If your hair feels greasy by noon—no matter how recently you washed it—finding the best shampoos for oily hair can make a huge impact on how your hair looks and feels. Oily scalps are incredibly common, and while sebum (the natural oil your scalp produces) plays a key role in keeping your hair healthy, too much of it can leave hair limp, flat, and in need of yet another wash. And while there are exceptions to this, people with fine hair types tend to be more prone to greasy roots, since oil can more easily slide down the smooth, skinny shafts of the hair.
Your current hair-care routine might even be playing a role—especially if you’ve relied on dry shampoos to sop of excess oil. “Though genetics and hormones can be factors in an oily scalp, most often it’s caused by an imbalance—too much product or oil buildup can suffocate the pores and trigger more oil production,” says Anna Chacon, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Miami, Florida. Her advice? Treat the scalp separately from the hair.
From clarifying hair products that cut through greasy hair to gentle drugstore shampoos, we rounded up the best shampoos for oily hair—whether you’re dealing with buildup, overactive sebaceous glands, or just trying to stretch your style one more day.
If your oily hair also comes with a side of flakes, itchiness, or a dry, irritated scalp, Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Coconut Oil Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo calms everything down. Unlike your typical squeeze bottle, this Best of Beauty Award winner comes in a tub because of the creamier, mousse-like formula. “It’s a little gritty so it can gently exfoliate while cleansing,” says Adam Campbell, a hairstylist in Los Angeles.
Charcoal is doing most of the heavy lifting in this formula, according to Dr. Chacon. “Charcoal is naturally cleansing and detoxifying and helps remove impurities from the scalp and hair,” she says, calling it “an amazing product for removing buildup, dryness, and flaking.” The scrub-like texture boosts that clarifying effect, while coconut oil helps balance the charcoal’s intensity so it doesn’t lead to a dry scalp. “It leaves your hair fresh, smooth, and clean,” she says. And perhaps our favorite part: It smells like whipped cream blended with fresh mint and warm vanilla.
this to be an incredible scalp exfoliator—and the right shampoo to calm her irritated, itchy scalp. “I spend a full minute massaging the shampoo into my scalp before rinsing and following up with a moisturizing hair mask,” she says. “My scalp has never felt cleaner, and I’ve been noticing a lot less flakiness.”