This article was updated in March 2024 to reflect latest deals and stock levels.
If you find you’re having to wash your hair on a daily basis to ensure your scalp remains grease-free, it might be time to switch up your shampoo and conditioner.
You are viewing: What Shampoos Are Good For Oily Hair
Having oily hair means you need specific products to target the issue, rather than constantly having to jump in the shower.
We tested the top shampoos and their matching conditioners that claim to detoxify the scalp and control oil production, to find the ones that really work. Here are the products we recommend:
We also spoke to Darren Bain, International Artist at Taylor Taylor London’s Liberty salon for the low-down on how to keep grease at bay.
What causes oily hair?
According to Bain, it could be caused by various lifestyle habits or how we shampoo and condition our hair. “Oily hair can often be caused by too much washing, which in turn overstimulates the sebaceous glands,” he tells us. “Another culprit is using too much conditioner or using products that are too heavy for your hair to absorb, so they sit on the outside of the hair shaft and make it look greasy or weighed down.
“At the salon, we always recommend applying shampoo to your scalp and roots, massaging thoroughly and letting the suds run down your mid lengths and ends. Unless you have a large amount of styling product on your hair, it really is all it needs, or else you begin to dry out your ends and your roots aren’t cleaned properly… hey presto, oily roots and dry ends.”
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“Applying conditioner to your roots will also create instant greasy feeling hair. Remember, your scalp is where the sebum production is at its most concentrated and it rarely needs conditioning. Apply your conditioner to mid lengths only and your hair will thank you for it.”
Think about the products you use, too. “It may sound simple but check when you last washed your hairbrush as well, as the dirt, bacteria and products transfer easily onto your brushes,” adds Bain. “The same is true of your pillowcases, which are in direct contact with your hair for seven to eight hours a night.”
“Overproduction of sebum can also be down to changes in hormone levels, or deficiency in certain vitamins such as vitamin D, which plays a key role in the regulation of sebum production.”
Vitamin D synthesis is triggered by the UVB rays in sunlight, and it’s perhaps unsurprising that here in the (not-so) sunny UK, nearly half of the UK population are deficient. Government advice is that everyone should consider taking a vitamin D supplement in the autumn and winter months when we have reduced hours of sunlight.
Can you stop hair from getting greasy quickly?
Over-washing your hair is often the culprit. It may be hard to resist but if you scrub your hair every day it will strip the scalp of its natural oils, causing it to stimulate the production of even more oil. Worse case scenario, washing too often can cause dandruff and even excess hair breakage.
Instead, reduce how often you cleanse your hair. Depending on your hair type, try limiting your washes to three times a week. The first few weeks will be greasy but once your hair gets used to the new routine, you’ll thank yourself.
It might sound obvious but also reducing how much – albeit unconsciously – you run your hands through your hair will limit oiliness too. Every time your hands come into contact with your scalp you’re transferring even more oil, which makes for an unhappy, greasy scalp.
Can you train your hair to be less greasy?
“You can try gradually reducing how frequently you wash your hair to help train your scalp to produce less oil, because (as explained above), sometimes overwashing can cause the scalp and hair to dry out, meaning more oil is produced to try to make up for the lack of moisture,” says Bain.
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“Even if you can try and move your regular morning shower to the evening of the same day, or from the evening to the next morning, you’ll should reap the benefits long-term. The longer you train your hair to regulate itself between washes, the less you’ll need to wash it.”
However, this may not work for everyone, he warns, and not washing your hair often enough can also cause it to look greasier, so it’s about finding the right frequency for you.
It’s also tricky if you’re planning a trip to the gym on a non-wash day, but that’s where a dry shampoo can step in as a quick and easy solution. Just make sure you don’t over-use.
How often should I wash my hair a week?
“The general rule of thumb is every two to three days, but if you have curly or particularly dry hair you may find that once or twice a week is enough,” advises Bain. “I suggest using a clarifying detox shampoo up to once a week.”
How we test
Our panel of 450 testers — with hair textures ranging from straight to afro — tried 33 brands of shampoo and their matching conditioners for two weeks.
They noted how effectively the products cleaned oily hair, how much they lathered up and whether they noticed any long-lasting benefits. They also reported back on how their hair felt after use, focusing on hydration, smoothness, shininess and volume.
In the GHI lab, our experts applied artificial sebum to hair switches before using a Sebumeter to measure oil and sebum levels after cleaning with each shampoo, to judge how effective they were. Should parabens, silicones or sulphates be dealbreakers, we’ve listed which shampoos contain them below
Here are our best shampoos for greasy hair:
Source: https://t-tees.com
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