Having oily hair is incredibly tedious.

[ElspethFlashman]

Yesterday I mowed the lawn at lunch time and was all sweaty and dirty so had a shower at about 2.30pm. Washed hair etc.

Woke up this morning and hair is visibly oily for a good inch of roots. So we're talking a turnaround of about 15 hours.

Seriously? This is so boring. When I was a teenager I was a grease ball but I really never thought I'd still be dealing with this in my mid 40s, FFS.

I resent constantly worrying about my hair, I resent having to wash it so much and the ensuing dry ends that occur. I resent always having to have a supply of dry shampoo and fretting if I come close to running out. I resent having to wear my hair up most days as on dry shampoo days it always looks like I'm the Lion King. I resent always checking my damn hairline. I resent somehow feeling inherently grubbier than other women who can somehow get away with washing their hair twice a week.

I know there's no solution - Lord knows I've spent the last 30 years trying every shampoo under the sun - but it just pisses me off and I really needed a rant this morning!!

I feel your pain. Combination hair and skin here, in my 40's too. Greasy roots after a few hours and dry ends, lucky me .

Raises hand in solidarity. Fine, super-straight and shiny hair that can't go more than 24hrs before roots are glued to scalp.

When I was pregnant with my second child, I had that dreamy hair that people talk about, going 3-4 days between washes, with fab volume. Back to oil slick by 3 days post partum. Definitely hormones for me. None of this 'wash your hair less' bullshit, I did wash less that whole pregnancy, and it didn't make an ounce of difference.

Yes pregnant with my son I had a few months I still dream about where I could go 3 days. It was amazing.... 😭😭😭

Radical but stop washing it so often. Mine was once like yours. I washed it daily and swore I could never last more than one day.

However I started doing every other day. Used plenty of dry shampoo and tied it up the first day and down on the second. (this hid greasy roots better).

Now I can do 3-4 days before it is truly gross!

🙋🏻‍♀️ I’m with you.

Washed my hair yesterday and it’s an oil slick today. I used to use tresemme clarifying shampoo, it was the only thing that got it really clean, but now the formula has changed and it’s crap.

Seriously if any brand could manufacture a good clarifying shampoo they’d be wining.

It’s all extra moisture and volume loads of plastics to fill it out. I just need to get my hair clean.

My hairdresser tries to, but last time she had to double shampoo, because she’s accidentally used normal shampoo and could feel it was oily in the rinse.

Dry shampoo doesn’t work for me, it seems to make it worse somehow.

Agree with the pregnancy hair. I had a few months too where it didn’t need washing, it wasn’t oily at all. Bliss for a few months.

@DobbyTheHouseElk shampoo:
It's expensive but kerastase is excellent. You can buy massive 1000ml bottles online. I have had excellent results with 'bain cristaliste' and the volumising one (£35 on Amazon). Haven't found a conditioner of theirs that's good though so use moisturising treseme on my very ends.

People who say don't wash it every day, bollocks!

Noloundnoises I honestly used to think bollocks to not washing every day. I laughed at people who said it to me.

Then I tried it for a long time. It took weeks rather than days. I probably did look a mess to begin with. But it was worth the investment to now only wash every 3 days. I use a lot of solid shampoo too with apple cider vinegar rinses and that has helped a little.

Metoo. I find I need a good clarifying shampoo to get the (1) day's grease out, then use another shampoo to actually wash it. I then have to use a little conditioner on the ends otherwise it'll get static and still need a dash of dry shampoo later.

My ears are a state and I don't know if they are greasy from my hair or my hair is greasy from my ears

Joico clarifying shampoo or t gel for greasy hair work for me but I am sick if it too. 40 spots greasy hair and start of wrinkles

I have to wash my fine, straight thin hair every ruddy day.

I'm 56.

I thought menopause would finally sort it!

I wish people would stop saying wash it less. It doesn't work. I tried it for an entire year.

I feel your pain, OP. I'm absolutely fed up with my hair and I'm disabled so washing it every day is such a chore. I use dry shampoo every other day, but I feel grubby when I do. It's definitely hormonal.

Try Pantene Micellar shampoo It's for greasy hair. It's incredible: my hair is clean, bouncy and shiny all day.

I agree with pp re not washing every day. Obviously it depends on hair type. A few years ago I stopped washing it daily because it is so thick and such an effort and now I wash once a week. I also dry shampoo after washing it because I read that dry shampooing on clean hair helps absorb any oil that is produced afterwards.

I've just changed shampoo and conditioner and managed to get to 3 days - it was a minor miracle!

I've tried the not washing so much and it doesn't work for me.

I agree with washing it less often. It takes a while, but grin and bear it, and you'll find the less you wash your hair the less you'll need to wash it.

See I've tried every clarifying shampoo that's been brought on the market - even expensive ones - and I never really noticed any great difference.

I even used washing up liquid this one time, out of curiosity. I don't recommend it, it made no difference and turns your ends to straw. But at least now I know.

I'm really not sure about the "retraining" concept either as every greaseball has tried it, let's face it. I've done the doubling down on dry shampoo. I never found it made any difference the following week. And it feels pretty grim.

I tried the not washing thing at uni and it didn’t work for me and I am not willing to put myself through it again ( it was grim).

Yes tedious but at the same time I know no other way.

My only cheat is if I am travelled no or know I won’t be able to wash my hair I rub some talc into the roots before it gets greasy rather than after. works better and cheaper than dry shampoo.

I've heard washing up liquid works well as a clarifying shampoo,I keep forgey to try it though.

I once read a magazine article (back when magazines were gospel) where they interviewed a celebrity hairstylist and they asked him how to have less greasy hair and he sighed and said with some frustration "Look, there's no solution. You just have to wash your damn hair!!! "

I found that quite liberating cos for years I'd been searching for the elusive product that would fix it.

So now it's wash every other day, and dry shampoo every other day. And often that means dry shampoo before bed and sleeping in a bun as it has a more natural/less crispy look the next morning.

But by God its a pain in the hoop.

Yes,I remember seeing an interview with a trichologist ( is that the right word?) and he said the same, wash your hair if it's greasy.

I recently started using Lush Soak and Float bar shampoo. I’m going a week between washes. Before I was every other day.

I'm with you - bloody hate having to wash it everyday! I have a friend who can go a week - A WEEK!!! So jealous I always feel sorry for my hairdresser who spends ages styling it but I know I'll have to wash it the next day regardless.

2 tips that I have found which helps a little.

Firstly, spray the parts that get oily quickly (for me it's my fringe) with dry shampoo once it is freshky washed, dry and styled in the morning - this definitely helps with keeping my fringe non oily for a whole work day.

Secondly, if you absolutely can't wash your hair in the morning and need it to look halfway reasonable, spray it with dry shampoo before you go to bed.

What's a good dry shampoo? If I wash it in the morning I can just about go two days, but usually I only have a chance to wash it at night so by the second day afternoon it's looking awful.