The Student Room Group

If I don't wash my hair everyday, it looks like someoe poured oil on it

I wash my hair every day because otherwise, it looks like it has oil on it. It's very bad, dry shampoo doesn't help. I don't use conditioner either as that makes it worse.

How can I make this stop?

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I always had the same issue, made sure my shampoo is AGAINST oily/greasy hair. The not so good quality Head and Shoulders shampoo did the work for me, the one with the lemon. Not sure if good for anything else, but getting rid out of the oil.
Reply 2
Maybe your over washing it? In this case, you might need to gradually cut down the amount you wash until it’s more reasonable. Once every 2-4 days is the average amount.
You could also have a medical condition, might be a good idea to consult your GP or a dermatologist just encase there is something underlying there.
Are you using any products in your hair during or after washing?
If your exercising/ excessively sweating during a day that could be a cause.
I used to have this issue. What I did was wait until extended holidays (Easter, Summer etc) where I wouldn’t have to go out every single day, and then literally leave my hair unwashed for 4-5 days, even if it turned into a grease pit.

This worked best during summer because I had so much time and spent most of it chilling indoors looking ugly. By the end of the holiday, my hair was nowhere near as greasy and I can now go 4 days or so without having to wash it. It does tend to revert back to grease pit if I overwash it again, though.

I would also suggest not using too much product. Use basic shampoo and conditioner. To be honest, you could try shampoos that strip oils, but I personally feel that this just backfires as it makes your scalp dry and then it tries to compensate by producing a **** ton of oil.

I use Mane and Tail shampoo/conditioner which is meant originally for horses but works well on human hair lol! Seems to have mixed reviews, but works for me....
Original post by B3ar93
Maybe your over washing it? In this case, you might need to gradually cut down the amount you wash until it’s more reasonable. Once every 2-4 days is the average amount.
You could also have a medical condition, might be a good idea to consult your GP or a dermatologist just encase there is something underlying there.
Are you using any products in your hair during or after washing?
If your exercising/ excessively sweating during a day that could be a cause.

Once every 2-4 days is definitely NOT the average amount...
As weird as it sounds, I think your hair almost gets used to how much you wash it. Mine always used to get greasy towards the end of the day, so I washed it each evening. But life gets busy and I don't have the time for the luxury of a long shower, so sometimes I'll shower without washing my hair and it can go to three days. In the middle I used to use dry shampoo, but over time I found that I just didn't need it anymore, as it stopped getting greasy. Now, I can go for at least three days, and will start to look a little greasy by the 4th day. People do often over wash their hair, and I think removing the natural oils makes things worse.
Original post by Anonymous
Once every 2-4 days is definitely NOT the average amount...


Go on then, show us your scientific study to back up your claim. I don't think there's anything wrong with washing your hair every 2 days or even every 3, though personally mine would be greasy after 4. How was that even a helpful post?
Reply 6
Original post by Dralexus
I always had the same issue, made sure my shampoo is AGAINST oily/greasy hair. The not so good quality Head and Shoulders shampoo did the work for me, the one with the lemon. Not sure if good for anything else, but getting rid out of the oil.


Hmmm, I will try it as I haven't tried that one yet.
Reply 7
Original post by B3ar93
Maybe your over washing it? In this case, you might need to gradually cut down the amount you wash until it’s more reasonable. Once every 2-4 days is the average amount.
You could also have a medical condition, might be a good idea to consult your GP or a dermatologist just encase there is something underlying there.
Are you using any products in your hair during or after washing?
If your exercising/ excessively sweating during a day that could be a cause.

Don't use any hair products not do I sweat a lot. I did try cutting back in the past but that's difficult cuz I can't leave the house with my hair looking like it's covered in oil.
Reply 8
Original post by Snfkin
I used to have this issue. What I did was wait until extended holidays (Easter, Summer etc) where I wouldn’t have to go out every single day, and then literally leave my hair unwashed for 4-5 days, even if it turned into a grease pit.

This worked best during summer because I had so much time and spent most of it chilling indoors looking ugly. By the end of the holiday, my hair was nowhere near as greasy and I can now go 4 days or so without having to wash it. It does tend to revert back to grease pit if I overwash it again, though.

I would also suggest not using too much product. Use basic shampoo and conditioner. To be honest, you could try shampoos that strip oils, but I personally feel that this just backfires as it makes your scalp dry and then it tries to compensate by producing a **** ton of oil.

I use Mane and Tail shampoo/conditioner which is meant originally for horses but works well on human hair lol! Seems to have mixed reviews, but works for me....

Hmm I will try that If I do manage to get a period of time where I don't have to leave the house.
Reply 9
Original post by Mruczega
I wash my hair every day because otherwise, it looks like it has oil on it. It's very bad, dry shampoo doesn't help. I don't use conditioner either as that makes it worse.

How can I make this stop?


don't use to many products , use dry shampoo and baby power works great as well
Reply 10
Original post by leahkhan
don't use to many products , use dry shampoo and baby power works great as well

Like I said dry shampoo doesn't help. I would use up a whole bottle before my hair would stop looking greasy and at that point, it would look white/grey cuz I used more than you're supposed to.
ohhh is your hair long ?
Original post by Mruczega
Like I said dry shampoo doesn't help. I would use up a whole bottle before my hair would stop looking greasy and at that point, it would look white/grey cuz I used more than you're supposed to.
Original post by Anonymous
Once every 2-4 days is definitely NOT the average amount...


Only if your considering the term ‘average’ to mean ‘worldwide’ instead of ‘in western culture’. Then including all the communities that never wash their hair or if they do, they don’t use soap. The average could be in years, not days.
But yeah, I agree, I wash mine less. Shower every other day and wash my hair every week. No grease, no spots and no issues.
Less is more, my friend!
Original post by Mruczega
Don't use any hair products not do I sweat a lot. I did try cutting back in the past but that's difficult cuz I can't leave the house with my hair looking like it's covered in oil.


Can you tie it back? Is it long? There are quite a few styles you could do your hair in while having a greasy day.
If short, I’m not so sure...where a hat?
Reply 14
Original post by Anonymous
Only if your considering the term ‘average’ to mean ‘worldwide’ instead of ‘in western culture’. Then including all the communities that never wash their hair or if they do, they don’t use soap. The average could be in years, not days.
But yeah, I agree, I wash mine less. Shower every other day and wash my hair every week. No grease, no spots and no issues.
Less is more, my friend!


Having one shower a week it better than 3? That phrase doesn’t work.
That's what occurs through DHT.
Original post by Bio 7
Having one shower a week it better than 3? That phrase doesn’t work.


Sorry, I meant
“I shower every other day and only wash my hair once a week.”
Otherwise it gets fluffy... and fluffy hair is a whole different hair problem.
Ew, not washing hair every day seems a bit grim.
Original post by Anonymous
Only if your considering the term ‘average’ to mean ‘worldwide’ instead of ‘in western culture’. Then including all the communities that never wash their hair or if they do, they don’t use soap. The average could be in years, not days.
But yeah, I agree, I wash mine less. Shower every other day and wash my hair every week. No grease, no spots and no issues.
Less is more, my friend!


When saying average I obviously meant in western culture....
and also I meant that the average is definitely (in western culture, obviously) more than that, what kind of disgusting person only washes their hair every 2-4 days..?
Original post by Anonymous
Only if your considering the term ‘average’ to mean ‘worldwide’ instead of ‘in western culture’. Then including all the communities that never wash their hair or if they do, they don’t use soap. The average could be in years, not days.
But yeah, I agree, I wash mine less. Shower every other day and wash my hair every week. No grease, no spots and no issues.
Less is more, my friend!

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