Oily hair is caused by overactivity of your sebaceous glands, which produce sebum, your hair's natural oil. Although sebum helps give hair its shine, excess sebum can make hair greasy and cause it to look lank and flat, sometimes even separating into unsightly clumps. According to hair expert Philip Kingsley, founder of the Philip Kingsley Trichological Clinic in London, fine hair tends to be oilier than coarser hair; blondes with baby-fine hair tend to have the most problems with excess oil. Stress, high heat and humidity can worsen oily hair; genetics also can play a role. Proper shampooing of your hair can help reduce oiliness.
Step 1
Select a shampoo that is specially formulated to remove residue from hair; these will sometimes be marketed as clarifying shampoos. On the MotherNature website, Thomas Goodman, Jr., M.D., assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences, advises a see-through shampoo for oily hair, saying that this type of product not only cleans hair better but contains fewer chemicals that could contribute to oiliness.
Step 2
Wet hair with lukewarm water, and apply the shampoo directly to your scalp as well as your hair. Work it into a lather, but avoid piling your hair up on top of your head; Hair Boutique says this can transfer oil from scalp to hair. Allow the shampoo to stay on your hair a full five minutes.
Step 3
Rinse thoroughly, then apply more shampoo and re-lather, allowing shampoo to remain on hair for another five minutes. This 10 minutes is well spent. According to Lowell Goldsmith, M.D., quoted on the MotherNature website, using insufficient amounts of shampoo is a common error for people with oily hair; a double shampoo, including 10 minutes of contact with the suds, won't harm hair or scalp but will serve to cleanse hair correctly.
Step 4
Rinse hair thoroughly, then pour a cup of water--into which you've squeezed the juice of one lemon--through your hair. Using this technique, suggested by Daily Glow, allows the acidic and astringent qualities of lemon to help remove excess oil. The Hygiene Expert concurs but warns that overuse of this remedy can leave hair too dry. If your hair begins to look dull or harsh, use lemon less frequently.
Step 5
Rinse the lemon juice out with lukewarm water, and finish with a blast of cool or cold water to your hair. Hair Boutique says this technique has an inhibiting effect on sebum production.
Step 6
Wash hair every day to help control excess oil. Hygiene Expert notes you should also wash hair after exercising to remove mixed sweat and oil.
Tips and Warnings
- Hair expert David Daines, owner of David Daines Salon in New York City, advises using beer--rather than commercial setting lotions--for oily hair. You can use any brand or variety, as long as it is fresh; simply pour through hair, then set as usual. Brush your hair lightly, and only enough to style it. The Doctors Book of Home Remedies advises that overbrushing, which distributes oil along the hair shaft, can contribute to greasy hair. Avoid using leave-in conditioners unless your hair is dry on the ends or the ends are splitting. In that case, apply conditioner only to the tips of your hair, not at the roots.
Things You'll Need
- Commercial clarifying shampoo formulated to remove residue
- Juice from one lemon
- 1 cup water
Member Comments