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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be fucking sick and tired of my oily hair

81 replies

pineapplepot · 20/10/2023 01:59

The front of my hair looks like this, after not even 24 hours. It’s ridiculously stringy. It looks amazing after I’ve washed it, but after one sleep it’s impossible to style it. I’ve tried everything to try and combat oily hair but nothing has worked.

It’s really ruining my self esteem, I can’t do anything with my hair. I either have to slick it back or just hide the front of my hair altogether.

What am I doing wrong?!

To be fucking sick and tired of my oily hair
OP posts:
Kimten · 21/10/2023 12:00

Same.
I have to wash my hair every morning.
There is no other option.

I was on Roaccutane for a while and it made my hair less greasy for about 5 months but then the greasiness came back.

ChChChCherryBomb · 21/10/2023 12:01

MrsSkylerWhite · 21/10/2023 11:57

I’m the same, nearly 60. Still no wise advice I’m afraid.

Do you have oily skin, too? Take heart, it’s a blessing in disguise. I do and have hardly any lines or wrinkles.

I’m 53 and have the usual t zone greasy areas on my face, I don’t have bad skin for my age, so the fact that the grease might ward off wrinkles can only be a positive! 😆 maybe!

User3735 · 21/10/2023 12:02

@MariaMeringue Post was really interesting. I also have hair that gets greasy quickly, and also flaky if I don't wash it or use any other shampoo than The Bodyshop Ginger. I also find this shampoo means I can wash it every other day rather than every day. Before this I was using Nizeral but it was expensive, and alternating with a cheap Alberto Balsam shampoo, I didn't know why it helped but it was clear and gel like. But they changed the ingredients and I started to react to it. I assumed it was sulphites or something that gave me a flaky scalp but thanks to Maria meringue I see it might be silicones. One thing I've noticed is the Bodyshop sell a scalp oil in the ginger range. I wonder if that might be worth trying.

lovelyjubbly888 · 21/10/2023 12:06

I’m the same, it’s awful so I do feel for you. A tip I found was to wash your hair twice, and the first time really give it a good massage in for a few minutes and let it sit. Also squeeze excess water from your hair before shampooing (not sure of why).
I use dry shampoo too. Other than that I’m not sure 🥲

SpacePotato · 21/10/2023 12:19

Just wash it every morning.

No conditioner on top of head.

I do the fringe wash too which helps as that's the greasy part thanks to my greasy t zone on face. (I too look less wrinkly for my age so one bonus at least)

johnnybongos · 21/10/2023 12:58

Yes colour security, it’s USP is that it doesn’t leave any residue on your hair (which imo is what really exacerbates oily looking hair). I hope it works for you! I’ve tried so many clarifying and volumising shampoos and this has by far been the best for me

johnnybongos · 21/10/2023 13:09

@IWouldLikeToKnow meant to do the above post as a reply to you!

MonikerBing · 21/10/2023 13:14

I don't understand why it's such a hassle to wash it every day! If you shower in the morning, it takes a couple of minutes longer to wash your hair. It just feels grim to leave it longer, even if you put in dry shampoo, wouldn't you rather just wash it?

I think you've got to accept the hair you've got and focus on things you can change.

3luckystars · 21/10/2023 13:28

Maybe styling/drying her hair takes ages and that’s why she doesn’t want to wash it every day.

MonikerBing · 21/10/2023 13:32

But she doesn't have any choice! Nothing else will work to reduce the need to wash it, and even if it works a little bit, it will still feel grotty or only be be extended a couple of hours. She just has to build in time to deal with it in the morning. (And I'm saying this as someone with 35 years of greasy hair to deal with - (I also inherited it from my mother who was in the same position) nothing works better than just washing it).

WomanOfSteel · 21/10/2023 13:35

ChChChCherryBomb · 21/10/2023 11:39

I don’t use dry shampoo after my hairdresser told me that it ‘suffocates’ the hair shaft and can cause it to weaken and shed more? Not sure how true that is but I’ve steered clear of it ever since.

I’ve never heard that before and I use it quite often but don’t shed a lot of hair, although my hair is chin length so don’t know how it is on longer hair. I’ll have to look it up. Also whether it’s the same for people with very greasy hair compared with dry/normal people that use it once every few days.

Picklewicklepickle · 21/10/2023 13:47

Is your skin oily too? If so I have the same issue, since I was 14 and still now at 41 (ffs). The only thing that worked for me was the combined contraceptive pill to reduce the impact of androgens stimulating oil production. I started with Dianette but have moved on to other pills over the years and it was like a miracle, my skin went from horrific acne to perfectly clear and my hair far less greasy. Every time I’ve stopped taking it my hair and skin is oily within days.

Spearmint tea is also helpful for taking the edge off it.

IWouldLikeToKnow · 21/10/2023 13:49

@johnnybongos Great. Thanks so much Smile

Mayhemmumma · 21/10/2023 14:28

Wash mine daily

IDoNotMoisturise · 21/10/2023 14:32

I just shove baby powder in mine

NotObligedToArgueWithStrangers · 21/10/2023 14:34

Have you tried any shampoo free products? I use New Wash by Hairstory. It's bloody expensive but it's been an absolute game changer for my hair and I'd never use shampoo on it again. Takes a bit of pain and time for your hair to adjust, but once it does it's been brilliant for me. I think the theory is that instead of stripping everything out with shampoo then trying to put it back with conditioner, your hair adjusts to providing its own correct levels of moisture. Don't know if it would work for you but it did for me.

CyberCritical · 21/10/2023 14:35

I have quite fine hair but lots of it and always had problems with it being creasy until I started using kids 2in1 shampoo. It's the conditioner that's the problem for me, now if I find my hair is in need of conditioner I do that first then the 2in1 afterwards, and conditioner only on the ends not the roots.

Heartbreaktuna · 21/10/2023 15:33

I have the exact hair type as you. After having a scalp assessment and learning so much about my scalp type, the consultant recommended the La Biosthétique oily scalp range - Shampooing Lipokérine A (wash twice) combined with the Lotion Hydrotoxa daily. I still have to wash daily, but I feel it looks fresh all day. And doesn't look as bad immediately when I wake up.

Nomorecoconutboosts · 21/10/2023 15:47

Finally - a thread where people actually understand about greasy skin and scalp.
as a pp said, we don’t tell people with oily skin to try and leave it or ‘train it’ for days…
I wash mine daily, it needs it, the oil on my head starts to smell if I don’t. I can smell it so others will be able to.
if I need to leave it an extra day e.g. camping, I wash it as late as possible on the morning I leave, wash it throughly twice. Blow dry it on low heat, keeps it less greasy than air drying. Later that evening use dry shampoo and also make sure the skin under my fringe and around the edges is cleansed thoroughly to avoid transferring to my hair.

even if I could ‘train’ my hair (I can’t and I don’t want to) why would I want to look, feel and smell uncomfortably for how every many days or weeks others might deem to be suitable waiting for it to magically respond to this ‘training’

anyone know the science behind this mythical training? If it did work maybe we could apply it to other body parts - could we train our bums to be less sweaty for example?! Could save a bomb on soap and hot water…

These threads seem to attract lucky people who are able to wash their hair once or twice a week and they think it is the same for everyone. It really isn’t…
needing to wash hair less frequently is just luck.

Nomorecoconutboosts · 21/10/2023 15:49

Just to add in pregnancy my scalp was ‘normal to oily’ and so was my skin so I washed my hair alternate days then and it looked and felt fine, it was a great time! (Although the time I saved on my hair was mainly spent puking so not all good)

hellohellothere · 21/10/2023 15:50

DeepFriedBananas · 20/10/2023 17:17

I found the only thing that stopped my oily hair was dying it. For some reason, it worked for mine.
I use a shade as close to my own hair colour as I can.
I don't know if you do this op? If so, maybe change brands?

Yes mine is much less greasy now I have highlights. I still have to wash it every day though.

coronafiona · 21/10/2023 15:58

Have you tried shampooing it twice? It's changed my life I only have to wash mine twice a week now

pieinthesky10 · 21/10/2023 16:08

From a hairdresser,
You cannot 'train' hair to be less greasy. Fact
The grease is produced by your scalp and is affected by hormones, diet and genetics.

The only solution to greasy hair is to wash it daily with a mild shampoo, only use conditioner on the very ends, do not scrub the scalp hard, as it stimulates, just massage thoroughly.
Rinse for a good 5 minutes..yep that sounds a long time but it helps... with warm, not hot water, cool if you can stand it. with as much water pressure as possible , never just a rinse in the bath or a weak trickle, always under the shower.
You would not consider not wash underarms or groin daily so why would anyone consider not washing their hair is beyond me. Some can wait another day but it will start to smell by the third.

lifesnotaspectatorsport · 21/10/2023 16:19

I empathise. I've spent most of my life washing my hair every day and still prefer to, but ... 3 kids and busy mornings has done for that. I am a huge fan of dry shampoo, on second day I do all the roots, massage through and curl the ends. It just about gets me through the day looking respectable. Still can't wait to wash it though...

saltinesandcoffeecups · 21/10/2023 16:25

I swear by Aveda products I would suggest the rosemary mint shampoo and conditioner. I can’t use anything else. I’m also greasy and have to wash every day. Probably TMI…but I’m also a night sweater have been my whole life, so not washing every day just isn’t an option for me.

I suspect all the clarifying and stripping is adding to the problem. It’s the same as if you use a drying soap on oily skin, it just kicks the oil producers into overdrive to compensate.

In other words stop listening to the people who are saying that you need to stop washing daily… it works for some hair and not others.

Another tip is that my hair seem less greasy on the days I use other products in it. I have curly hair so need to use a few products to control the curl, but on days I don’t it gets stringy a lot sooner.