Find it tricky to go more than a day or two without giving your hair a wash? Hair that takes on a 'chip pan' quality without a daily rinse is a common beauty bugbear, especially when wash day doesn't align with your social schedule. Which is where the best shampoos for greasy hair come in.
Not sure where to start? No stress. The Women’s Health Lab asked 450 women with a range of hair types to test the best shampoos for banishing grease.
But, while honing your hair care routine may seem like a quick win for your strands, it's important not to over-wash if you constantly contend with grease.
'It may sound bizarre, but washing your hair stimulates your scalp to produce sebum, the scalp's natural oil. Washing your hair too often can over-activate the sebaceous glands producing excessive sebum,' reveals Craig Taylor, Creative Director of Hari's Salon, London.
Before you know it, you're in a never-ending cycle of lather, rinse and repeat. No one is suggesting you forgo your shampoo completely, though – your best bet is to invest in a product that's specifically formulated for greasy hair.
What is the best shampoo for greasy hair?
Here's our edit of the best (with detailed reviews below), plus expert tips on how to deal with post-workout hair and oily roots.
Whether you want to try an organic formula or give a shampoo bar a whirl, we've got you covered. Ta-ta stringy fringe.
1
2
Best shampoo for healthier hair
OGX Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo 385ml
Read review
3
4
5
Best for volume
Christophe Robin Purifying Shampoo
Read review
6
Best for a deep cleanse
Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo
Read review
7
Best for softer hair
L'Oréal Professionnel Paris Serie Expert Scalp Pure Resource Shampoo
Read review
8
9
Best for combination hair
L'Oréal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Clay Re-Balancing Shampoo
Read review
10
Best for dandruff
Head & Shoulders Citrus Fresh Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
Read review
How can I stop my hair getting greasy?
1. Wash your hair less often
'If you think you're over-washing your hair, experiment by shampooing less frequently,' advises Taylor. While hair washing is necessary, too much can clog your roots, and the build-up can be responsible for everything from dandruff to hair loss.
If you normally wash it four times a week, try twice instead, or if you wash it every day, try reducing it to three times a week. Keep going until you notice a difference.
2. Swap washing for rinsing
'Regular exercisers can find themselves over washing their hair out of habit, so try just rinsing after a workout instead,’ suggests Taylor. While sweat is not oily — it's mostly water with some salts thrown in — if you're a frequent gym-goer, then you likely have more build-up around your roots from perspiration. So, give hair a good rinse.
3. Quit playing with your hair
'Try not to over brush or play with your hair as this can increase sebum production. Using dry shampoo can help in between washes as it absorbs oils on the hair, be it natural oils or product residue' explains Taylor.
What ingredients should you avoid if your hair is prone to greasiness?
According to experts, these are the ones to look out for:
- Parabens
- Formaldehyde
- Silicone
- Natural oils: jojoba, rosemary, lemon, argan, tea tree and peppermint
How we test
In the Women’s Health Lab, we recruited 450 testers, with hair types ranging from straight to afro, to try 33 brands of shampoo and their matching conditioners for two weeks. Each tester reported back on how well the shampoos helped with their oily symptoms.
They assessed how well the product cleansed hair, how much lather it produced, and whether they saw any long-term reduction in oil. They also fed back on how hair felt after use, focusing on hydration, smoothness, shininess and volume.
In the lab, we applied artificial sebum to hair switches and used a Sebumeter to measure sebum levels after using each shampoo, to see how effective they were at controlling oil.
If you try to avoid products that use parabens, silicones or sulphates, we’ve also listed that info below, so you can shop with ease.
1
Best shampoo for oily hair
REDKEN Scalp Relief Shampoo
Now 11% Off
The goal of this minty number is to leave your hot and sweaty scalp as cool as a cucumber.
It was a star at removing grease and grime in our tests, leaving most of our panel with smoother, shinier hair.
It was gentle too, causing zero irritation, while also keeping oil under control.
Key specifications
| Silicone free | Yes |
|---|---|
| Sulphate free | No |
| Volume | 300 ml |
Apple cider vinegar has been a beauty secret among celebs for as long as we can remember. It’s normally consumed in the form of a morning shot (ew) for health benefits, but it’s also become popular for balancing out your scalp's pH to promote hair growth.
This shampoo contains the magic ingredient, which we found successfully helped banish excess oil and product build-up.
By the end of the trial, testers noticed hair looked smoother and more nourished.
Key specifications
| Volume | Shampoo, 385ml; conditioner, 385ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Silicone free | No |
| Sulphate free | Yes |
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This cruelty-free formula will set you back less than £5.
It did an excellent job at lifting dirt from post-workout scalps, and it successfully kept oil in check, meaning our testers could get away with washing their hair less.
Prepare to make this your new gym bag staple.
Shop the conditioner.
Key specifications
| Volume | 300 ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Silicone free | Yes |
| Sulphate free | No |
4
Best for curly hair
Pattern Cleansing Shampoo 230.7ml Ireland
Keeping up with all the new celeb beauty brands may be getting tiring, but trust us when we say that Tracee Ellis Ross has come to our hair's rescue with Pattern Beauty.
The lightweight formula is gentle, yet deeply cleansing, helping to give curls some extra TLC. Many of our testers were amazed by how gorgeous and grease-free their curls looked after washing.
Key specifications
| Volume | 230.7ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Silicone free | Yes |
| Sulphate free | Yes |
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5
Best for volume
Christophe Robin Purifying Shampoo
If you've ever sunk into a mud bath at a spa, you'll know the benefits it has for your skin, and this shampoo aims to do the same thing for troubled heads.
It was a champ at soaking up excess oil, leaving scalps feeling refreshed and strands looking smoother and shinier. Our panel also reported added hydration and softness, making this a winner in our books.
Key specifications
| Volume | 250 ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Silicone free | Yes |
| Sulphate free | Yes |
6
Best for a deep cleanse
Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo
Building up a sweat is a sign of a successful workout – oil-slick hair on the other hand, not so much. Time to bring in the big guns with this powerful treatment, which is so effective, it only needs to be used once a week.
Testers loved how cleansed it left their scalp, and it proved its worth in our lab test too, removing 95% of excess oil.
Key specifications
| Volume | 250 ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Silicone free | Yes |
| Sulphate free | No |
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7
Best for softer hair
L'Oréal Professionnel Paris Serie Expert Scalp Pure Resource Shampoo
Now 53% Off
Striving for softer ends? A little went a long way with this gel-like shampoo, which managed to create a rigorous lather that left testers with smoother, silky lengths.
Testers loved the scent too (an added bonus!) and in our lab test it managed to reduce oiliness by 89%.
Key specifications
| Volume | 300 ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Silicone free | Yes |
| Sulphate free | No |
Portable and eco-friendly — what more could you want? This shampoo bar features zero plastic packaging and doesn't contain any water (you have to add it to use).
Testers were impressed with how well it cleansed scalps, without stripping the hair. The overall result? Strands felt nourished and silky-soft.
Key specifications
| Volume | 55g |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Silicone free | Yes |
| Sulphate free | No |
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Just like you can have combination skin, you can also get combination hair. This involves oily roots but desert-dry ends — the opposite of what you want.
L'Oréal’s shampoo claims to purify hair for up to 72 hours, while adding hydration where it needs it.
A bold claim but we found it worked well, leaving scalps feeling refreshed, while ends were left shiny and smooth, and it was super gentle on hair.
Shop the conditioner.
Key specifications
| Volume | Shampoo, 400ml; conditioner, 300ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Silicone free | Yes |
| Sulphate free | No |
Dandruff isn’t just for the dry scalp sufferers. If your main priority is to get rid of the pesky snowflakes, this is a great buy.
Testers were impressed by how refreshed it left scalps, saying it made a huge difference when it came to eradicating any anti-social dandruff.
Key specifications
| Volume | 500 ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Silicone free | No |
| Sulphate free | No |
Florence Reeves-White
Senior Beauty Writer
Florence is our Senior Beauty Writer, specialising in expert-tested beauty and grooming reviews — from toothbrushes to the latest skincare launches. She’s committed to sharing recommendations for products that truly work and make people feel confident and healthy. Prior to this she was at Tropic Skincare, where she worked closely with biochemists in the lab, delving into the functions of each fresh, natural ingredient and conveying its efficacy to her audience in easy-to-digest terms.
With over five years’ experience in beauty and health journalism, Florence has written for ELLE, Women’s Fitness, Sister Magazine, National Geographic Traveller and many more, with a strong sustainability angle thread through much of her work.
When she isn’t packing for a trip away, working out, eating out or reading up on retinol serums, you’ll probably find her experimenting with her film camera and building her portfolio of portraits. Florence’s photography can be found at florencereeves-white.com, her Instagram is @florencereeveswhite and her twitter is @floreadsnwrites
Tested byMaria Kumar
Beauty and Grooming Testing Manager
Maria is our Beauty and Grooming Testing Manager, and since joining in mid-2022, she has managed the testing for mutiple categories including scalp scrubs, collagen supplements and retinol serums. In addition to her master's degree in chemical engineering and a diploma in cosmetic science, she recently received her MBA from the London College of Fashion, focusing on case studies within the beauty industry. Prior to joining the company, she worked within the global technical team at the Estee Lauder Companies for over six years, collaborating with the chemists and engineers to launch luxury beauty products at scale and to quality. She has also worked as a formulation scientist within the pharmaceutical industry and takes this evidence based approach into all her product testing.
