Every girl has a hair washing regime. Ask any of your friends – they’ll tell you without a moment’s hesitation that they know the exact number of days they have between washes.
Mine’s three full days. Four if I’m feeling lazy (thank you very much, dry shampoo).
But some people can’t stretch it out that long and even two days is too much. So how do you solve the eternal problem of greasy hair? We got the experts – Brad Ngata, owner/creative director of Brad Ngata Hair Direction salons and Michele McQuillan, Freelance Session Stylist for Fudge – to give us some pointers on how you can keep your hair cleaner, shinier, and fresher for longer.
What causes greasy hair?
On a biological level, it’s overactive sebaceous glands on your scalp that can cause oil build-up. Brad explains that certain things can contribute to the production of more oils – “Activity [such as exercise] can cause oil levels to spike. Over-touching or over-brushing your hair can stimulate the oils too, so if you’re getting greasy, try and keep your mitts and brushes off it,” he says. Your hair is also more likely to become oily in summer thanks to the heat (the hotter it is, the more you sweat – even on your scalp).
Then there are the external things that can turn your silky locks into a greasy, heavy mess. “Heavy silicon based products can affect the levels of greasiness – especially on fine hair,” says Brad.
How can you minimise grease?
See Brad’s point above about leaving your hair alone. Stop touching it, stop playing with it, just pretend like you’ll get a shock every time you touch it. And if you can start using products that aren’t so heavy on the silicone, you’ll be doing yourself a favour, too!
Michele also has some handy tips when it comes to minimising and reducing oily hair. “Try and wash your hair less often. Work out how often you need to wash your hair for your hair type – everyone is different, it might not feel right, but less is better,” she says. Other tips from her include:
• Apply oils, creams and conditioners from the mid-lengths to your ends.
• Use as little styling products as possible. The more you use, the dirtier your hair becomes, and the more you will want to wash it. Washing your hair a lot will stimulate the natural oils in your scalp and cause your hair to become greasier quicker.
• Use lightweight conditioners and hair treatments when possible.
Which hairstyles will help reduce grease?
Unsurprisingly, having hair that’s out and flowing all the time will cause your hair to get greasy quickly. So Brad has some styling suggestions for you, “Definitely wearing it up would be the best option. So go for a ponytail or braid. If you want your blow dry to last all week, my guide would be to wear it out on day one and two, use a little dry shampoo on the roots and a loose ponytail or half-up style on day three, ponytail on day four, and a braid by day five.”
(Pssst! These styles aren’t only gorgeous, but they’ll help you combat that grease, too!)
Which products can you use to fight grease?
Fudge Detox Cleanser Shampoo – it works wonders to remove oils, toxins, silicone residue and product build-up from your hair.
Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo – Brad recommends using this liberally to help freshen up your locks. Just make sure to rub out any residue!
KMS Hairplay Sea Salt Spray – “Sea salt sprays are also great at absorbing oils and can give you a really nice texture at the same time,” says Brad.
In need of a dry shampoo? Try one of these bad boys…
Hair a little oily? Try this fabulous ‘do!
How often do you wash your hair? How do you keep your hair fresh for that extra day?
