Tired of washing oily hair every day

[elfs]

I'm a newbie to the forums, I've lurked for a little while and read a good handful of wash threads, and I've been looking up how to combat my greasy hair for a while now, but to no avail. The best it gets is when I shower with a men's 2-in-1 as shampoo, and then I believe Pantene's volumizing conditioner, in my partner's shower. It will stay clean looking all day and for an hour or two the next, but by mid day, it's looking greasy if I haven't loaded up on dry shampoo. At home, I use Biotera volumizing shampoo and conditioner. The next morning, it'll look stringy, flat, and have that oily shine begin to show its ugly head. It's always the roots and face framing layers, I should mention. The rest of my hair is fine and looks like it could go a few days without a wash!

I've had people tell me that, no matter what, I shouldn't need to wash it every day. Some even tell me it's bad for my hair - never professionals, however, just friends and peers that think they're being helpful. I've tried for a month or two biting the bullet and letting it be greasy the second day, just to see if it'll even itself out, but it hasn't yet. I've tried using a clarifying shampoo before, but it's been a while - I intend on buying more today.

Could it be the shampoo I'm using? I often buy Ion or Biotera rather than grocery store brands. Biotera is paraben free, but I don't believe I've seen anyone here discuss dropping them, just silicones and sulfates. I think I'll search for products free of these today as well.

I'm happy to have found the LHC community. It's super inspiring to get my hair on the right track. I've never considered using hair oils or CO until now - though, that might be counterintuitive with my oily hair. :p It sounds relaxing, I hope to try them some day and find something that works. I'm even looking into an Aquis turban, hair forks, buffs, and toys; things I've never been interested in before, but make me go starry eyed now.

[Trip]

Honestly washing it every day only helps it get greasier since washing it dries out the scalp then the scalp produces more oil to compensate
from what ive seen and experienced the only thing thats gonna slow it down is dealing with the grease until your scalp adjusts. Coming from someone who used to wash every day and now once a week

[elfs]

Honestly washing it every day only helps it get greasier since washing it dries out the scalp then the scalp produces more oil to compensate
from what ive seen and experienced the only thing thats gonna slow it down is dealing with the grease until your scalp adjusts. Coming from someone who used to wash every day and now once a week

That's what I've heard. I feel like I'm doing something wrong, I've tried washing it every other day for months at a time.
Once a week! How long did that transition take?

[elfs]

I forgot to mention, I have a history of being a blowdryer, heat all the way up. I like my hair to have volume, so I'll use root lift spray sometimes too. Hairspray as well. Can these have an effect?

[Mafmi]

To my knowledge there is no scientific evidence to back up the claim that greasy hair will eventually produce less sebum over time with fewer washes. That doesn't mean it's not true, just that this advice is based on a lot of personal anecdotes. I have tried it myself, and have been stretching my washes for a good 5-6 years now, and my hair still gets oily pretty quickly. I've maaaaybe gained an extra day over the years.

A couple things have made a difference for me. One is sectioning my hair when I wash it to make sure I'm not missing any spots. Another is mastering my dry shampoo technique, lol. If your hair is really excessively oily, it might be worth it to get checked for seborrheic dermatitis.

[Trip]

That's what I've heard. I feel like I'm doing something wrong, I've tried washing it every other day for months at a time.
Once a week! How long did that transition take?

Took me around 2 months of washing every 3 days then 4 days then 5 progressively up and now i can go a week but this is only my personal experience its different for everyone
I dont know if the blowdryer could be affecting it but i know it will affect the overall quality of your hair for sure
When i started stretching my washes i also swore off using heat and unnatural products so that may have helped

[Dark40]

Hi and welcome to the forum!:) I have to be honest with you I hate greasy and dirty hair! I have wash my hair every single day. Even though I do use oils on both of my hair and scalp it does tend to get greasy around the 3 or 4th day after washing, and when that happens I start to shed a lot. If I wash my hair only once a week I would shed in big clumps of hair. I've learned that I have less shedding or breakage if I keep my hair clean on a daily basis, and I don't believe in dry shampoos. I don't like them. I mostly use sulfate-free shampoos, and every now and then I'll use a shampoo with sulfates for clarifying. Or, I'll just use a clarifying shampoo.

[elfs]

We seem to have close hair types, Trip and Mafmi, I'm happy to hear back from you! If it's not weird to ask, what products do you both use? What washing methods?


To my knowledge there is no scientific evidence to back up the claim that greasy hair will eventually produce less sebum over time with fewer washes. That doesn't mean it's not true, just that this advice is based on a lot of personal anecdotes. I have tried it myself, and have been stretching my washes for a good 5-6 years now, and my hair still gets oily pretty quickly. I've maaaaybe gained an extra day over the years.

A couple things have made a difference for me. One is sectioning my hair when I wash it to make sure I'm not missing any spots. Another is mastering my dry shampoo technique, lol. If your hair is really excessively oily, it might be worth it to get checked for seborrheic dermatitis.

Haha, yeah, I'm finally figuring out my dry shampoo technique. I have a homemade powder (cornstarch, cocoa powder, lavender EO) that I'll dust into my roots and leave in overnight. It usually keeps well the next day, but if I'm out in the heat/humidity for a while, I'll use another dry shampoo for styling. I'll keep up with the every other day routine and try a new shampoo perhaps.



Took me around 2 months of washing every 3 days then 4 days then 5 progressively up and now i can go a week but this is only my personal experience its different for everyone
I dont know if the blowdryer could be affecting it but i know it will affect the overall quality of your hair for sure
When i started stretching my washes i also swore off using heat and unnatural products so that may have helped

Oh dear. I went two days without washing until today, and when I don't have plans and can stomach it, I'll give it a shot. I could try to go without unnatural products.. but I love my hairspray too much

[Mafmi]

We seem to have close hair types, Trip and Mafmi, I'm happy to hear back from you! If it's not weird to ask, what products do you both use? What washing methods?



Haha, yeah, I'm finally figuring out my dry shampoo technique. I have a homemade powder (cornstarch, cocoa powder, lavender EO) that I'll dust into my roots and leave in overnight. It usually keeps well the next day, but if I'm out in the heat/humidity for a while, I'll use another dry shampoo for styling. I'll keep up with the every other day routine and try a new shampoo perhaps.

I wouldn't really suggest my routine, haha. I'm just going through my cabinet and trying to use up whatever dregs of shampoo conditioner I have left. For a while I was using L'Oreal EverCreme shampoo, and I really liked it, but they changed the formulation and added some oils, which didn't work for me at all. If your hair is similar to mine, it might be oily not just because your scalp produces a lot of oil, but because your hair is low porosity, meaning the follicle is tightly closed and it doesn't absorb product well (including your own sebum.)

I would also suggest trying out a commercial dry shampoo. I've tried a few homemade recipes and have had minimal success. My favorite I've tried is Pantene Pro-V Dry Shampoo, which is only $5-ish, but I also use the unscented variety of Not Your Mother's for work.

[Trip]

Regular washes i use a shampoo bar from chagrin valley (the henna one) and acv rinse and thats it though i lightly apply almond oil to the wet ends after. If im deep conditioning i use an argan oil shampoo and acv rinse :)
The cwc method works really well on my hair too im just trying to do acv right now instead since its a lot more affordable and simple

[Dark40]

Trip, I also do wcc method too. I don't condition first. I use shampoo then I condition twice. I don't do the acv rinses. Because, I'm afraid of doing those scared that it's going to dry my hair out. I've always wanted to give it a try though. Because, I've heard a lot of good things about it for hair growth and shine. Yeah, I've heard of the shampoo bars from chagrin valley.

[vampyyri]

I'm oily as all get out too. What I found that works best for me is scalp only washing. Basically I put my hair into a bun at the base of my neck and jam my head into the sink and wash all of the hair that touches my scalp. Stretching does not work for me, it's genetic for me. And you know what, that's okay. If you need to wash your scalp daily (like I do) then so be it. Do what makes you feel comfortable is what it comes down to.

[divinedobbie]

I think it's a good idea to keep trying to stretch washes. Try different shampoos sulphates vs sulphate free and different washing methods - CO vs regular shampoo and condition. I think there's just a big variety of what may or may not work for different people. Some people swear that by slowly getting their hair used to the oil caused them to produce less sebum, others say that really cleaning their scalp well on day 1 allows them to go longer, and others yet say that that will dry out their scalp causing them to be more oily..

In the end, don't be disappointed or frustrated if you can't manage to stretch washes. It's a nice thing but it's not the end of the world. Personally I worry more about things like hairspray or hot blowdryers damaging my hair. But again, in the end, you need to pick what makes you happy and what you can't live without and then try to make small changes with the rest.

(I wash my hair every day)

[Arciela]

Mine used to get greasy fast too >< What I find helps actually is cowashing with Suave Clarifying conditioner. It actually lets me go a few days without washing, where as with shampoo..its every day / two days.

Same thing happened with my face..I stopped using face wash (only use water) and my face as way less oily..took a month though!

[elfs]

I would also suggest trying out a commercial dry shampoo. I've tried a few homemade recipes and have had minimal success. My favorite I've tried is Pantene Pro-V Dry Shampoo, which is only $5-ish, but I also use the unscented variety of Not Your Mother's for work.

I use a commercial dry shampoo to style or extra if needed, the home made one is cheaper and works if it's slept in. Though, the one I bought recently is scented (a delicious toasted coconut scent) and supposed to add texture, which might mean clogging products. It's not something I use often, so I'll see how that goes.


Regular washes i use a shampoo bar from chagrin valley (the henna one) and acv rinse and thats it though i lightly apply almond oil to the wet ends after. If im deep conditioning i use an argan oil shampoo and acv rinse :)
The cwc method works really well on my hair too im just trying to do acv right now instead since its a lot more affordable and simple

I love the sound of shampoo bars. I was skeptic at first. I'm a sucker for Lush products and they sell a few shampoo bars, I'll check the ingredients and perhaps buy one the next time I'm out there. You'll have to excuse me, I'm not familiar with ACV rinses!
I'm HUGELY interested in the cwc method. I intend on trying it this coming week, after clarifying for the first time in maybe a year. However, would the last conditioning - all the way to the scalp - be an issue with my oily canopy? Conditioning the scalp sounds like a greasy disaster, I'm nervous.

[elfs]

I'm oily as all get out too. What I found that works best for me is scalp only washing. Basically I put my hair into a bun at the base of my neck and jam my head into the sink and wash all of the hair that touches my scalp. Stretching does not work for me, it's genetic for me. And you know what, that's okay. If you need to wash your scalp daily (like I do) then so be it. Do what makes you feel comfortable is what it comes down to.

Interesting! Do you condition or oil the rest at all? How often do you wash this way?


I think it's a good idea to keep trying to stretch washes. Try different shampoos sulphates vs sulphate free and different washing methods - CO vs regular shampoo and condition. I think there's just a big variety of what may or may not work for different people. Some people swear that by slowly getting their hair used to the oil caused them to produce less sebum, others say that really cleaning their scalp well on day 1 allows them to go longer, and others yet say that that will dry out their scalp causing them to be more oily..

In the end, don't be disappointed or frustrated if you can't manage to stretch washes. It's a nice thing but it's not the end of the world. Personally I worry more about things like hairspray or hot blowdryers damaging my hair. But again, in the end, you need to pick what makes you happy and what you can't live without and then try to make small changes with the rest.

(I wash my hair every day)

I just bought some sulphate free shampoo and clarifying shampoo tonight! I'm excited to see how this goes. I'm not sure I've used any cone-free conditioner in ages, though, if at all. I've seen labels talking about parabens and sulfates, but silicones are new to me. I'll have to experiment with that as well.
Ah, I should be worried about heat and hairspray, shouldn't I? My hair seems relatively healthy. I had a moment last year in the fall where I seemed to be losing a lot more strands than the usual few while combing it. Even when I was dyeing it, it held up well. It's pretty fine though, and tangles are a pain. I can comb before leaving the house and run my fingers through and find globs of knotted hair just a few hours later.


Mine used to get greasy fast too >< What I find helps actually is cowashing with Suave Clarifying conditioner. It actually lets me go a few days without washing, where as with shampoo..its every day / two days.

Same thing happened with my face..I stopped using face wash (only use water) and my face as way less oily..took a month though!

I read a CO thread from someone with oily hair (I laughed when they said 'very oily' and then continued to 'has to be washed every 2 or 3 days') that said the method helped their hair. Did you have a transition period where it was greasy for a bit before adjusting? Did you completely abandon shampoo, or is there more to the method than just conditioning the ends during a wash?

[Krissycats]

My son has been using L'Oreal's ELVIVE Extraordinary Clay Shampoo and Conditioner and I can really tell a difference in his hair.

[Soulina]

I wash my hair once a week, not because I have to, I just like washing my hair. I do not remember last time my hair was visibly oily. I can easily go 2 weeks, and in a bun it looks nice and smells clean. I never have stretched washes on purpose, it is they way my hair is. My hair is extremely soft and silky. Fine in the point of single strand being almost translucent. Rolling one between your fingers and feels like nothing, you cant feel them. I still have II thickness now that I stopped dyeing. My hair is very very light, and delicate. I would "kill it" by washing every day. I cant use any styling products, my hair is its best when I just let it be and bun it.

Some times it is just genetic, don't stress about it too much. Try different things and "listen" to your hair, it knows what is best for it. Don´t do what worked for others, do what works best for you.

[lapushka]

I forgot to mention, I have a history of being a blowdryer, heat all the way up. I like my hair to have volume, so I'll use root lift spray sometimes too. Hairspray as well. Can these have an effect?

Yep definitely. If you use the blowdryer, use it wisely. It is a tool that can be abused (hot). Only use it on cool/warm, so the lowest or middle heat setting, and do not turn it all the way up. Hot air (sweaty) can make the oil glands start to produce more oil.

Also don't let conditioner or oils touch your scalp (no pre-pooing).

Some people can't stretch their washes.

Some need sulfates to stretch, others need sulfate-free to stretch, it is all very individual.

And some can't stretch no matter what.

There is absolutely *nothing* wrong with having to wash your hair everyday. In fact, take a look at this thread (frequent washers thread):
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=141446

[Wendyp]

I’m down to 2x a week from every day then e/o. . I have a super greasy scalp, but I think with less washing over time it has lessened. I think it takes time. On the weeks is worse than others I use dry shampoo. And now I’m wearing it up as I’m reading that’s important for really healthy hair. I would really like to do 1x a week but it’s just too greasy I push it with 2x lol.

[my2cats1]

Have you tried something like this for scalp washes? https://www.ponydry.com/ (https://www.ponydry.com/)You might also make your own version with some plastic shopping bags.

[Mafmi]

I use a commercial dry shampoo to style or extra if needed, the home made one is cheaper and works if it's slept in. Though, the one I bought recently is scented (a delicious toasted coconut scent) and supposed to add texture, which might mean clogging products. It's not something I use often, so I'll see how that goes.

I might have to try your homemade dry shampoo recipe then! I love the idea of diy products, but I haven't had much success with my own dry shampoo ventures. I probably need to be better about putting it on the night before, I imagine that would make a big difference.

[Simsy]

Yep definitely. If you use the blowdryer, use it wisely. It is a tool that can be abused (hot). Only use it on cool/warm, so the lowest or middle heat setting, and do not turn it all the way up. Hot air (sweaty) can make the oil glands start to produce more oil.

Also don't let conditioner or oils touch your scalp (no pre-pooing).

Some people can't stretch their washes.

Some need sulfates to stretch, others need sulfate-free to stretch, it is all very individual.

And some can't stretch no matter what.

There is absolutely *nothing* wrong with having to wash your hair everyday. In fact, take a look at this thread (frequent washers thread):
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=141446

Amen to this ^.


Interesting! Do you condition or oil the rest at all? How often do you wash this way?


I just bought some sulphate free shampoo and clarifying shampoo tonight! I'm excited to see how this goes. I'm not sure I've used any cone-free conditioner in ages, though, if at all. I've seen labels talking about parabens and sulfates, but silicones are new to me. I'll have to experiment with that as well.
Ah, I should be worried about heat and hairspray, shouldn't I? My hair seems relatively healthy. I had a moment last year in the fall where I seemed to be losing a lot more strands than the usual few while combing it. Even when I was dyeing it, it held up well. It's pretty fine though, and tangles are a pain. I can comb before leaving the house and run my fingers through and find globs of knotted hair just a few hours later.



I read a CO thread from someone with oily hair (I laughed when they said 'very oily' and then continued to 'has to be washed every 2 or 3 days') that said the method helped their hair. Did you have a transition period where it was greasy for a bit before adjusting? Did you completely abandon shampoo, or is there more to the method than just conditioning the ends during a wash?

Just from personal experience, I used to have really oily hair until I changed a few things up.
1) I condition all of my hair, right up to the roots. Contrary to regular use, I need the extra moisture on my scalp; otherwise I get really bad knotting on my scalp.

2) I oil as I’m detangling after the shower, while my hair is still wet. I oil again once it’s dry and before I put it up. I’m an oil-abuser, and my scalp and hair are happier for it. Also my scalp doesn’t produce anywhere near as much oil since I started oiling manually. Don’t know why, don’t know if it might work for you, I mention because it might help.

3) My hair doesn’t like getting wet, doesn’t like being loose, and really hates being fiddled with. This means I get less oil, less hassle and less knots/tangles when I stick it up and keep it relatively dry.

Again I mention this only because I think it might be of some help.

[Hexen]

Yep definitely. If you use the blowdryer, use it wisely. It is a tool that can be abused (hot). Only use it on cool/warm, so the lowest or middle heat setting, and do not turn it all the way up. Hot air (sweaty) can make the oil glands start to produce more oil.

Also don't let conditioner or oils touch your scalp (no pre-pooing).

Some people can't stretch their washes.

Some need sulfates to stretch, others need sulfate-free to stretch, it is all very individual.

And some can't stretch no matter what.

There is absolutely *nothing* wrong with having to wash your hair everyday. In fact, take a look at this thread (frequent washers thread):
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=141446

Tis very comforting to know that there are those that understand at least.

I get tired of washing my hair everyday too. I regret that I have no advice as there's just absolutely no way I could ever stretch my washes beyond every other day, maximum, and continue to both expose myself to the environmental conditions that I do, and engage in the recreational activities that I enjoy. We're talking lake water, high humidity, high winds, lots of dust carried in those winds, flying mud, High temps prompting perspiration, etc. With the exception of our winter season which is usually pretty lame at best, I typically have to wash every day as a result of some combination of those variables. I must admit that I find it a bit disheartening to know that virtually everything that has been mentioned here is obsolete to me if I am to continue to live that lifestyle and partake in my pastimes. Im sorry, but no matter what product I use, or what spell has been cast, after an afternoon of kite surfing on the lake, obstacle courses involving mud, or even just being in and around housing that is under construction, (which I often times am), Ive gotta wash. It's a messy freakin world man. At least mine is. Not to mention I both (usually) wear and (always) sleep with it loose. If I didnt wash my hair ideally every day, it would be so many worse things than just oily. It would be...an Entity. Which it comes pretty close to being anyway just from sleeping with it loose.

[DoomKitty]

I'm an oily one too....I tried for a couple of years to stretch washes to once a week to no avail. I wash every 3-4 days now and even that's pushing it some days. Batiste dry shampoo works if I need to push it an extra day.
If I'm not doing a deep conditioning treatment I wash my hair by wetting, applying a lighter conditioner from the ears down, (not rinsing the conditioner out) then using shampoo on my scalp and the first 2 inches or so of the roots (I flip my hair upside down for this as I have thick hair and it's easier to get the shampoo where I need it.)
I then bring my head upright and rinse both the shampoo and conditioner out, and keeping my head upright then apply a heavier conditioner from the ears down and leave that in while I do the rest of my shower stuff. I rinse it out and detangle at the same time.

[poli]

I have oily roots and also hard crusty sebum on my scalp. I wash every other day and it's perfect for me.
On the days that I don't wash I usually end up using one of the options:
- wash my bangs only (this way they look clean and fluffy at least)
- use some kind of herbal scalp tonic/ spray (some of them have alcohol so it helps with stretching and the clean feeling)
- massage my scalp upside down (for some root lift) and brush scalp to ends with tangle teaser

I do think that products like dry shampoo and hair spray my add to the problem. At least my hair would feel more dirty and faster if I use them.

[lapushka]

Tis very comforting to know that there are those that understand at least.

I get tired of washing my hair everyday too. I regret that I have no advice as there's just absolutely no way I could ever stretch my washes beyond every other day, maximum, and continue to both expose myself to the environmental conditions that I do, and engage in the recreational activities that I enjoy. We're talking lake water, high humidity, high winds, lots of dust carried in those winds, flying mud, High temps prompting perspiration, etc. With the exception of our winter season which is usually pretty lame at best, I typically have to wash every day as a result of some combination of those variables. I must admit that I find it a bit disheartening to know that virtually everything that has been mentioned here is obsolete to me if I am to continue to live that lifestyle and partake in my pastimes. Im sorry, but no matter what product I use, or what spell has been cast, after an afternoon of kite surfing on the lake, obstacle courses involving mud, or even just being in and around housing that is under construction, (which I often times am), Ive gotta wash. It's a messy freakin world man. At least mine is. Not to mention I both (usually) wear and (always) sleep with it loose. If I didnt wash my hair ideally every day, it would be so many worse things than just oily. It would be...an Entity. Which it comes pretty close to being anyway just from sleeping with it loose.

LOL!

Simsy, it is all *so* so very individual. I wanted to stress that one the most. OP has got some experimenting to do, I think.

[MusicalSpoons]

The thing that made the biggest difference for me was the shampoo I use. Looking before finding LHC I used to use a shampoo with SLS and SLES and had greaseball hair halfway through day 2. Then I switched to only SLES and day 2 hair was better. After that I went sulphate- and silicone-free and I now use a mild sulphate-free shampoo (mild as in, coco-betaine is a little way down the list) and day 3 hair is on its way to acceptable. Actually, the sulphate-free shampoo I used before this one (main surfactant was coco-betaine) gave me pretty decent day 3 hair but something in that shampoo made my scalp itch like crazy, alas.

I do also wear my hair up all the time when in my normal routine and have stopped touching it (I used to be very anxious and couldn't keep my greasy mitts away from my hair!), and make sure I do thoroughly clean my hair and scalp when I wash it - it's not stripped but I can feel it's not greasy.

That's just what's helped me; like lapushka says, it really is very individual! So, maybe try to enjoy experimenting - even if things you try don't work, they're still helpful in finding what is best for your hair.


ETA: the products you use may very well not be helpful in trying to stretch washes! And, are you conditioning up to your roots? If your scalp is oily that's probably unhelpful too; same goes for 2-in-1 shampoo.
As for volume, I wash my hair at night and drape it over my pillow and off the end of the bed to air dry overnight, which gives me more volume than drying flat on my head in the daytime. Might something like that work for you? (Or you could blow-dry upside-down on warm, if you can take being bent over for long enough to do so.)
Oils on hair, when you find the right one(s), shouldn't make your roots greasy if you put it only on your lengths :)

[Astia]

For me cold water rinses after getting S and C out with hot water and a few minutes cold scalp blowdrying were the only things to get my routine from washing every 2 to every 3 days. If I don't do either, hair near scalp is greasy after 2 days. it's not always perfect on day 3 and sometimes bangs need a little dry shampoo, but otherwise it's great. Diluted vinegar rinse works too. Also braids with oily hair look really nice and shiny, you could try french/dutch braids, ... and the stretching washes needs to come slowly, e.g. for a month wash your hair an hour/2 later than usual and slowly raise the time till you get to 1.5 days and slowly maybe to 2. But if your scalp itches/flakes without washing every day, it wouldn't do any good to stretch washes against this. Some people need to wash every day, even though it's tiring and quickly becomes a chore (been there, hopefully never again)

Also, do you wash evenings or mornings? How often do you touch your hair/scalp during day? How high/low manipulation are your hairstyles? I found that the more I touch it, the quicker it becomes oilier. Maybe try not to use any products on and near scalp except shampoo and see if the oiliness improves.

[elfs]

Yep definitely. If you use the blowdryer, use it wisely. It is a tool that can be abused (hot). Only use it on cool/warm, so the lowest or middle heat setting, and do not turn it all the way up. Hot air (sweaty) can make the oil glands start to produce more oil.

Also don't let conditioner or oils touch your scalp (no pre-pooing).

Some people can't stretch their washes.

Some need sulfates to stretch, others need sulfate-free to stretch, it is all very individual.

And some can't stretch no matter what.

There is absolutely *nothing* wrong with having to wash your hair everyday. In fact, take a look at this thread (frequent washers thread):
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=141446

I mostly use it on the hottest setting, so that's something I'll look out for. That makes sense, too.
I really hope I can stretch it out, washing it every day is annoying.


I’m down to 2x a week from every day then e/o. . I have a super greasy scalp, but I think with less washing over time it has lessened. I think it takes time. On the weeks is worse than others I use dry shampoo. And now I’m wearing it up as I’m reading that’s important for really healthy hair. I would really like to do 1x a week but it’s just too greasy I push it with 2x lol.

Wearing it up helps its health? Interesting! I've been wearing it up the past few days, I'll keep this up (haha).

[elfs]

I might have to try your homemade dry shampoo recipe then! I love the idea of diy products, but I haven't had much success with my own dry shampoo ventures. I probably need to be better about putting it on the night before, I imagine that would make a big difference.

For sure! It's pretty simple, one part cornstarch, one part cocoa powder, and a few drops of any EO, I use lavender. Mix well. You can use a fluffy brush to apply it, but mostly I use my fingers and dab it onto my roots and areas that get greasy. My hair will look fluffy and powdery before sleep, and airy and clean in the morning.

Simsy I'm probably going to start CWC washing. I think I might try washing to the scalp with co the first two times and see how my scalp reacts. What oil/s do you use?

DoomKitty Ah, if only. Every 3-4 days sounds like a dream to me.


I have oily roots and also hard crusty sebum on my scalp. I wash every other day and it's perfect for me.
On the days that I don't wash I usually end up using one of the options:
- wash my bangs only (this way they look clean and fluffy at least)
- use some kind of herbal scalp tonic/ spray (some of them have alcohol so it helps with stretching and the clean feeling)
- massage my scalp upside down (for some root lift) and brush scalp to ends with tangle teaser

I do think that products like dry shampoo and hair spray my add to the problem. At least my hair would feel more dirty and faster if I use them.

I might try washing my bangs only and see if that helps. What sort of scalp tonic?
Dry shampoo feels a little gritty, but otherwise it looks clean to me. It feels dirty after a while, but I think it's because I know I didn't wash it.

[elfs]

The thing that made the biggest difference for me was the shampoo I use. Looking before finding LHC I used to use a shampoo with SLS and SLES and had greaseball hair halfway through day 2. Then I switched to only SLES and day 2 hair was better. After that I went sulphate- and silicone-free and I now use a mild sulphate-free shampoo (mild as in, coco-betaine is a little way down the list) and day 3 hair is on its way to acceptable. Actually, the sulphate-free shampoo I used before this one (main surfactant was coco-betaine) gave me pretty decent day 3 hair but something in that shampoo made my scalp itch like crazy, alas.

I do also wear my hair up all the time when in my normal routine and have stopped touching it (I used to be very anxious and couldn't keep my greasy mitts away from my hair!), and make sure I do thoroughly clean my hair and scalp when I wash it - it's not stripped but I can feel it's not greasy.

That's just what's helped me; like lapushka says, it really is very individual! So, maybe try to enjoy experimenting - even if things you try don't work, they're still helpful in finding what is best for your hair.


ETA: the products you use may very well not be helpful in trying to stretch washes! And, are you conditioning up to your roots? If your scalp is oily that's probably unhelpful too; same goes for 2-in-1 shampoo.
As for volume, I wash my hair at night and drape it over my pillow and off the end of the bed to air dry overnight, which gives me more volume than drying flat on my head in the daytime. Might something like that work for you? (Or you could blow-dry upside-down on warm, if you can take being bent over for long enough to do so.)
Oils on hair, when you find the right one(s), shouldn't make your roots greasy if you put it only on your lengths :)

I bought some sulfate free, fingers crossed! I'll admit, I do touch my hair a bit, especially as I grow out my bangs. Keeping it pinned up and away from my face seems to help, even if it's just a little bit.
I'm not currently conditioning to my roots, but I'm going to give it a shot two or three times and see if I notice a difference, either more or less grease. Funny enough, when I use men's 2-in-1, my hair responds a bit better and isn't as oily the next day (though, I also credit part of it to the water; my partner's shower's water isn't as hard as mine) so maybe we're on to something now. I blowdry it upside down, usually I wash it before my day begins. Doesn't that get your sheets all soaking wet?


For me cold water rinses after getting S and C out with hot water and a few minutes cold scalp blowdrying were the only things to get my routine from washing every 2 to every 3 days. If I don't do either, hair near scalp is greasy after 2 days. it's not always perfect on day 3 and sometimes bangs need a little dry shampoo, but otherwise it's great. Diluted vinegar rinse works too. Also braids with oily hair look really nice and shiny, you could try french/dutch braids, ... and the stretching washes needs to come slowly, e.g. for a month wash your hair an hour/2 later than usual and slowly raise the time till you get to 1.5 days and slowly maybe to 2. But if your scalp itches/flakes without washing every day, it wouldn't do any good to stretch washes against this. Some people need to wash every day, even though it's tiring and quickly becomes a chore (been there, hopefully never again)

Also, do you wash evenings or mornings? How often do you touch your hair/scalp during day? How high/low manipulation are your hairstyles? I found that the more I touch it, the quicker it becomes oilier. Maybe try not to use any products on and near scalp except shampoo and see if the oiliness improves.

I've begun rinsing in cold water at the end now, and I don't think I've ever actually blow dried it cold before. It doesn't flake, there's maybe some minor itchiness I've had in the past, but it's alright lately. I've had my hair braided when it's greasy but it looks yucky and flat, then again though, there's probably little things I could've done to make it look more acceptable. My hairstyles are often just down, but that means hair getting in my face and me pushing it away, so I'll have to do something about that. My sister's hair is thicker and curlier than mine, but she never uses hairspray and goes days without washing her hair. It's personal, but perhaps the hairspray does have a minor part to play..

[DoomKitty]

Elfs If I'm honest I should wash it every second day but it takes so long to dry (8 hours during summer, far more during winter) that I ignore it...as long as my fringe/bangs aren't oily I'm good to go. But it's taken me a while to get used to it and my fringe is always pinned back if I'm home as I have oily skin too

[poli]

I might try washing my bangs only and see if that helps. What sort of scalp tonic?
Dry shampoo feels a little gritty, but otherwise it looks clean to me. It feels dirty after a while, but I think it's because I know I didn't wash it.

Well the scalp remedies are popular around here. I guess it is central/eastern European thing. So far the one I liked the best was nettle and soapwort extracts (the polish brand is called Farmona and product Saponics). There is also birch water (birkenwasser in German) sold by Rossmann drugstore chain and I think Agafia (Russian brand) has some. There are probably many other international options.

[Lady Stardust]

When I joined LHC I followed the standard newbie advice which said to try CWC and condition from root to tip. That was way too heavy for me so at first I thought that CWC was going to be a problem, but then went back to keeping conditioner away from my scalp, and all has been fine.

I wash every other day, very occasionally every third day but my hair annoys me if I do that. If I used hairspray I would have to wash every day. I don't like the feeling of dry shampoo so I stay away from that.

I think that using a hairdryer would make my hair more oily, because it gets greasy if it's blown about in the wind. Products are the killer for me though, I have to wash them out again or my hair just lies down and gives up.

On the plus side...I assume that my hair gets greasy because my skin is in the oily side, although drying out as I get older. Oily skin is awful as a teenager, but I'm convinced that it makes people look younger.

[Simsy]

Simsy I'm probably going to start CWC washing. I think I might try washing to the scalp with co the first two times and see how my scalp reacts. What oil/s do you use?

It depends on my mood, and what’s available. I keep argan oil on hand at all times; both as a straight oil and in a detangling spray; my hair works well with that. I have jojoba oil as a backup/tassel soaker. I’m currently trialling olive oil; just the high grade cooking/salad stuff for now.

I also have a stock of essential oils that I mix with conditioner in a spray bottle as a leave-in, when I mix my own.

[lapushka]

When I joined LHC I followed the standard newbie advice which said to try CWC and condition from root to tip. That was way too heavy for me so at first I thought that CWC was going to be a problem, but then went back to keeping conditioner away from my scalp, and all has been fine.

The standard newbie advice says that? From root to tip? I thought the general advice here was ears down. Boy, how things change. That is why you also need to see what lives currently on the forum. :flower: Things change with the times. Not always for the better, but in some cases: yes. :)

[Lady Stardust]

The standard newbie advice says that? From root to tip? I thought the general advice here was ears down. Boy, how things change. That is why you also need to see what lives currently on the forum. :flower: Things change with the times. Not always for the better, but in some cases: yes. :)

That's what it says for the CWC method, yes - from ears down before shampooing, then the whole head from roots to ends. You're right, it's good to see what current advice is, and it's also good to listen to what your own hair and scalp is telling you :-) A lot of the advice on here wouldn't apply to me, but it's fun sifting through and finding out what works.

[lapushka]

That's what it says for the CWC method, yes - from ears down before shampooing, then the whole head from roots to ends. You're right, it's good to see what current advice is, and it's also good to listen to what your own hair and scalp is telling you :-) A lot of the advice on here wouldn't apply to me, but it's fun sifting through and finding out what works.

Totally agree with that! :)

It's about what the hair wants and not about what we want for the hair. I've learned that through the years... the hard way. LOL

[MusicalSpoons]

I bought some sulfate free, fingers crossed! I'll admit, I do touch my hair a bit, especially as I grow out my bangs. Keeping it pinned up and away from my face seems to help, even if it's just a little bit.
I'm not currently conditioning to my roots, but I'm going to give it a shot two or three times and see if I notice a difference, either more or less grease. Funny enough, when I use men's 2-in-1, my hair responds a bit better and isn't as oily the next day (though, I also credit part of it to the water; my partner's shower's water isn't as hard as mine) so maybe we're on to something now. I blowdry it upside down, usually I wash it before my day begins. Doesn't that get your sheets all soaking wet?

Oh yes, water hardness can also make a difference! I forgot, I use an inline shower filter now too - I didn't think it did anything for my hair but I kept going with it for my skin. Maybe it has helped my hair and I just didn't realise! :)
After I wash my hair it's wrapped in a towel for a while, maybe 30 mins or so, then I have it down for however long (another 30 mins-1 hr) before I get into bed. I've never noticed the pillow or sheets being even damp from it, although if my hair was wetter I suppose it might be different.

[MusicalSpoons]

That's what it says for the CWC method, yes - from ears down before shampooing, then the whole head from roots to ends. You're right, it's good to see what current advice is, and it's also good to listen to what your own hair and scalp is telling you :-) A lot of the advice on here wouldn't apply to me, but it's fun sifting through and finding out what works.

Yikes! When I first tried CWC I didn't realise that was how it was supposed to be! Many years ago our hairdresser advised me to condition only the lengths to stop my hair getting so greasy, so I've only ever done that with any method (it really helped). Like you say, it really truly is all about finding what works for our own hair.

[FrayedFire]

I used to condition from root to tip, rinse, shampoo scalp, rinse... found it to be the most effective. Hair is unmanageably clean for one or two days, then it calms down, the gets oily... but now it doesn't get oily past a certain point, and actually looks less oily sometimes after. Manually cleaning hair helped, cause then I didn't need conditioner really, I just used the sebum, taking the oil to the dry lengths and ends. Have to clean my brushes and combs way more often now, but it's like I washed my hair with the right tools and patience. Sebumy hair is better for styling, too, which also convenitenlty hides the greasy look... like a natural hair product. Nobody questions it if you have it up, or covered!

Hair will not stay freshly washed clean, but I also found that my hair goes from super fluffy, no oil, to a little, to limp, and then if I brush it, the next day it's volumious. The first week is the worst, but then it just stays more or less the same range of oily... at least after 5 years of transition and experiemntation with methods of washes and stretching them. I'm still trying to figure out things that work for me.

If I don't clean my tools, it's not a good time; lint = tangles.

[melikai]

Back when I did CWC after learning about it here, I also only conditioned from the ears-down, because that's how it was taught...not sure when that changed? :confused:

elfs, I would definitely see if the shampoo you've been using has silicones in it, because they always made my hair look and act very greasy and staticky, and I would have to wash it more, which only exacerbated the problem. Switching away from sulphates also helped, but some non-sulphate cleansers I found to be more harsh than sulphate ones! Probably because the formulation wasn't very good.

[Lady Stardust]

I expect there's different advice dotted around the forum. I first read about CWC under "Ursula's standard newbie advice". I expect there's a CWC thread somewhere, and maybe that says from the ears down? That's certainly more likely to suit the majority of people.

[CopperButterfly]

I feel your pain. I've always wanted to go longer than every day between washes, but I've never felt comfortable with it. I honestly feel like after about 18 hours my hair is looking greasy and unwashed.

There was a great period of time last year while I was pregnant that I could wash every other day. I loved it. But once baby came, it was back to being too greasy for that.

I think I'm going to try scalp only washing while keeping the length dry. At the very least it should cut down on drying time.

[Jas]

Hey, not sure if this has been suggested but if you did want to stretch your washes without it looking as greasy in between - aloe Vera gel works for me. I just posted pics before and after on the aloe Vera thread I made which is still on the front page so you can have a look :)

Just a suggestion, works for some and not others.

[acanofyams]

I try to stay away from dry shampoos. I feel like having sebum and dry shampoo on your scalp will clog your hair folices and they may die. Most women experience thinning hair from build up on the scalp. I only shampoo my scalp and put no products on my roots. If you want body at the root I would recommend trying an overnight style.
Two tips for keeping your hair from getting too greasy. (They might be dumb; I'm sorry)
1- Don't touch your hair. Your hands have oils on them and if your touching your roots you are transferring that oil to your hair.
2- Clean your brushes. Especially ones with natural fibers (ex board bristle). You can literally see the dead skin cells coming out of your brush when you clean it. If your brushing your hair you are putting that back on your scalp.
I hope that was helpful :)

[Ekkwhine]

I can't get all the replies to show up so excuse me if I'm way off, but are you sure it's greasy? I've got wavy hair that no one ever acknowledged when I was growing up. From an early age my hair was cut into a jaw length Bob and dried with a round brush curled under daily. Within an hour it would be fluffy. I realised recently, when whining that my hair need washing *again* that it didn't. It just looked well behaved, conditioned, and that I've somehow been associating fluffy with clean. As odd as it sounds.

[Kat]

When I had the "middle school greasies" my mom always told me that my hair seemed to stay un-oily longer when I used my herbal rinse. Not sure if that was actually true, but might be worth a shot if you want to try it.

I tend to use some combination of:
Lavender
Rosemary
Calendula and/or marigold
Horsetail
Yarrow
Hibiscus flowers
Juniper berries
Bay leaf
Chamomile
Green or black tea

And there are probably a few I'm forgetting. Just simmer/boil into a "tea" and pour over your hair after washing or soak in a pitcher/bowl for a minute or two. If anything you use gives off color (the hibiscus or tea, for example) do a quick rinse; otherwise you don't have to if you don't want to.

[Margarita]

Hello there, i also had the same problem as yours some years ago, my hair would get oily af even after 2 days. So, i recommed you to buy a shampoo for oily hair from a good brand. The second i recommend you is, if you dye your hair various colors, continue to dye for some space a bit more frequent. If you dont dye your hair, try fiding the exact same hair color dye as your natural one. I think hair dyes are perfect for oily hair because they dry it(in a good way of dry, not like fried). About conditioner, i suggest you not to use any in the shower but, after the shower, a leave-in-conditioner ONLY at the hair tips. Oh and, i would aso recommend to use a bit of hair mousse on your hair roots :D

[stachelbeere]

I used to have the same problem and what solved it was switching to a plant based diet. Now I can go 4, sometimes even 5 days without a visibly greasy scalp. Look at what you are putting into your body, if you eat a lot of stuff that is high in fat (dairy, eggs and meat but also an excess of refined oils) - it all affects what your skin, hair and nails look like. My main source of fats now are seeds and nuts and my hair is flourishing. If I do eat foods containing lot’s of refined oils my skin gets oily more quickly.

[elfs]

Been a while since I've checked this thread. Quite a lot of replies! I might not respond to all of them, but I'm reading them all now.

I had my first real success this week. Following using the scalp only shampooing, conditioning ear down, once monthly purifying, and trying to go every other day (but.. relapsing every so often), I decided I'd wash my hair thursday, before work, and had most of it pulled away from my face and into a bun. That was thursday morning, mind you, and I even took a short nap with it still up - and it looked fine by the night. I brushed it regularly, then with a boar bristle brush, and applied my dry shampoo. The next morning, I brushed the ends, and it looked a slight bit stringy so I applied a different dry shampoo. I almost decided to put it up, but I left it down to see how long it took til it fell and went flat and oily..... but it never did! I kept it down all day at work, and even by the night time, it still looked decent enough to go out in. Pretty happy about this. I decided to stretch washing it a little more, and yesterday, while it wasn't nearly as nice looking, it still wasn't the greasy mess I'm used to with third day hair.

[pahbee]

I have thin, very very oily hair as well. I've tried waiting it out, for a couple of months. It was gross, my hair never in the slightest got used to it, and I swore never to do it again. Although in my case, I have E. Asian hair which tends to get greasier faster. In my parents' country it's the norm to wash your hair every day. I think that if your hair really is born that way and not because of diet, haircare etc., then you can still grow healthy hair while washing it every day. Although it's a big pain. I sometimes rely on dry shampoo - I find that the good quality branded ones from Sephora work really well for me, like Verb dry shampoo.

[CrowningGlory]

First, I haven't read through all the pages - so apologies if this has already been said.

In one of your early posts you mentioned that the strands around your face get greasy first but the rest look fine. This could be because of something you're using on your face or perhaps your face also tends to oiliness, but why not just wash these strands on the second day? I've done it when I had a cyst removed from my scalp and couldn't wash for ten days. I just washed the pieces at the front so that what I could see at least looked clean.

Another thing I highly recommend, is scalp washes. There are several different ways to do them. I either braid and then wash my hair over the bath or (more commonly) put my hair in a bun, put a rolled up sock (cut the toe out) under the bun to absorb water, and then cover it all with a plastic bag and carefully wash under a showerhead. I do a full wash on Saturday and then scalp washes every 2-3 days. I've tried going longer with mixed results, but the truth is, I'd rather have clean hair than try and stretch washes for another day.

I also found that diluting my shampoo resulted in less greasy hair. Most shampoos are quite harsh but by diluting them I was able to clean my scalp and hair but not strip my hair of all its natural oil. I usually use a tea to dilute my shampoo (rosemary, chamomile, or green tea) and often throw it some aloe vera gel as this also seems to help with regulating the oil=producing glands. I mix up enough for several washes and have never had a problem with it growing anything nasty.

[elfs]

First, I haven't read through all the pages - so apologies if this has already been said.

In one of your early posts you mentioned that the strands around your face get greasy first but the rest look fine. This could be because of something you're using on your face or perhaps your face also tends to oiliness, but why not just wash these strands on the second day? I've done it when I had a cyst removed from my scalp and couldn't wash for ten days. I just washed the pieces at the front so that what I could see at least looked clean.

Another thing I highly recommend, is scalp washes. There are several different ways to do them. I either braid and then wash my hair over the bath or (more commonly) put my hair in a bun, put a rolled up sock (cut the toe out) under the bun to absorb water, and then cover it all with a plastic bag and carefully wash under a showerhead. I do a full wash on Saturday and then scalp washes every 2-3 days. I've tried going longer with mixed results, but the truth is, I'd rather have clean hair than try and stretch washes for another day.

I also found that diluting my shampoo resulted in less greasy hair. Most shampoos are quite harsh but by diluting them I was able to clean my scalp and hair but not strip my hair of all its natural oil. I usually use a tea to dilute my shampoo (rosemary, chamomile, or green tea) and often throw it some aloe vera gel as this also seems to help with regulating the oil=producing glands. I mix up enough for several washes and have never had a problem with it growing anything nasty.

The most I use on my face on a daily basis is moisturizer, and I keep my hair out of my face while that goes to work - most of the time, I try to keep my hair out of my face. I'm growing out bangs, and they're almost just long enough to put behind my ear. I've never done a scalp wash, is that the same as a regular wash? Any special rinses?

That's interesting! I like the sound of that. I have an aloe plant, so I have no problem getting ahold of that, and we're regular tea drinkers.

[Natashap]

In my family--nobody washes hair everyday ,except me who hates any grease on scalp but try not to look in mirror and do wash once in 2-3 days max .

Eczema and SD further makes it complicated.

[CrowningGlory]

The most I use on my face on a daily basis is moisturizer, and I keep my hair out of my face while that goes to work - most of the time, I try to keep my hair out of my face. I'm growing out bangs, and they're almost just long enough to put behind my ear. I've never done a scalp wash, is that the same as a regular wash? Any special rinses?

That's interesting! I like the sound of that. I have an aloe plant, so I have no problem getting ahold of that, and we're regular tea drinkers.

I blogged about my two scalp washes years ago here: https://julesoneagleswings.blogspot.co.nz/2008/06/hair-care.html

If you find the teas make your hair greasier, then it could be that they are either too strong or too conditioning. Perhaps start with something like green tea which is meant to be mildly astringent or rosemary tea which is mean to regulate the scalp if you want to experiment. I've never had problems with over-conditioned hair with aloe vera gel but everyone's hair is different. Good luck!