Greasy Hair? Here’s why you might be suffering
We all get greasy hair from time to time, but what if you’re finding yourself trying everything you can to have a grease-free day and not succeeding? You might be surprised to know just what factors can cause greasy hair. We’ve listed the most common ones below:
1. Over-washing
Most people would think frequent washing of hair would be a remedy for grease, but actually, it can become a deadly cycle. Daily shampooing can strip your scalp of its natural oils, so it will produce more oil to replace them, which will make you feel “dependant” on the shampoo.
If you’re finding yourself washing your hair on a daily basis, try weaning yourself off the product over a few weeks. Cut back to every other day, and then two-to-three times a week. At first, your hair will feel greasier as it adjusts. But once it becomes used to your new routine, you will find you can go days without grease build-up- and you’re saving money on shampoo in the long-run!
2. Your pillowcase
Cotton pillowcases might feel like heaven to sleep on, but experts have found that they might actually be the reason why you’re waking up every morning with greasy hair. This is because cotton fibres are very absorbent, and suck in the scalp’s natural oils overnight. When oils are absorbed, the scalp ends up producing more to replenish itself, giving a build-up of grease.
Want to prevent the nightly grease build-up? Try swapping your cotton pillowcase for a silk one. Silk controls sebum, or grease, production. This is because its fibres are less absorbent than cotton, so it doesn't suck in the scalp's natural oils.
3. Using the wrong products/too many products
Aside from the rare all-natural products out there, chances are, your heat protectant spray, hairspray and any other of your favourite styling products are probably contributing towards your hair’s grease levels to some extent. They might not be compatible with your hair, or it might simply be that you are using too much of it.
If you still want to use your styling favourites (and of course you do), the best thing to do is avoid ones that promise 'shine' and 'moisture' which would be better suited to dry or dull hair types. And, as always, the more natural the product, the better.
4. Your hairbrush
Can’t remember the last time you cleaned your hairbrush? Chances are, that’s contributing towards your greasy hair. If you’re brushing your hair often (which we’d like to imagine you are), there will be a build-up dead scalp, hair product build-up, the oils that occur naturally in your hair, and ambient dust.
You should actually try to clean your brush every other week, by simply pulling out all of the dead hair, then giving it a scrub in a bowl of warm water with a bit of shampoo. Once you’ve shaken out the water and left it to dry overnight, your brush will be good to go again.
Image credit: Stylecaster