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L'Oréal Paris x Isabel Marant Collection
VOLUMINOUS® Original Mascara
Unbelieva-brow Longwear Waterproof Brow Gel
Your Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Skin Care Routine Schedule
PURE-CLAY Detox & Brighten Cleanser
PURE-CLAY Clear & Comfort Face Mask
4 Best Tips for Touching Up Your Roots
COLORISTA Semi-Permanent Hair Color
Meet The Roots
Your Guide to Sulfate-Free Hair Care
ELVIVE Extraordinary Oil Treatment
ELVIVE Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm
3 Easy Hairstyles in 3 Minutes Each
ADVANCED HAIRSTYLE AIR DRY IT Wave Swept Spray
ELNETT SATIN HAIRSPRAY Extra Strong Hold
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If you have oily hair, you’ve likely wondered about what you can do to help get rid of the excess grease at your roots. You may have even considered hiding your hair under a hat (and dealing with hat hair) to avoid letting others see your oily hair. The really tricky thing about oily hair is that sometimes your roots might be oily but your ends are dry, which can make caring for your hair quite difficult. When your roots are overly oily, however, it’s important to use hair care products that can help absorb some of that oil without drying out the rest of your strands. The key to properly caring for oily hair is finding and using the right products—from shampoo and conditioner to dry shampoo. Here, learn all about our best shampoo for oily hair, the best hair care products to pair with it, and our top tips for taking care of oily hair.
Like we said, when you have greasy roots, it’s super important to use a shampoo that can help to not only absorb some of the oil on your scalp, but also remove other buildup. If you have greasy roots, hair care products formulated with clay are a great solution for purifying your roots while also leaving your lengths and ends hydrated. That’s because one of the prominent characteristics of clay is that it's absorbent, making it ideal for treating an oily scalp or oily roots (as well as oily skin). But what type of clay works best on hair? Yes, there are more than a few types of different clays! Two of the most popular clays used in cosmetic and hair care products are kaolin and bentonite. So, when looking out for a shampoo and conditioner system to help alleviate your greasy roots and also keep the rest of your mane hydrated, look out for these types of clays.
The L’Oréal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Clay Shampoo is formulated with three types of pure clays (kaolin and bentonite, plus montmorillonite). When used alongside the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Clay Conditioner and L’Oréal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Clay Pre-Shampoo Mask, this shampoo can help instantly purify oily roots and hydrate dry lengths, without weighing hair down, for beautifully fresh, flowing hair from root to tip. The entire hair care system absorbs excess oil at the root while also rehydrating areas where hair is dry.
Now it’s time to put your new shampoo to good use! Follow these instructions for using our best shampoo for oily hair:
If you have oily hair, the first step in your shower routine should be using a pre-shampoo hair mask. Our pre-shampoo mask should be applied to dry roots, lengths, and ends, section by section. Make sure to fully cover your entire head, then leave the mask on for five minutes. Once those five minutes are up, gently massage your scalp while rinsing out the mask.
It’s go time! Once you’ve rinsed out the hair mask, massage the shampoo onto wet hair, lather (with focus on your roots), then rinse.
Your in-shower hair care routine isn’t complete without conditioner—yes, even if you have oily hair. After rinsing out your shampoo, apply the conditioner, leave it on for one to three minutes, then rinse out thoroughly.
Does your oily hair need a little refresh later in the day? Reach for a dry shampoo. The L’Oréal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Clay Dry Shampoo helps instantly refresh hair between shampoos by absorbing excess oil for fresh, lightweight hair with no visible residue. To use, first shake the can well. Then, hold it six to eight inches from your hair and spray directly onto oily roots and lightly throughout the rest of your hair to absorb oil. Brush through and you’re good to go.
Editor’s note: Dry shampoo is one of our absolute must-have products—regardless of hair type! To make sure you’ve got this step in your routine right, check out our article, How to Use Our Dry Shampoo, for a deeper dive into this (oh-so-important) topic.
Now that you know how to use our best shampoo for oily hair, we’re here to share a few extra hair care tips for your hair type.
While your first instinct might be to apply conditioner all over your hair when you’re in the shower, that’s not always the best idea. This is especially true if you have hair that tends to get oily at the roots, because it can make your hair appear greasier. Luckily, it’s an easy fix! As a general rule, only use conditioner from about midway down your hair through to your ends. Since your ends can get extra dry, this is the area of your hair that's likely to really need added moisture from conditioner.
Don’t forget to brush! Doing so can help distribute your natural oils from your roots to the rest of your hair—which can keep your roots from looking extra greasy. Try brushing your hair before going to bed each night so it will become a natural part of your routine.
You know how we told you to focus conditioner away from your roots? Well, this tip is in a similar vein. If you have oily hair, try not to go overboard with styling products, especially near your roots, since this can make your hair look even greasier.
Think about it: Your scalp is skin too! So, it makes sense that to grow and maintain healthy hair, you need to keep your scalp healthy, and that means regularly exfoliating away dead skin cells. For those who tend to have oily strands, it’s even more important to exfoliate and remove product buildup, which can make your hair appear extra greasy. Reach for a scalp scrub, like the L'Oréal Paris Everfresh Micro-Exfoliating Scalp Scrub, at least once or twice a month to keep your scalp in good shape.
Editor’s note: When using this scalp scrub, set your go-to oily hair products to the side. In their place, use the L'Oréal Paris EverFresh Anti-Dandruff Shampoo and L'Oréal Paris EverFresh Balancing Conditioner, which are part of the same system as the scrub.
Showering in water that’s too hot (hint: if your skin turns red, you need to turn down the temperature) can potentially strip your hair of its natural oils—which are essential since they provide shine and keep your strands healthy. So, next time you’re in the shower getting ready to shampoo, remember that although turning the dial up all the way might feel good—especially during the winter—it isn’t the best move for your hair.
OK, so you’ve taken all of the above tips to heart, but you still have days where your strands look greasy. It’s frustrating, we know! Besides making sure your hair care routine is intact, there are also plenty of ways to style your locks in order to help temporarily hide that greasy-look. What a relief!
We know, this is an obvious one, but it bears repeating because A.) it’s easy and quick, and B.) headscarves are super cute!
One of the best hairstyles for embracing unwashed, oily hair is the beachy waves look. It’ll give you a carefree vibe while also looking super cool! To style, use a bit of volumizing mousse, like the L'Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle BOOST IT Volume Inject Mousse, on the lengths and ends of your hair. Just pump a dollop into your palms, rub your hands together, and work the mousse through your hair while scrunching up the ends to create a wavy effect.
Why not change things up and go for a dramatic, side part? It will work with whatever your natural hair texture and length is, and it can help to hide those pesky greasy roots.
When in doubt, grab a claw clip. Sweeping your second-day hair up into a claw clip can look beautifully disheveled and chic, and it’s super quick—no styling required! If you’d rather rock a slightly sleeker chignon, try a low bun secured with a few bobby pins.
Forever in style, braids are a great way to take the focus off of your oily roots. If you want to stick to the basics, go for a messy braid or one of our 3 Braid Hairstyles for Lazy Girls. For a more sophisticated look, sweep your hair back into a low fishtail braid (if you need a refresh on how to do one, check out Our Easy Fishtail Braid Tutorial).
Of course, if you have great braiding skills and would rather opt for a more trendy braided hairstyle, we’ve got plenty of ideas for you there, too. Try the gorgeous waterfall braid, or the edgy zipper braid, and remember, a bit of dry shampoo can go a long way in adding texture to your pretty plait!
Next up, learn more about The Benefits of Clay for Oily Hair.