Why is my hair so oily? The surprising causes (and cures) you may not know about
With our extensive guide to preventing and managing an oily scalp, you'll never wonder "why is my hair so oily?" again.
Ladies, the greasy hair struggle is real. If you’re dealing with tresses that seem to lose their lustre in the blink of an eye, we feel your pain. From sebum production to over-styling, there are many grease-enhancing factors that can leave you wondering, “why is my hair so oily?”
To clear up all your burning questions, Unilever’s Peter Bailey, Global Technical Manager, Hair Care, breaks down the science behind greasy locks. Decoding not just the best quick-fix solutions, but also the long-term grooming hacks that are essential in fighting back against oily strands.
Buh-bye, grease. Hello, fresh-feeling scalp…
Why is my hair so oily? The science
Why does my hair get greasy?
Want to know the reason why your hair gets oily? Peter breaks down the biology: “within the hair follicle, there is something called the sebaceous gland which is responsible for producing sebum.”
“Made up of a cocktail of lipids or fatty materials, sebum makes its way up out of the follicle along the hair fibre.” This is what forms an oily or coating over the hair surface, and can make it feel greasy or dirty.
“In addition, if the sebum is allowed to remain on the hair for a long period of time it can be attacked and broken down by the micro-organisms on the scalp. The by-products of this process can also have a strong odour.” Yikes.
What are the best products to wash greasy hair with?
Greasy hair = heavy feeling hair. To combat this it’s important your hair feels refreshed, so we suggest using the TRESemmé Cleanse & Replenish Deep Cleansing Shampoo. The shampoo is formulated with an ultra-light conditioning agent, so that it both effectively removes the excess sebum from your hair without leaving it feeling stripped.
Next, use a conditioner. The TRESemmé Cleanse & Replenish Deep Cleansing Conditioner uses one of the lighter formulations in the TRESemmé range to ensure that you protect and detangle your hair effectively without leaving it feeling greasy or weighed down.
Two essential boxes you want your products to tick when washing greasy-feeling hair.
What are the best hairstyles for greasy hair?
If you’re short on time and need to disguise oily strands, check out our styling gallery for some editor-approved inspiration on how to style greasy hair.
From easy quick-fix updos to hair accessories that will hide less-than-fresh roots. We’ve got a look that will work for you, day or night.
Editor’s tip: Embracing second-day hair that’s a little oily? Here’s how to style it.
What’s the quickest way to fix greasy hair?
Two words: dry shampoo. If you’re keen to freshen up the appearance of your tresses in a flash, mist a formula like the VO5 Refresh Dry Shampoo straight onto your roots.
Use your fingers to massage the product into the scalp and comb through the hair, if needed. Need some visuals? Check out our easy dry shampoo how-to to see how we recommend making the most of this essential #hairhack.
