Purchased by me
I have been looking forward to featuring m’Chel Haircare for a long time! This is a powdered dry shampoo that seemed to work absolute wonders for everyone’s hair so I put this brand on my wishlist sometime in 2021, thanks to a glowing recommendation from Jenn Harper of Cheekbone Beauty. I kept hesitating on purchasing because of the US exchange rate AND the $25 international shipping charge which put this dry shampoo in the luxury pricepoint once all was said and done, but now that I have bit the bullet, I cannot see myself using anything else!
Founded by Michelle Kim, this San Francisco-based company is fairly new and currently makes just one product, but boy is it an amazing one! This is a silica-based dry shampoo with an actual brush built right in so that you can literally brush your hair out while dispersing dry shampoo evenly throughout the hair. The Day After Brush comes in scented and unscented, but I quite like the scented version which has a fragrance of pomegranate, ginger and peony. It is very subtle and does not smell like you are «trying to cover something up».
I purchased the more cost effective set which includes one Day After Brush plus a full sized refill for $78 USD. Individually, the Day After Brush is $58 and the refill is $28 so as a first time purchase, it made more sense to get the set. Going forward, I think I will just load up on the refills!
I wash my hair every third day, but would like to push to four or five days if I can. I use dry shampoo regularly to keep things feeling and looking fresh, but in Vancouver’s often humid climate, a lot of the time even the third day feels like I want to tear my hair out! I used to use aerosol dry shampoo, but felt terrible about what they did to the environment and the fact that it would often irritate the noses of my cats and husband AND our air purifier! I then swapped to powder dry shampoo which I liked a lot, specifically the one by Canadian company Voir, but then I realized that I wanted to BRUSH the dry shampoo into my hair instead of just puffing it in sections of my roots.
There are two types of brushing motion happening here as you have a combination of the fine hair bristles and what I call «massaging nubbins» that actually prevent powder from going directly onto the scalp and instead spreads the product around and throughout the hair. I have found that aerosol products that get sprayed on always make my scalp itchy as the product builds up with each day of use.
The Day After Brush is super easy to use and literally takes 2 minutes to do its magic — just like in the brand’s Instagram videos! In the photo above, the brush is in the «ready» position. All you need to do to start dispersing product is twist the brush portion down and then start by combing straight down the middle of your part first and then through your hair from the root to about the middle of your hair. You will IMMEDIATELY notice that your roots are lifted, fluffy and though this dry shampoo leaves a bit of texture in the hair, it’s nothing compared to how my hair felt with aerosol shampoo. I also found that the product deodorized my scalp and even after a day of cleaning and sweating in 30 degree weather, applying this BEFORE I began my day kept odour at bay!
I also brush this dry shampoo through freshly washed, dried and styled hair so that it can absorb oils as my day progresses. I apply a bit again just before bed if I skip a shampoo. I have been able to push my hair to 5 days without washing now and though it can get a bit itchy for me at that point, my hair still look voluminous and full at the roots!
If you need to clean your brush, the best way to do so is to spray it with 70%-80% alcohol. The instructions say not to submerge it as it may loosen the bristles. You can also wipe the bristles gently with a makeup wipe. I have not felt the need to do this yet, but it is good to know that this brush is meant to last!
The only unfortunate thing that happened was that the cap broke fairly easily when I was putting it back on (you can see the crack in the photo below). I must not have lined it up correctly, but they do sell replacement caps on the website for $7. I think my cap will still survive for now, but just something to keep in mind if you plan on picking this up (which you obviously should)!
Final verdict: This product has been a LIFESAVER. I have showcased my hair a few times on Instagram after using this dry shampoo and every time I can never get over how FAST it refreshes my hair and how much volume and life I get not just at the roots, but throughout my mane! It also doesn’t feel or look like there is a lot of product at my roots or on my scalp as I believe the product is truly being distributed everywhere and not just at the roots. I am just so happy that this product worked like a dream just like it showed online and I hope it becomes more readily available in Canada as I despise paying the US exchange rate. Hands down, highly recommend the m’Chel Day After Brush Dry Shampoo!
You can find the m’Chel Haircare Day After Brush Dry Shampoo at www.mchel.co