For as long as I can remember, finding ways to manage oily hair has been a major part of my life. According to my mother, I am ‘blessed’ with olive skin that tans naturally. However, this also means I have the type of hair that requires a daily wash. If I fail to wash it, I will look like I have been rolling around in fat. Or so I thought. There are ways to manage oily hair, which can be quite the life savers if you lead a busy lifestyle.
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1. Avoid Conditioning at the Roots
This is one of the simplest ways to manage oily hair. When visiting a hairdresser a few years ago, I had a bit of a moan to her about my locks. She told me that she can space out washes by only using conditioner halfway down. Once a week, she uses a hair mask or Moroccan oil. This works quite well, but you really will need that hair mask when the week comes to an end.
2. Stock up on Talcum Powder
As disgusting as this may sound, I can sometimes go two or three days without shampooing my hair if I use talcum powder. This is entirely necessary when exams come around, as I barely have time to dry my hair. Trust me, with hair as thick as mine, this can mean an hour’s worth of blow dryer time. Sprinkling a little talcum powder over my roots and brushing it out has the same effect as dry shampoo. I think you can guess what is coming next…
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3. Dry Shampoo
Whoever invented dry shampoo has my eternal gratitude. I have travel-sized cans in my purse for the summer, when inevitably my hair is going to be more horrific than usual. Batiste is my favourite brand. From time-to-time, I go wild and try variations, including those that come with brunette enhancing add-ons. In my opinion, those add-ons do the square root of sod all, but they do smell nice!
4. Choose Your Products Wisely
There are certain styling products that will weigh down your hair and make it look greasier. Fortunately, the hair care market is so diverse you can now choose products according to your type. In general, you don’t want to overload your hair with too many products. Not only is it damaging, it can make your hair greasier. Choose the bare essentials and run with it.
5. Drink Rosemary Tea
Rosemary tea may not sound appetizing, but it really is quite nice when you add a little honey to it! Rosemary reduces your body’s sebum production. As sebum causes greasy hair, reducing its production is a great way to de-grease. I recently tried a shampoo and conditioner set that blended rosemary and tea tree oil. Not only did I smell like lamb, my hair went very frizzy. Stick to drinking rosemary and try to keep it away from your head.
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6. Get Your Hair Drunk
Okay, so you can’t actually get your hair drunk. You can do as your grandmother did and rinse your hair with beer though. Beer rinses are well known for keeping grease at bay. I have to confess, I haven’t tried this one. I therefore cannot say whether you will be walking around smelling like a bar after throwing Budweiser over your hair.
7. Wear It up
If you need to manage your oily hair rapidly and do not have time for any of the above, wear it up. There is this thing Kate Moss likes to do with her hair that we call a ‘Croydon Facelift’ over here. You basically tie it back REALLY tight and keep it that way. Understandably, not all of us have Kate’s flair for pulling this stuff off. Chignons, messy buns, and side plaits all work well. Use clips to keep bangs out of your face and hopefully nobody will notice the grease!
As oily haired ladies, we’re not going to be able to manage our hair dramas all the time. Still, we can but try. If you have an oily hair management tip, please share it with the rest of us! Maybe, one day, we can beat our oily locks together.
