I have a confession: I’m not the biggest fan of dry shampoo. Even as a beauty writer who’s tried a multitude of hair-care products that promise to virtually erase grease, grime, and oil, I’ve struggled to find that one game-changer that delivers results. Was it me, my method of application, or something else that stopped me from achieving great day two, day three, or even day four hair?

Turns out, it may just be the length of time I wait for a product to work its magic, according to the hair-care line Not Your Mother’s. Instead of expecting an instant result, they’ve created a dry shampoo that’s meant to de-grease your hair overnight, so you wake up to cleaner-looking strands. So I decided to give it a try, and in all honesty, the results truly threw me for a loop.

Here’s the thing: My hair gets oily, fast. I could wash it in the morning and find that the layers around my face are already greasy by lunch. It’s frustrating to say the least, especially when the dry shampoos I’ve tried in the past left a white cast or a stiff feeling on my scalp.

With Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Overnight Dry Shampoo ($9), however, I awoke to the complete opposite. I could easily brush through, style, and even run my fingers through completely refreshed hair that felt renewed. There was zero of that heavy feeling you tend to get with a dry shampoo because of the way the product can weigh down hair. Instead, my hair felt light and breezy—it could even hold a wave from my curling iron when I decided to style it.

Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Overnight Dry Shampoo — $9.00

The product’s made with natural starches that absorb excess oil, so zero sulfates, silicones, parabens, and dyes. The vegan and cruelty-free formula also utilizes purifying sage and chamomile extract to soothe and restore hair to its post-wash state.

This method is completely waterless, so there’s zero rinsing required to achieve clean-looking, washed hair. Oil is instantly absorbed, while the product continues to amplify its progress overnight. Made for all hair types, your morning looks like this: no white residue, no powdery build-up, and no grease left over.

Naturally, experiencing these great results after years of trial and error had me questioning why I ever expected instant gratification from my dry shampoo in the first place, so I asked Drew Schaefering, hairstylist at Rob Peetom and founder of haircare brand Cruxe, for more insight about wy dry shampoo works better at night, and what the best methods of application are for dreamy results while you sleep.

Why using dry shampoo while you sleep is more beneficial than using it during the day

Working dry shampoo or the best non-aerosol dry shampoos into your hair at night allows the powder to do its job in a different state. “The time allowed for the ingredients to do the work and reverse the signs and buildup of oil on your scalp and hair means it’s more thorough,” says Schaefering.

While he’s not suggesting that application can’t be done the day of or before walking out the door, he warns that results take a little more time to appear.

The best way to apply dry shampoo before bed for great results

Application is key, so here’s what Schaefering suggests and the step-by-step formula I used to achieve the best results. You’ll want to apply the dry shampoo to your scalp and the places that feel oily to you in rows, making sure to evenly saturate each area lightly. “Keep the nozzle at least six inches from the scalp to prevent unnecessary buildup of product,” says Schaefering.

He adds that sleeping with hair up or down is a personal preference, but you’ll want to keep in mind the amount of dry shampoo used, as well as the potential for indentations and creases brought on by elastics. In the morning, shake out excess product, or use a blow dryer to get hair moving around a bit again.

Try not to use the dry shampoo too far down the hair strand where there is less oil, as this can easily create a static-like effect to the hair, causing it to be a bit too dry, Schaefering says, as this may result in you having a hard time managing the style in the a.m.

The final consensus

Not Your Mother’s dry shampoo extended the life cycle of my hair almost three times longer than I can usually eek out.  I was this close to giving up on dry shampoo before I tried it, but it taught me that I just had to have a little patience and that it’s all about timing, baby, just like in life.