Is there a cure for combination hair?

[GeetTallBird]

I have long half highlighted hair, the top gets so greasy by the end of the day that I end up washing it again. I've tried not washing it for a week to try and balance it out, tried just washing the top too.
I've tried batiste and tresemme dry shampoo along with talc, nothing works! Or it makes me hair smell weird :(

Is there a hair mask or something to dry out the roots? I have it highlighted to help but now it's not working.

Help!

[MrsHoolie]

I have a nightmare with this too.
I now use hardly any conditioner and use various different shampoos. There is a new Vosene one (yellow bottle) which is a lemon one. Also the Charles Worthington oily roots and dry ends is nice. And Timotei have bought out a new one for greasy hair.

Also,it's worth shampooing twice,but just use a tiny amount the first time.

Obviously rinse rinse rinse and try to avoid touching your hair throughout the day.
The best dry shampoo IMO is the Batiste one but it HAS to be the one for blonde hair.

[MrsHoolie]

Forgot to say there is a very good shampoo by kerastase which is in a white bottle with a green label,can't remember the name unfortunately and it is £££

[SomethingOnce]

I find that avoiding silicone-containing conditioners helps.

[GeetTallBird]

Ok I shall look out for the kerastase and Vosene. I think the blonde batiste is the only one I never tried :)

I use silicon stuff (moroccan oil or tigi pink spray) only on the ends of my hair as its kind of bushy and dry, how does it seem to get up on the roots though!?
Perhaps an entire hair rethink is needed.

[HazleNutt]

you know how, with oily skin, you should not use anything that dries out your face? but should actually use oil, to make your skin think it's oily enough and should produce less?
Same with hair - I have the smae problem and all drying masks and shampoos only made it worse. You need proper nourishing shampoo that has some oils in, I love Ojon Restorative and it definitely keeps my roots cleaner longer.

[GeetTallBird]

I've tried the deep conditioning shampoo and conditioners with essential oils etc though, and they certainly make it much worse!
By the time I've blow dried my hair the top already is greasy :(

[Bonsoir]

Cut your hair shorter, stop highlighting it and wash/condition every morning.

[Dollydowser]

I find the times I avoid dairy products in my diet my hair gets much less greasy.

[SomethingOnce]

Unless you're using silicone-free products it's very likely that your conditioner contains one or more silicones. Have a look on the label for ingredients ending in -cone, e.g dimethicone.

Avoiding 'cones won't be the answer for everyone, but my hair is happier without them (and SLS).

[SomethingOnce]

Btw, the other downside of 'cones is to cause hair to dry out and become brittle over the longer term.

[GeetTallBird]

Uh oh and the silicones are what make my hair smooth!!

[SomethingOnce]

That is their purpose but for me the price is that weighed down, greasy feeling.

Have a Google and see what you think - some people say silicones are terrible for hair, others disagree and think the idea that residue builds up and damages it is nonsense.

If all else fails you could try going 'cone free and see if it helps.

[LadyofWinterfell]

I have a similar problem and the new Timotei Pure shampoo and conditioner for greasy hair are fab. I condition the ends first, then run my fingers through the roots just enough to loosen any knots, leave for 2 mins, and rinse.

[GeetTallBird]

SomethingOnce what's the SLS, sodium laurel sulphate? I know I can't have that in my toothpaste, i used to get mouth ulcers from it, never dreamed it was in shampoo as well!!

[SomethingOnce]

Sodium laureth sulfate Wikipedia page

It's probably in the majority of foaming products (including soaps, facial cleansers, hand washing gels, shampoos, toothpaste) although not in pure soap. Being sensitive to it I have to be careful to avoid.

It's taken a while to find a shampoo and conditioner that suit my hair; the problem is usually conditioners that don't condition all that well, but I've been using products from JASÖN for a few months and I'm very happy with them. The shampoo doesn't leave it stringy like some of the other brands I've tried and the conditioner actually works, though you don't quite get the same effect as lashings of 'cones.

I will confess to the odd dot, almost invisible to the naked eye, of JF Frizz-Ease serum (which I think is pretty much entirely silicone) on the surface and ends when I need a quick win over frizz

[GeetTallBird]

What did we do before silicone!! :)

[OneMoreGo]

Yes yes yes re: silicone. You have product build up on your roots, and your ends meanwhile are probably getting dried out from the harsh SLS you need to remove the silicone you put on the hair every day. It's a vicious cycle, as as you have found, even the harsh SLS won't completely remove all of the plasticy stuff from your hair so you end up with greasy looking roots after a while. Plus washing your hair a lot will over stimulate oil production as well, you don't have to leave it a week but every other day would allow things to calm down a bit.

What you need to do is stop using products with silicone in, and do a clarifying shampoo to get rid of all the build up from your hair and start fresh. You can do this cheaply and easily by adding half a teaspoon of bicarb of soda to your normal shampoo, mix into a soapy paste in your palm then wash as normal. This will leave your hair feeling a tad dry and stripped so you then need to rise with about half a litre of warm water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar diluted in it. This seals the cuticle again and adds some moisture and shine. Leave for 5 mins, then rinse and condition the ends and mid-lengths only, rinse, style as normal. Then look long term at what products you are using and consider going SLS and silicone-free. :)

[DerbyNottsLeicsNightNanny]

I have the same problem. Have tried various things and just about the best I have used is Lee Stafford dry shampoo - using this before bed time means that I can get away with washing hair every other day (but on the second day it usually needs to be tied back).

I also try to keep it as clean as possible and to have my highlights done a few weeks before they are 'due' if its looking really bad & going mega greasy. The blonder I go the better grease situation gets (for a couple of weeks anyway), but also the blonder I go the worse the roots are - so its all very much a vicious circle!

[GeetTallBird]

Agree with you there Derby the blonder (and more harsh the chemicals used to strip the colour perhaps?) I go, the less greasy my hair gets. I get almost a month of "normal hair" before it start happening again.
I'm going to try using no conditioner at all, using a clarifying shampoo (and bicarb) and using silicone stuff (Moroccan oil) only on the ends. I'm going to give this a two week trial, then I shall try your suggestion OneMoreGo. Cider vinegar, will that make hair smell interesting? :)

[MrsHoolie]

I saw The Body Shop has a shampoo for oily hair(green bottle I think).
I might give it a go next time. It's bound to be free of any nasties?!

[HazleNutt]

Unlikely, MrsHoodie, Body Shop stuff is actually just as full of nasties than any supermarket brand, I have no idea how the get away with advertising it as "natural".

[MrsHoolie]

Oh

[GeetTallBird]

My hair doesn't feel cleaner with the bicarbonate, it feels a bit sticky!!

[JamieandtheMagicTorch]

I would have a shorter hair cut. I really would. It's worth it for the better condition and manageability.

[GeetTallBird]

That is the only thing I won't ever do! :) (at least til i'm over 45 anyway) My long hair is me, I love it, I will just have to suffer greasy hair I guess! :)