Amelia
Specialist on Shampoo at - ShampooTopicsI’m Amelia. I have been working with hair care product shampoo and conditioner for 6 long years. This website is an outlet of my deep...Read more
Have you ever woken up in the morning with greasy hair, even though you had a perfect hairstyle before going to sleep? You are not alone – many people face the problem of excessive oiliness of the hair overnight.
Greasiness highly depends on genetics, but there are many ways to prevent greasy hair. If washing your hair a second time in the morning is not something you want to do, read this article.
Table of Contents
Why does my hair get so greasy overnight?
A lot of causes why you wake up with greasy hair are associated with your hair care routine.
There are some factors that lead to greasiness:
- Over-washing your hair
- Massaging your head for too long
- Product build-up on your scalp
Fortunately, these reasons can be easily remedied by slightly changing your hair care routine. Firstly, let’s explore these causes more.
Over-washing your hair
Greasiness is always associated with not washing, but over-washing has a negative impact, too because sebaceous glands produce a lot more oil.
This is how your scalp responds to being depleted of its natural oils. Many people can live up to a week without washing their heads.
It takes some patience to train your hair, but the increased time periods between washing sessions will save you hours, which you can spend on more interesting things.
Massaging your head for too long
If we use a scientific word, it is called “over stimulation of your sebaceous glands”. It means that when you wash your hair you massage your scalp too much, and therefore it produces excess oils, and it makes your hair greasy.
No doubt, a scalp massage is great, but we recommend doing it for only 60 seconds to prevent greasy hair. Also, massage your scalp gently while washing your hair, so it will not overproduce oil.
Product build-up on your scalp
Product build-up is caused by applying hair products directly to the roots. This leads to greasiness quicker than you might think.
To prevent it, don’t forget to fully wash your hair so no shampoo or conditioner will be left on your head skin.
Remember to rinse your hair thoroughly during the washing session.
Always read the ingredient list and look for water in the first place, as other components lead to product build-up and make your hair look greasier.
How do I stop my hair from getting greasy after one day?
As previously mentioned, greasy hair issues can be solved by simple changes in your hair care routine. Here are our top ways to do it and forget about greasy hair.
1. Don’t take a hot shower before bed
Hot water damages your hair, even though a hot shower feels great. Avoid hot showers and use lukewarm water to wash your hair to decrease moisture loss.
This little change in hair washing routine significantly minimizes the amount of sebum produced by the sebaceous glands, and hence decreases the likelihood of oily scalp and greasy hair.
2. Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase
Pay attention to your pillowcase because cotton ones can strip your hair and skin from their natural oils, so extra oil production is what you get. To avoid it, sleep on a pillowcase made from silk or satin, which keeps your hair oils intact much better.
Also, it is important to wash your pillowcase weekly. A dirty pillowcase will make your hair get greasy overnight. So, do not forget to throw it into the wash every week.
3. Use hair products formulated for your hair type and try clarifying shampoo
Some shampoos are focused on moisturizing, which is good for dry hair but bad for oily hair. To minimize greasy hair as much as possible, use a shampoo formulated for your hair type.
The purifying shampoo is a lifesaver when it comes to greasy hair, as it works much better than a regular shampoo. It helps to remove product build-up, so your hair looks cleaner.
4. Don’t overapply hair oils and serums
Different hair types require different hair care. But there is one rule suitable for everyone: don’t overapply hair care products, especially oils, and serums as they easily lead to product build-up.
Carefully read the instruction on the bottle, which will inform you how much hair product you need to apply. Always start with a small amount and add more during the process.
5. Sleep with your hair in a bun
A high bun (or a pineapple) is a great hairstyle for long hair that makes it not get greasy overnight. Sleeping with your hair down decreases the natural oils intact, which is the reason why hair is greasy in the morning.
To make the bun, simply tie your hair into a loose knot with a silk scrunchie. Don’t use a hair tie because it is not as delicate and will lead to friction or breakage.
Include this simple step in your sleeping habits, and you will be less likely to see your hair get greasy overnight.
6. Brush your hair only twice a day
Don’t comb your hair too often, as it leads to excessively oily strands. Use your brush only to detangle hair if you want it to be smooth and not greasy. Try to comb your hair once or twice a day, so the natural oil will not spread and weigh your hair down.
Also, don’t forget to clean your brush often to combat greasy hair. Limit the number of times you touch your hair, especially right before going to bed.
7. Treat your hair with diluted apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a natural product that is an amazing solution to treat greasy hair.
Mix it with water, apply it to your hair, and let it sit for 5 minutes.
After rinsing it, your hair will no longer look greasy.
8. Conditioning is good in a limited amount
Of course, conditioner is an important part of the haircare routine. Unfortunately, it creates excess oil build-up. If your hair gets greasy overnight constantly, you might need to extend the time that passes between deep conditioning sessions.
Don’t forget that a deep conditioning session is required only for mid-ends and ends, so you avoid oily roots.
Conditioner weighs your hair down, so you can replace it with a detangling spray, which smoothens your hair without heaviness. Also, try to limit the number of products that you use because too many make your scalp produce extra oil.
9. Embrace dry shampoo
Dry shampoo is a great product as it promotes hair volume and lifts roots. It can also absorb excess oils, so you may try using it overnight to make your hair less greasy.
If you have an oily scalp before going to bed, simply spray a generous amount of dry shampoo on your hair. Don’t forget to brush your hair carefully in the morning and avoid using dry shampoo every night.
10. Cut down on heat styling
Minimize the heat that your hair gets from the styling tools, as heat promotes it getting greasy overnight. Even the hot air from your hair dryer will stimulate oil production faster, so use it with caution in the coolest setting.
Using hot air frequently damages the protein, hence causing breakage and split ends. Try to avoid curling or straightening daily, and it will not be brittle.
11. Freshen your hair with herbal rinses
If you exercise every day or live in a very humid climate, this tip may be just for you. Don’t use shampoo, just rinse it with herbs to freshen it up.
Make sure to use the right herbs and your hair will not only become fresher, but also it will add bounce, luster, and strength. You can use amla, orange peels, shikakai, rosemary, nettle, or green tea.
Herbal rinse is very easy to make: mix 1-2 tablespoons of herb with hot water and leave it covered for 15 minutes. Strain the liquid and pour the herbal infusion on your hair, work it into your scalp, and wait a little bit. Rinse with cold water to finish the procedure.
12. Use oil control masks
There are a lot of easy homemade masks that you can make to reduce the oiliness.
They help to keep hair strong, shiny, and voluminous and balance sebum production.
We recommend trying henna gloss and masks from aloe vera, eggs and lemon juice, tomato, green tea, fenugreek, strawberries, and pineapple.
13. Pay attention to your diet
A balanced diet is a crucial step to getting healthy hair. Here are some compounds that you need to include in your diet:
- The B Vitamins (especially B2 and B6) are found in vegetables, meat, beans, fish, and poultry. With the B Vitamins in your diet, your sebaceous glands will be controlled and won’t produce more oil than you need.
- Zinc is a sebum control regulator, so it helps to absorb oils and deals with oily roots. You will gain zinc by eating nuts, red meat, grains, and oysters.
- Fatty acids (EFAs) are essential for your hair to be shiny and healthy. Nuts and seeds are good sources of proper fats. Make sure to avoid bad fats such as saturated and trans fats (found in dairy, cookies, margarine, and chips).
FAQ
Using dry shampoo is the best method to get rid of greasiness without having to wash your hair. Apply the dry shampoo directly on the roots, so the scalp will not overproduce oil. If you don’t have one, consider trying baby powder that works as well.
Also, to avoid greasy hair, make sure to drink enough water because when your body is dehydrated, it produces extra oil, which leads to greasiness.
You notice greasiness after a short time because of the work of sebaceous glands that produce natural oils. It also may be associated with other factors such as diet, hormonal imbalance, and mistakes in hair care routine.
Yes, low-quality water may be a reason for greasy hair. Also, temperature affects excessive oiliness, hot water damages hair, and it becomes greasy faster. Instead, rinse your hair with lukewarm water, which is much better for them.
Yes, remember not to use too much shampoo. There is a purifying shampoo, so when you wash your hair, it will remove build-up from it, so it doesn’t look greasy or weighed down.
Your diet highly affects the condition of your hair. So, in order to have healthy hair, you need to eat healthily.
Try to minimize the number of saturated fats and processed carbs in your diet, and you will notice that your hair doesn’t get greasy overnight anymore.
Usually, greasy hair is not a sign of a health problem, so don’t worry.
However, if the situation is not getting better after you’ve tried all at-home remedies, you may consider consulting with a doctor to identify the reason for the excessive oiliness.
Conclusion
We’ve discussed factors why your hair gets greasy overnight and given you a lot of tips to try at home to combat excessively oily scalp.
The main reason why you see your hair greasy overnight is your hair care routine. Take a little time to adjust your habits, and you will be very pleased with the results.
I’m Amelia. I have been working with hair care product shampoo and conditioner for 6 long years. This website is an outlet of my deep passion for hair, Shampoo and Conditioner. Basically, I'm here to guide you on shampoo and conditioner.