How to Fix Oily Hair: An Esthetician Gives 8 Tips for Managing and Preventing It

If your hair is constantly serving up extra shine (and not the good kind), you’re not alone. Oily hair can be frustrating. It can affect both your confidence and the health of your scalp over time.

If your strands feel greasy by midday, there are some strategies you can try to freshen up your tresses. Here are some tips for how to fix oily hair — and prevent it from happening in the first place.

What is oily hair?

When we say “oily hair,” what we’re actually talking about is an oily scalp. The scalp is skin, after all. So when it gets oily, so does your hair. This can make your hair look greasy, especially at the roots. It can also make your hair look flat, limp, and unwashed.

Why does my hair get oily so fast?

There are several reasons hair can get oily. 

Excess sebum production

You have sebaceous glands all over your body (except on the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet). The sebaceous glands’ job is to make sebum, an oily substance that acts as a natural lubricant and protectant for the skin and hair.

But if your scalp produces too much sebum, it can make your hair greasy. Many things can contribute to excess sebum production, including:

• Genetics

• Natural hormonal changes (such as those caused by puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause, or menopause)

• Birth control pills

• Underlying health conditions, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

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Your hair products

Shampoos, conditioners, and other styling products are intended to keep your hair and scalp healthy and clean. But they can contribute to oily hair in a few ways. You may be:

• Using the wrong products for your hair: Products formulated for dry hair may contain thick oils. Argan oil is one example. But these ingredients can be too heavy for some hair types, like fine hair. This can make hair look greasy. 

• Using too much product: Try to use the smallest amount of product suitable for your hair length. And apply conditioner and hair oils only to the ends of your hair. Applying products closer to your scalp can make it oily.

• Allowing residue to build up: Hair products (and minerals from your water) can build up on your hair and scalp over time. This can weigh down the hair and give it a greasy appearance.

Your hygiene routine

Habits in your daily routine can cause oily hair, including:

• Not shampooing often enough: How often you should wash your hair depends on your hair type. If you have fine hair, it’s a good idea to wash as frequently as every other day to remove excess sebum. When you go too long between washes, sebum builds up on the scalp, making hair oily. Those with coarse or curly hair can usually go longer between washes. 

• Using a dirty hairbrush: Over time, your hairbrush can accumulate product buildup, oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria. If you don’t wash your brush, these things can get redeposited onto your scalp. To avoid this, wash your brush every 2 weeks by soaking it in a bowl with hot water and shampoo, then rinsing it.

How to get rid of oily hair

Treatment for oily hair depends on what’s causing it. 

If you think your oily hair may be a sign of hormonal changes or an underlying health condition, reach out to your primary care provider. They can help diagnose or rule out health conditions that may be causing oily hair. 

If your primary care provider has ruled out a health condition as the reason for your oily hair, you’ll likely want to make some hair care and lifestyle changes. You may not be able to completely prevent oily hair. But there are several steps you can take to eliminate the factors that can cause it:

• Use clarifying shampoo weekly: Clarifying shampoos are stronger than regular shampoos. They use ingredients that can remove product buildup, excess oil, and minerals from hard water that can build up on the scalp and make your hair look oily. But since they’re stronger than regular shampoos, you shouldn’t use a clarifying shampoo daily. Swapping it in once a week is enough.  

• Use warm (not hot) water on your hair: Hot water can strip away the natural oils in your hair. This causes the sebaceous glands to compensate by increasing sebum production. 

• Condition the ends of your hair only: Avoid applying conditioner from roots to ends. Instead, coat the bottom half of your strands only. This is the part of your hair that gets the driest and is most prone to damage, anyway. 

• Rinse well: Sometimes hair appears oily because of shampoo or conditioner left behind. Make sure you rinse your hair completely to get all the product off your scalp.

• Stop touching your hair: Touching your hair often can transfer oil from your hands to your hair. Try not to run your fingers through your hair too much.

• Eat a balanced diet: Eating a diet that includes a lot of high-glycemic foods can contribute to excess sebum production. Instead, focus on whole foods, with plenty of lean protein, fruits, and vegetables.

• Find ways to reduce stress: Stress can trigger excess sebum production. Try using techniques to manage stress, such as deep breathing, meditation, and yoga.

What are the best products to use for oily hair?

Take stock of the types of products you’re using. With oily hair, less is often more. Your best bet is to stick to the basics: shampoo, lightweight conditioner, and limited styling products. This will help you avoid weighing your hair down. There are lots of specific brands with formulations made for oily hair. But here are some general things you can look for.

Sulfate-free shampoos 

Look for sulfate-free shampoos that say “clarifying,” “volumizing,” and/or “balancing.” These shampoos are usually formulated to remove product buildup without weighing your hair down. The following ingredients can help with oil:

• Charcoal or clay: It helps absorb excess oil.

• Salicylic acid: It exfoliates the scalp and removes product buildup. Salicylic acid can also treat seborrheic dermatitis, a common condition caused by excessive sebum production.

• Apple cider vinegar: It helps remove grease and balance your scalp’s pH.

• Tea tree oil: It’s naturally antibacterial and helps remove excess oil.

Lightweight conditioners

A lightweight conditioner contains hydrating ingredients that aren’t too heavy. Some good conditioner options for oily hair include those that are:

• Silicone-free: Silicones can make the hair softer and shinier. But they can also build up, weighing the hair down and making it look greasier. If you're prone to oily hair, a silicone-free conditioner is a better option.

• Aloe vera-based: Aloe vera is hydrating without making the hair greasy and heavy. It’s lightweight and fresh.

• Green tea-infused: Green tea may help control excess sebum production.

Dry shampoo

Dry shampoo can help in between washes. In fact, dry shampoo is one of the quickest ways to fix oily hair while you work on longer-term management.

Dry shampoos contain ingredients that absorb excess oil and keep hair fresh between washes.

Look for at least one of the following oil-absorbing ingredients in your dry shampoo:

• Starch (tapioca or rice)

• Clay/kaolin clay

• Charcoal

• Baking soda

• Arrowroot powder

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Written by:

Lindsay Boyers, CHNC

Lindsay Boyers, CHNC, is a functional nutritionist, licensed esthetician, writer, and editor with over a decade of experience in evidence-based health, wellness, and skincare writing.

Edited by:

Meredith Hoffa

Meredith Hoffa is a senior health editor at GoodRx, where she leads journalists and clinicians covering various well-being topics, particularly in diet and nutrition.

Reviewed by:

Maria Robinson, MD, MBA

Maria Robinson, MD, MBA, is a board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist who has practiced dermatology and dermatopathology for over 10 years across private practice, academic, and telehealth settings. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society of Dermatopathology.

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