Ask a Stylist: How to Get Rid of Perpetually Greasy Hair

Check the Oils in Your Shampoo

If you've recently become more conscious of the ingredients in your beauty products and have made the switch to more natural formulas, your strands might not be getting the same squeaky-clean feel as before. "I love natural shampoos," Shaw says. "However, they have to have the right chemistry to work." A lot of shampoos that rely on natural ingredients are loaded with oils that might leave residue behind and a buildup that is difficult to rinse out. But don't feel like you have to switch back to your old products just to get a thorough wash. Shampoos with clean ingredients that also provide a deep clean do exist—you just have to know what you're looking for.

To find the best shampoo for oily hair, take a look at the label. Natural shampoos are free of sulfates and should include ingredients that are all plant-based or organic. For greasy hair, avoid shampoos that have coconut oil and argan oil, as these can be too moisturizing and leave an oily residue. Instead, look for shampoos that have tea tree oil, aloe vera, rosemary, and lavender. Jojoba oil is another great ingredient for those with oily hair as it is antibacterial, helps to treat acne, and dissolves excess grease.

Try Reverie Shampoo, which is an all-natural botanical cleanser meant to gently but effectively wash away impurities.

Use a Gentle Shampoo Formula

While we're on the topic of harsh sulfates, if your go-to shampoo relies on these surfactants, that may also be the cause of your greasy strands. Commonly found in shampoo formulas, sulfates, like sodium lauryl sulfate, are chemical detergents that create the bubbly, sudsy feel when you work up a lather. But as it turns out, that squeaky-clean feel can work against your goal of grease-free hair. "A lot of shampoos on the market contain harsh chemicals that create a vicious cycle of aggressively stripping hair that then leads your scalp to overproduce oil in an attempt to maintain balance," says Austin.

We like Playa Every Day Shampoo, which relies on a coconut-based cleanser meant to detoxify, as well as aloe vera to moisturize.

Shampoo Twice When You Wash Your Hair

If you find that your hair still feels oily or full of greasy product residue even after you wash it, Langley recommends doubling up on shampooing. In other words, wash, lather, and rinse—then do it all again. "The first shampoo will remove dirt and buildup, while the second shampoo will cleanse your scalp," he explains. "Remember: Not all shampoos are created equally, so you will need to find one that suits your scalp, hair texture, and styling needs."

We recommend R+Co's Television Perfect Hair Shampoo, which is sulfate-free and uses juniper berry extract meant to maintain the ideal balance of oil on the hair and scalp.

Find the Perfect Shampoo and Conditioner Combo

Finding hair products that strike the perfect balance of being moisturizing but not too rich is challenging but still necessary for healthy, hydrated strands and a balanced scalp. The fix? Shaw suggests breaking the habit of buying matching shampoos and conditioners that offer the same benefits. "Moisturizing shampoos are amazing, but sometimes you need to pair a lighter conditioner with it to balance it out," Shaw says. For example, she likes to pair Davines Love Smoothing Shampoo with a light conditioner like Davines Dede Conditioner. With this product pairing, you get the ideal amount of moisturizing benefits without overloading your hair with heavy product.

Moisturize With a Mask

While the combination of a moisturizing shampoo and a light conditioner might be the fix for those with a drier scalp and oily ends, if your parched strands need more hydration and nourishment than a lighter conditioner can provide, Shaw recommends trying a different approach. "If you think your hair needs more moisture but are afraid of the oil, you can also try a light shampoo and pair it with a hair mask, so you get that extra push of moisture without the grease," Shaw explains.

We love Verb's Hydrating Mask for its ability to deeply hydrate dry, damaged strands with the help of babassu oil and glycerin. Did we mention it's sulfate-free, too?

Add a Clarifying Shampoo to Your Weekly Routine

If your daily hair routine involves lots of sprays, serums, pomades, or other styling products, your gentle shampoo might not be able to remove all the product buildup, which in turn leaves your hair feeling heavy and greasy. Or maybe you rely on the power of dry shampoo on the days between washes (we don't blame you), and you need a good deep cleanse to remove all the gritty texture from your roots. Whatever the case, a clarifying shampoo might be necessary to remove all the gunk and get your hair back to its normal condition. Langley suggests incorporating a clarifying formula (we like Sachajuan's Scalp Shampoo) into your routine once a week.

Treat Your Scalp

When addressing greasy hair, it's important not to neglect your scalp or overlook how the condition of your skin and pores at the root may affect your hair overall. Avoid products with silicones, which might clog the pores, and reach for products intended to balance the scalp and remove buildup. Shaw recommends doing a mud mask on your scalp quarterly "to keep your scalp replenished with good minerals and free of all the gunk that weighs down your hair and results in oil buildup," she says. She offers a treatment to her clients that she whips up herself with clay and essential oils, but you can achieve similar results at home with the help of a hair mask.

Try the Christophe Robin Cleansing Volumizing Paste With Pure Rassoul Clay and Rose Extracts, which transforms from a paste into a foam as it cleanses. Somewhere between a mask and a shampoo, this hair treatment promises to balance the scalp as it deeply cleanses with the help of rassoul clay.

Take a Look at Your Diet

If you've tried all of the above treatments and still can't seem to find the root cause of your greasy strands, the culprit might not be any particular product or technique, but rather what you're consuming on a day-to-day basis. "Oftentimes what comes out is coming from within," Shaw says. Consult your doctor or a nutritionist to evaluate if anything in your diet could be affecting the condition of your scalp and hair. "Take a look at your diet and see where you can take some things out that may be overpowering your pores," she says. For instance, Shaw recommends cutting out potentially irritating foods, such as dairy, for a couple of weeks to see how your scalp fares. "Oftentimes things like dairy, if you are sensitive, can cause clogged pores."