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View Full Version : Hairstyles to hide greasy hair?



*Aoife*
May 25th, 2010, 09:50 AM
I find COing my hair makes it look awful after two days. I couldn't even think of stretching it to a third day. I'm doing c-cow-c now and trying to stretch.
Are there any hairstyles that can help make my hair not look awful while stretching? I'm in secondary (high) school and really concious of my hair looking oily :(
I heard of using plastic hairbands but I can't use them much because they don't for my big head and end up hurting me. I'm between APL and BSL now and I ususally do two braids or a bun held up by a clip or flexi8s.

UltraBella
May 25th, 2010, 09:57 AM
A translucent oil absorbing facial powder dusted into your hairline will make the greasiness much less noticeable. It's a makeup artist trick I use OFTEN.

Sarahmoon
May 25th, 2010, 10:00 AM
I see your hair is rather curly/wavy so I'm not sure if this could work for you, but could you comb your hair straight back and then make a ponytail or messy bun, so it just looks like you combed your hair back with hair spray or gel? Or you could try some nice head covering and keep the rest of your hair down. (I'm assuming now only the scalp area looks greasy, not the length)

*Aoife*
May 25th, 2010, 10:17 AM
A translucent oil absorbing facial powder dusted into your hairline will make the greasiness much less noticeable. It's a makeup artist trick I use OFTEN.

Would this powder lighten the colour of your hair, like dry shampoo? I'm a brunette and dry shampoo makes me look grey!


I see your hair is rather curly/wavy so I'm not sure if this could work for you, but could you comb your hair straight back and then make a ponytail or messy bun, so it just looks like you combed your hair back with hair spray or gel? Or you could try some nice head covering and keep the rest of your hair down. (I'm assuming now only the scalp area looks greasy, not the length)

It is just my scalp but I think that when I brush my hair back that it looks a million times oilier :o Even when it's freshly washed. I love head coverings, I have this lovely hippish red one that I wear on weekends. But I go to a fairly strict Catholic school and anything that covers the head is against school rules :rolleyes:

UltraBella
May 25th, 2010, 10:18 AM
No, it's translucent and you can't see it at all.

teela1978
May 25th, 2010, 10:22 AM
cocoa powder supposedly does a decent job of absorbing oil on darker hair... I suppose it could show up on your skin too if you weren't careful with it... you'd smell delicious though.

Braids are good for greasy hair, and ponytails... assuming you like the slicked back look. Wide fabric headbands are nice for hiding under as well (and generally don't hurt the way the plastic ones do).

Its also worthwhile to consider that stretching washes doesn't work for everyone. There are many daily and every-other day washers around. If you do this for a month and its not getting better, you are allowed to wash it more often.

CO also doesn't work for everyone, and many COers use it more as a way of stretching time between shampoos. Maybe a weekly shampoo would help keep your hair less oily?

*Aoife*
May 25th, 2010, 10:23 AM
Ooh thanks :) I googled and my local shop has it kinda cheapy!

*Aoife*
May 25th, 2010, 10:26 AM
cocoa powder supposedly does a decent job of absorbing oil on darker hair... I suppose it could show up on your skin too if you weren't careful with it... you'd smell delicious though.

Braids are good for greasy hair, and ponytails... assuming you like the slicked back look. Wide fabric headbands are nice for hiding under as well (and generally don't hurt the way the plastic ones do).

Its also worthwhile to consider that stretching washes doesn't work for everyone. There are many daily and every-other day washers around. If you do this for a month and its not getting better, you are allowed to wash it more often.

CO also doesn't work for everyone, and many COers use it more as a way of stretching time between shampoos. Maybe a weekly shampoo would help keep your hair less oily?

I hadn't thought of cocoa powder. Does it work the same as dry shampoo?

I like the sound of wide headbands. I'm just worried that they might rub off the more delicate hairs towards my nape if I wear them too much.

natt i nord
May 25th, 2010, 10:40 AM
Braids! Nothing hides greasy hair more than a braid!
It'll make the braid appear tidy - as if you put something in to make your hair braidable more easy. Hey, you have wavy hair.. ;)

Night_Kitten
May 25th, 2010, 10:47 AM
Can you do a french braid? Usually french braiding helps me hide oily hair because it looks like I put product in it to help it hold and lay evenly...

FreakyGreenEyes
May 25th, 2010, 11:03 AM
I use Burt's Bees baby powder - talc free stuff. I generally put a little on a bbb and smooth it over the hair closes to my scalp. It does a pretty decent job and absorbing oil.

eezepeeze
May 25th, 2010, 12:12 PM
You may want to try this technique for washing:

1. Use a small amount of shampoo (I think Loreal makes some sulfate free) on the roots of your hair only. As you rinse the shampoo out, it will slide down your length, cleansing it.

2. Apply a deep conditioning conditioner (I like Aussie three minute miracle) to the length of your hair only. If you have any left on your hands, you can smooth it over the roots, but not too much.

3. Rinse your hair in warm and then in cold water.

4. Apply a leave-in conditioner after you get out of the shower. Apply it to the length only (I like one by Frizz Ease).

5. Apply any other products, but be stingy with the product at the root. Products attract dust, which blends with the oil at the root, making it look dirty.

6. If you oil your hair before washing it, just focus on the length. I used to oil my roots, too, but was seeing a little greasy-ness, so now I just focus on the length.

I find that nothing beats a sock bun for hiding greasy hair. You can smooth the front with a boar bristle brush, for a sleek modern look. The bun will be super-shiny because you'll have distributed the oils when you brushed it out to get ready to put it up.

Another style I use often on my last day before washing is a two strand frenched braid along both sides of my head into an english braid at the back.

Remember to do what works best for you. You may prefer to shampoo and condition, instead of CO. There's nothing wrong with that (it's what I do) and you needn't feel guilty about it. It's your hair. Do what you have to do and have fun! Otherwise, it turns into something stressful, and who needs that?

hendrix.co
May 25th, 2010, 01:55 PM
Braids! Nothing hides greasy hair more than a braid!
It'll make the braid appear tidy - as if you put something in to make your hair braidable more easy. Hey, you have wavy hair.. ;)

This is best time for me to braid my hair. Then the next day I've got waves that look like I used product. You can look at pictures of my braid and braid waves in my album.

lemonmelon
May 25th, 2010, 02:13 PM
You could also try using a boar bristle brush the night before and in the morning to help distribute the oils more evenly down your hair. I also use a BBB to help smooth down my hair to make a bun or pony tail, I find it helps lessen the clumpy/stringy look you can get with greasy roots and just makes everything lie smooth. It's still flatter then freshly washed hair but it doesn't look as yucky.

You could also try just washing your bangs (if you have them).

zenobia
May 25th, 2010, 02:17 PM
You can try using a fabric headband or folded bandana around your roots to hide the worst part. Put the rest in a bun or braid and you're good to go.

hairg33k
May 25th, 2010, 02:39 PM
I usually do a couple things to hide my oily hair because my hair gets oily very easily and my first day of CO is usually pretty oily but when I go out I still want my hair to look nice.

I do this style a lot, which is a french braid with just my bangs which hides the oil around the scalp perfectly. http://images.teamsugar.com/files/users/2/20652/31_2007/hayhay.jpg

I also do the pouf a lot with just my bangs because it hides an oily scalp really well.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dXcJQi6d7w4/SKXfs1atkFI/AAAAAAAAABo/Ijwc1wwaH4I/s400/lauren-conrad-hair-poof.jpg
And you can either do just the pouf in the front or you can pouf your bangs and then put your hair into a pony tail, half up, into a big braid, etc. There are numerous updo's that you can do while you pouf your bangs to get rid of that oily look.

I do both of these things a lot because I haven't decided if I'm keeping my side-swept bangs or not yet (while I grow out my hair) and those are what usually gets oily first on my scalp. So hopefully both of those styles helps you :)

emmabovary
May 25th, 2010, 02:43 PM
As others have mentioned, French braids work wonders :)

tinker bug
May 25th, 2010, 02:45 PM
I second the french/dutch braid. I sometimes end up stretching my washes to nine to eleven days (I'm CO mind you) out of lazyness :rolleyes: I find that dutch braids seem to hide the greasiness better. On my suuuuper greasy days I double dutch braid starting as close to my hairline as I can so that the hair doesn't look slicked back. Hope I helped! :flower:

Capybara
May 25th, 2010, 02:51 PM
How about scalp-only washes? You don't have to wash the length every time :flower:

goodenough
May 25th, 2010, 02:51 PM
Kids can be cruel, and if it gives you more confidence, just wash and condition every day. If you aren't using heated stying tools/blowdryers, you're still ahead of most people.

HintOfMint
May 25th, 2010, 04:14 PM
Soft hair bands could work and not hurt you. French braids are my go-to style for oily hair.

tcheney91
May 25th, 2010, 04:22 PM
My favorite greasy style is Yvaine's hairstyle. http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=10925&highlight=yvaine The rolls help disguise the greasies, your bangs tuck nicely into them, too. I can't quite do the loop thing, so either put the length into a loose rope braid bun or a loose cinnabun. Looks cute and hides the grease! Oh, and stick a flower or two into it. I love fake flowers...

BelleBot
May 25th, 2010, 05:19 PM
I find any hairstyle that's generally tight to the head makes greasies far less noticeable, and and oily scalp helps keep things neat and tidy and sleek. Braids close to the scalp are great for disguising greasies.

I also recommend dry shampoo (stuff you spray from a can) I find it great for taming sweaty motorcyle helmet hair and giving it some oomph back instead of being flat and lank. And also cocoa powder brushed through hair is amazing, smells wonderful, does the same job as talcum powder and the like by absorbing the excess oil, but doesn't turn your hair grey so it's a great option for redheads/brunettes/ravenheads.

May
May 25th, 2010, 06:30 PM
May I ask why you've decided o stretch out washing your hair if it's visibly greasy? I'm really just curious as to what the reason is and I don't mean it to be a rude question :flower: Maybe you could wash *just* the roots as a possible solution? Just tossing out ideas :idea:

rickyjean
May 25th, 2010, 08:46 PM
Hi - I am new here, but have been using powder as a dry shampoo for a while now to avoid washing. Although this won't necessarily work for brunettes (I am med/dark blonde with highlights) I have had a lot of success with both Burt's Bee's baby powder (smells nice because of the herbs and is natural and healthy) and Jane translucent face powder (which works well in a pinch and is cheap!). A tip a friend of mine gave me (who is a redhead, so it must work OK for them too) is to use a rattail comb to divide hair into approximately 1/4 inch parts at a time, and use a makeup brush to apply the powder along the part. Then I gently work it in and brush it through. One caveat though - this is not a style to run your fingers through. It will look good, but not feel good. As long as you can live with that, then it is fine. If you don't have time to wash, condition, comb, etc. and have to be at work it can be a lifesaver.

I have two other tricks for third day (or second day in some cases), greasy hair. One is to use a wide headband as someone else mentioned previously. If you get a fabric one that is on the loose side you won't do any damage, and I think the slicked back look with a headband looks almost deliberate (and kind of retro/cool). Sometimes I will also put it in a bun, ponytail or funky updo with clips that looks like I am just trying to be cute. It passes for a "style" in a pinch (my boyfriend actually likes the funky, messy clip updo...he thinks it is cute - go figure!)

The other is to ponytail or braid it. Sometimes ponytails look nice and sleek if your hair isn't freshly washed, which can look quite polished.

I think sometimes we are all much more conscious of our hair looking "greasy" when others most likely wouldn't even notice. Those of us who are tuned in to hair, our own in particular, probably notice many details others don't. I have been pleasantly surprised when I have styled my hair in a way I though would be an obvious cover-up (after exercising, not washing, etc.) that others thought looked good. I have even gone out that way!

Good luck finding something that works for you!

x0h_bother
May 25th, 2010, 09:37 PM
I use baby powder. Just shake it around! I have very dark hair and I make it work so it's not visible and it works great for me. Also I do the little pouf- I used to do it with bangs which get uber greasy, but (since I grew my bangs out) now I do it with longer hair. The pouf gives it a little lift and takes it off the scalp to prevent more greasies. GL!

Oh and like May I've washed just my bangs and temples before with shampoo.

Deborah
May 25th, 2010, 09:40 PM
How about scalp-only washes? You don't have to wash the length every time :flower:

Yep, this works well, takes very little time, and leaves you with a clean scalp. :)

trillcat
May 26th, 2010, 03:46 PM
I also want to chime in that stretching out washings does not work for everyone, I am one for who that does not work.
I also CO, and after the second day, it is getting greasy. 3rd day, limp and heavy, but still OK for a braid or a tail if I wash the bangs. 4th day, yuck. My hair also gets very dry if I stretch the washings. It is weird, under my own natural oil which should make my hair happy, the hair is just so not happy. (I am cone free, BTW) Also, the longer I wait to CO, the less effective it is at getting the gunk off, and I end up having to shampoo , which defeats the whole process of CO!
The moral of my rambling story, choose the routine that works best, for you.
OH, and my go to hair when it's greasy, a baseball hat and an English braid, hides all sins. Though it does make you look like the "What Not to Wear" people are going to ambush you. :D

Jessica Trapp
May 26th, 2010, 04:34 PM
And also cocoa powder brushed through hair is amazing, smells wonderful, does the same job as talcum powder and the like by absorbing the excess oil, but doesn't turn your hair grey so it's a great option for redheads/brunettes/ravenheads.

Cocoa powder! What an interesting idea! I am definitely going to try that.

thanks for the suggestion
:D jes

PS. to the OP: I agree with the others about braiding.

BelleBot
May 26th, 2010, 04:55 PM
Cocoa powder! What an interesting idea! I am definitely going to try that.

thanks for the suggestion
:D jes

It's definitely worth a try, I was always sick of baby powder turning my roots grey. Just make sure if you apply with your hands/fingertips to wash them afterwards as it'll grab onto the oils on your hands and you can accidentally leave a cocoa fingerprint your forehead or something which looks a little silly! It smells so nice though.

C_Bookworm
May 26th, 2010, 08:42 PM
Grabbing small sections of hair, doing a 2 strand twist, and pinning around my head. Do maybe 15-20 of these. It looks a lot more complicated than it actually is. I love it because it looks a bit medieval.

jaine
May 26th, 2010, 10:15 PM
I did an updo today that was perfect for dirty hair ... the oil made it look smoother. I have really short hair but it could probably be adapted for longer hair.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=4650&pictureid=72980

AlleyKitten
May 26th, 2010, 11:59 PM
My usual response to horribly greasy or otherwise miserable hair is a scarf. coveryourhair.com has some pretty ones and tips on tying them. I usually bun my hair and hide all of it, but there are cute styles that hide a greasy scalp but show off the rest of your hair -- I want to say AJoifulNoise rocks them? I know I've seen pictures here on lhc.

Animae
May 27th, 2010, 02:09 AM
I did an updo today that was perfect for dirty hair ... the oil made it look smoother. I have really short hair but it could probably be adapted for longer hair.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=4650&pictureid=72980

This looks amazing. Will you please you tell more about how you did it?

aphilosopher
May 27th, 2010, 06:14 AM
Seconding the votes for side roles a la Yvaine's style, and for hairline dutch and french braids. My go-to hairstyle on seriously greasy days is basically this, minus the teasing: http://orchidgrey.blogspot.com/2009/11/hair-do-how-to-1.html

The greasiness is really the only way to get nice, defined perimiter braids. Otherwise, my hair's too fluffy and all the fuzz obscures the detail after about, oh, 5 minutes on a humid day.

Brighe
May 27th, 2010, 04:58 PM
I usually make pinned 5-strand classic braids when my hair is greasy.
before that i brush it thoroughly to distribute the oil and to remove dust. The best thing is that the braids look nice for at least 3 days :D
( I am actually streching out washings so I got a lot of practise in braiding my hair ;))

ordinary dutch classics make oily hair look good, too

Aeon F.
May 27th, 2010, 07:15 PM
This looks amazing. Will you please you tell more about how you did it?


Ditto! This is so cute! I'd love to be able to recreate it too! :D

Aeon F.
May 27th, 2010, 07:20 PM
oh, and for my greasier days- I go with a bandanna/scarf and two side braids- I clipped flowers (see: http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=28670440 ) on the end of the braids last time and received lots of compliments! :)

Teufelchen
May 28th, 2010, 03:23 AM
I usually wear a sockbun or a braided bun. That hides the greasyness perfectly on my dark hair.

Barniie
May 28th, 2010, 04:55 AM
I love braiding mine, but does anyone have any tips as to how to hold in the two lower side nape areas in? Because the braid always sags there, and it ruins the look!

ukuleleclaire
May 28th, 2010, 12:24 PM
I'm a brunette and cocoa powder works great for me as a dry shampoo. I'm growing out bangs right now and it's helped a lot with the greasies. I just get a little on my fingers, sprinkle in near the base of my bangs, then comb it downwards. Can't even tell I put anything in my hair, and it looks clean. And of course, you can't forget the amazing smell. :)

*Aoife*
May 31st, 2010, 08:17 AM
Wow, thanks to everyone for some fantastic advice! :cheese:

ravenreed
May 31st, 2010, 08:31 AM
Are you referring to a french braid? I usually pull my bottom-most strand into the middle strand rather than an outside strand when I get to the end so it is less poofy there.


I love braiding mine, but does anyone have any tips as to how to hold in the two lower side nape areas in? Because the braid always sags there, and it ruins the look!

Calaelen
May 31st, 2010, 03:20 PM
http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac210/luthienc/funkybuns2.jpg
http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac210/luthienc/funkybuns.jpg
I came up with this look after watching the movie Ink. The storyteller wears her hair in a similar way, though I can't find pics of it anywhere. I had monistat in my hair when I did this one, and it hid the greasies so well, that this is a new style being added to my permanent repertoire.

ukuleleclaire
May 31st, 2010, 03:54 PM
http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac210/luthienc/funkybuns2.jpg
http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac210/luthienc/funkybuns.jpg
I came up with this look after watching the movie Ink. The storyteller wears her hair in a similar way, though I can't find pics of it anywhere. I had monistat in my hair when I did this one, and it hid the greasies so well, that this is a new style being added to my permanent repertoire.

That is really pretty! Can you please explain how you did it?

Calaelen
May 31st, 2010, 04:16 PM
1.I first sectioned my hair like you would for a half up-do.

2. Then I made a small section in the middle which I twisted up to make a roll I pinned it with bobby pins.

3. I continued on each side making small parts and rolling them up making sure to roll the same way on each side, with the rolls facing in towards the middle roll.

4.After they were all pinned securely, I took all the remaining hair that was down, grabbed random chunks and rolled them into messy buns which I secured with bobby pins.

5.I stuck in two hairsticks to further hold the style and add decoration.

The whole style took less than 10 mins to do, and it held all day. glad you like :)

McFearless
May 31st, 2010, 09:22 PM
I have this problem too. Usually I dab a bit of baby powder on my roots and that sucks up a lot of the oil.

clichepithet
May 31st, 2010, 09:28 PM
Heidi Braids are my favorite for the greasies. Decent enough tutorial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx9Z903u9Pw), on the fly. If someone already suggested this, I apologize for missing it and repeating. :D :flowers:

Meagan
May 31st, 2010, 09:31 PM
I use baby powder sometimes.
I like it...it gives my hair volume too

mktmgt
May 31st, 2010, 11:19 PM
I ususally do two french braids.

Henrietta
June 1st, 2010, 03:03 AM
I have two ways to hide greasy hair. First- I brush my hair with BBB really well, make it "flat" on my head and make a bun or a braid, any updo that will hold my hair flat. It looks shiny like after using a gel or something after brushing, not greasy:D
The second way is the opposite- I create a puffy updo, or messy, with a lot of twists, like Calaelen .