7 Simple Tricks to Get Rid of Greasy Hair Without Washing
This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon and Rewardstyle affiliate, we may earn a small commission for any purchases made through these links. Click here for the disclosure statement.
We don’t know about you, but we schedule the week’s events around when we have to wash our hair. Especially for those ladies with long hair, maximizing the time between washes is crucial. After all, no one likes to spend time washing their hair when they could be enjoying some self-care with Netflix and pizza. Even though how often you should wash your hair varies from person to person, we’re sharing seven of our favorite tricks for dirty hair when you don’t have time to wash your hair every day.
Keep Your Hands Away
Want the simplest, quickest fix to get rid of greasy hair? Stop touching it! Many people think that oily hair is caused from excess oil production at the scalp (it still could be!), but if you’re a frequent hair toucher, you might be transferring oils and skincare products from your hands into your hair. Your hands naturally product oils to protect your skin, but if you want to keep your hair clean without washing it everyday, keep your hands away!
Use a Sulfate-Free Shampoo
As a kid, did you ever read the ingredients on your shampoo and conditioner bottles? If you did, it’s likely that you saw two common shampoo sulfates: sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate. Both of these ingredients are responsible for creating that thick shampoo commercial style lather. However, there are many reasons that you should be considering a sulfate-free shampoo.
If you have color-treated hair, sulfates can wreck havoc and strip the color (and you know that you paid good money for that). Not only that, but shampoos with sulfates strip your hair of their natural oils. In order to get that silky hair feeling, many of these shampoos will have added ingredients, such as silicones and parabens, to create an artificial coating over hair. This leads to shampoo and product buildup, which can weigh hair down and cause it to look dirty and greasy faster. Not to mention, sulfate shampoo can be especially bad for ladies with curly hair, since it can cause excess frizz.
Keep Conditioner Where It Belongs
Greasy scalp minutes after washing? It could be that you are putting the conditioner too close to your roots. In order to keep long hair cleaner longer, condition your hair by applying conditioner from mid-length to the ends. Your scalp makes oil naturally so applying conditioner at the roots can cause hair to lose volume and become weighed down, especially for those with finer hair.
It’s also important to find a conditioner that matches your hair’s unique needs. Is it curly? Dry or damaged hair might require a weekly deep conditioner or a post-shower leave-in conditioner to restore it’s shine. Treat your conditioner like your skincare routine. Would you use an oily skincare product for dry skin?
Use a Good Dry Shampoo
Our favorite tip for not washing your hair? Get a good dry shampoo. While this may not have you ditching shampoo and conditioner for good, a can of dry shampoo can help you extend the life of your hairstyle without washing. The key to using dry shampoo is to make sure to shake the can vigorously before applying to activate the shampoo and spray vigorously on your roots, sectioning pieces of your hair as you spray. Once you’ve applied the product, massage your scalp with your fingertips to evenly absorb oil from hair.
As with shampoo and conditioner, dry shampoo can be unique to your hair’s needs. If your hair needs volume, we love Not Your Mother’s Plump for Joy as the perfect way to soak up oil and grease while lifting lifeless hair. If you’re looking to keep long hair clean and unscented, we love Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo.
Try this: Use dry shampoo before your hair gets greasy. Apply dry shampoo in your hair before you go to bed and allow it to stay overnight. This allows the dry shampoo to soak up the natural oils your hair produces while you sleep and you will be able to brush it out in the morning.
Sleep on a Silk Pillowcase
Let’s just call this an age old beauty trick. Sleeping on silk pillowcases is an easy way to help maintain the natural oils in your hair, leaving your hair smoother and frizz-free in the morning. Traditional cotton pillowcases cause friction between your hair and the fibers as you sleep, whereas silk or satin pillowcases are much smoother.
Bonus: these pillow cases are just as good for skin can help to prevent wrinkles.
If you’re not ready to commit to the price tag of silk, satin pillowcases can provide many of the same benefits at a fraction of the cost! This set is under $10!
Try an At-Home Blowout
If you workout often, you’re no stranger to post-workout hair. This Revlon hot air brush has been a game changer for styling hair when you don’t have time to wash. The hair dryer gives limp, sweaty hair volume quickly and easily and cuts the drying time of wet hair down immensely.
To style post-workout: Use the Revlon styling tool to dry damp hair at the roots. Once dry, spray your favorite dry shampoo and massage into the scalp. Then, finish with the round brush to style and give your hair a smooth, sleek shine.
Keep Heat Styling to a Minimum
By now, we all know that using too much heat on our hair can cause damage and breakage. But the same can be said about heat styling on dirty hair. If you don’t wash your hair everyday, that means you might only applying a heat protectant spray a few times a week. In addition, some styling products may not be meant to be used with heat, causing additional damage to hair.
Keep hair at its healthiest by minimizing heat styling as much as possible. If you must using a heat tool, use a flat or curling iron with a ceramic barrel. Ceramic barrels emit negatively charged ions which helps to lock in natural oils and moisture, which prevents the cuticle from splitting, damage, or frizz.
Get Creative with Hair Accessories
Embrace those dirty do hairstyles! Make the most of your Day 2 hair by accessorizing with fun scrunchies or clips. If your hair gets greasy around your face, pull the hair back with a cute headband or accessory. After all, it’s not dirty if no one seems it, right?