Tired of trying new tips on how to hide greasy hair? Wanna stop greasy hair instead?
Are you sick of trying to embrace your oily, slick locks with a new hair hairstyle to hide greasy hair every day like a messy top knot or complicated wrapping braids? Are you ready to figure out how to get rid of greasy hair fast or just how to stop getting greasy after one day?
Or are you simply frustrated after buying every last product for greasy hair that promises a greasy hair quick fix with a price tag?
Then it’s time to consider what causes greasy hair suddenly or one day after shampooing!
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What Causes Greasy Hair Suddenly?
According to Good Housekeeping, “If your hair is non-stop greasy just a few hours (or a day for that matter) after you wash it, the problem may have to do with the way you are cleansing and styling it.”
You see, the reason is you are likely, unknowingly making common hair mistakes in your hair care routine that leads to grease.
It seems like there is an abundance of helpful tips and remedies for skin problems, but when it comes to hair problems the resources are lacking. Which why I started a natural hair care column. Today I am going to share with you some natural remedies for greasy hair and oily hair alike, that have worked for me. So, you can stop scrolling Pinterest for tricks on how to hide greasy hair!
Related To: How to Dry Brush
Related To: DIY Anti Frizz Spray
How to Stop Greasy Hair
I stopped asking myself, “How do I stop my hair getting greasy?” after I stopped reaching for basic shampoos and styling products a few years. While I was certainly guilty of over-shampooing, applying too many heavy products, and styling my hair with heat tools way too often. It was the ingredients in my hair care products that really multiplied my hair issues.
The ingredients either stripped my hair of its natural oils causing my scalp to overproduce oil or clogged pores in my scalp creating greasy build-up.
Just after shampooing I was left with serious frizz followed by grease a few short hours later.
If this sounds all too familiar, I highly recommend taking a closer look at your hair care ingredients.
What Ingredients Should I Use for Oily Hair?
Having healthy, gorgeous, non-greasy hair requires us to go beyond typical drug store hair care products. By doing so, we not only can stop greasy hair, but also skip many health hazards and other common hair problems like split-ends, dry scalp, or breakage.
And the good news is, the glands in our scalp that produce natural oils for hair tend to quickly respond to the ingredients provided to them, like a toddler and sugar!
So, take a quick scan of the labels on your hair care products or search by ingredient, brand, or product in the Skin Deep App by the Environmental Working Group. It’s quite possible they are making matters worse.
Here are the best natural hair care ingredients I’ve found to be very helpful for getting rid of greasy hair.
The Best Ingredients for Greasy and Oily Hair Home Remedies:
Essential Oils for Oily Hair Issues:
Oily hair is well, greasy and it tends to look lifeless and dull. Essential oils like lemongrass, rosemary, cedarwood, peppermint, cypress, eucalyptus and basil can help with regulating the production of oil by our sebaceous glands.
Take for example lemongrass, not only does it help balance oil production, but it helps unclog pores and boost shine. I like to use it in my aloe vera hair mask. Or rosemary essential oil that is packed full of antioxidants which help to ensure healthy, dandruff free, non-greasy hair with regular application.
Basically, adding essential oils for hair care into your routine can go a long way in your quest to get rid of greasy hair. Grab a list of the best essential oils for hair in the Simple Living Library.
Stop Greasy Hair with Aloe Vera:
Aloe vera is another natural remedy for greasy hair I’ve come to love. It’s filled with cleansing enzymes that help unclog your pores and remove excess oil. This means it absorbs quickly and effectively into your hair to beat oil and hydrate roots! Many who use aloe vera for hair, including myself, never look back. Find more details about how to use aloe vera for hair care here.
Cleanse Your Greasy Hair with Apple Cider Vinegar:
Like coconut oil and green tea, apple cider vinegar is one of those things that is good for the body inside and out in so many ways! As for getting rid of greasy hair, it’s the acidity of apple cider vinegar that helps to balance the pH of our scalp and remove build-up and excess oil without stripping our hair of nutrients. In fact, it comes with a dose of antioxidants that add shine and body to hair. I use it in my DIY scalp scrub to conquer all of the above!
Balance Oily Hair with Witch Hazel:
Another natural beauty ingredient known for its pH-balancing benefits is witch hazel. You may well be aware of its use as a toner for skincare to cleanse the skin, removes excess oil, and tighten pores. But, have you ever consider how the same benefits could help manage oily hair?
Oh yeah, it’s a game-changer! Use an alcohol-free witch hazel like this one infused with lavender and aloe vera as a hair rinse in between shampoos.
Now that you’ve taken a second look at the ingredients in your hair care products and discovered what ingredients offer a greasy hair quick fix, let me fill you in how I fixed the hair mistakes I was making.
8 ways to Stop Greasy Hair with Natural Remedies
Common mistakes may be making your hair greasy and keeping you from your best hair days yet. Start using these eight natural remedies for greasy hair to see quick results! Each one made a great deal of difference for my hair.
1. Use Dry Shampoo for Greasy Hair SPARINGLY
Dry shampoo is well known as a greasy hair quick fix. It absorbs excess oils on your roots at lightning speed, with a boost of volume! But, I think what most of us love even more than the speed of this greasy hair remedy is the fact that we don’t have rinse or wash our hair for the result to happen. Therefore, it saves us time and extends our hair styling another day.
But, what’s wrong with using dry shampoo for greasy hair?
While dry shampoo made with natural ingredients like arrowroot powder in my DIY dry shampoo spray can work like magic on second-day or third-day hair, it’s not meant to be applied for five days in a row! Nor is it a true substitute for shampooing. And over-applying can result in buildup on the scalp. Use these tips to apply dry shampoo correctly and sparingly.
2. Reconsider your Shampoo for Greasy Hair
Another common hair care mistake made by many of us is washing our hair way too often. I certainly was guilty of this in the past!
I know at first, the advice to wash your hair less often to stop getting greasy hair sounds counterintuitive. But hear me out –
When we shampoo our hair we not only remove build-up, excess oil, dirt, sweat, or anything else you’ve piled up there, we also strip our hair and scalp of its natural oils. To someone dealing with greasy hair, that might sound kind of great…
But, those natural oils are essential to healthy, strong hair. Without them, your hair will be overly dry, frizzy, and prone to hair loss. Therefore it’s best to only shampoo your hair two to three days a week.
Luckily, with a few tips, you can get the most out of each shampoo. Starting with using sulfate-free shampoo for greasy hair. Sulfates are strong detergents commonly found in shampoo and soaps that strip away everything, drying out our hair and skin. I use a sulfate-free solid shampoo to cleanse and restore my hair and scalp without drying.
Secondly, consider how you apply shampoo. Do you shampoo every last inch of your hair? There’s really no need to! It’s actually best to avoid the length and ends of your hair. Focus on applying shampoo to your roots and the crown of the head. This ensures you’ll be cleansing all of the items mentioned above while keeping the rest of your hair soft and nourished.
3. Turn Down the Temp of Your Shower
A hot shower may feel next to heavenly after a long day, but your hair most certainly won’t look angelic after.
Much like our skin, exposing our scalp to hot water can dry the tissues resulting in an overproduction of oil to compensate for the loss of moisture.
So for good measure, start with a medium to warm temperature while shampooing your hair and turn up the temp if you must after. And if your using a hair rinse (as I talk about below) opt for a cold water rinse to close the cuticles in hair and boost shine.
4. Apply Conditioner Correctly
If you’re trying your darndest to get rid of greasy hair, using conditioner may appear illogical. But the use of conditioner does not make hair greasy. That is if you are applying it correctly…
What’s the right way to apply conditioner?
Because the glands in our scalp already do a great job producing its own natural oils to conditioner hair, you should avoid applying it to your roots. Where should you apply conditioner then? The lower half of your hair. Start at the ends and work the conditioner up, stopping mid-shaft.
And how much conditioner should you use? To avoid weighing your hair down a pea-sized amount is recommended. I alternate between a solid conditioner bar and my DIY creamy hair conditioner to keep my hair soft and strong.
5. Stop Using HEAVY Styling Products
If the styling products you’re using are heavy, greasy hair is sure to happen. Products like styling balm made with waxes or thick oils and creams aren’t made for all hair types and should be kept away from your roots.
A multiple purpose hair styling product such as lightweight hair spray is a good option for greasy hair. This DIY hair spray is customizable. You can choose the strength of the hold to meet your needs.
6. Alternate with a Hair rinse
What is a hair rinse? A hair rinse adds volume and shine while removing excess oil from your roots.
It can provide your hair and scalp with a wealth of nutrients for a soft, silky effect we’re all after! You can use a hair rinse after shampooing and conditioning or in place of both on a no-poo day.
7. Use the Right Hairbrush and Keep it Clean
You don’t have to go all Marcia Brady to stop greasy hair. But, brushing your hair from root to tip, really does help reduce oil buildup. Brushing helps bring your natural oils produced on the scalp down the length and to the ends of your hair. This is why many women say their hair looks shinier after brushing.
And while the technique is important, the type of brush you use can make a big difference too! I’ve found a boar bristle hairbrush does the best at distributing natural oils throughout hair.
That being said, you only need to brush once or twice a day help move the oils down your hair length. Find all my tips on choosing the right hairbrush and detangling hair in my tangle-free hair routine.
And keep them clean – everyone knows you should clean your makeup brushes regularly, but most of us never clean our hairbrushes. Unfortunately, hairbrushes can get fairly dirty with styling products, hair strands, oil, and debris. Learn how to clean your hairbrushes and styling tools to help prevent greasy hair.
8. Exfoliate Your Scalp Regularly
Do you exfoliate your scalp? We apply scrubs to our face, lips, feet, and knees. In addition to dry brushing nearly the entire surface of our skin. So why leave your scalp out?
Regular scalp exfoliation can help prevent build-up and greasy hair. Use this DIY scalp scrub recipe is packed full of antioxidants to keep your scalp healthy and your hair grease-free!
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With a few changes to your hair care routine with these tips on how to stop greasy hair your hair will bounce back as mine did. Each of these natural remedies for greasy hair will keep your locks healthy and voluminous.
Have you tried any of these greasy hair quick fixes? Let me know in the comments or tag #lifenreflection on Instagram to share your hair tips and tricks with me.
I will try the method you said above
I will try the vinegar with my shampoo
That’s one I turn for a quick remedy and it works every time!