The Best Tips for Washing Oily Hair

Sometimes the sebaceous glands of the scalp change and begin to produce more sebum than usual. Consequently, your hair looks greasy and dirty. In this article, you can learn how to wash oily hair and make it less oily.
If you have oily hair, there are some specific recommendations to keep in mind to wash it properly. Due to excessive sebum production in the scalp, you need to know how to choose the right products to avoid looking oily and dirty.

First, it is important to know why fat accumulates in the hair and what factors make it worse. Then you can take some simple steps to make it look better.

What are the causes of oily hair?

Hormonal changes

These changes can stimulate the sebaceous glands in the scalp. As a result, they can make your hair look dirty. This is common in pregnant women, teens, and taking birth control pills.

Washing your hair too often gives oily hair.

Although people with oily hair tend to wash it regularly, washing it too often can be counterproductive. For what reason? Well, every time you rinse your hair with hair products, your scalp takes it as a signal to produce more sebum.

Hair type

Altered sebum production in the scalp can affect anyone. But people with fine and straight hair are at higher risk of accumulating sebum. Because the hair is not wavy, the sebum slides more quickly down the hair shaft.

Improper or excessive use of hair care products

It is important that you choose the right products for washing oily hair. Due to its properties, water alone does not remove sebum. You will also not make your hair look clean with oil-based products. It is important to use a shampoo with compounds that break down sebum.

You should also not use too much conditioner. In fact, you should only use conditioner from the tops and maybe halfway up on long hair. Make sure your conditioner contains as few fatty substances as possible.

Other possible causes

• Very intense training (due to excessive sweating).
• Excessive use of hair treatments.
• To go out with damp hair.
• To expose the hair to the sun or other strong heat sources.

How to wash oily hair properly.

Have you ever wondered what steps to take to wash oily hair? The process is quite simple. The key is to stimulate a good pH balance in the scalp and regulate sebum production. To achieve this, you need to know how to choose the right type of hair products and apply them properly. Here are the steps you need to follow:

1. Be careful with your choice of hair products

Most hair products are designed for normal or dry hair. Their composition helps to make your hair shinier and moisturizes it. However, it is not very suitable for oily hair. If you are trying to prevent this problem, it is best to find a specially designed formula.

Fortunately, today many products can regulate sebum production. For example, ingredients made from green tea, citrus fruits or aloe vera are good alternatives.

2. Use lukewarm or cold water.

Water temperature also matters. More precisely, you should avoid washing your hair with hot or boiling water. Although it removes dirt and grease, it can lead to increased sebum production later.

Therefore, it is best to use lukewarm or cold water. A good alternative is to start washing your hair with lukewarm water and rinsing it with cold water.

3. Apply a hair product

One of the most important aspects you should consider is applying hair products. First, you need to think about the amount of shampoo you are going to apply. This depends on how long and thick your hair is. You should use one to two tablespoons of shampoo.

After that, you also need to pay attention to how you use the shampoo. It is best to spread the shampoo all over the scalp and massage the scalp with your fingertips to remove any residue that accumulates there. Finally, and after a first rinse, apply a conditioner from the tops and half high up on the hair.

4. How often do you wash your hair

Contrary to many people’s beliefs, you do not need to wash oily hair very often. As we mentioned above, this tends to change its pH and can actually have the opposite effect. It is, therefore, best to wash it every other day. To prevent your hair from feeling dirty, you can use dry shampoo, for example.

5. Complete your hair care routine

In addition to the tips mentioned above, other hair care can also help you get cleaner and healthier hair. For example, it is good to use wraps with ingredients that suit oily hair. You can also try a scalp scrub, as long as it does not contain oil.

How to make hair less oily

A good routine for washing your hair can reduce the oily appearance. But you can also use the tips below to make your hair look better and avoid overstimulating sebum production. Test them today!

Use essential oils

It may be beneficial to apply certain essential oils to the hair to control excessive sebum production in the scalp. Their properties break down sebum and facilitate cleaning of the hair follicles.

Here are the most recommended options:

• Tea tree oil
• Peppermint oil
• Chamomile essential oil

Dilute a few drops of these oils in water or the shampoo you usually use. Another option is rosemary oil, which is also associated with healthy and strong hair.

Apply apple cider vinegar to treat oily hair

There is no scientific evidence on the health benefits of apple cider vinegar. However, anecdotal data suggest that using apple cider vinegar in moderate amounts can make the hair less oily and prevent problems such as dandruff.

• All you need to do is dilute a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in two litres of water.
• Then rinse the hair with the mixture.
• Finally, wash your hair with shampoo and apply conditioner.
• You can do this two to three times a week.

A wrap with aloe vera to counteract oily hair

As with other home remedies, there is no scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of aloe vera in fighting oily hair. Still, it has long been used in cosmetics to help relieve overproduction of sebum, dandruff and damaged or split ends.

How to apply it:

• First, extract fresh gel from an aloe vera leaf.
• Then massage this into the scalp with gentle circular motions.
• Let the wrap work for 20 minutes, and then rinse.
• You can use this wrap two to three times a week.

Apply dry shampoo to oily hair

It is a good idea to apply dry shampoo next to the hair roots after exercise or on very hot days to absorb sebum. You can find many different types of dry shampoo in cosmetics or beauty stores, or at pharmacies. However, it is not recommended to use dry shampoo too much.

Use cornstarch or baby powder to counteract oily hair.

Corn starch and baby powder can reduce oily hair that recovers from sweat and heat. They are similar to dry shampoo but have a more natural composition. Apply only a small amount of the selected product to the scalp and massage it well.

Avoid brushing your hair between hair washes.

Excessive brushing also affects oily hair. The brush pulls sebum and sweat from the scalp towards the tops. It is best not to brush your hair too much until you have a better balance in your hair. The same applies to straighteners and curling irons.

You can prevent oily hair.

Excessive sebum production is due to many different factors. But with the right washing routine and by using some simple and safe home remedies, you can improve the appearance of your hair.

Of course, you should also remember that it is important to consistently use the tips we have covered here, so be sure to add them to your daily hair care routine.

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