I Tried Dozens of Shampoos—These Were the Only Ones That Fixed My Oily Hair
'Like our skin, our scalp naturally produces oil at varying degrees depending on the person. When a scalp produces oil, it moves down the hair shaft, creating a noticeable oily look,' says Tom Smith, the creative director of Evo Hair. Sure, dry shampoo can help, but that only disguises the issue rather than solving it. What if we told you that there's a solution that can get to the root of the problem?
The best shampoos for oily hair are designed to cut through the grease and buildup. One rinse of the right formula can give your hair a new lease on life, ensuring your mane retains volume, restores movement, and remains oil-free for beyond 24 hours.
After speaking with Smith, testing formulas on our own oily scalps, and analyzing customer reviews, we determined the 12 best shampoos for oily hair. Keep scrolling to discover your newest shower caddy staples.
Apple cider vinegar has long been touted as a staple ingredient for detoxing your strands. Fekkai mixed ACV with ginger extract, pomegranate seed oil, vitamins, and more to nourish your hair as oils are washed away.
Size: 8.5 fl oz
Key ingredients: Apple cider vinegar
How to use: Wet hair, use hands to lather product, apply to roots before massaging into scalp, rinse
Ulta rating: 4.6/5 stars
An Ulta reviewer said: 'I've been using this for over a year now and it's THE ONLY THING that combats my oily scalp and hair. It's gentle enough but gets the job done. I only use a tiny bit of it, and it's more than enough!'
Hårklinikken is all about improving the hair by supporting the scalp. This shampoo from the Danish brand is formulated to break down excess sebum and maintain the health of the scalp's microbiome simultaneously. Your hair will be clean and fresh, but never stripped. Reviewers report that the product solved their itchy scalp issues as well.
Key ingredients: Burdock root, glycosides
How to use: Wet hair, apply to scalp, massage for 30 seconds, rinse
Hårklinikken rating: 4.7/5 stars
A Hårklinikken reviewer says: 'I love this shampoo! My scalp has stopped any itching but doesn't feel tight, and my hair never feels or looks greasy.'
Kérastase's shampoo rids your hair of all oil and build-up without leaving your hair feeling stripped bare. Made with fine hair in mind, it nourishes from roots to ends and leaves strands soft and shiny.
Size: 8.5 fl oz
Key ingredients: Amino acids, vitamin B6
How to use: Wet hair, massage into scalp and strands, rinse, repeat one more time while focusing on mid-lengths and ends
Sephora rating: 3.9/5 stars
A Sephora reviewer said: 'I have oily scalp and had been using this since giving birth. This shampoo has helped my hair feel so soft, and scalp is still fresh after a day of not washing it. I've finally found my go-to shampoo!'
If body and shine are what you're looking for, Ouai delivers that in one bottle. As one reviewer puts it, 'Your hair needs that reset from all the crap we put on our scalps, and this is the product to take you back to your natural shine and bounce.'
Size: 10 fl oz
Key ingredient: Apple cider vinegar
How to use: Wet hair, squeeze out excess water, apply a quarter-size amount to scalp before letting it sit for 1–3 minutes, rinse
Amazon rating: 4.6/5 stars
An ELLE editor says: 'While I may not struggle with oily hair, I always reach for my Ouai Detox Shampoo after a busy weekend filled with hair styling, re-styling, dry shampoo, and hairspray. With just one wash, any oil and product buildup is completely gone, leaving my hair feeling oh so fresh and clean.'—Emma Aerin Becker, associate beauty e-commerce writer
If you want your scalp to feel squeaky clean and your hair to smell like a dream, Cécred's Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub is your girl. The formula harnesses the cleansing powers of tea tree oil and gentle physical exfoliators as well as the scalp-supporting abilities of fermented willow bark and niacinamide to deep clean your roots whenever you need it.
Key ingredients: Fermented purple willow bark, tea tree oil, microcrystalline cellulose, niacinamide
How to use: Wet hair, massage into scalp for 2 minutes, work into hair, rinse
Cécred rating: 4.9/5 stars
An expert says: 'My hair has been oily all my life, and I inevitably end up washing my hair every day, even if I'm able to resist for a few months. This is the one shampoo I can always rely on to reset my scalp and get me back to cleansing my hair every few days instead of every 24 hours. I know that once I go in with this formula, any buildup or excess oils on my face will wash down the drain.' —Carol Lee, beauty writer
Clarifying shampoos don't need to be packed with a slew of fancy ingredients for them to be effective. Sans any sulfates, Evo's formula tackles stubborn dirt and grease, making each wash better than the last.
Size: 10.1 fl oz
Key ingredients: Peppermint oil
How to use: Wet hair, massage into scalp and strands, rinse
Amazon rating: 4.2/5 stars
An Amazon reviewer said: 'I asked my stylist to recommend something cruelty-free, that would be okay for my colored hair, and that would leave my scalp without any buildup. Definitely a fan!'
Aside from targeting greasy hair, this gem from Ogx alleviates dry, itchy scalp. The shampoo is gentle enough for daily use and costs less than your typical clarifying shampoos.
Size: 13 fl oz
Key ingredients: Tea tree, peppermint oil, witch hazel
How to use: Wet hair, massage product into scalp and strands, rinse
Amazon rating: 4.5/5 stars
An Amazon reviewer said: 'My hair recently started getting very oily again. This has definitely helped calm it down. I can actually go two days without washing my hair again.'
Crack open this bottle and your bathroom will smell like luxury. This shampoo has every type of mint you can think of—peppermint, spearmint, and rosemary mint—to soothe the scalp and purify the hair from root to tip.
Size: 8.5 fl oz
Key ingredients: Rosemary, peppermint, and spearmint
How to use: Wet hair, massage product into scalp and strands, rinse
Nordstrom rating: 4.6/5 stars
A Nordstrom reviewer said: 'My all time favorite shampoo. Gentle yet removes all the product build up. Wonderful, invigorating fragrance.'
You'll be surprised (and freaked out) at how much gunk and oil can accumulate under your protective styles. The African Pride Braid & Scalp Cleansing Rinse is the antidote. Formulated with micellar water to break down dirt, as well as castor oil, coconut oil, and peppermint oil for nourishment and scalp stimulation, your hair and scalp get the TLC they need.
Size: 12 oz
Key ingredients: Black castor oil, micellar water, coconut oil, peppermint oil
How to use: Adjust braids or weave to expose scalp, use nozzle to directly apply product onto scalp before massaging it in, rinse
Amazon rating: 4.5/5 stars
An ELLE editor says: 'I never want to return to a life before this scalp rinse was introduced to me. This is what I use before, during, and after my protective styles, mainly because I know my hair is getting a thorough cleanse while being properly nourished. Micellar water eliminates the gunk, and a blend of oils imparts moisture.'—Nerisha Penrose, beauty commerce editor
Sachajuan's shampoo treats your scalp just as well as you treat your face. With salicylic acid, your scalp gets a good clean that gets rid of dandruff and dryness.
Size: 8.4 fl oz
Key ingredients: Salicylic acid
How to use: Wet hair, massage into scalp and hair, leave in for 1–2 minutes before rinsing
Dermstore rating: 4.5/5 stars
A Dermstore reviewer said: 'This is the only shampoo I keep coming back to for the past 20 or so years. Nothing compares to the clean, bouncy feel of my hair, but the main attraction is the absolutely delicious fragrance. Any time I hug someone, they exclaim how good my hair smells. It cheers me up every time I wash my hair.'
Good hair starts with a healthy scalp, which is why the nozzle on this bottle is a godsend. Using the nozzle, apply the product directly to your scalp and lather it down your strands to remove any build-up from root to tip.
Size: 16.9 fl ozKey ingredient: Aloe
How to use: Wet hair, apply directly onto scalp, massage product into scalp and strands, rinse
Amazon rating: 4.5/5 starsAn Amazon reviewer said: 'My hair usually gets really greasy, and this product helps my hair feel squeaky clean. I used to have issues with my scalp smelling weird, but this liquid shampoo really helped me with that. I don't use this daily though, because I feel like it dries out your scalp. So I only use it once my hair is really greasy.'
If you're yearning for fresh hair that lasts, Oribe's Serene Scalp Oil Control Shampoo may be the shampoo for you. The brand's biome balancing complex regulates and rebalances the scalp's microbiome to reduce sebum production and promote a healthy scalp.
Key ingredients: Rosebay extract, green marine algae, biomimetic amino acid
How to use: Wet hair, massage into scalp and hair, rinse
Amazon rating: 4.2/5
An Amazon reviewer said: 'The Oribe Serene Scalp Oil Control Shampoo and Conditioner are game-changers! They leave my scalp feeling clean and refreshed without over-drying, and my hair stays oil-free for much longer. The scent is luxurious, and my hair feels soft, light, and healthy. Worth every penny!'
Tom Smith is the creative director of Evo Hair.
Because the hair has so much build-up, you should opt for shampoos that can properly cleanse greasy hair while also being gentle enough to maintain the hair's health. Smith says, 'I recommend using a gentle but deep cleansing shampoo. If you have oily hair, shampooing the hair properly is also essential. Shampoo twice and make sure you work it into an even lather on the scalp. Rinse for about 30 seconds longer than you think you need to so that all the product really washes out.'
'Cheaper drugstore shampoos tend to use low-grade silicones and waxes to make your hair feel really soft, but what these ingredients actually do is build upon the hair and suffocate the cuticle, which makes the hair feel slimy over time,' Smith adds.
The number of times you wash your hair depends on your routine and hair type. 'Some people's scalps produce more oil than others, so it can take a lot of trial and error to figure out the best schedule for you. It is ok to wash your hair every day if you need to, as long as you're using good quality products that aren't going to leave a residue on your hair,' Smith says.
As a leading publisher of fashion, lifestyle, and beauty content, ELLE.com is committed to highlighting the best products in various categories by personally testing the latest and most innovative products, interviewing countless experts, and vetting customer-loved items. For this piece, ELLE editors spoke to a hair expert, tested formulas, and combed through customer reviews to find the best shampoos for oily hair.
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