Does Oil Training Hair Work?

If you have oily hair, you may think the solution lies in more frequent hair washing. However, over-washing your hair isn’t necessarily the answer, and you’ve probably heard that washing your hair daily is bad. But what if there was a way to train your hair to be less oily? Well, rumor has it that oil training hair may be just what you need to do—but does it really work? Below, find out what there is to know about this hair care theory, along with our top tips for managing greasy hair.

What Is Oil Training?

As you can probably guess, oil training is the process of training your hair—specifically  your scalp—to produce less oil. Oil training, sometimes referred to as grease training, involves putting off time between washes. The theory is that by doing so, you won’t strip your hair of its natural oils daily, and therefore your sebaceous glands won’t feel the need to overproduce oil in order to compensate for what was lost. 

Does Oil Training Hair Work? 

While there are certainly people who believe strongly in the power of oil training一hair stylists included一 we hate to break it to you, but oil training is nothing but a myth. According to the Cleveland Clinic, your sebaceous glands and their oil production are controlled by hormones, and how often you wash your hair has no effect on oil production.

How To Manage Oily Hair 

Just because oil training hair doesn’t work, doesn’t mean all hope is lost. There are other ways to help manage oily hair. Incorporating some or all of these five recommendations could be the answer you need to dealing with your greasy strands. 

1. Shampoo As Frequently As You Need To 

According to the Cleveland Clinic, rather than washing less frequently, you should actually be washing more frequently if you find yourself getting quite greasy. Despite what you might have been told, you may even find you need to wash your hair daily. 

Think about it—your scalp is skin, and you wouldn’t leave built-up oil to sit on your face, would you? So, if your hair is on the oily side, you’ll need to cleanse away that buildup just the same. While it’s true you shouldn’t overdo it with washing, once a day is typically the right frequency for those with oily strands.

2. Use The Right Shampoo And Conditioner 

When it comes to washing your hair, using hair care products that are formulated for oily hair is key. Try the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Clay Shampoo and L’Oréal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Clay Conditioner, which are specifically formulated for oily roots and dry ends to leave your hair looking fresh and clean.

3. Use A Scalp Scrub

Aside from shampoo and conditioner, it’s also a good idea to add a scalp scrub, like the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Scalp Care + Detox Scrub, into your hair care routine. The scrub is formulated with apricot seeds and gently removes impurities, flakes, and buildup from dirt and excess oils that can cause hair to be weighed down, promoting a healthy-looking scalp. Use it once a week or as needed for a scalp refresh.

4. Incorporate Dry Shampoo Into Your Hair Care Routine

Sometimes your strands will need a refresh in between shampoos. Simply spritz a bit of dry shampoo wherever needed to absorb excess oil and give your hair a clean, fresh appearance that will hold you over until you can wash it again. The L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Air Volume Dry Shampoo is great because it effectively absorbs excess oil while not weighing the hair down or leaving behind white residue. 

5. Limit Styling Products

When your hair doesn’t look quite how you’d like it to, it’s easy to think styling products are the solution. But when the problem is greasy hair, loading up on products is only going to weigh down your strands and add to the greasy appearance. When you do use styling products, stick with one or two, and only use a small amount. It’s also helpful to focus products on your ends rather than your roots. 

Next: 5 Facts About Hair Growth You Should Know

Written by: Alyssa Kaplan, Photography: Chaunte Vaughn, Senior Art Director: Melissa San Vicente-Landestoy, Associate Creative Producer: Becca Solovay, Makeup Artist: Jonet Williamson, Hair Stylist: Akihisa Yamaguchi, Wardrobe Stylist: Adriana Perez-Bell, Digital Tech: Paul Yem, Model: Kaitlyn Fitzpatrick