Dry shampoo mists take on $5.1bn category as K18 sells a unit every 17 seconds

The global dry shampoo market, valued at $5.1bn in 2026, is forecast to reach $11.7bn by 2033, according to Spate — and a new format, the dry shampoo mist, is moving to capture that growth.

K18's AirWash dry shampoo, launched in 2024, has built a cult following on the strength of that shift. The brand claims one unit sells every 17 seconds globally. The water-based mist runs on K18's patented odorBIND biotechnology, which targets odour-causing molecules rather than masking them with heavy fragrance, while porous silica absorbs excess oil from scalp and hair.

The product signals a category-wide move away from the aerosol can, the white cast and the product build-up that defined dry shampoo for a decade.

What exactly is a dry shampoo mist?

Laura Fenton, CMO of cruelty-free hair care brand Living Proof, defines the format precisely: "A dry shampoo mist is a non-aerosol, liquid-based format designed to refresh hair between washes. Unlike traditional dry shampoos, which typically rely on powders or aerosolised starches to absorb oil, a dry shampoo mist delivers lightweight oil-absorbing and cleansing ingredients in a fine liquid spray."

For formulators, the distinction matters. The delivery vehicle changes the ingredient palette. Starch-based powder systems give way to water-based carriers, which in turn open room for actives that powder formats cannot easily carry.

Why are R&D teams backing the format?

Dr. Catherine Leray, Account Head of R&D at THG Labs, puts performance at the centre of the shift. "The main driver [of the category] is performance," she said. "Consumers want to extend wash intervals without white cast, a chalky feel or excessive buildup. Mists or foam formats give more targeted application and can suit curls, braids and extensions better than loose powder. Water-based formats make it easier to add ingredients linked to hydration or scalp comfort."

Her assessment carries three concrete implications for product development:

• Targeted application: mists suit curls, braids and extensions better than loose powder.
• Actives compatibility: water-based carriers accommodate hydration and scalp-comfort ingredients.
• Residue profile: no white cast, no chalky feel, less build-up over extended wash intervals.

Who else has entered the segment?

Schwarzkopf's Got2B Get Fresh Dry Shampoo Hair Mist has joined the segment. The water-based mist refreshes hair between washes and absorbs excess oil, with the liquid spray delivering a less powdery application and finish than traditional powder-based dry shampoos.

The mass-market entry matters. When a Henkel-owned brand adopts a format that a biotech-led player like K18 pioneered, the format moves from premium novelty toward mainstream shelf.

The launch reflects broader changes in the dry shampoo category, as brands combine between-wash convenience with a more natural-feeling finish. Consumers, in short, want hair that looks refreshed rather than visibly treated.

What does the format shift mean for buyers and formulators?

For procurement teams, the pivot to non-aerosol liquid formats changes packaging supply chains — pump and trigger sprays replace aluminium aerosol cans, with implications for propellant sourcing and shipping weight.

For formulators, the water base redraws the ingredient brief: porous silica for oil absorption replaces or supplements starches, and odour-targeting technologies replace fragrance load as the primary freshness mechanism.

For treatment menus, the format's compatibility with curls, braids and extensions — the textured-hair segment Leray singles out — widens the client base that between-wash refreshment can serve.

The category's trajectory now rests on execution. Watch whether further mass-market players follow Got2B into the mist segment through 2025–2026, and whether Spate's next forecast revision tracks the $11.7bn 2033 figure or revises it upward on the back of the new format.

By Sophie Lindqvist