Home Remedies for Oily Hair

Having a bad hair day? No matter how much you wash (or don’t wash) your hair, a handful of underlying factors can create locks that are slick to the touch and produce a distinct shine. In today’s society, oily hair is a common condition often associated with unclean grooming habits. To avoid any undue embarrassment or sideway glances, become familiar with home remedies for oily hair to get to the root of the problem.

Home Remedies for Oily Hair

Causes and Symptoms

Oil is a necessary component for a healthy scalp and hair, as it keeps the hair shafts from breaking and infuses your looks with desirable sheen. However, when the sebaceous glands responsible for producing oil get out of control, the outcome is hair that looks matted down, greasy, or becomes unruly. Some of the factors that can lead to oily hair include:

Humidity and Intense Heat: During the summertime, many people experience oily hair because heat can cause an increase in the rate of oil production.

Hormones: Changes in your hormones, such as androgen (a male hormone) can activate the sebaceous glands.

Stress: Increased stress levels can boost the amount of androgen found in the bloodstream of both women and men.

Heredity: If your parents had or have oily hair, your chances of suffering the same fate are high.

Hormones: Whether you’re popping birth control pills or entering your menstrual period, fluctuating hormones can cause oily hair in adult women. The raging hormones of teenagers also contribute to their increasing angst with the appearance of oily hair. When the hormones reach normal levels, the problem usually subsides.

Hair Texture: Since it takes up less space on the scalp, a person with fine hair usually has more strands to compensate for its thinness. The extra strands give way to a higher level of oil production because each follicle is paired with two to three oil glands. People with fine hair usually have much oilier scalps than an individual with coarse hair.

Oily Hair Home Remedies

Contrary to popular belief, an individual can experience oily hair soon after a fresh wash. Since an oily head of hair is often linked to poor hygiene, people are constantly looking for home remedies to ease its appearance. From common household essentials found in your kitchen cabinet to items stored in the refrigerator, consider the following home remedies for oily hair:

Liquor:

Alcoholic beverages not only dehydrate the inside of your body, but can also dry out the exterior. Combine a shot glass full of alcohol with a couple cups of water to create a rinse for your hair. Choose drinks that provide higher alcohol content. Don’t have any hard liquor in the cabinet? Reach for a can of beer.

Cider Vinegar:

Fill a small basin with water and add ¼ cup of cider vinegar. Soak your hair and then thoroughly wash out with warm water. Another approach is to add the mixture to a spray bottle, spritz, and then rinse. This remedy helps control the buildup of hair care products, like shampoo residue.

Clear Shampoos:

Choose clear shampoos when washing your hair, as they tend to wash away the oil better than products that contain extra ingredients that can leave behind a residue.

Scalp Massage:

During the shampooing phase of washing your hair, massage the scalp to remove extra oil.

Forego the Conditioner:

Stop using a conditioner after shampooing your hair, as this product is known to coat your hair with additional oils that can cause your hair to flatten out by the end of the day. If using conditioner is a must, seek products that contain the least amount of oil. Also, concentrate on treating the ends instead of the roots.

Tea:

The tannic acid found in tea acts as an astringent, which can treat an oily scalp. Try rinsing your hair with diluted tea.

Mint:

Boil mint leaves in one cup of water for 15 minutes. Strain the solution. Combine the mint liquid to a 300 ml bottle of shampoo to create a home remedy for oily hair.

Lemon Juice:

Lemon juice has been proven to control oil, as well as lessen the amount of shampoo buildup. Squeeze the juice from one lemon and mix with one cup of water. Use this solution as a rinse, followed by a warm water rinse.

Malt Vinegar:

Add one tablespoon of malt vinegar to a glass of water. Toss in a pinch of salt. Apply two tablespoons on your scalp, using your fingertips to massage in the solution. It is suggested to repeat this routine twice per week to cut down on the amount of oil plaguing your scalp.

Daily Shampoo:

When you have oily hair, you should increase the amount of times you shampoo. For the best results, consider a daily washing of the hair.

Witch Hazel and Mouthwash:

Slow down oil production with a mixture of equal parts of witch hazel and mouthwash. Use cotton pads to apply the solution to the scalp. Witch hazel acts as an astringent and the mouthwash possesses antiseptic properties.

Put the Brush Down:

If you overbrush your hair, keep in mind that you are transferring the oil found in the roots to your scalp and delivering it to the ends of your hair.

Breathing Exercises and Yoga:

When under stress, your body produces more of the hormones that cause increased oil production. Fight your oily hair problem by learning how to relax. Breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, and low-impact exercises are all decent ways to not only reduce stress levels, but also address other health issues.

A Good Rinse:

After shampooing your hair, a thorough rinse is needed in order to rid the scalp of soapy residue that is notorious for attracting dirt and collecting oil.

Baby Powder

When hair gets dull and oily, sprinkle on a bit of baby powder. Allow it to set for about five minutes. Comb the baby powder through your hair in an effort to soak up excess oil found on the scalp.