How to Keep Hair From Getting Greasy

Three Methods:Adjusting Your Shampooing Routine Using the Right Hair Products Changing Habits that Contribute to Hair Grease Community Q&A

Having greasy hair can be embarrassing and frustrating to deal with. Fortunately, there are some easy ways to prevent your hair from becoming greasy.

You’ll want to adjust your shampooing routine, use products that won’t contribute to more greasiness, and avoid some other habits that may be adding more oil to your hair without your knowledge.

1 Don’t wash your hair every day. Washing the grease from your hair may seem like the best solution at first, but daily washing actually causes your hair to produce more grease. Your hair tries to make up for the natural oils you’re washing out each day, causing a cycle of increased grease.^[1]
- Wash your hair only 2 to 3 times per week maximum for the best results.
2 Wear a shower cap on days that you don’t shampoo. Getting your hair wet without washing also causes natural oils to be stripped away and causes your hair to overcompensate in grease. To protect your hair from getting wet in the shower, secure it inside a shower cap.^[2]
3 Apply conditioner to your ends only. Hair that’s prone to grease doesn’t need more conditioning near the roots, it needs less. However, not conditioning your hair at all can cause your ends to get dry and damaged-looking. When you use conditioner after shampooing, apply it starting halfway down your hair and go all the way to your ends.^[3]
- Be sure to always rinse conditioner thoroughly from your hair, or use a leave-in conditioner.
- On days that you’re not shampooing, you can get rid of style creases or cowlicks by rinsing the creased parts of your hair and applying conditioner there as well.
4 Use cool or lukewarm water when washing your hair. Hot water opens the cuticle of your hair and strips more natural oils from your hair. Hot water also causes your pores, including the ones on your scalp, to produce more sebum, or thick oil. This thick oil will start traveling down your hair strands from your scalp as soon as you leave your hot shower.^[4]
- For the best results, keep your shower water as cool…