Living ProofWe’ve all been there: You want to put off shampooing for just one more day, so you apply a dry shampoo but it leaves behind a too strong scent, white residue that looks like dandruff, clogged follicles and strands that feel brittle and dry. That’s where the new Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Sheer Clean Dry Shampoo Mist comes in. Developed with all those pain points in mind, it gives the dry shampoo category a makeover with its lightweight, bi-phase micellar formula that absorbs oil, sweat and odor with a completely invisible finish that leaves hair soft and touchable.“The whole reason this product was born was because we identified a fundamental consumer tension,” says Living Proof CMO Lauren Fenton. “Seven out of 10 women in the U.S. have four or more non-wash days a week, but only two in 10 women use dry shampoo, so obviously that’s a big disconnect and we had to ask ourselves why is it that women aren't using a solution that's so readily available to them? As you dig into the social listening and talk to people, it is because the number one barrier to dry shampoo usage is that white chalky residue that sometimes comes with some traditional dry shampoos. On top of that, we are seeing a surge in consumer interest for gentler alternatives to traditional aerosol dry shampoos. We see search for non-aerosol up over 400% in the last 12 months. Even though non-aerosol remains a relatively small subsegment of dry shampoos, it's what's driving growth in the market.” That gave Living Proof the mission of creating a non-aerosol dry shampoo that delivers a high performance without the negative consequence of that white chalky residue. In order to do so, the brand went outside of traditional hair care technologies and looked to skincare instead, particularly to micelle cleansing technologies, which are known for being effective but gentle cleansing agents, meaning the dry shampoo wouldn’t cause itch or irritation on the scalp.Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Sheer Clean Dry Shampoo MistLiving Proof “That led us to our patent-pending micellar cleansing system,” Fenton says. “It’s a dual-action technology where first the micelles loosen up and break down the oil upon contact, and then microspheres help to absorb and lock it in.” The formula features two other technologies. The micro-suspending network is a delivery system designed to maintains an even suspension of cleansing and care ingredients, meaning that each spray delivers an equal distribution across scalp and hair, preventing heavy spots and buildup so that the mist always feels lightweight. There’s also a bioadaptive superfruit that reduces odor and maintains moisture and balance. “It’s one thing to have instrumental data, but none of that matters if the consumer doesn't agree,” Fenton says. “When we got the results back [we realized] we've really cracked something. They were the most positive results I've ever seen in one of these tests, saying this is a real breakthrough. First, 100% of participants agreed the product had an invisible finish. I've been doing this for a long time and 100% doesn't happen.” The second standout stat was a from a separate study on non-users of dry shampoo; 88% of those people said they would continue to use Sheer Clean Dry Shampoo Mist. “That means that we have managed to develop a formula and a product that is so convincing that we are changing people's mind about the category as a whole,” Fenton adds.A model wearing the Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Sheer Clean Dry Shampoo MistLiving ProofLiving Proof Perfect Hair Day Sheer Clean Dry Shampoo Mist took nearly five years to develop, spanning 884 performance tests, 314 experiments, 146 prototypes and more than 30 pump options. “The reason being we were trying to do something that is incredibly difficult—we’re trying to achieve that level of performance without the downsides and new technologies with different developmental constraints, and the bar is really high,” Fenton says. “We're known as an innovator in dry shampoo, so we're not going to launch something unless it meets our standards and that takes time.” Since launching the original Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo in 2015, Living Proof has been leading the prestige dry shampoo category for more than a decade. That product was groundbreaking due to its ability to create an invisible shield on hair while adding texture and lift. Then in 2021, they launched the Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo, a gamechanger in the category for cleansing hair at the same level of a traditional wash while adding conditioning and shine. Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Sheer Clean Dry Shampoo MistLiving ProofLike its Living Proof predecessors, Perfect Hair Day Sheer Clean Dry Shampoo Mist actually cleanses hair. “You get that same level of cleaning the hair of sweat, oil and odor, but it's invisible, it's weightless,” Fenton says. “It's a great add-on for people throughout the week because it's formulated for daily use. You can use it every day without the heavy buildup or irritation. People are looking for dry shampoo solutions that are tailored to their unique needs and specific usage occasions.” To ace application, it’s important to shake very well to properly activate the biphase technology. Next, section out hair and apply it from about for to six inches away, then massage in the formula.Wanting to bring the Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Sheer Clean Dry Shampoo Mist’s effects to life in a fun and creative way and stop people in their tracks, the brand created an oversize hair wall in Union Square in Manhattan on August 13 and 14. On the first day, to build curiosity and anticipation, a message read “nothing to see here.” The next day was the big reveal, with a hand passing out free products through the wigs. “It is hands down my most favorite thing I have ever done as a marketer,” Fenton says. “Showing invisibility is a really hard task creatively, because how do you show nothing?” They are also doubling down on creators and made their largest investment ever for their social media campaign. “As a brand, there's only so much we can say and do,” Fenton says. “The market is flooded with claims and promises, but people are more likely to listen to influencers that they know and trust. They can see them using the product in a way that's authentic to their lives. My favorite thing about the mist is that you can use it every day without the heavy buildup. I'm a CMO. I'm a mom. I am very obsessive about my workout routine. I do not have time to do the whole wash routine multiple days a week, so to have a product that I can use every morning without irritating my scalp, without the heavy buildup, without this feeling that I have something in my hair, it's honestly pretty life changing.”