Bye dry shampoo? China’s hair wipes take off

What happened Dry shampoo sprays introduced Chinese consumers to the idea of washing their hair without water. Now a newer format is gaining ground: shampoo wipes, cleansing gloves and hair-cleansing sheets that allow users to physically wipe oil and sweat from the hair and scalp. Hair-cleansing wipes are not entirely unknown in Western markets, but they remain niche, often appearing in specialist scalp care, textured hair or healthcare settings rather than as a mainstream alternative to dry shampoo. What makes China notable is the speed with which wipes, sheets and even cleansing gloves are developing into a broader consumer haircare format. From September 2025 to August 2026, China’s mainstream e-commerce platforms generated around 590 million RMB ($88 million) in sales of waterless hair-cleansing products, up roughly 9% year-on-year, according to Moojing data. But almost all the growth came from wipe-based formats. Sales of cleansing wipes, gloves and sheets reached 75.5 million RMB ($11 million), up from almost nothing a year earlier and accounting for 12.8% of the category. Dry shampoo sprays still command around 87% of sales, but declined 4.8% over the same period, losing around 26 million RMB ($3.9 million). Why consumers are wiping, not spraying The appeal comes down to one important distinction: wipes feel more like actually washing your hair. Dry shampoo absorbs oil and restores volume, but wipes add the physical action of removing grease, sweat and residue. Indeed, consumer expectations are changing from simply wanting something “fast” to wanting something that feels “closer to washing.” Among negative reviews of waterless personal-care products, around 18% complained that products failed to live up to expectations or were, essentially, a waste of money (智商税), suggesting the challenge is less a lack of interest than a gap between the promise of cleaning and the result. Analysis of roughly 9,500 reviews found emergency use and convenience among the most common themes, alongside postpartum confinement (月子), oily bangs and travel. Outdoor trips and post-workout cleansing are emerging occasions, too. Beneunder (蕉下), for example, launched its Quick Wash Hair Cleansing Glove in August 2025, positioning portability, travel and air travel at the heart of the proposition. The Jing Take The 75.5 million RMB ($11 million) surge shows that wipes have found a genuine unmet need, but it does not yet make them an everyday haircare habit. Three barriers stand in the way: price, trust and experience. Single-use wipes become expensive when used frequently; postpartum and sensitive-scalp consumers want stronger evidence around ingredients and irritation; and details such as how many sheets are needed, whether hair feels wet afterwards and whether blow-drying is still required can quickly undermine the convenience proposition. That also means the opportunity is unlikely to come from creating another generic shampoo wipe. Brands can segment the format around specific jobs: smaller packs for bangs, sealed travel packs, gentler low-fragrance versions for sensitive users, or sweat-focused products for gym and outdoor occasions. Sprays and wipes do not necessarily have to compete. Sprays remain effective for absorbing oil and restoring volume; wipes are moving waterless haircare closer to cleansing. China’s next opportunity may be in teaching consumers when to spray and when to wipe — and when only a shower will do. The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.

Bye dry shampoo? China’s hair wipes take off

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Bye dry shampoo? China’s hair wipes take off

TUMI’s new growth playbook: From travel expertise to lifestyle performance