Few things are more aggravating than spending time washing and arranging your hair only to be confronted with oily or greasy strands the next day. There are plenty of reasons why your hair isn’t keeping its freshness. We’re here to shed light on the elusive little factors that could be making your hair greasy, so you can go longer between shampoos without ruining your hair hygiene and style.
Since the grease in hair makes it look slick and most people consider it appalling, we sought solutions to this recurrent problem. If you feel that your hair turns greasy too frequently, keep reading as we analyze the causes and possible remedies (including homemade remedies) for greasy hair and scalp.
What Causes Greasy Hair?
By design, our skin including your scalp produce oils called sebum to keep moisturized and protected. Healthy hair can regulate the amount of sebum produced so that hair does not feel greasy too quickly. The rate at which this greasiness builds up in our hair depends on the cleaning routine as well as other environmental and lifestyle factors including diet.
Poor washing
It might come as a shock to many but lack of hair cleaning skills might be the cause of greasy hair. If your hair lasts longer after a trip to the salon than it normally does with home cleaning then this is a hint that you might be a culprit of under washing. Take time to rub in the shampoo down to your scalp and if it does not lather nicely, add a splash of water instead of more product. The cleaner you get it, the less build up there is, it’s that simple!
Over washing your hair
Now, there is such a thing as washing your hair too frequently. We will not prescribe a frequency because skin and hair type and length vary. It also depends on the conditions your subject your hair to. Is it hot and humid or dry where you live? Plan your hair wash routine according to your
Too much conditioner
Professional hair stylists know to go easy on not only conditioner but all kinds of products. With your conditioner, you should take the little goes a long way approach. Use more of it on your ends than roots to avoid build up.
Using the wrong hair products
You have to be keen when picking products for your hair. You need to consult on your skin and hair type and what products best meet your requirements. Just the same, trying out products is the surefire way of knowing what works for your combination. No product is universally effective!
Over brushing
Touching hair too often
As much as your fresh from the salon look is tempting you to keep touching those tresses, you should generally abstain from touching your hair and scalp. Sebum is also a natural defense reaction of your skin and it will produce tons of it when irritated. That happens when you introduce germs and dirt from your fingers as this is not pleasant to your skin.
Dirty Linens
It goes without saying that your hair can dirty your pillowcase and vice versa. If you have silk linens then you have to clean them the right way and not just throw them in with the rest of laundry. Even with ordinary cotton, a weekly wash will keep you in the clear on this one.
Over Brushing
If you are stuck in the 100 strokes generation then we understand. While it is true that a good hair brush running through your hair every so often makes for good blood circulation and better hair growth, it also a way of redistributing oils throughout your hair. For this reason, keep your brush away to prolong the time before the next wash is due.
Home Remedies for Greasy Hair
You can also use simple home remedies to treat oily hair. There are various things that can be used to cut through greasy or oily hair. You can also use simple home remedies to treat oily hair. There are various things that can be used to cut through greasy or oily hair.
Essential oils
Having some hair-healthy ointments on hand will help to reduce oil buildup on your scalp. Though applying oils to your hair may seem paradoxical, certain natural oils break down sebum and cleanse the pores on your scalp. Both peppermint oil and tea tree oil have been shown to deep clean hair.
Apple cider vinegar
Anecdotal evidence suggests that apple cider vinegar (ACV) for occasional rinsing hair is effective for greasy hair treatment. People who swear by ACV claim that it dissolves the oil while altering the pH of your scalp, reducing the need for sebum secretion.
To try this treatment;
- Mix up to 10 tablespoons ACV into a gallon of warm water.
- After washing your hair with shampoo and conditioner, soak it in the mixture for a few minutes.
- When you’re finished, rinse out all of the ACV from your hair.
Aloe vera
Using aloe vera removes excess sebum and may increase circulation around your scalp. You can use a few drops of pure aloe vera as a leave-in conditioner or cleanse your hair with aloe as part of your regular routine. Aloe vera is thought to remove excess sebum and also boost circulation promoting healthy growth and skin.
Immediate Relief for Greasy Hair
Sometimes you don’t have the luxury of time or comfort of home to fix your greasy and slick hair situation. Your hair will also decide to act up at the most critical moments to get under your skin so to speak. So, what is the best remedy for temporary relieve from greasiness in hair? Here are two most suggested solutions we could find online.
Dry shampoo
By absorbing oil, dry shampoo can absorb sebum and dry your roots. It is a temporary fix and should be used sparingly between washes as it can also accumulate and cause scalp irritation.
Cornstarch or baby powder
Cornstarch and baby powder work in much the same way as dry shampoo but they are much more accessible on the move not to mention cornstarch has natural ingredient. You should also apply only a small amount of these as they too can mattify and dry your scalp causing flaking and dandruff.
Ending Thoughts on How to Manage Greasy Hair
It’s all too easy to get caught up in a daily hair-washing routine. We’ve all experienced how wonderful it is to have new roots every day!
It can be considerably more difficult to find your way back out. If you’ve trained your hair into a regular rinse, trying to eke out an extra day can leave it feeling unpleasant and greasy.
But imagine how much more time you could spend watching your favorite show or catching up on some much-needed sleep if we could reduce the washes and blow-dries.
