If you have oily hair—or an oily scalp, really—there’s a good chance it looks flat, stringy or greasy within hours of washing it. The best shampoos for oily hair thoroughly cleanse without drying out the scalp or strands, using beneficial ingredients that keep hair bouncy and shiny. Our top overall pick, Ouai’s Detox Shampoo, does just that, as well as our favorite for oily scalps, K18’s Peptide Prep Detox Shampoo.
The best shampoos for oily hair give a deep clean without being harsh or drying—paving the way for volume and shine.
ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTO: RETAILERS
Oily hair can be the result of a few things, according to experts: your shampoo isn’t adequately cleansing your hair, your scalp is overproducing oil or you’re not washing your hair often enough. After speaking with hair color specialist Lauren Paglionico for guidance, we rounded up the best shampoos that target oil at your roots. (If you’re looking for the best shampoos for color-treated hair or the best shampoos for fine hair, we’ve curated those, too.)
Many shampoos for oily hair can be made with harsh sulfates, but Ouai’s formula uses gentle surfactants, apple cider vinegar and chelating agents that cleanse and purify strands. It checks all the boxes—combatting oil, dirt, product buildup and mineral deposits from hard water—so you don’t have dreaded hair droop and a greasy sheen at your roots. Pro tip: When washing, work shampoo into a nice lather on the scalp and then wait one to three minutes before rinsing it out for best results.
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Hard water can wreak havoc on oil-prone hair by weighing it down even more. This vegan and cruelty-free formula has a satisfying lather and it works to remove mineral deposits in addition to stubborn product buildup and oils, including heavy silicones. It contains the brand’s proprietary strengthening complex, which is intended to smooth the appearance of split ends and damaged cuticles and protect hair from environmental stressors like the sun and heat styling. However, bear in mind this formula isn’t sulfate-free, so it’s not ideal if you color your hair.
If your hair feels heavy and weighed down despite being washed frequently, it’s likely that you’re dealing with problems at the roots—specifically, excess sebum on the scalp, significant product buildup and even metals in your shower water. This formula contains two scalp-friendly ingredients: charcoal absorbs oils and dirt on the scalp, and salicylic acid clears sebum buildup without over drying or removing essential lipids. The Peptide Prep Detox Shampoo also contains the brand’s proprietary K18 Peptide, which works to protect hair and reduce split ends and breakage. Paglionico frequently recommends this shampoo for its detoxifying, color-safe properties. It’s helpful to note that this formula is a dark grey color, which can be alarming if you’re expecting it.
Best Shampoo For Fine, Oily Hair
Lightweight Formula That Leaves Hair Refreshed And Bouncy
Removing oils at the roots without overdrying ends
Fighting hair loss
Minty, refreshing scent
Skip if:
You want a product that provides a lot of lather
Fine hair can show oil at the scalp quickly and be dry at the ends, and this gentle cleanser lifts and removes impurities without leaving straw-like strands in its wake. In addition to a mild cleansing agent, this shampoo contains caffeine phytoceuticals, which are said to stimulate circulation at the scalp and improve hair elasticity, ultimately resulting in less hair loss. Reviewers like the tingly feeling—courtesy of peppermint oil—that it leaves behind. If you have fine hair, we’ve also rounded up a larger list of all-star fine hair shampoos.
Best Shampoo And Conditioner For Oily Hair
Haircare Set That Banishes Oil And Flakes
Amazon
Jupiter Balancing Shampoo And Nourishing Conditioner
I color my hair and have an oily scalp that can result in an itchy, flakey scalp if I wait too long between shampoos. This color-safe, cruelty-free shampoo and conditioner set is my go-to. It has zinc pyrithione, a medicated ingredient that soothes scalp irritation, and sugar kelp extract, which has anti-bacterial properties, to treat my dandruff. Colloidal oatmeal and squalane in the conditioner work to keep my strands moisturized without adding weight at the roots. To note: The shampoo can feel very dense upon application, so it’s helpful to add water to build up a lather.
Some dry shampoos can add a sticky or gritty feel, but this dry shampoo formula has a light, barely there feel. Charcoal detoxifies and absorbs impurities and buildup from hair products, witch hazel controls oil production, and biotin is intended to promote healthy hair growth. I love this formula for its fine, powder consistency and pleasant scent. But bear in mind, it has a gray tint due to the charcoal. I have dark hair, so that works for me, but you may have to brush it through for slightly longer if you have light colored hair.
Best Clarifying Shampoo For Oily Hair
Hair And Scalp Cleanser That Won’t Leave Ends Parched
You prefer a traditional bottle to an applicator tip
The problem with lots of clarifying formulas is that they can be harsh and overstrip hair. This wildly popular, dual-purpose shampoo and scrub—developed by Beyonce—works as a gentle cleanser and exfoliator that doesn’t strip natural oils from hair. Star ingredients including fermented purple willow bark, tea tree oil and microcrystalline cellulose to slough away buildup, oil and residue while reviving, refreshing and balancing the scalp. To note: This formula initially feels slightly gritty before the microbeads dissolve. The fragrance has notes of lemon, peppermint, tea tree and rosemary for a citrus-minty scent.
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
At Forbes Vetted, our beauty team has researched, reported on and tested hundreds of beauty products to determine what produces real results and is worth your well-earned money. When it comes to haircare, we have written about everything from the best low-porosity hair products to the best scalp treatments. We have also spent months testing the best hair straighteners and best curling irons.
Deputy editor Jane Sung—who oversees the beauty, fashion and travel verticals for the site—assigned and edited this story. She has nearly 20 years of experience covering lifestyle, and she has written about the best LED face masks and the best at-home laser hair removal devices.
For this story, we consulted Lauren Paglionico, New York City-based master colorist and founder of Lrn Beauty, for her expert advice on specific shampoo formulas for oily hair.
How We Chose The Best Shampoos For Oily Hair
We began our research of the best shampoos for oily hair by surveying best-selling formulas on the market from both well-known and niche brands.
We incorporated staffer recommendations, and Calhoun has personally tested the formulas from Ouai, Briogeo, Jupiter and Kristin Ess.
We sought the insight of a hair expert on what ingredients to look for in a shampoo for oily hair, what to avoid as well as general best practices.
We evaluated each formula for key ingredients, whether it was sulfate-free, size and price.
We added shampoos for a variety of specific use cases and even included a dry shampoo for oily hair and a scalp exfoliator.
We assessed hundreds of customer reviews to determine which oily hair shampoos fare best with users, and which fall short.
What To Consider When Buying A Shampoo For Oily Hair
When shopping for the best shampoos for oily hair, several factors should be considered. Here’s what to look for.
Ingredients
There are a few dos and don’ts when it comes to ingredients in shampoos for oily hair. “Look for formulas with ingredients such as charcoal, tea tree oil and salicylic acid,” says hair colorist Lauren Paglionico. Charcoal absorbs excess oils and purifies the scalp, tea tree oil can help remove residue and reduce dandruff, and salicylic acid targets excess oil and exfoliates dead skin cells.
Certain shampoo ingredients can be counterproductive for cleansing oily hair. “Shea butter is great for the ends but may be not great for the scalp because it can sit on top and weigh hair down,” says Paglionico. “Also, lots of silicone can build up on the scalp.” If you have color-treated hair or have had a keratin treatment, be sure to look for sulfate-free shampoos.
Your Habits
The frequency with which you wash oily hair can be a delicate balance: Wash it too infrequently and you get excessive buildup and dandruff, but if you excessively wash or clarify your scalp you can cause your scalp to overproduce oils. Clarifying and detoxifying shampoos can be very effective for giving oily hair and scalp a deep clean, but they should be used in moderation. In general, you want to use a clarifying or detox shampoo about once a week, according to Paglionico.
Dry shampoo can be used on oily hair, but be sure to use it sparingly. “Dry shampoo can absorb oil between washes and add some volume, but don’t use it to supplement regular shampooing,” says Paglionico. When you rely on dry shampoo too often, you’re creating more buildup on the scalp, which can cause scalp dryness, itchiness and flakiness.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Our pick for the best oily hair shampoo is Ouai’s Detox Shampoo, which contains apple cider vinegar to purify strands and chelating agents to remove minerals left behind from hard water. We also selected K18’s Peptide Prep Detox Shampoo as the best shampoo for oily scalp because it contains charcoal and salicylic acid to remove oils, dirt and excess sebum.
To prevent your hair from being greasy, it’s important to strike the right balance between washing enough, but not too often. If you wash too infrequently, you may have excessive buildup and eventually, a flakey scalp. If you wash too often, you can cause your scalp to overproduce oils. Paglionico recommends washing hair with a clarifying or detox shampoo once a week to keep oiliness at bay. If you suffer from dandruff because of your oily hair, we recommend Jupiter’s Balancing Shampoo And Nourishing Conditioner, which contains zinc pyrithione to reduce flakes. For an effective scalp scrub, we suggest Cécred’s Clarifying Shampoo and Salt Scrub, which has purple willow bark and tea tree oil, to remove buildup and gently exfoliate.
There are a variety of good shampoos for oily hair on the market, but some clarifying formulas can be overly harsh. Our pick for best shampoo for oily hair overall is Ouai’s Detox Shampoo, which is safe for color-treated hair, as is our choice for best shampoo for oily scalp, K18’s Peptide Prep Detox Shampoo. If you have fine, oily hair, we like Davines Naturaltech Energizing Shampoo. And finally, if you suffer from oily hair with dandruff, we suggest Jupiter’s Balancing Shampoo And Nourishing Conditioner.
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