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!!

Also, has anyone found whether colour/highlights make a difference? It's been a long time since I had highlights but I remember the condition off my hair generally being better, not sure if it was less greasy though.

I'm with you OP.
Now in my 40's I still have to wash my hair every day or it looks like I havent washed it for a week. It's been like this since I was 14.

I too have tried every shampoo. And can't use dry shampoo as it brings me out in sores on my scalp. I feel minging if I dont wash it every day.

I've also tried extending the length of times between washes gradually but it just doesn't work.

I would pay through the roof for a shampoo that worked, I'm spending a fortune on shampoo anyway washing it every day.

Sadly both dds are the same now they've hit teen years. We cycle through a few different shampoos as they seem to help for a while and then we're back to oil sticks by 20hrs. Our current bottles are tresemme, the clay one by l'oreal, and the pantene micellar one.

I've tried silicone free expensive ones too, but that didn't make my hair clean let alone improve the oil slick.

My arms and legs are so dry they flake, but the rest of me is like a deep fat fryer. Even my face seems to be dehydrated but over produces oil. I just don't know how to manage it anymore. 🤷‍♂️

I've used them all and found them highly variable.

Be wary of volumising ones who often just make your hair into a matted beehive. Though some are OK, for example Batiste heavenly volume is fine but their xxxl volume turns your hair into a wig.
Then there's that Batiste Pure one which made me itch like I had nits.

Klorane gets good reviews but I've never come across it to try it.

The Aldi one is honestly as good as any, tbh.

I am the same, my hair has been greasy since I was 11 and now my 12 year old DD is the same.

If I wash my hair in the morning it is greasy by the evening. It is a nightmare if I am working all day and then have a night out because it sometimes means I end up washing my hair twice in one day.

I have to wash it every morning for work as I have clients and need to look fresh and clean. I try to leave it at the weekend but end up washing it because I hate the feeling of the grease and it makes me feel dirty.

Dry shampoo irritates my scalp too!

Yes I have a work night out coming up after a day's work and I have literally booked a hair appointment for 5.30 just to get it washed.

High lights make my hair less greasy.

Yep same. The hard water we have in the SE really doesn’t help as you can’t get a good lather on shampoo. I like Phillip Kingsley Itchy Flaky shampoo as it removes grease and leaves no residue. Interested in the shampoo bars, do they work because they’re more drying- like soap??

Noclue I've developed itchy, sore scalp due to dry shampoo. I've had to stop using it and I'm using a prescribed steroid lotion.

So now I've greasy hair made even bloody greasier! I washed my hair Friday and as I was doing a gym class yesterday morning I didn't wash it before I went.
I put the brush through it and I swear it was slicked to my head. I'm 47 and its showing no sign of abating.
I've tried the not washing too. It was grim.

Totally agree that bleach really helps!! Highlights etc, dry your hair out. Shampoo won't help as it doesn't stop the production of grease, just cleans off what is there.

I don't have greasy hair as such, in the winter I wash it twice a week. In the summer though, I sweat so much it obviously affects my hair. All I can do is try to keep cool and wash it more often...and get my highlights done!

Yes to this. HATE having to wash my hair all the time. So boring.

If I wash it every day it gets even greasier (something to do with stimulating the scalp?) Thank god for dry shampoo.

Agree the only thing that helps is bleaching it. Sadly I don't suit blonde.

I use solid shampoo, it was greasy before that but once I started I could get the unheard of 3 days out of my hair. I prefer every other day though. I've bought an expensive one that's for an oily scalp. It doesn't lather and is like a proper work out using it, but it seems to work.

I'm not sure if my hair will revert back though once my head gets used to it iykwim.

I bleach my hair to platinum. Still greasy within a few hours.

Another grease fiend here. It really is a pain and I've always longed for thick glossy hair that only needs washing one a week but alas mine is stuck to my head and could fry chips after 24 hours of washing. It's always worse once it's been slept on too.

Weirdly if I don't wash it I feel unclean everywhere else too. I don't know if it's just me but I feel like I sweat more and that my face is oilier than normal when I don't wash my hair. Weird

I forgot to mention that I have highlights too. It doesn't seem to help. I'm no scientist but assume that as the pesky oil glands are in the scalp then anything topical won't make a difference.

Clay shampoo (eg L'Oréal), micellar shampoo (eg Charles Worthington), anti dandruff shampoo for oily hair or scalp (Vichy, T-Gel or Head and Shoulders) or solid shampoo.

Super important - Lather and leave shampoo in for two to three minutes before washing. Rinse out. Repeat the whole process again.

Use a scalp tonic after washing and drying hair (Charles Worthington is good, John Frieda too but I think it's discontinued). Makes a big difference.

Don't touch roots with your fingers.

Important - processed, oily, fried and dairy foods increase oil production. Eat low GI and low sugar food. Make sure you are getting enough B vitamins and zinc in your diet!

I am in this gang frustratingly and for me also washing hair less often makes not a jot of diffference. I've also tried pricey "oil control" type shampoos which are no better than supermarket options. The only consolation I can see is as I get older is that my face has aged much less than friends with drier roots. I can only assume my lack of wrinkles is due to my oily body as a whole. I had dreadful acne as a teen but now my skin is nice and plump.... But I would still want the holy grail of an oily hair system that works. I suspect like others that it doesn't exist though.

🙌 greasy roots, oily skin here too! It's definitely from within & no amount of clarifying shampoos/ not washing everyday/ curly girl method will make a difference. I was on dianette for acne a few years ago & it's the only time my hair wasn't greasy, my poor DS is the same

I've been growing out highlights for ages now but seriously considering just getting them done again as so fed up with greasy roots!

Joining the club. It’s so annoying! I’ve passed 50 now and not a jot of difference. Still oily. And I have tried everything. Even the ‘retraining’ lark which was truly GRIM and made no difference.
A few things really get me.

1. Paying for a blowdry that lasts max 24 hours
2. While having said blowdry, the hairdresser advising me, (me who’s lived with this hair for 40 years) on what I’m doing ‘wrong’ like it’s my fault I have greasy hair. Grrr.

Pregnancy and Roaccutane were amazing for my hair. I would love to take a Roacc tab a week to help control it. Or spironlactone. But just can’t do that to myself.

It’s highlighted too, and nope, no better, still oily.

I have to some degree accepted that I just have to wash it. Still love a moan about it! It’s a time consuming pain in the backside.

Oh gosh! Sorry that ^ really was a rant

I have just stopped being on-call over night for an NHS job. I'm 56, with very greasy hair... You'll laugh, but one thing, apart from being woken and having to drive 7 miles to work, was what a state my fringe looks with bed-head. Sticking up in all directions, oily, embarrassing. I'd wake all through the night, dreading the phone ringing but also to flatten my fringe! FGS.

But another thing is that DH is very keen to go long term Motor Homing in retirement, including some 'wild camping'. I will feel grim all day with sticky-up dry-shampoo'ed hair....

Me too. Agree with @babymamamama that I think one upside may be that we age better.. I don't have too many wrinkles compared to dry hair friends! I inherited my hair from my dad and he hardly has any greys at 70!!! Same as a previous OP my skin on my lower legs is crazy dry, but my hair needs washing twice a day if I have a full on day and sm going out at night too.

I usually just get a 'wet cut' at the hairdressers now as it is so miserable sitting there with them styling it for half an hour knowing it will a)fall flat within 30 mins of leaving the hairdressers and b)will need washing again 24 hours later!

And also agree with PP that my whole body and face just feel grimy if I dont wash my hair! Just don't feel right if I haven't washed my hair every morning. Pain in the arse. And aeroplanes make it ten times worse! I have often frightened far flung family by arriving in Oz looking like an oil slick after a 30 hour journey.

I don't have too many wrinkles compared to dry hair friends!

I dont have any at all.... It never occurred to me it might be connected though. Is this a thing???

I think if your skin tends to greasiness then you are less likely to get wrinkles (assuming you don't smoke / have too much sun exposure). Not sure why, perhaps the oil is a bit of a natural sun barrier.
Don't think greasy hair is related to lack of wrinkles, I wish, it would be a silver lining.
I wash mine every other day now. I wear it up and put mousse on it and can get 48 hours out of it. Not keen on dry shampoo or the volumising powders, they change the feeling of my hair too much.
My grandmas went to the hairdresser every week for a shampoo and set and I don't think they washed their hair inbetween sessions. I don' t remember them having greasy hair at all, neither had thick luscious locks, perhaps there's something in that.

Anyone found using a silk pillowcase makes a difference to their greasiness?