Want to know how to manage your greasy and fine hair? I have had quite the journey with my fine hair, from it getting greasy a day after washing to it being extremely tangled, flat and everything in between. I watched several YouTube videos, read research papers, and sought out expert advice from dermatologists and hair experts.
- Finding the Right Fine Hair Shampoo/Conditioner
- Washing your Greasy and Fine Hair the Right Way
- Trying New Fine Hair Hairstyles
- Hydrating and Oiling Your Fine Hair
- Exfoliating Your Scalp for a Healthy Hair Growth
- Finding a Good Dry Shampoo to Absorb Excess Oil
- Brushing Your Fine Hair Properly
- Washing Your Hair Tools
- Avoid Excessively Touching Your Hair
- Conclusion
Taking everything I have learned over the years from fine hair hairstyles and shampoos, here are 9 tips that I have used over the years to manage greasy, thin, and fine hair.
Finding the Right Fine Hair Shampoo/Conditioner
The right shampoo and conditioner can make a significant difference in the health and appearance of your greasy and thin hair. Look for products that are specifically designed for fine and thin hair, as they will contain lightweight formulas that won’t weigh your hair down.
Avoid using products that contain harsh chemicals, sulfates, and alcohol, as they can strip your hair of its natural oils, leaving it dry and damaged. Look for those that are paraben, sulfate, and silicone free. These tend to be safe enough for daily use but can also help extend the life of your wash since over-stripping the natural oils in your hair will cause your scalp to produce more oils.
Try a bit of a thicker conditioner on your ends since they can tend to be a bit drier but avoid conditioner on the scalp. In addition to an everyday shampoo, I use a detoxifying one to use either once a week or twice a month. These will contain sulfates but it is important to use them sparingly to make sure the hair follicles aren’t blocked from buildup.
I have several ones that I have loved over the years, and I strongly believe you do not need to pay a ton for good quality hair products. Finding the right products can also extend the life of your washes and over time make a difference in the health of your hair.
Product Recommendations:
Shaz and Kiks: Their Balancing Duo shampoo and conditioner are waterless and make for super concentrated products with great ingredients rooted in South Asian traditions. Each container lasted me almost an entire year!
Earthling Co: These shampoo and conditioner bars are some of the best I have found. The shampoo lathers well without stripping the hair and the conditioner makes my hair buttery soft. These bars will last you forever if you take care of them, plus they have clean ingredients and are plastic-free!
Kristen Ess: The Extra Gentle line is a great one to use for daily use and is in the traditional form of shampoo and conditioners. It smells great and lathers well. The Clarifying Shampoo from this company is amazing as well!
Washing your Greasy and Fine Hair the Right Way
First, you should be shampooing twice, and, second, you should be shampooing in sections. Just like double cleansing in skincare, the first wash helps lift oil and debris while the second cleanse cleans the scalp. You’ll see your shampoo lathers more the second time, an indicator that it is cleaning your scalp. I use my everyday shampoo for the second cleanse, regardless of which I use for the first, to avoid over-stripping.
Washing your scalp in sections helps ensure you get every part of your head clean, extending the time between washes and making your hair more voluminous. Take some shampoo and work at the nape of your neck to the mid ears. The second section is mostly the crown area while the third is typically the top and front of the scalp.
To properly shampoo, make sure your hair is thoroughly wet and shampoo your scalp for at least a minute before letting it sit. Sometimes not getting enough lather means you need to add more water rather than shampoo.
The same goes with the conditioner; it should stay on your ends for 3-5 minutes before rinsing it out. Before the second shampoo, I typically add conditioner to the ends of my hair and let it sit while I work in the shampoo. Then I let all of that sit for a few minutes while I get done with the rest of my shower before rinsing everything out at once.
Make sure you squeeze your ends of excess water before adding the conditioner and squish the conditioner into your lengths to bind the conditioner to the hair. This “squish to condish” method will help get the most out of your product and make your hair extra soft.
{Related Post: An Ultimate Guide to Ayurvedic Ingredients for Hair Growth}
Trying New Fine Hair Hairstyles
Experimenting with different hairstyles is a great way to add volume and texture to your fine and thin hair. Consider a shorter haircut with more blunt layers to add thickness to the ends. Getting any kind of layered haircut can add depth and dimension to your hair.
Also using heat or bleach, in moderation, can help manage the grease levels of your hair, especially if it feels unmanageable. This is counterintuitive, but adding a bit of heat here and there can help keep the oils more distributed. Generally, with fine hair, the scalp gets greasy while the ends feel fine, so adding some heat and brushing through the style can help distribute the excess oils.
You can also try styling your hair in loose waves or curls using a curling iron or a hair straightener. These techniques create the illusion of thicker and fuller hair. I find it helpful to add some curls on second-day hair and it always lets me go at least an extra day if not two.
And if all else fails, adding some braids or a ponytail can help. I generally braid my hair at night for soft waves in the morning that help hide the greasiness and also add volume since the strands are no longer very straight. These techniques can also help make fine, thin hair feel a little fuller.
Hydrating and Oiling Your Fine Hair
Fine, thin, and greasy hair is prone to dryness and breakage, so it’s essential to keep your hair hydrated and moisturized. Apply a lightweight hair oil, such as argan oil or jojoba oil, to your hair before shampooing and after getting out of the shower.
As a South Asian girl, I grew up oiling my hair once a week, and this helped extend the life of my washes. Why? Because adding oil to the scalp not only delivers key nutrients for hair growth but also tricks your scalp into thinking you have enough oil, so it starts producing less.
Avoid coconut oil as it can be too hydrating for fine hair, but most others are great options. Over time, oiling extends the life of hair to three or four days with the help of only a bit of dry shampoo.
You will need to shampoo your hair twice to get rid of all the oils and use a detoxifying shampoo on oiling days, but this will help your hair stay soft, shiny, and more oil free.
For the ends, try some lightweight oils or a deep conditioning mask. Keep both on for as little or as long as you like but I say anywhere from 20 minutes to 5 hours is good, although the longer the better. Avoid sleeping with the oils in your hair as it is not necessary and might just cause acne and make your sheets dirty.
Exfoliating Your Scalp for a Healthy Hair Growth
Exfoliating your scalp is an essential step in maintaining healthy and voluminous hair. It helps to remove buildup and dead skin cells that can clog your hair follicles and prevent hair growth. Just like we exfoliate our skin for new cells to come to the surface, it is important to do the same for your scalp.
I personally love using salicylic acid as it is known to help keep oil production at bay but use what works best for you. I generally do this on the hair washing day when I am not oiling my hair, so alternating the two. This treatment is especially important to do if you use dry shampoo or other leave-in products.
Even though you should still shampoo twice with this treatment, there is no need to use the detoxifying/clarifying shampoo. You’ll also notice a difference right away, and I am generally able to go an extra day without washing my hair on this treatment. Of course, remember not to overdo it but this is helpful to keep the hair voluminous and less greasy.
If you have seborrheic dermatitis, it may also help with that. You can use a gentle scalp scrub in place of a chemical exfoliant but I have also found them to be harder to use, harder to work into the scalp, and harder to remove from the hair. Not to mention that you typically use way more products with physical exfoliants as opposed to chemical ones.
Finding a Good Dry Shampoo to Absorb Excess Oil
A good dry shampoo can be a lifesaver for those with fine and thin hair. It can help to absorb excess oil and sweat, adding volume and texture to your hair.
Look for a dry shampoo that is specifically designed for fine and thin hair, as it will contain lightweight formulas that won’t weigh your hair down. I personally love non-aerosol ones to spray dry shampoos as I think they are more gentle and last so much longer.
If you struggle with greasy hair, add dry shampoo midway or in the evening of the first wash so the particles can start absorbing the oils before they stick to your hair. The longer the dry shampoo sits, the more oil it can absorb.
Avoid going more than two or three days with dry shampoo on your scalp as it can make it dry and flakey. If you really need to use dry shampoo every day, try ones that are more natural and clean to avoid other scalp issues that might arise. Also make sure to brush your hair at the end of each day to distribute the particles, and help keep your scalp more happy.
A bit of a bonus tip but either wash your hands with soap and water before you work in the dry shampoo or use a scalp exfoliating brush to avoid getting excess oils on your scalp. Trust me, there are oils on your hands, and rubbing in dry shampoo with them is counterproductive.
Brushing Your Fine Hair Properly
Brushing your hair regularly is essential to prevent tangles and knots. However, it’s important to use a gentle brush, such as a boar bristle brush or one specific to tangles, to avoid damaging your hair. Start at the ends of your hair and work your way up to prevent breakage and keep your hair frizz-free.
I also find it to flip my head and brush so that the oils are going directly to my dry ends rather than the oily scalp. It is important to brush your hair to keep the oils distributed throughout the lengths rather than sitting at the top. Don’t forget to brush your hair before you wash it to avoid excess tangles.
Washing Your Hair Tools
It is really important to keep the hair tools you use clean. I try to wash my hair brushes every two–three weeks to take out all the dead skin cells, dry shampoo, and other gunk stuck in the bristles. It is astonishing what builds up in brushes.
As for your plastic brushes, do this by filling up the sink with hot water mixed with your clarifying shampoo. Start by removing all the hair from the bristles, then soak the brushes for a while and rub them clean before rinsing and setting them aside to dry. The hot water and clarifying shampoo are usually enough to completely break down anything that’s stuck on the bristles and remove them with little effort. I also use a scalp massage brush to work in my dry shampoo to avoid the oils on my hands from getting into my scalp so I clean this during that time as well in the same way.
Just remember that whatever is in those brushes is getting on your scalp and most likely contributing to the greasiness and itchiness, so clean those brushes for a happy scalp and healthy hair. Lastly, wipe down your hot tools now and then to keep them clean and working well. They also accumulate oils and dust so if you are not cleaning them, that is all going on your hair as well.
Avoid Excessively Touching Your Hair
This was a hard habit for me to break, but avoid touching your hair outside of styling it. Think about all the things your hands touch throughout the day and what you might be bringing to your scalp. Our hands, and especially our nails, contain oils and dirt from the day and if we keep touching our hair, the oils will distribute into our strands, making it more oily. Try to not touch your hair then do it after your hands have been washed. You’ll see a difference in the number of days you can do without washing your hair if you make the conscious effort to stop running your fingers through your strands or touching it excessively.
Conclusion
Greasy and thin hair can definitely be a struggle, but with the right products and techniques, your hair will be the best it has ever been. It can feel overwhelming at first, but take the time to slowly incorporate these tips and try what works for you. The miracles won’t happen overnight, but trust me, more manageable hair is coming your way!
With love,
Aditi <3
Aditi Rani – Figuring Out Life in Your Twenties
*Disclaimer: This is not professional advice. Some links are affiliate. By clicking and/or purchasing, I may receive a commission. It does not alter the price or change your buyer experience.