Other than covering oily hair with a hat, is there any oily hair treatment or way to deal with this unsightly situation? Of course there is... But first you need to find the cause!

The good news: Entire hair care product lines exist to deal strictly with this kind of problem. They contain compounds that reduce sebum, and many even contain antiseptic compounds and substances to relieve the itchiness often associated with oily scalp and hair.

The bad news: It is very hard to trace it back to what caused it in first place.

What Shampoo?

For everyday use look for shampoos that contain no strong detergent like sodium laureth sulfate. You’d think that using harsher detergents would rid your hair of oil faster, but this is not true. These will only dry the scalp and increase itchiness, and actually cause more oil production. One big exception here: If you used an oily or greasy product by accident which required to be removed immidiately then use the strongest detergent you can find to remove it and once done condition your hair back to normal and continue using your everyday shampoo.

If you have naturally dry hair and oily scalp then you can apply a mild conditioner to hair, but only apply to the hair ends up to the middle, and avoid the scalp. Otherwise using a conditioner is not highly recommended.

Look for products/shampoos that contain any of these ingredients:

• Jojoba oil – Because it contains many of the properties found in sebum, the oil our skin produces naturally, this ingredient helps reduce dryness caused by harsh detergents by replacing the lost sebum. Indians used Jojoba oil to treat their skin and hair problems.


• Rosemary oil – This is a great scalp cleanser and hair root stimulator.


• Tea tree oil – It’s gentle, it works to strip excess oil, and it helps fight dandruff and bacteria.


• Sage – This helps to dissolve built-up deposits of oil and can also make hair shafts thicker.


• Eucalyptus – Helps bring the scalp back into balance by regulating the production of sebum. Relieves and reduces inflamed skin, too.


• Chamomile – This will enhance the hair’s shine and intensity. Chamomile is not recommended for color treated hair, unless you like to lighten your hair color. If your hair has highlights, products with a lot of chamomile may further enhance these highlights.


• Lemongrass - Also known as Cymbopogon, can be used as a great herbal rinse for all types of hair. For oily hair it balances the active oil glands on scalp and reduce the production of oil. However the Lemongrass herbs and oils are not recommended for sensitive scalp and it might irritate the skin

Some other everyday ingredients that help control greasy hair include aloe, egg whites, menthol, sorbitol, kaolin, citric acid and/or citrus, and starch.

Once you’re finished washing and conditioning, you can apply hair care products, as long as you use those formulated for your hair.

These help reduce the transfer of oil from the scalp to the hair which keeps excess oils off the hair and encourage a nicer type of shine and make hair easier to style. Your hair does not benefit from products that contain extra moisturizers made from glycerin and silicone, nor should you apply a serum or a cream-based product.

And finally, if you have oily hair, do yourself a favor and get a hair style that is manageable.