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If you have greasy hair, you probably already know how annoying it can be. Five minutes after you’ve washed it, it starts looking flat and clumpy (and not in a good way!)

However, there are ways you can care for greasy hair to make it more manageable. While you might not prevent your scalp from generating oils, you can protect your hair throughout the day and improve moisture balance.

So, what do you need to do to care for greasy hair? Find out everything you need to know in this helpful little guide.

Stop Touching Your Hair

It might be tempting to claw at your hair throughout the day, but we’d strongly recommend against it, especially if it is prone to greasiness. The more you touch it, the more likely it is that oils from the scalp (and your fingers) will mingle with it, giving you that greasy look you don’t want.

If you find yourself fiddling throughout the day, choose something other than your hair to satisfy the habit. Play with a stress ball or paperclip – anything. Just avoid touching your head.

Look For Lightweight Products

Next, look for lightweight shampoos to wash your hair. You want products that won’t leave you with that dreaded heavy feeling after you finish drying.

Don’t automatically assume that products that say “for oily hair” are necessarily best. Sometimes these can work, but many brands fill their shampoos with additional conditioning agents unsuitable for oily hair.

Ideally, you want a product that loosens the oils in your hair and removes them, helping you keep it looking fluffy and healthy for longer. If you have fine and greasy hair, look for the lightest shampoo available, preferably one containing micellar water.

Get A Conditioner That Won’t Make The Greasiness Worse

If you have oily hair, the wrong conditioner can easily tip it in the wrong direction. That’s because most formulations seek to add moisture to dry or brittle hair, not help those with greasy hair manage it better.

Therefore, look for conditioners that focus on “rebalancing” the oils on your scalp. These adjust the type and concentration of oil, giving you that shiny look you want without any of the associated greasiness.

Many professionals use lemon hair oil because of the unique properties of lemon. It contains a mild exfoliant that helps to attract unwanted sebum from scalp pores while gently conditioning dry ends.

Get Into The Habit Of Washing Your Hair Less

While it might sound strange to say it, getting into the habit of washing your hair less can also help to alleviate greasiness issues. Training your scalp to reduce sebum production is a powerful tool you can use over time.

Washing your hair less works because it discourages excess oil production. Scalp cells aren’t dealing with a moisture drought because of shampoo usage, encouraging them to reduce their output.

It’s not a perfect solution, of course, but it does help many people. And if you need to fight grease mid-way between proper washes, you can always use a dry shampoo.

Use Lighter Styling Products

You also want to use lighter styling products if you are battling greasy hair. The more heavy synthetic products you add, the more weighed-down your hair will look.

The best option is powdered styling products. These are becoming more popular and available in beauty stores.

If you can’t find these, use light-styling creams. These are much lighter weight than conventional mousses and oils.

Detangle Your Hair

Detangling your hair is another approach you can take. Removing the knots from your hair helps you get shampoo down to the deeper layers, preventing you from having to wash it so often.

It could also help you if you have particularly thick hair. Running a comb through it now and then lets more of the shampoo come into contact with the scalp area, removing excess oil.

Try An Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse

You might also want to try an apple cider rinse – an old-fashioned approach for greasy hair. It works by balancing scalp pH and removing hair product buildup that can attract oil.

However, make sure you dilute it with plenty of water. Never apply it neat.

Lather Shampoo More Into Your Scalp

Finally, you can try adjusting your hair-washing technique to focus more on lathering it into your scalp. Concentrating on this area and massaging in the product can help remove excess sebum and prevent it from immediately making its way down hair strands the moment you touch it.

So there you have it: our quick guide for caring for greasy hair. Which of these tactics will you try?