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As counterintuitive as it may seem, the more you wash your hair, the more you need to. Daily shampooing actually strips your hair of healthy oil, which causes frizz, split ends, and—maybe worst of all—the overproduction of sebum (or your own natural oil). The sebum is what's behind that urge we get to wash our hair. Don't worry, you can break the cycle by "training" your hair to be less oily. Depending on your hair type, you can wait three to five days between washes, and we've got the scoop on how to survive the process while you're waiting for sebum production to slow down. We'll admit, the first two weeks are the most difficult, but after about week four, you should see a significant difference. Here's how to get rid of oily hair: Day 1: Start with a clarifying wash, and then a careful condition. Hit the reset button for scalp and hair with a clarifying shampoo, which is the best shampoo for oil-prone hair. This will remove any product and oil buildup that might already exist in your locks. It's a deep clean, but also harsh on your hair, so don't overdo it. Use this no more than once a week for naturally oily/fine hair, and no more than once a month for coarse/thick hair. Do condition, but keep the conditioner far away from your scalp. As a rule of thumb, massage conditioner from midshaft to ends. We love Neutrogena's Anti-Residue Shampoo, which works wonders on every hair type. Days 2-3: Lean on dry shampoo. In the days that follow, don't hesitate to rely on dry shampoo to keep your hair looking fresh. It soaks up oil and adds enviable texture and volume. Start by using a paddle brush to distribute your natural oil evenly through your hair moving it as close to the ends as possible. Remember, it's good for your hair–just not for your style–so redistributing to the areas that are lacking moisture is key. (For extra hair credit, use this tip before bed, too.) Next, spray in a light layer of dry shampoo into the roots. For those of you that start to show signs of oily hair within 24 hours of a wash, go ahead and apply dry shampoo immediately after your blowout. As your scalp starts to produce oil through the day, the product will be in place ready to soak it up. You'll likely find that the longer you follow this regimen, the less dry shampoo you need. Our favorite version, Batiste, can be purchased at your local drugstore. These are also great days to heat style. The extra oil and product in your hair will actually help hold your style, just be sure to add a pea-sized drop of hair oil, like Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Oil, before exposing your locks to heat. RELATED: Days 4-5: Embrace the updo. By this point, you likely have a good bit of both oil and product buildup in your hair. But not to worry, you can still look put-together without a fresh shampoo. This is the ideal time for your favorite updo. The buildup will actually help your hair stay in place, and pulling it back will disguise the dirty factor. We love a side braid, messy chignon, or a sleek low bun.
About a year ago I decided to stop washing my hair as much. My goal was to do it as little as possible, but I didn’t set a specific timeframe – I honestly wasn’t sure how long was even possible. I had heard about oil training but didn’t know the first thing about starting. All I knew was that washing my hair everyday was drying it out, and I wanted to make a change. The crazy thing I learned about about our hair washing is that it’s actually a nasty cycle – you wash your hair because it’s oily, which in turn just makes it more oily! Your hair follicles and scalp produce oil, and the more you wash your hair, the more oil it produces. When you wash your hair, you strip your hair of it’s natural oils and your body gets the signal to produce more trying to combat the problem. Also, you are not only stripping your hair of the ‘bad’ oils, but also of the good essential oils. This reduction in oils can lead to a dried-out scalp, dull, brittle hair strands and even hair breakage. So what do you do? Luckily, you can actually train your hair to produce less oil by, essentially, tricking it. You wash it less, and over time, it will naturally produce less oil. Yep. Sound easy? Don’t be fooled – this ‘hair training’ is how I’m able to go 6, 7, 8 days without washing my hair, but it wasn’t easy. There were a lot of greasy days in the process, but in the end, it was so worth it. Also, it’s important to note that for some, ‘hair training’ can take months, and for others, it may only take a few weeks. It just totally depends on the texture and weight of your hair. For me, I would say it took ~2 months of training before I was able to confidently go so long in between washes. Below I’m going to share with you all how I oil trained my hair, and how you can do it too. Step 1: You need to reset your scalp, so look for a clarifying shampoo that will clean out all of that gunky buildup on your scalp {this is especially important for people who use a lot of dry shampoo or hair spray!} I like this one from Bumble & Bumble, but if you want to spend less, I have heard great things about this option from Neutrogena. Use no more than 1x per week. Also, pro tip: when using conditioner, only apply to the lower part of your hair, and never directly to the roots. The weight of a conditioner will pull down your hair and cause more oil to form. Step 2: Leave your hair alone! Try not to mess with it, or touch it more than you need to. The oil from your hands will transfer to your strands and affect how greasy your hair is already feeling. You will start to have the urge to wash your hair, but now is the time to leave it alone! Try styling it in a top knot, heidi braids, or even wear a baseball cap. Anything you can to stretch out the washes during this time is best. Step 3: On days where you think you can go no longer, bring out the dry shampoo. This should help hold you over for atleast an extra day. I like to apply at night, right at the roots, so my hair has lots of time to absorb while I sleep. When I wake up, I take a small brush and tease out {at the root} the small sections that look the greasiest. This will give your hair some volume and help spread the grease throughout your strands. This dry shampoo is my favorite {along with the rest of the world it seems!} But I also have this much less expensive one and love it too. Step 4: Wash your hair! If you can bear it no more, go ahead and wash your hair. In the begining, I made note of how long I made it each week without washing. If I went two weeks in a row where I only went 2 or 3 days, that was ok! I just wanted to keep a log so that I could push myself over the course of the training. In the first few weeks I only went three days, so that was always my goal – jus get to day 3, Bridget. Then, once I felt secure at day 3, I would stretch is out an extra day and do that for 1-2 weeks. The cycle continued until I was up until 6/7 days {where I am currently}. Depending on your hair type, you may want to start even slower – washing your hair every-other-day. That way, you can build up your comfort at a slower pace. It’s totally up to you! Do what feels best. All in all, my hair is the healthiest it’s ever been, and it’s the healthiest it’s ever felt as well. It’s soft and voluminous, and I don’t have as many fried or split ends from using my blow dryer and styling tools as much. I love that I’m able to pop out of bed, brush through my 3 day old curls, and get out the door in no time at all. I especially think this low maintenance hair will come in handy one day when I’m a mom and really don’t have the time! Also, I’ve also found that the weeks I use less product, are the weeks my hair looks the best. I didn’t even bring dry shampoo with me to Munich and my hair looked great for 8 solid days. It feels good to not rely on so many products. Last but not least, I wanted to answer a few questions I know I’ll get asked about hair training below! Is it OK to wash hair once a week? Yes! It is totally safe to wash your hair as little as you feel comfortable with! I can go up to 7/8 days, but does that mean I always do? No! I play it by ear. Life is unpredictable, and if my hair starts to smell because I worked out more, or went to the ranch, then I just wash it! I don’t stress about it. Also, I tend to have normal/dry hair, so I can go longer than most. I think it’s totally ok if you only stretch your washes out Do you shower while hair training? Yes, of course! Just because I am skipping the shampoo, does not mean I am skipping the shower altogether {ugh!} I just throw my hair into a bun and do a complete body/face wash + rinse, and it’s never been an issue! You could also use a shower cap if you want that extra level of water/steam protectant! I like these double layered ones that offer a bit more coverage. Can I/how do I work out while oil training? Of course if you work out on a regular basis, your hair will build up more oil faster – but there are things you can do to stop this from being too much of an issue. I personally don’t sweat a lot from my scalp/head when I workout – sometimes my forehead will sweat, and definitely my body, but luckily I don’t deal with a lot of head sweat. If you do though, don’t stress. Wear a sweatband while working out to absorb some of the sweat at your hairline. That will help keep it from getting into your roots. Also, after you shower, use my dry shampoo trick before bed. As I mentioned before, this will help your hair absorb some of that extra oil that was produced during your workout. Ok! So that’s all I’ve got! Let me know if I missed any big questions in the comments and I’m happy to answer them! How long does training your hair take?Also, it's important to note that for some, 'hair training' can take months, and for others, it may only take a few weeks. It just totally depends on the texture and weight of your hair. For me, I would say it took ~2 months of training before I was able to confidently go so long in between washes.
How long does it take to train your hair to be less greasy?"You can train your scalp to be less greasy in the course of three to four days, however, it will take some time for your body to fully adjust," Potempa says. "Take some time to do research about the type of hair you have and establish a new routine that gives your body enough time to adjust to the change."
How do you start training your hair?How to train your hair to be less oily. Wash your hair less often.. Use dry shampoo between washes.. When you do wash your hair, use a sulfate-free shampoo.. Brush your hair regularly.. Wear your hair up in a second-day hairstyle.. Try a texturizing spray for refreshing your strands.. Do a weekly apple cider vinegar rinse.. Can you really train your hair to be less oily?“Essentially, the less often you wash, the less your scalp will feel the need to produce oil, it's all about training it.” If you feel like you can't go a day without washing your hair, de León said to start by skipping one day, and then increase to two when your hair feels like it can stand it.
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How long does it take to train your hair?
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