Hair Stylists Recommend These Shampoos for Oily, Greasy Hair

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

Let’s face it: Oily, greasy hair can get the best of anyone. Whether you have curly, straight, fine, or thick hair, there’s nothing worse than your strands and scalp feeling like a greasy mess all day—and it can be especially frustrating when frequent washing with your go-to shampoos and conditioners doesn’t seem to help. But using the best shampoos for oily hair can make all the difference in banishing grease once and for all.

Meet the Experts: Michelle Cleveland, a hair stylist, extension artist, and owner of Hair Addict Salon & Extensions Bar; Jennifer Korab, hair stylist and owner of Renaissance Salon & Spa.

What causes oily hair in the first place, though? “Our bodies naturally produce an oil known as sebum that starts deep in the dermis of the scalp/skin and works its way up to the hair follicle on the scalp,” explains Michelle Cleveland, a hair stylist, extension artist, and owner of Hair Addict Salon & Extensions Bar. These oils are necessary to nourish and hydrate the hair, but an overproduction of them—which can be caused by factors like hormones, genetics, and over-washing—may lead to hair feeling greasy or oily.

When it comes to a solution for oily hair, using the right shampoo is key, says Jennifer Korab, hair stylist and owner of Renaissance Salon & Spa. “Look for shampoos that are specifically formulated for oily or greasy hair types,” she advises. “I recommend a clarifying shampoo, sulfate-free formulas, and PH balancing shampoos.” But with so many different options for shampoos out there, it can be hard to know what’s right for you. To help you out, we consulted experts on what exactly to look for when shopping for shampoos formulated for oily hair and rounded up all the top-rated picks that will leave your hair looking (and feeling!) fresh, clean, and light as ever.

Ready to say goodbye to greasy strands? Ahead, find the best shampoos that are specifically formulated for oily hair.

Essentials Daily Clarifying Shampoo

Crowned the best overall shampoo for oily hair by the Good Housekeeping Institute, this affordable shampoo from Suave is the Beauty Lab’s “go-to for deeply cleaning strands.” The powerful clarifying formula easily removes oil and dirt but still feels lightweight on hair. In fact, it’s a personal favorite of GH Textiles Reviews Product Analyst Grace Wu, who notes: “The first time I used this shampoo, I was blown away by how squeaky clean my terribly oily hair could feel. My hair doesn’t get as oily as it usually does for a few days after using it.”

Online shoppers love it, too. “I have been using this shampoo ever since I was a teenager and it’s the best shampoo I have ever used for my oily hair,” wrote one reviewer. “I can actually skip one day without washing my hair...This shampoo makes my hair feel so soft, and it takes away the oils out of my hair, and it does not make my hair oily overnight.”

Specifique Bain Divalent Balancing Shampoo

This balancing shampoo from Kerastase is an “absolute favorite” of Korab’s. “This shampoo balances the scalp oiliness and purifies the scalp to reduce excess oil and odors,” she says. Designed to balance oiliness at the scalp while hydrating and nourishing dry ends, the lightweight formula is packed with amino acids, which help balance and condition hair fiber, as well as vitamin B6, which works to protect strands from external aggressors.

“Great for greasy hair! My hair looked fuller and brighter, and even better was the fact that I could go for three or four days without having to shampoo my hair,” said one reviewer. “I have found that you only need a small amount of shampoo to get a good amount of lather build up. A little goes a long way!”

Sunday Shampoo

Bumble and Bumble’s shampoo earned praise from the Good Housekeeping Institute for its effective clarifying formula, which deeply cleanses hair to lift away every drop of oil, product residue, and other build-up from your hair and scalp. It’s packed with nourishing ingredients that cleanse and help promote scalp health, including panax ginseng root, rosemary leaf extract, and sage leaf extract. Note: It’s not suitable for color-treated hair.

“This is a life saver. My whole life I’ve worn my long hair tied up because it would be greasy by the end of the day if I wore it down. I have long, fine hair so it gets weighed down easily with product,” wrote one reviewer. “After the first use, my hair was softer, felt lighter, and looks healthier. I’ve been using for about two months and now I can go two to three days without washing and without dry shampoo, and it still looks and feels clean!”

Volumizing Shampoo

Named the best shampoo for oily, thin hair by the Good Housekeeping Institute, this formula from Kenra earned high scores in Beauty Lab testing for washing out easily and leaving hair feeling clean, as well as for making strands easy to comb after drying with a towel. It’s specifically formulated to create body and fullness in fine hair, with the brand claiming to increase volume by up to 30%. One tester noted, “My fine, thin hair looks thicker, has more volume than before and it lasts all day!”

Reviewers online also say it truly delivers on the volume. “I have very fine and thinning hair. It gives it body and shine,” an Amazon customer wrote. “I can go two or three days between shampooing and still have lift and body.”

Tea Tree Clarifying Shampoo

If you’re looking for a gentle shampoo that won’t irritate your sensitive skin, look no further than Puriya’s clarifying shampoo. Specifically formulated for dry, sensitive scalps, it soothes dry skin and damaged hair with gentle, nourishing ingredients—including tea tree oil (cleanses and clarifies), hydrolyzed wheat protein (improves elasticity), aloe vera (supports scalp health), and vitamin B (promotes healthy hair follicles). The formula is free of artificial fragrance as well as sulfates, parabens, and silicones.

Many shoppers say it works great for their dandruff, sebborheic dermatitis, and psoriasis, leaving hair feeling nourished but not oily. “Doesn’t dry out my hair or irritate my sensitive scalp,” wrote one reviewer. “I just love this shampoo. It is rich and non-drying and really helps with my itchy, tight, winter scalp.”

Wash Day Delight Water-to-Foam Shampoo

Designed specifically for curly and natural hair types, this top-rated, sulfate-free shampoo impressed experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute with its unique formula that starts as a water and transforms into a foam once massaged it into the hair and scalp. The sulfate-free formula throughly cleanses hair without stripping it, thanks to micellar water, which acts like a magnet to draw out build-up. Plus, the targeted applicator helps target roots and allows the formula to flow through your curls.

“I have very thick hair, loose curls, and it gets oily fast. This shampoo cleansed my hair without stripping it and my hair felt clean for two days,” said one customer. “I have thick, curly hair that was lacking volume and shine lately,” said another. “My hair is shinier, curlier, and fuller than it has been in a very long time.”

The Shampoo

This shampoo from Nécessaire is packed with moisturizing, soothing ingredients—including hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and aloe vera leaf juice—to deeply hydrate while throughly cleansing the hair and scalp. It’s also great for sensitive skin thanks to a fragrance-free formula that’s made without sulfates, phthalates, or parabens. Plus, it has a Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association.

Reviewers especially love that it leaves hair feeling light and soft. “This shampoo did not weigh down my super fine yet oily hair! It lathers up well,” shared one Amazon shopper. “Hair and scalp feel clean and hydrated!” wrote another reviewer. “Love this shampoo. After a few uses my hair is so much softer and lighter and lasts longer between shampoos. Love the lather and the way it cleans my scalp, too.”

Perfect Hair Day Triple Detox Shampoo

If you have hair that’s both oily and color-treated, you might have trouble finding a clarifying shampoo that won’t strip your hair color. Enter Living Proof’s Perfect Hair Day Triple Detox shampoo, which is color-safe and formulated to eliminate build-up from pollution, products, and hard water without stripping strands. It contains activated charcoal to absorb oil, as well as anionic polymer and a gentle surfactant blend to remove buildup.

“I have fine, straight color-treated hair with an oily scalp. Had lots of buildup, and this got rid of it and left my hair really soft and feeling clean for days...No color loss,” wrote one reviewer.

No. 4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo

With a sulfate-free and pH-balanced formula, this top-rated pick from Olaplex deeply cleanses and removes impurities from the surface of the hair—including minerals, chlorine, pollutants, and product buildup—without stripping or drying out strands. It’s also formulated to help restore your hair’s volume, softness, shine, and even color clarity.

One Amazon reviewer called the shampoo a “game changer,” writing: “After the first few uses I realized how much buildup was on my hair and head. It felt like I could feel a breeze through my scalp for the first time in years...like it was finally actually clean! Light, bouncy, shiny hair.” Another shopper said, “If your hair is fine and oily, get this! My hair is super fine, and gets greasy easily. This shampoo completely cleanses the oil and any product I might have in.”

What causes oily hair?

“Oily hair is caused by the overproduction of sebum, a natural oil produced by the sebaceous glands in the scalp,” explains Korab. “Sebum is essential for keeping hair and skin moisturized, but when an excess amount is produced, it can lead to oily or greasy hair. A few factors can contribute to the overproduction of sebum like hormones, genetics, air type, and over-washing.”

To stop your hair and scalp from being oily, finding the right hair care routine is key. “Using the right shampoo, rinsing your hair thoroughly, avoiding heavy conditioners can all help reduce oil,” notes Korab.

How to choose the best shampoos for oily hair

✔️ Opt for clarifying shampoos. “Clarifying shampoos work great to help remove build-up from the hair. This includes both oils and product,” says Cleveland. These shampoos contain higher amounts of strong cleansing ingredients than regular shampoos to eliminate grease, residue, and impurities from your hair and scalp.

✔️ Check the ingredients. Korab suggests looking for shampoos with oil-absorbing ingredients, such as activated charcoal and tea tree oil. The latter helps regulate oil production, improve scalp health, and fight dandruff, among many other benefits.

✔️ Consider whether you prefer sulfate-free formulas. Sulfates, which are cleansing ingredients that are emulsifiers, are great at breaking down oil and buildup in your hair and scalp. But they’re also known for being harsh (especially for those with color-treated or damaged hair), which is why some people may prefer to stick to sulfate-free formulas.

✔️ Think about your hair type. Make sure to find a formula that’s well-suited for your hair type. While many shampoos can be used on all hair types, there are options that are specifically formulated for curly hair, for example. If you have a sensitive scalp or have conditions, like sebborheic dermatitis or psoriasis, you’ll also want to look for fragrance-free formulas that contain gentle, non-irritating ingredients.

How often should you wash oily hair?

The answer is different for everyone depending on your unique hair and scalp, Cleveland says. She advises consulting your hair stylist to get a better idea of what frequency works best for you. “If you truly overproduce and the hair is excessively oily, you may need a daily wash—however, over-washing can strip both necessary and unnecessary oils from the hair and can cause the hair to dehydrate, break, and frizz,” she warns.

As a general rule, though, Korab suggests washing oily hair every other day or every two days. “This frequency helps to remove excess oil without overstimulating the sebaceous glands, which can happen if you wash your hair too frequently,” she explains. To help extend the time between washing, Cleveland advises applying dry shampoo, which “can absorb the oil without completely stripping the entire hair shaft,” she says.

How we chose the best shampoos for oily hair

We consulted Michelle Cleveland, a hair stylist, extension artist, and owner of Hair Addict Salon & Extensions Bar, and Jennifer Korab, hair stylist and owner of Renaissance Salon & Spa. We also evaluated countless online ratings, reviews, and product specs to narrow down the best heated gloves for various needs and preferences. Lastly, we referenced the Good Housekeeping Institute’s coverage of the best shampoos for oily hair to choose the Suave Daily Clarifying Cleansing Shampoo, the Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo, the Kenra Professional Volumizing Shampoo, and the Carol’s Daughter Wash Day Delight Water-to-Foam Shampoo.

Why trust us

For more than 70 years, Prevention has been a leading provider of trustworthy health information, empowering readers with practical strategies to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Our editors interview medical experts to help guide our health-focused product selections. Additionally, Prevention also examines hundreds of reviews—and often conducts personal testing done by our staff—to help you make informed decisions.

You Might Also Like

• Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss?

• Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50