately as a recognised allergen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 18 Geraniol
    General function

    A rose-scented fragrance component, listed on its own because some people react to it.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 19 Hexyl Cinnamal
    General function

    A jasmine-like fragrance component named separately as a recognised allergen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 20 Limonene
    General function

    A citrus-smelling fragrance component that EU rules require to be named separately because some people react to it.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen
  • 21 Linalool
    General function

    A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    One of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.

    PubChem
    • fragrance
    • named fragrance allergen

What the whole list adds up to

  • 10 fragrances
  • 8 named fragrance allergens
  • 4 propellants
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 powders
  • 1 drying alcohol
  • 1 starch
  • 1 declared fragrance
  • 1 vitamin
  • 1 amino acid
  • 1 humectant
  • 1 protein
  • 1 light ester
  • 1 emollient

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-25. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 5 oz

Seen at $16.99 1 store · checked Sep 25
Good value under $6 Under $1.29/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Priced above the products that do the same job. Stores sell it above the $6 line; products that do this job typically go for about $8 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store
  • Target
    $16.99
    5 oz · $3.40/oz
    Sep 25Lowest per oz

Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.

How we work this out
  1. 5 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
  2. Seen at $16.99 is the price we have observed for the 5 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $6 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.29/oz; at 5 oz that is $6. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $8 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 5 oz.

Dry shampoo refreshes hair between washes. We describe its ingredient functions without assigning a formula score.

Does the same job

Formulas that do the same things (cleanse, condition, coat or hold) for less per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy them can still differ.

DoveLowest cost per oz Detox & Purify Advanced Dry Shampoo $1.60/oz
  • Protein-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Budget
· Same function
Differs
  • Cruelty-free
  • Drugstore tier
Compare
TRESemmeSame function A-List Collection Style Extend Dry Shampoo $2.45/oz
  • Protein-free
  • Silicone-free
Differs
  • Cruelty-free
  • 5.3 oz bottle
  • Sold online
Compare
NexxusSame function Brunette Dark Tones Dry Shampoo $12.47/oz
  • Silicone-free
Differs
  • Floral scent, not fresh
Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These products do a similar job. We haven’t matched them to you. Find the one that fits your hair, routine and budget

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Depends on your hair: see who it suits
Best user

Silicone-free routines, looking for a silicone-free formula and a matte finish

Biggest tradeoff

Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, very dry or high-damage hair, or people avoiding aerosols

Best alternative if not

Nothing in our library matches it closely at a lower price.

We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.

Claims check

What the brand says, and what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We mark a claim supported, partly supported or conflicting only when the ingredient list speaks to it. Everything else stays "stated by the brand". That isn’t a criticism: most claims can’t be checked from a label.

0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
4
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
72H refresh

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Root lift and volume

We cannot read weight on the strand from what is recorded.

  • Tapioca Starch
  • Collagen Amino Acids
Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Neutralizes odor and absorbs excess oil

Odour control is a performance claim we cannot read from the list.

  • Fragrance
  • Citronellyl Methylcrotonate
  • Benzyl Salicylate
Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Invisible finish, no build-up

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

—

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

How to read this

We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula, not at the marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.

Reviewers

What people report

Themes that come up again and again in sourced reviews, written by our researchers in their own words. We don’t store or scrape star ratings.

Reviewers with fine or flat hair report a strong volume boost after spraying.

volume at roots

Several reviewers say it does not fully absorb oil, leaving hair feeling greasy by the end of the day.

weak oil absorption

Some reviewers say it leaves a visible white or chalky residue despite the product claiming otherwise.

white residue or chalky feel

Reviewers are split on the scent: many describe it as a pleasant, fresh fragrance, but others find it too strong.

fragrance strength

More from Nexxus

How this page was made

  • Everything above comes from our researched product record: identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated prices and review themes our researchers wrote in their own words. No part of this page is written by hand for one product.
  • The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
  • This library-only category has no formula-completeness score or personal routine recommendation.
  • 3 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 2 editorial), last checked 2026-09-25.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 10 of 14 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are general formulation guidance. They aren’t a verdict on the finished product or on you.
  • We haven’t tested this product in a lab, and we don’t physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list. Claims about how it behaves are labelled as the brand's.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are what we saw on the dates shown and can change.
  • Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
  • Formula readings: derivation v23. Record last updated 2026-10-02.

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