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Ouai

Super Dry Shampoo Melrose Place

Dry shampoo

  • Dry shampoo
  • Sulfate-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Protein-free
  • Cruelty-free · brand states
SizeFull Size (4.5 oz / 127 g)usual store size · 2 sizes
Price$30seen at one store · 4.5 oz

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

Scent:

The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.

Manufacturer page: theouai.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

Protein-sensitive hairthat stiffens when protein is added
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Matte, textured stylesabsorbent powders do the mattifying

Maybe skip if

this product has a scent
Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Aerosol avoidancethis is a pressurised can
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
Picking it up locallywe’ve only seen it sold in one channel

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 Present

Contains fast-drying alcohol, which speeds drying but can leave hair feeling dry.

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

Fragrance Present

Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.

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
Dimethylimidazolidinone Rice Starch absorbent — Stabilizes
Alcohol Denat.Alcohol Denat drying alcohol Speeds drying but can leave hair feeling dry Drying
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate starch Soaks up oil and adds grip Neutral
Isobutane propellant Pushes the product out of the can Neutral
Panthenol humectant Pulls water into the hair Detangles
Disteardimonium Hectorite clay Absorbs oil and adds texture Stabilizes
FragranceParfum / Fragrance fragrance The scent Fragrance
Linalool fragrance The scent Fragrance
Citronellol fragrance The scent Fragrance
Geraniol 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 (22)

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 Dimethylimidazolidinone Rice Starch
    • absorbent
    • starch
    • thickener
  • 4 Alcohol Denat. · 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.

    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

    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
  • 5 Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
    General function

    A modified starch that absorbs oil and leaves a dry, matte 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
  • 6 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
  • 7 Panthenol
    General function

    Provitamin B5. It draws in water and penetrates the strand a little, which is why it is the standard ingredient for softness and shine claims.

    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

    It hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.

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

    Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • conditioning agent
    • vitamin
  • 8 Disteardimonium Hectorite
    General function

    A clay modified to thicken oil rather than water, used to give balms and pomades structure.

    Supporting ingredient

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

    • clay
    • thickener
  • 9 Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 10 Magnesium Carbonate
    General function

    A light mineral powder used to soak up oil and keep a powder free-flowing.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    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.

    • absorbent
    • powder
    • mineral
  • 11 Water · Aqua / Water / Eau
    • solvent
  • 12 Acrylates Copolymer
    General function

    A hold polymer that forms a firm, humidity-resistant film. It is the usual source of a hard cast in gels.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.

    • film former
    • polymer
  • 13 Zeolite
    General function

    A porous mineral used to absorb oil and, in some products, to trap odour.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    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.

    • mineral
    • powder
  • 14 Glycerin
    General function

    Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    High-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Binds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    Water moves both ways. Measured across concentrations, glycerin solutions give water up in some conditions and take it from the air in others. What it does for you depends on how much of it is there and on the air around it.

    Scientific Reports
    • humectant
  • ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
  • 15 Potassium Sorbate
    • preservative
  • 16 Sorbic Acid
    • preservative
  • 17 Citric Acid
    General function

    Used to bring the product to a slightly acidic pH, which helps the cuticle lie flat. It is almost always near the end of the list.

    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 suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Holds hard-water minerals in solution so they rinse away instead of depositing on the hair.

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

    The acid side of pH adjustment, and the reason it matters is measured: alkaline formulas raise the fibre's surface negative charge, increase friction between strands and lift the scales, while lower-pH ones do the reverse.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Where a warm cast comes from water minerals rather than from the hair itself, holding those metals in solution is what removes it.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • pH adjuster
    • hard-water chelator
  • 18 Fragrance · Parfum / Fragrance
    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
  • 19 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
  • 20 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
  • 21 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
  • 22 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

What the whole list adds up to

  • 5 fragrances
  • 4 named fragrance allergens
  • 3 propellants
  • 3 powders
  • 2 absorbents
  • 2 starchs
  • 2 thickeners
  • 2 solvents
  • 2 humectants
  • 2 minerals
  • 2 preservatives
  • 1 drying alcohol
  • 1 conditioning agent
  • 1 vitamin

Ingredient list captured 2026-10-07. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 4.5 oz

Seen at $30 1 store · checked Oct 7
Good value under $5 Under $1.05/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 $5 line; products that do this job typically go for about $10 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 1 store

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. 4.5 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 $30 is the price we have observed for the 4.5 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $5 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.05/oz; at 4.5 oz that is $5. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $10 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 4.5 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.

OuaiSame function Super Dry Shampoo Cape Town $6.67/oz
  • Protein-free
  • Silicone-free
Compare
DrybarSame function Detox Dry Shampoo Original Scent $7.90/oz
  • Protein
  • Silicone-free
Differs
  • 3.8 oz bottle
Compare
Kristin EssLowest cost per oz Mineral Detox Dry Shampoo $3.00/oz
  • Protein-free
  • Silicone-free
· Same function
Differs
  • Masstige tier
  • 5 oz bottle
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

Hair that stiffens on protein, looking for a protein-free formula and a silicone-free formula

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal 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.

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.

Most reviewers say it soaks up scalp oil quickly and adds lift at the roots, which stretches time between washes.

Mostly people with oily hair or scalp, often on second- or third-day hair. Many of the 32 entries say the brand gifted the bottle, so weigh this one with that in mind.

Many reviewers name the Melrose Place fragrance as a main reason they like the product, calling it warm, clean and pleasant.

Scent-led praise that recurs both in entries that disclose a brand gift and in entries that do not.

Some reviewers find the scent overpowering, saying it lingers, resists layering with perfume and once sent them back to wash their hair.

Mostly 2- and 3-star entries, including the lowest-rated reviews in the corpus. One 2-star reviewer says she could only use it outdoors or as the last step with the fan on.

Several reviewers find the spray nozzle firm or forceful, and one could not get it to spray from a distance.

Two lower-rated entries plus one 5-star reviewer who called the nozzle slightly firm while still praising the formula.

Most reviewers say it leaves no white residue, and dark-haired reviewers mostly find any cast blends in once brushed through.

Reviewers with black, dark or brunette hair. The one brunette who saw a visible cast says it took extra brushing to blend.

More from Ouai

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.
  • 2 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-10-31.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 7 of 13 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 2026-10-31.

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