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!!

Im pretty sure they're all much of a muchness. I just buy whatever is on offer, tbh.

I use a clarifying shampoo. I think I’m just oily. My skin is dry, but I used to have gel nails done, but the nail tech told me my nails were too oily to keep them on.

Don't buy Boots or Superdrug own brand dry shampoos. They are worse than useless. Batiste is still my favourite.

Like a sheep I have bought the primark one. I will report back.

I like Batiste but i fine it very white. Maybe I’m over enthusiastic with it. I’ve tried the L’oreal Clay dry shampoo, thought it was horrible. DD likes it tho.

I said earlier in this thread that a much nicer/ more gentle dry shampoo is Klorane.

I use it in between shampoos and it’s excellent. Although much more expensive.
I have masses of blonde highlights and try to limit my washing. I’m lucky as l don’t have greasy hair- but this helps puff it up!

Oh thank Willowtree! I had forgotten you mentioned that one. I’ll try that one, à la Elspeth method. Here’s hoping. I used to love Klorane but I hadn’t seen it for years. Delighted to see it back.

champion
Yes! It’s much nicer. I don’t think you’ll need to use much either.
Something l’ve noticed, is that the longer you leave it to ‘just sit’ the better.
Seems obvious, but l’d been brushing it out a little too quickly previously!
Makes beehive type styles much better - hair grips nicely.

Frustratingly, my local chemist have the entire Klorane range..... except the dry shampoo.

Could it be that we've been using dry shampoo wrong all this time??

That we've been using it after it's gotten greasy... whereas we should have been using it as a preventative all along?

You know, it is quite possible!
Boots and Amazon have it.
How annoying they don’t have the dry...

I think I'll click and collect with Boots just to satisfy curiosity. Though I am sceptical it's all that different, tbh.....

I once bought an amazing dry shampoo which really worked to help me get a second day out of my hair but I never found it again.

It was more like hairspray in texture and smelt really nice. It was not expensive and I think it was a standard haircare brand, like L'Oréal or something.

So annoying I never found it again.

Was it Aussie? I’ve got one and it’s very drying. I’m going to try it on clean hair next.

Is it a mist, like a hairsprary, Dobby? Definitely no hint of powder on this one?

I have a feeling it was either Aussie (I don't like their products usually), Tresemme or Herbal Essences. Something v inexpensive.

Yes. Silver can. I think it’s kiwi scented. Purple writing, I’ll see if I can take a photo.

I use the klorane dry shampoo. It's definitely better than batiste.

Their normal shampoo for oily hair is good too. I hate being told to train my hair into going an extra day without washing. I've done it loads of times and I think I am just training myself to tolerate disgusting hair to be honest.

This is horrendously expensive (£39 a pot) but it's the only product I have which makes my hair and scalp feel properly clean. I use it once or twice a month

m.lookfantastic.com/christophe-robin-cleansing-purifying-scrub-with-sea-salt-250ml/10787030.html

Lush do a sea salt scrub shampoo which removes every bit of oil. Too hardcore for most hair and scalp but might be good for you ladies.

Lush do a sea salt scrub shampoo which removes every bit of oil. Too hardcore for most hair and scalp but might be good for you ladies

I would like to add a note that this is the one that also removed all my hair dye though!

Don't use clarifying shampoos frequently. Don't use shampoos containing sulfates (SLSs) - these are what are causing your hair to be so greasy. What they are doing is stripping your scalp of ALL oil in a really harsh way, and your scalp is overreacting by overproducing the oil each time.

It's hard to explain but your scalp WANTS a tiny amount oil around the follicles of each hair, to protect and nourish the hair. It doesn't have to be 'detectable' but should be there. It's not 'dirty' or disgusting to have it there. There's no need to use 'frequent use' shampoos etc. That's why your scalp overproduces oil when you wash frequently. 'Frequent use' shampoos are really not good for us. I think they've been designed just to make money personally. 'Clarifying' shampoos are not designed to be used everyday, just once in a while. Having absolutely ZERO grease has been marketed to us for decades as ideal but it's really not been healthy for us. Moisturising shampoos/conditioners are actually healthier for us as they calm the scalp down – I'm speaking from experience here though.

Anyway, it's a painful process but it is possible to 'train' your hair to become less greasy in time. Just start with washing it every other day, and use dry shampoo/hat/hair tie in between to cope. Do that for at least 2-3 weeks and see if there is any improvement. If it does then try to extend it by another day, so every 2 days, for 2-3 weeks, and then every 4 days and so on. It does work. I find I can go 3-4 days without washing my hair and my hair is not greasy at all. I'm comfortable with twice a week washing my hair now, but if I skip it I don't worry. I use a sulfate-free moisturising shampoo & conditioner, and sometimes just a co-wash, and I don't get greasy. It's strange but that's how it works. There's other things you can use that are more natural like apple cider vinegar/ baking soda but I'm not an expert on those personally. Hope that helps x

This explains the theory in better words than I can:
www.treehugger.com/organic-beauty/9-steps-washing-your-hair-less.html

Not just SLS and other sulfates that are bad for your hair - silicons are too, and will also cling to your hair and cause a build up.

*silicones