Anyone who has an oily scalp can confirm that finding the right shampoo for greasy hair is not an easy task. And no, an ordinary shampoo won't do the trick. The right formulations provide the perfect balance of nourishing your hair while avoiding stripping it from more oil than needed, which can often result in your scalp overcompensating and producing an excess amount of sebum.
Let's face it, washing your hair every day to keep greasy roots at bay is not exactly a perfect solution, either. Not only is it pretty wasteful of water, but it's also a time-consuming and tedious task when required so frequently. The problem is, the alternative (i.e. dry shampoo) also has its own downsides, namely, product build up and an itchy scalp if used for too many days consecutively.
Best shampoos for greasy hair at a glance – our top picks:
L'Oréal Professionnel Serié Expert Scalp Advanced Anti-Oiliness Dermo-Purifier Shampoo
OUAI Detox Shampoo
VIRTUE Full Shampoo
L'Oréal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Clay Rebalancing Shampoo
Luckily, hair care formulas have evolved to the point of being able to cater for every need imaginable - including oily hair while simultaneously protecting hair's natural condition. The key is avoiding heavy ingredients like coconut and Argan oils as well as coconut milk, and instead look for formulas containing balancing ingredients like tea tree oil, mint and activated charcoal, which reduce oil production and detox the scalp of sebum build-up without completely stripping your hair from its protective natural oils.
The other important thing to remember is to avoid putting moisturising styling creams anywhere near your roots - stick strictly to the lengths and ends to avoid greasy residue. Finally, one of the biggest causes of greasy hair is too much touching. Our hands pick up grime and oil throughout the day, which we then wipe on our hair every time we absent-mindedly play with it or put it up in a ponytail. Make sure you wash your hands before styling and other than that, try to avoid twiddling with it too much.
To help you choose the one that works best for you, we've already gone through the trouble of putting together a full edit of all the best shampoos for oily and greasy hair for your perusal. And yes, we've made sure to include a variety of hair products to suit all budgets, preferences and hair types. Enjoy.
Looking for more haircare content? Check out our guides for hot styling tools such as the best hair straighteners, best curling wands and foldable travel hair dryers. We can also help you pick the best shampoo for dry hair, best shampoo bars, best hair conditioner, best hair serums and best hair masks.
For more shoppable makeup and skincare content from Glamour UK Commerce Writer Denise Primbet, follow her on Twitter @deniseprimbet and Instagram @deniseprimbet.
For those days when you just need a quick fix, here's our fave, tried-and-tested dry shampoos.
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