Tips And Tricks To Deal With Oily Hair
Something that plagued me for years was the curse of oily hair. Dealing with greasy hair as a teen can be incredibly frustrating and embarrassing too. BUT I’ve learned a lot along the way.
Here are my top tips, advice and favourite products for dealing with oily hair…
Establish A Washing Routine
It might be tempting to want to wash your hair every day, but by washing your hair everyday you might be doing more harm than good.
Yes, you wash it to cleanse the grease, but no, it doesn’t help. Unfortunately daily shampooing can strip your scalp of its natural oils – so it produces more in a bid to replace them. Try cutting back on washing your hair to every other day at least, or 2/3 times a week.
I work on a hair washing timetable of every second/third day. For school/college/work I would wash my hair Sunday/Tuesday/Thursdays and possibly an extra time if I had somewhere to be – honestly the struggle of arranging your hair washing around social engagements.
Now that I’m working from home I do it every 3 days. I have found that I am getting the 3 days out of it instead of 1/2 before, so it’s definitly worth persevering with a routine.
Invest In A Good Dry Shampoo
The third day is my tricky day. I definitely need dry shampoo to extend that day. That might be a day 2 for you, or if you’re lucky, longer.
There are a lot of dry shampoos on the market. The only thing to do is to try them until you find one that suits you and your needs.
Not only do I have oily hair, I also have a really sensitive scalp. Unfortunately, Batiste does not agree with my scalp. I get really sore spots if I use too much of it. In cases of emergency I would use it, but my go-to brands are Klorane and Colab.
Knowing how to use dry shampoo properly this also a must. Yes, there’s a knack to it.
A really good tip when it comes to dry shampoo is to apply a bit the night before as you get into bed, this allows the dry shampoo to absorb oils as you sleep, and it doesn’t look as obvious that you’ve used dry shampoo.
Find The Right Shampoo For You
As I’ve mentioned, I have a really sensitive scalp, so I have to be really careful when it comes to shampoo.
Shampoos that I’ve found good for oily, but sensitive scalps include…
Look out for shampoos that include ingredients like mint, nettle, peppermint, rosemary, and tea tree oil. These are all ingredients that can help clarify your hair’s texture while cleansing oil and product buildup.
Be Careful With Conditioner
I read this is a magazine years ago and I’ve done it since; I never, ever put conditioner near my scalp. I only put it on the ends of my hair. And I only put shampoo on my scalp, not on my ends.
My favourite conditioner is the Lacura spray conditioner from Aldi. I only spray it on the ends of my hair when it’s still wet before drying.
You really only need conditioner on the ends of your hair and by putting it on your scalp you could be making your hair oiler.
Use A Clarifying Shampoo Once A Week
One cause of oily hair can be a build-up of product on the scalp. No matter how much you wash it, it can hard to get rid of the buildup.
Try a clarifying shampoo once a week try remove buildup and impurities, but be careful if you have colour-treated hair.
Try Bumble & Bumble Sunday shampoo.
Be Careful When Styling It
The dead-giveaway that my hair needs to be washed is when I brush it and tie it up in a tight ponytail. It just feels like my hair sticks together and looks greasy – yuck!
When styling your hair on your second or third day I’d recommend a brush like this and just lightly brush your hair around the roots to tidy it.
I’d also advise going for a more relaxed hairstyle and not something that requires your hair to be pulled in tight.
A Hack If You Have A Fringe
Having a fringe when you have oily hair can be a nightmare. My hack is to wash your fringe at the sink with a tiny tiny bit of shampoo during your in-between hair wash days and then blow dry it. Having a freshly washed fringe makes it look like your hair is newly washed and distracts from any issues.
Keep Your Hands Away From Your Hair
Avoid touching your hair unnecessarily during the day. And also avoid over-brushing it as this can produce more oils.
Tie It Up
A good way to keep your hands off your hair and keep it fresher for longer is to tie it up.
I’d recommend a plait for your first day, post-wash. And then a messy, low bun for your 2nd/3rd day by using some dry shampoo. But play around and see what suits up. Having a hairstyle that you love and feel confident in can give you such a boost and make your feel less self conscious about hair issues.
Having oily hair can be really frustrating, but don’t let it get you down. My top tip for dealing with oily hair is to find a routine that works for you and a dry shampoo that you can rely on.