Oily or greasy hair is unfortunately something that most of us have experienced, either occasionally or everyday, and can be caused by hair product overload or the simple fact that your hair type is prone to oily strands. So to help you get your lanky locks sorted, we’ve put together our best hair care tips for oily hair.

Tips for Oily Hair

Brown medium length layered bob

Naturally oily hair is caused by your natural hair oil (sebum) being on overload mode, and although your first reaction may be to wash, wash and then wash your hair some more, that's actually the worst thing you can do. Over washing strips away all of your natural hair oils and will cause your hair to over compensate and produce even more oil. The trick is to get your natural hair oil into a balanced state.

You can do this by working out the right hair washing routine for your hair. That may mean washing your hair everyday or only washing once or twice a week. Experiment and see how your oily hair behaves after washing to find the balance that works.

When washing, use a shampoo that's designed for daily use (but you don't have to use it daily) because it's specifically made to be gentle and won’t strip the oil as harshly as other stronger shampoos. There are also plenty of shampoos made specifically for oily or greasy hair on the market that you can try.

When it comes to hair conditioner, apply a light-weight wash out conditioner to your ends only or consider skipping the conditioner and just use a spray in detangler instead. Never apply the conditioner to your roots or you’ll risk making your hair look and feel greasier.

Detoxifying or clarifying shampoos are a great product to use weekly if your hair is particularly oily or if your locks are greasy from hair product build up.

Brown mid-length hair with red highlights

Buy a mini can of dry shampoo and pop it in your handbag so that you can refresh your locks when needed. For more product ideas for your handbag see our blog, Beauty and Hair Products That Should Always Be in Your Handbag.

As for hair styling products, try light options such as hairspray to avoid overloading your strands, and avoid serums and glossing products.

To ensure that you don't make your oily hair worse don't touch your hair during the day and regularly wash your combs and hair brushes to keep them clean.

If you exercise regularly then make sure to wash your hair thoroughly after breaking into a sweat to keep on top of any oiliness.

By using these hair tips you should be able to minimize oily locks. If oil continues to plague your hair strands then visit your hairstylist to have a chat about an in-depth hair care routine and to get some advice on the types of hair products you should be using for your own hair.