Oily Hair Management: Do’s and Don’ts

My hair has gone through so much, chemical, color, keratin, straightening, rebonding and what not- my hair’s thickness and texture has changed drastically, but one thing that remains unchanged is it’s OILINESS! I always struggled with oily hair and while some say it is good hair naturally oily hair- it was always a nuisance for me! Shampooing every other day, cleaning my combs very often, there was one or the other hair-related thing on my daily agenda. While my ends keep getting rougher and frizzier with the heat and chemical exposure it is put through everyday, the roots remain unaltered aka oily.

Consider it a blessing or a curse, oily hair does need some management on a daily basis. If I wasn’t a blogger I would have cared the least about my oily hair but now that I have to be on the screen or in front of the camera so very often, I have to pay extra heed to how my hair is looking in the camera and with the everything going high-def these days; every flaw, every imperfection is amplified and shows distinctly.

So below are some of my everyday healthy hair practices and some Do’s and Don’ts that I believe help me manage my limpy, oily hair..

I shampoo every other day or as and when needed and I use products meant for oily hair. In summer months I can get away with shampooing less frequently but in winter I have to shampoo every other day. Those pretty beanies, berets and winter hats always help hide a bad hair day but they make the hair root situation even worse. My hair gets greasier under those winter hair accessories leaving me with little or no option but to shampoo my hair every other day.

Talking about hats and hair accessories, so I clean my hair combs, brushes, hair ties, scrunches, and hats very often. Reason, you don’t want the dirt and grime buildup on your hair brushes and hats to make your roots greasier. So wash them with soap and water and keep them grease-free.

Don’t avoid blow-drying your hair. Many women avoid blow-drying their hair for fears of dryness and damage, but if oily hair is your issue, this is far less of a concern. In fact, avoiding blow-drying can deny you one of the best ways of coping with excessive oiliness; many women with oily hair prefer to use a hairdryer, as they find the heat helps to “dry” some of the oil and thus they can go longer between washes.

I always use a conditioner but I never apply them to the roots. I use them only on my ends where it is rough and dry. I rinse-off my conditioner with cold water which also helps keeps the oil levels down. Cold water closes your hair cuticles, thereby locking in the natural oils and conditioning that your hair needs without it producing oil naturally.

Excessive shampooing can rip off your hair of the natural oils making it super dry. When your hair is dry, your roots start to produce more oil to make up for the lost natural oils. So, if I’m not going out and my hair is feeling greasy, I stick to using a Dry Shampoo. A dry shampoo is just corn starch filled in an aerosol spray bottle that helps combat greasy hair by absorbing the excessive oil in-between shampoos. It is like rinsing your hair without water. It is a temporary fix and I don’t mind it at all!

I take extra caution when moisturizing my face. I usually wear a fabric headband and pull my hair back in a ponytail/bun when applying moisturizer to my face and neck. By doing so I keep the oils from my moisturizer from entering into my hair scalp. Also when my hair is tied back I touch it less with my moisturizer hands which can otherwise make your hair greasy.

Talking about my pillow covers, I always use only cotton and sweat-absorbing material. Satins are luxurious and sexy but they are non-adsorbent and make your hair situation worse with the sweat. Supposedly, they do help tame down the frizz but make your roots even more greasier. So I either use a soft towel that I swap for a fresh one everyday or I just stick to pure cotton pillow covers.

As much we all love touching our hair playfully ( both consciously and subconsciously), every time you touch your hair the oil and grease from your palm transfers to your hair making the hair all the more greasier. It gets even gross-looking if you have naturally oily hair. So, I resist the temptation to touch my hair as much as I can and I would suggest you do too.

Watch what you eat and always stay hydrated. What you feed your body shows on your hair and skin. The more healthier, non-fatty, non-greasy food you’ll eat, the better you hair and skin will be. It will glow and scream healthy from within. The same with water. Keep yourself hydrated at all times.

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