When you look in the mirror, do you feel like an oil spill occurred after washing your hair the night before? Rest assured, you're not alone.
Oily hair can get you down and put a real wrench in your beauty plans. No one has the time or patience for oily hair, but alas our hair can have a mind of its own.
Oily hair is a common problem experienced by men and women. Oily hair is the result of many factors ranging from hereditary causes to daily hair care routines and habits. It can also be caused by certain medications, stress, and diet.
The oil produced by sebaceous glands is scientifically known as "sebum." Every pore and hair follicle on your body has a sebaceous gland which helps your skin and scalp to stay moisturized. Sebum production is healthy for the body, but overproduction can make the skin or hair appear oily and unkempt.
This "unkempt" appearance is something most of us want to curb. So, how can we make our hair looks less oily and greasy?
Read on to discover hair care tips that will reduce or eliminate your oily hair.
1. Don't Touch
Touching your hair is a common habit. People touch their hair when they're nervous, stressed, or just plain old bored. While it's oh-so-satisfying to twirl your hair around your finger 10 times and tie it into a knot, doing so is adding oil to your hair.
This is especially true if you're the type of person who likes to run your hands through your hair near the scalp. Your hands have dirt and oil on them and when you touch your hair, this oil is then transferred to your scalp. Touching your scalp can also irritate your sebaceous glands which can cause them to produce more oil.
To avoid touching your hair place it in a ponytail or bun or twirl or tap a pen. While your office mate may not appreciate your newfound habit, your hair certainly will. You should also avoid over brushing your hair, which also distributes more grease throughout your strands.
2. Reduce Heat
Heat triggers the sebaceous glands to produce more oil. To avoid triggering this response, reduce your hair's exposure to heat. This includes heat from the sun, your hair dryer, or any styling products such as a straightener.
Instead, allow your hair to dry naturally or use the cool setting on your hairdryer. In the shower, you should also rinse your hair with cool water to allow your glands to properly close. Feel free to still use some heat at the beginning of your shower, but always make a point to end your shower with a cool, refreshing temperature.
3. Wash Less Frequently
Washing your hair signals to your glands to produce more oil. The body is always seeking balance and when we strip our hair repeatedly of oil it goes into overdrive to compensate. Constantly scrubbing your scalp can also stimulate oil production counteracting the initial stripping of hair oils.
Aim to wash your hair two to three times per week. At most, only wash your hair once per day. While this may be difficult to start, there are products you can use in between washes that can reduce the appearance of oil.
Washing in the morning can also help to reduce excess oil production and buildup.
4. Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoo is a gift to all women and men. Dry shampoo comes in spray and bottled forms, but what's important is that you find one that works for you. Aim to find a high-quality dry shampoo that smells fresh and banishes oil.
You'll know if you've found the right product when your hair appears to be freshly washed. If it's the wrong product your hair might look like George Washington's powdery hair-do. Which, most definitely is a hair-DO NOT in this day and age.
Using dry hair shampoo will especially be helpful when beginning your new washing routine of washing your hair two to three times per week. This can help you get through the initial overly oily phases until your sebum gets back into balance.
An added bonus to dry shampoo is that if you're simply feeling lazy and don't want to shower, you've got instant hair glam in a can at your disposal. So if you're running late or just don't feel like drying your hair, dry shampoo has you covered.
5. Condition the Right Way
Many people make the mistake of conditioning their entire head. This added source of oil, however, can make your hair appear even more oily.
Instead, you should only condition the hair that needs oil the most. This is the hair that is located further away from the scalp such as your ends. If you have short hair, then try to condition your hair less and just use shampoo.
6. Go Curly
Curly hair is in and people with oily hair are grateful! Curly hair helps to reduce the appearance of oily hair because it doesn't rest close to the scalp. When the hair rests on the scalp, the oil is transferred to the hair more easily.
If your oily hair is really getting you down, then consider getting a perm. If you have natural curls, then allow your air to dry naturally or use a diffuser on a cool setting to boost their appearance and bounce.
7. Check Your Diet
As they say, we are what we eat. If our hair and skin are oily, our diets could be to blame. Sadly, it's usually the foods that are the most appetizing and crave-worthy that do the most harm to our bodies and our appearance.
Eat a healthy diet and try to avoid or reduce fried foods and refined carbohydrates like ice cream and bread. Instead, seek out whole foods like fruits and vegetables to balance your body and its sebum production.
Oily Hair No More
Oily hair can be managed through consistent routines, habit changes, and simple tweaks like using less heat. Make sure to allow each of these changes enough time to reach their full potential.
Oily hair won't be cured in a day, but over time it can be reduced and/or eliminated by using these tips on a consistent basis. And when in doubt, we always have dry shampoo!
Want to find the best hair care products to keep your scalp healthy? Check out our blog post to learn all about the best natural and organic hair care products.