Shampoo For Oily Hair
Having oily hair is no fun, but the right shampoo can help. It’s important to choose a formula that cleanses without stripping the scalp of its natural oils or adding extra grease.
We consulted experts and reviewed real-world testing to curate the best shampoo for oily hair. Keep reading to find your perfect match.
1. Skip the Sulfates
If you have oily hair, you may feel like you’re stuck in a never-ending cycle of rinsing and repeating. But you don’t have to resign yourself to a life of grease bombs; with the right shampoo for oily hair, you can banish stubborn buildup and greasy strands once and for all.
To get a handle on your greasiness, start with a shampoo that doesn’t contain any sulfates. These harsh detergents are responsible for a shampoo’s glorious suds, but they can also strip your hair of its natural oils and leave it feeling dry. This can prompt your scalp to produce more sebum, which will just create an even bigger mess of a problem.
Jessie Kratky, commerce writer at InStyle, has done the testing to find a great shampoo for oily hair. She reached shampoo for oily hair out to experts such as trichologist Anabel Kingsley, colorist Kirsten Stuke, and dermatologist Dr. Elaine F. Kung to help her weed out the best products and formulate her list.
Kung recommends choosing a sulfate-free shampoo because it will be gentler on your hair, scalp, and skin. It’s also important to choose one that is formulated with clarifying ingredients, such as tea tree oil and sulfur, to lift excess oil from your scalp and strands. This formula is gentle enough to use daily, and it includes ginseng root extract to elevate blood circulation and strengthen your strands.
2. Invest in a Clarifying Shampoo
A clarifying shampoo helps to lift away impurities like buildup and excess oil from your hair, restoring its natural shine. These formulas often contain a combination of chelating ingredients (like calcium and magnesium ions) to remove minerals from hard water, as well as sulfates, which work to break down oil. But you should be careful when choosing one for color-treated hair, as some clarifying shampoos are formulated with heavy surfactants that can damage the integrity of your hair color.
Whether or not you need to use a clarifying shampoo will ultimately come down to your personal wash schedule and secondary factors. If you wash your hair every other day, then a clarifying shampoo may be necessary for you, as it will offer a deeper cleanse than a regular shampoo. On the other hand, if you’re able to stretch out your washes to about once or twice per week, then you may find that you only need to use a clarifying shampoo once or twice a month to keep your strands looking and feeling fresh and healthy.
You can also opt for a clarifying shampoo that is free from traditional strong surfactants, as this will be less drying on your hair. Instead, look for formulas that are formulated with soothing ingredients like soothers like aloe vera and chamomile extract, and moisturizing oils like grapefruit peel oil, cedarwood oil, and lemon peel oil.
3. Try a Dry Shampoo
Your hair follicles don’t just sprout hairs; they also produce sebum, a natural oil that softens the scalp and gives your hair its texture. While a certain amount of sebum is normal, excess can build up and give your hair a greasy appearance. That’s where dry shampoo comes in: These powdered formulas work by absorbing excess oil and sweat to improve your hair’s appearance between washes.
Typically, dry shampoos contain starch- or alcohol-based ingredients that absorb grease and sweat to leave your hair looking cleaner. Most are also fragranced to mask the smell of unwashed hair. However, some products may have a petrochemical called benzene that can take the place of oxygen in your lungs and cause headaches, nausea and mood swings — so make sure to avoid any with this ingredient.
For best results, spritz the product on your roots (or wherever you want to reduce excess oil) and let it sit for about two minutes. Then, massage the product into your scalp, making sure it gets evenly distributed. For even better results, try using a dry shampoo that’s not just alcohol- or starch-based hair mask for hair fall but also contains hydrating ingredients such as silica, kaolin clay and volcanic minerals. That way, it helps keep your tresses moisturized and prevents them from getting brittle or breaking off. The results are worth the extra step!
4. Keep Your Hair Clean
Oily hair is a common concern among many people, and it can be challenging to keep strands looking fresh, voluminous, and greasy-free. Thankfully, there are many expert tips you can try to help. From avoiding over-washing your tresses to using dry shampoo, these tricks will keep you looking good until your next wash day.
Another way to keep your strands from getting too oily is to use a scalp-stimulation-controlling treatment or mask. A witch hazel rinse can zap excess oil, while green tea extract and honey hair masks are great for regulating the sebaceous glands and preventing overproduction of grease. Lastly, avoid touching your strands too much or playing with them. Aggressive styles like braids, messy buns, or high ponytails can overstimulate your hair follicles and produce more grease, so it’s best to opt for loose and relaxed updos until your next wash.
Choosing the right shampoo is a must for anyone with greasy hair, especially if you’re constantly fighting it. While sulfates may work well for other hair types, they can be drying for oily hair and fade your color over time. That’s why it is always best to use a clarifying shampoo for oily hair that is formulated without stripping or damaging ingredients. Whether you have a deep-cleansing formula with bond-building ingredients or a clarifying product with balancing properties, these options will help your strands look glistening and fresh.