If you find you’re having to wash your hair on a daily basis to ensure your scalp remains grease-free, it might be time to switch up your shampoo and conditioner.
Having oily hair means you need specific products to target the issue, rather than constantly having to jump in the shower.
We tested the top shampoos and their matching conditioners that claim to detoxify the scalp and control oil production, to find the ones that really work. Here are the products we recommend:
1
Best shampoo for oily hair
Redken Amino-Mint Scalp Shampoo
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2
Best shampoo for shine
Kérastase Specifique Bain Divalent Shampoo
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3
Best smoothing shampoo
OGX Clarify & Shine+ Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo
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4
Best value for money shampoo
TRESemmé Deep Cleansing Shampoo and Cleanse and Replenish Conditioner
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5
Best shampoo for anti-dandruff
Head & Shoulders Citrus Fresh Anti Dandruff Shampoo
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Can you stop hair from getting greasy quickly?
Over-washing your hair is often the culprit. It may be hard to resist but if you scrub your hair every day it will strip the scalp of its natural oils, causing it to stimulate the production of even more oil. Worse case scenario, washing too often can cause dandruff and even excess hair breakage.
Instead, reduce how often you cleanse your hair. Depending on your hair type, try limiting your washes to three times a week. The first few weeks will be greasy but once your hair gets used to the new routine, you’ll thank yourself.
It might sound obvious but also reducing how much - albeit unconsciously - you run your hands through your hair will limit oiliness too. Every time your hands come into contact with your scalp you’re transferring even more oil, which makes for an unhappy, greasy scalp.
What causes greasy hair?
Just like your skin can be oily, your hair can be too. Greasiness is down to your scalp working overtime and producing too much sebum. This could be down to genetics and hormones but there are also environmental factors such as pollution, working out and overwhelming the scalp with products that can take its toll.
Although it may be tempting to use a dry shampoo to mattify, too many products too often will only cause the scalp to get clogged. Your best bet is to invest in a powerful shampoo that’s specifically targeted to tackle greasiness. That’s where we can help...
How we test
Our panel of 450 testers - with hair textures ranging from straight to afro - tried 33 brands of shampoo and their matching conditioners for two weeks.
They noted how effectively the products cleaned oily hair, how much they lathered up and whether they noticed any long-lasting benefits. They also reported back on how their hair felt after use, focusing on hydration, smoothness, shininess and volume.
In the GHI lab, our experts applied artificial sebum to hair switches before using a Sebumeter to measure oil and sebum levels after cleaning with each shampoo, to judge how effective they were.
Should parabens, silicones or sulphates be dealbreakers, we've listed which shampoos contain them below.
Here are our best shampoos for greasy hair:
1
Best shampoo for oily hair
Redken Amino-Mint Scalp Shampoo
2
Best shampoo for shine
Kérastase Specifique Bain Divalent Shampoo
3
Best smoothing shampoo
OGX Clarify & Shine+ Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo
4
Best value for money shampoo
TRESemmé Deep Cleansing Shampoo and Cleanse and Replenish Conditioner
5
Best shampoo for anti-dandruff
Head & Shoulders Citrus Fresh Anti Dandruff Shampoo
6
Best shampoo for detoxing
Bumble and bumble Sunday Shampoo
7
Best eco-friendly shampoo
Lush Jumping Juniper Shampoo Bar
8
Best shampoo for colour-treated hair
Bio Balance Organic Citrus Shampoo
9
Best for irritated scalps
Oribe Serene Scalp Balancing Shampoo
10
Best for dry hair
Kevin Murphy Balancing Wash Shampoo
11
Best for a gentle cleanse
Virtue Purifying Shampoo
12
Best for long-lasting oil control
Aussie Shampoo Mega For Everyday Cleaning
13
Best for adding volume
Christophe Robin Purifying Shampoo with Thermal Mud & Purifying Conditioner
14
Best for pre-styling
Davines SOLU Shampoo
15
Best budget buy shampoo
Aldi Lacura Apple Shampoo
16
Best shampoo for combination hair
L'Oréal Elvive Extraordinary Clay Re-Balancing Shampoo and Conditioner
17
Best shampoo for softer hair
L'Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Pure Resource Shampoo
18
Best vegan shampoo
The Body Shop Tea Tree Purifying & Balancing Shampoo and Conditioner
19
Best for curly hair
Pattern Cleansing Shampoo
Charlotte Bitmead Charlotte is a beauty and grooming writer, covering product reviews on everything from hair dryers to moisturisers. She has previously written for ELLE’s print magazine and The Sunday Times Style, writing in-depth features that challenge people’s perceptions of the beauty industry, by drawing from topics ranging from politics to sustainability to inclusivity, as well as conducting celeb interviews and tapping into zeitgeist trends.