Greasy or oily hair can really ruin your look. But you don’t have to let it ruin your life! We reveal how to prevent greasy hair, show you some great natural remedies, and discuss the things you’re better off avoiding altogether.
How to Prevent Greasy Hair
If you’re prone to oily hair, there are a few things you can do simply as part of your everyday care routine. Our top tips include:
- Avoid using hot water – only wash your hair with lukewarm water. Hot temperatures will overstimulate your scalp’s sebum production, and you might end up with greasy hair after washing.
- Use a comb, instead of a brush. A brush will distribute more of the grease from your scalp into your hair.
- Let your hair dry naturally in the air. Or, if you really need to blow dry, use a low temperature. As with hot water, blow drying at high temperatures irritates the scalp. This is one of the most common reasons for having oily hair but a dry scalp.
Chamomile Tea: An Easy Home Remedy for Oily Hair
You might have some of the natural products which can help prevent greasy hair or an itchy scalp at home already. Chamomile has a soothing effect on your skin’s sebaceous glands and will stop your hair from looking stringy and straggly.
- Make two pints of tea, using four teabags (or tablespoons) of plain chamomile tea (like this pure Sri Lankan infusion, available on Amazon**).
- Let the tea cool. (Or enjoy a relaxing cup of it while you wait! Chamomile is caffeine-free and has many health benefits.)
- Use the cool chamomile tea as a homemade conditioner after shampooing. Leave the tea in – you don’t need to rinse it out.
Healing Clay: The Natural Cure for Oily Hair
There are numerous natural ways to fix greasy hair. Healing clay is particularly effective, as it helps to degrease the hair. For a healing clay hair mask (for example using the brand Aztec Secret, available on Amazon**) proceed as follows:
- Mix ten tablespoons of the clay powder with a cup of water to give a thick, mud-like consistency.
- Apply the paste to your scalp after shampooing.
- Leave the hair treatment in for ten to 20 minutes, and then rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
Baking Soda and Vinegar: The Ultimate Home Remedy for Greasy Hair
Baking soda is kind of a miracle cure: It can be used for everything from homemade deodorant to cleaning your mattress! It also works well to fix greasy hair, as it absorbs your scalp’s natural oils. Here’s how:
- Mix one tablespoon of baking soda with three tablespoons of water.
- Rub the paste into your damp hair.
- After a few minutes, rinse well with warm water.
- Finish with an acidic rinse: Mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with two pints of water, use this to rinse your hair, and simply leave in. (Don’t worry, the vinegar smell will disappear as soon as your hair dries!)
Don’t forget the apple cider vinegar rinse, because baking soda is alkaline. The vinegar will re-balance the pH levels of your scalp and give your hair a better natural structure. Caution: Over time, baking soda will dry out your hair. This means you should only use this method once in a while. In addition, it can leach the color from dyed hair.
The Root Causes of Oily Hair
Firstly, the food we eat affects our skin and hair. Sugary foods and drinks increase sebum production. By eating a low-fat, balanced diet, you can help prevent oily hair. Drinking plenty of water also helps, and is good for your skin and your concentration anyway!
Often, using the wrong care products causes greasy hair: Many shampoos contain silicone, which only superficially cares for your hair. The artificial way silicone locks moisture in can leave your hair looking oily. You should also consider avoiding these shampoos for the sake of the environment, because silicone is not biodegradable (although it can have other environmental benefits).
Another problem with conventional shampoos is microplastics. The tiny plastic particles are found in many care products. Better alternatives for washing your hair are organic shampoos or hair soaps that come completely without plastic packaging (like these climate-friendly bars on Amazon**).
However, sometimes greasy hair is caused by things we just can’t control, like the hormonal changes we go through during puberty, pregnancy, or menopause. On the other hand, simple things like alcohol consumption, stress, or just wearing a hat too often will all increase the likelihood of greasy hair.
Quick Fixes for Greasy Hair
If you suffer from very stubborn greasy hair and all these tips and home remedies don’t help, you can always hide it:
- If you have long hair: Wear your hair in a loose bun. This will draw focus from your hairline and put the longer, less oily sections of your hair center stage!
- Or: Braid your hair in one or two French braids. This not only hides your greasy roots, but actually works much better with slightly oily hair than with freshly-washed hair.
- For everyone: Baking soda, baby powder, healing clay, or dry shampoo can be used as first aid for greasy hair in a pinch. But be sparing so your hair doesn’t look dusty. Apply the powder to your hairline and then brush out the product thoroughly. For dark hair, be sure to see how much white powder is still visible after brushing it out.
- And if nothing else works, a hat, baseball cap, or scarf can discreetly hide greasy hair.
Of course, none of these options are permanent solutions: You should concentrate on finding the cause of (and natural solutions to) the problem. If your symptoms persist or become uncomfortable, speak to a health professional like a dermatologist. Still, a balanced diet, a healthy lifestyle, and an environmentally-friendly, sustainable hair care regimen will all help fix greasy or oily hair.
This article was translated from German to English by Will Tayler. You can read the original here: Fettige Haare: Diese Tipps und Hausmittel helfen
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