Dealing with greasy hair may be one of the most aggravating common hair problems. Although there is no shortage of serums and sprays that reduce frizz and increase shine, there are still very few options for managing greasy hair. This is especially true if the hair in question is thin and flat, otherwise known as fine hair. The last thing you want to do is add more products to your already oily-looking hair.

So what is a girl or guy with greasy hair to do? We spoke with our in-house hair care specialists at Gui Ren Tang to learn the inside scoop on the eight daily routines everyone with oily hair should follow to maintain a healthy, balanced mane.

Why is your hair oily?

First and foremost, it’s crucial to understand the causes of oily hair before learning how to treat it properly.

The most common cause of greasy hair is an accumulation of extra sebum. Sebum is a naturally occurring oil that is created in your sebaceous glands, which are situated close to your hair follicles, as you may have heard. Usually, your body is able to determine how much oil is necessary to maintain a healthy, moisturised scalp.

Unfortunately, there are occasions when the oil glands produce excessive amounts of sebum, leaving our hair and scalp feeling greasy. This could be brought on by external causes like your regular beauty routine or internal factors like a hormonal imbalance.

The 8 do’s of oily hair

You may have oil-slicked hair due to your hair care routine, the products you use, and how you style your locks. The expert advice listed below can help you in this situation:

1. Apply conditioner correctly

Even for hair types with natural oiliness, conditioner is appropriate and essential. It offers your locks healthy moisture, nourishment, and protection that shampoo cannot. The trick is to choose one that suits your particular hair needs.

The way you apply conditioner may make or break your greasy hair. We suggest using conditioner only at the ends of your hair rather than all over it and completely avoiding the scalp. This will prevent your hair from looking greasy and flat.

And whatever you do, make sure to rinse your hair thoroughly. Sometimes, the greasiness you see is shampoo or conditioner you haven’t thoroughly rinsed off.

2. Wash your hair less often

As strange as it may sound, frequently washing your hair might as well be the cause of your greasy scalp.

When you wash your hair to remove greasiness, you unknowingly also remove your hair’s natural sebum in the process. Your body’s reaction is to replace it with more oil, which occasionally causes an excess of sebum to be produced. The final result is an endless cycle that only leaves you with oilier hair.

In addition, mass-market formulas often contain sulphates. Although these strong cleaning solutions are safe, they can make your scalp sensitive, especially if you wash it too often. You might therefore be experiencing an itchy scalp in addition of the overly-greasy hair.

If you currently wash your hair every day, try skipping the shampoo at least once or twice a week to avoid this. This will assist in making sure you aren’t going overboard. And make sure you use a shampoo free of sulphates. Having natural elements that are kind to your mane is a plus.

Just be aware that it can take a few weeks for your scalp’s sebum production to balance itself again, so don’t anticipate results right away.

3. Change your hairbrush

The notion that brushing oily hair will only make it worse is still prevalent. However, the reality is that you can remove and disperse some of that oil with the correct brush, making your roots appear less greasy.

For those with oily roots, boar bristle brushes (or faux boar bristle brushes, if you’d prefer a vegan option) are fantastic. The fibres aid in capturing and dispersing the hair’s natural oils.

Just watch out not to brush too much. Hair damage, hair loss, and excessive oil production are all possible outcomes of this. It all comes down to striking the appropriate balance, as is the case with the majority of things in life.

4. Select your haircare products wisely

While some haircare products like dry shampoo can do wonders for greasy hair, others just worsen the matter more.

Therefore, we advise against using styling products described as “shine-enhancing” or “anti-frizz”. These formulations typically contain silicone or oil, which may weigh down your hair and make it appear greasier.

Choose volumising products instead, since they will raise up your hair and prevent it from making contact with your oily roots.

5. Avoid touching your hair

Even though it might not seem like a big problem, all of the finger raking and twirling you do throughout the day can significantly alter how your hair looks and feels. Your face and fingertips also produce sebum, which is easily transferred to your hair and exacerbates the issue of oily hair. In other words, don’t touch your hair!

6. Lay off the hair straightener

Bad news for flat iron addicts: Straightening and blow-drying your mane may make your strands appear even greasier. 

Oily hair is even more obvious when it is straight since grease and oil have a direct path down your hair shafts. When straightened, your mane also has a tendency to lie flat on the head, where it will probably come into contact with the sebum on your face and scalp.

So, what is the remedy? Consider a curly or wavy haircut to add volume to your hair and prevent it from getting too greasy too quickly.

7. Use dry shampoo sparingly

Although using dry shampoo in between hair washes is something we encourage, there is such a thing as using too much of it. Inappropriate product buildup happens when you use too much dry shampoo, as with any product that stays on your hair. Your scalp may get dehydrated as a result, producing more oil.

If you’re not already washing your hair every 1-2 days, try reducing the amount of dry shampoo you use and adding another wash day to your regimen to help with this problem. This will assist in removing all the extra oil you’re trying to cover up from your hair and prevent any unwanted product accumulation.

8. Apply a scalp scrub regularly

We advise incorporating a scalp cleanser or exfoliator into your hair care routine once or twice a week to help decrease oil buildup even further.

Instead of microbeads, look for something with finely ground textures like sugar. Because the water will work as a carrier for the substance, make sure to apply it to a damp scalp. As you would when using a face exfoliator, gently massage the scrub into your scalp by making small, circular motions with the tips of your fingers rather than your nails

We prefer to use two tablespoons of sea salt, two tablespoons of lemon juice, and two tablespoons of olive oil to make a simple DIY (and vegan!) scrub. Olive oil helps to hydrate your hair strands, while the salt helps to remove any buildup, grime, or dead skin cells from your scalp. You might as well write off your oily hair as history now!

Conclusion

At Gui Ren Tang, it is our mission to help everyone achieve the beautiful hair of their dreams. We offer botanical hair care solutions for your personal hair concerns. We also offer customised treatment programmes that our professionally-trained consultants design following consultation and diagnosis. 

If you are struggling with an oily scalp and none of the steps to manage it ever worked, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us here. Our hair experts will be happy to help you with your hair concerns.

A healthy and shiny crowning glory is everyone’s dream! In addition to being a reflection of one’s inner health, healthy hair also does wonders for one’s self-confidence as a whole.