Shampoo for oily hair. Any suggestions?

Hi Ladies, I have naturally fine, stick straight hair that's always been very oily (ever since my pre-Teens, I'm now in my mid-30's).  Ever since moving to NZ two years ago, I've battled to find a shampoo specifically formulated for oily hair.   

I used to use either Head & Shoulders Citrus Burst for greasy hair or Organics Lemon & Wild Mint for greasy & oily hair, but I can't seem to find either of these in NZ.  

I've tried Herbal Essences Drama Clean but this is a clarifying shampoo and tends to really strip my hair, eventually aggravating the issue even more.  I've tried using H&S Citrus for Men but this leaves my hair looking greasy a few hours after washing it, as its a 2-in-1. I also tried Garnier Fructus for oily roots and dry ends (this was the closest oily hair shampoo I've come across in NZ supermarkets) but I don't have dry ends and it too was a fail. It worked fine for the first few washes and then just made me look greasy after 12 hours or so. 

I wash my hair every second day, as washing it daily just makes the problem worse, and on the second day I have to use a dry shampoo as my hair is so greasy after 12-24 hours post washing that it looks wet and stringy from root to ends.  Funnily enough, my hair is less greasy when we go on holiday to hotter climates. I love really hot weather (30 - 40 degrees) and apparently so does my hair!  

I haven't gone to Shampoo 'n Things as I can't afford an expensive shampoo but it just strikes me as strange that supermarkets don't stock oily hair shampoo when the brands that they do stock do make them.  Do Kiwi's not have oily hair? Can anyone out there recommend or suggest anything?  I'm currently trying a few drops of Patchouli oil in my shampoo to see of that helps at all but I'm not expecting any miracles. Any suggestions would be welcome! 

following this, my daughter has greasy hair and yes I think it's just been in the last 18 months since we have moved to Antarctica (practically!) 

Unfortunately I don't have the same hair type as you, but I like a good challenge.

I just had a quick squizz at the countdown website, not sure if you are near one or not, but they do have 2 possible options Helena Shampoo Extra Cleansing or Tresemme Shampoo Deep Cleansing. Neither of these have been reviewed here, they aren't even on the product list at present and I haven't used either of these brands in years so I can't tell you about their quality now. Do you know if there is an active ingredient on one of your prefered shampoos? Have you tried a sulphate free one to see if that makes a difference? I am trying to finish a sulphate free shampoo for dry hair and that is removing more oil that the previous one I used but I don't like the shampoo but I do like the conditioner. The painful problem is not all branches stock all types of a brand.

I have been told that dry shampoos are really helpful for oily hair -Try googling the product you used to use as their are a lot of on line sites that may help

I have tried sulphate free shampoo but the brand I tried only had two varieties ... one for dry hair and one for normal hair (whatever normal's supposed to be).  I tried the "normal" hair one and it left my hair looking very limp and oily after a few hours and after a few weeks of use, I ended up with seborrheic dermatitis!  This cleared up once I stopped using the sulphate free shampoo.

Thanks Ragingfrog, I'll have a look the two brands you saw at Countdown and see if either of those work.  I guess this shampoo thing is going to be a continuous process of trial and elimination for me until I find something that works.

Have you tried shampoo bars. I know sorbet (Ethique)  and  Lush have them. I 've enjoyed using St clements. I'm just waiting for them to be put back on the site so I review them.

Great idea Macs - Sorbet/Ethique sample box could be a good fix for you?  You can select 5 samples for $20 delivered, and each lasts about a week to ten days (of every day use)

I love Damage Control and Frizz Wrangler, but there is also St Clements, which as Macs says is great for oilier hair, and Heali Kiwi which is meant to be good for scalps.  They also have a volumising one and a gentle one that doubles as a body bar.

Can totally second and third Sorbet (Ethique) a week ago I was suffering from really oily roots and dry ends but since I have switched back to the sorbet bars my hair has been feeling heaps better. Am currently using Sweet & Spicy (which smells amazing BTW) and guardian as my conditioner.
About a year and a half ago I was a diehard Sorbet fan but there was a pretty long leadtime for products at that stage and I ended up switching back to supermarket shampoos/conditioners. Am remembering again how much I love their products now!

The thing with seborric dermatitis is that it doesn't really go away for good :/
washing your hair often (I know that you need to because of the oil) could be masking it.
do you have dandruff like patches if you leave you hair for more than two days? Is it extra oily on the dandruffy areas? Because it could just be your body fighting the dermatitis and creating more oil to soothe the actually dry scalp.
As somebody who suffers from this I feel your pain with the oilyness, I find the best thing for me is to wash my super oilly (or dandruffy) scalp area with a soothing head and boulders shampoo (I think it's eucalypts) leave on for a few minutes, then wash the rest of my hair (bit not all the way to my tips) with a ordinary shampoo.
then when I condition I just don't put it anywhere near my roots, it's annoying the first week you do this but honestly it makes your hair so much less oilly if you're only putting the conditioner on the ends and not ontop of the already oily hair.

I have the exact same problem as you ... however i've found that since ive tried to was my hair every 3rd day now instead of every 2nd day ... my hair has gradually gotten use to it and somehow doesnt get as oily as it use to. if you wash your hair too often your hair eventually gets use to your routine. by washing your hair you are sripping away your hairs natural oils so the more you wash it, the more the oils get stripped away, the more your hair produces its natural oils. 

In the beginning it was super difficult to get out of my hair washing routine. dry shampoo was my best friend and carried it EVERYWHERE. in the end my hair went from getting greasy after a few hours to being able to stay fresh/semi fresh for max 2 days (with the help of a teeny bit of dry shampoo) , which doesnt seem long but for me it was such a miracle.

As for shampoo, i've tried the pantene aqua shampoo (not sure if thats the actual name but its in a transparent bottle and the shampoo its self is transparent aswel). that was quite good. but i am curently using the OGX shampoo. Ive tried both the coconut milk answel as the argan oil and morocco and both seemed to agree with my hair. it didnt leave my hair oily and limp like most shampoos I have tried

I would also recommend applying conditioner to the ends only. keep it as far away fom the scalp as possible. also try to limit  brushing your hair and touching it constantly

sorry for the long post. i know you only asked for shampoo reccomendations (i think i got a bit carried away) lol

oh and i forgot to add that i buy my OGX shampoo at life pharmacy (about $18) and they often have it on the NZ sale website 

Thanks for the comments and suggestions, Ladies.  

No, I haven't tried a bar shampoo but have added it to my list of hair shampoos to try.

The longest I've gone without washing my hair is 4 days (while flying long-distance) and no, I don't get dandruff or flaky patches of dry skin, so I don't think I have a hidden dry scalp condition. 

I don't use conditioner on my hair but I do use a tiny bit of Argan oil on the very ends (the last 3cm or so, I have shoulder length hair so the oil is not getting anywhere near my scalp). 

If anyone is still following this thread and looking for shampoo for oily hair, I've found 3 more to try:

- The Body Shop Rainforest Balance shampoo (this one is specifically for oily hair).  I've bought a bottle and am waiting for my current VO5 one to run out before trying it.

- Angel en Provence Rosemary Hair Activating shampoo.  This one apparently helps with hair fall and Rosemary is great for oily hair.  I've added this one to my list of shampoos to try (after I've used the Body Shop one)

- Mane 'n Tail Gentle Clarifying Shampoo.  Even though this is a clarifying shampoo, their website says its gentle enough to use everyday on oily hair.  Another one to consider trying.

Here's an update for those of you still following my search for a good oily hair shampoo:

I've given two more shampoos a try, the first one being The Body Shop's Rainforest Balance Shampoo which was very disappointing.  It was really difficult to work up a good lather without using too much shampoo and it didn't have have a lasting effect on my hair.  I won't be buying another bottle.

I popped into my local Shampoo and Things to see what they could recommend and was given a few sachets of Angel en Province Verbena Shampoo (for oily hair) and  I'm extremely glad that I hadn't forked out $40 for a bottle.  It lathers well and leaves hair feeling really soft as the shampoo is enriched with natural oils but my ends looked oily and stringy once my hair had dried.  Definitely not the look I was going for!  

I have two more shampoos for oily hair that I will be trying out next and I'll post another update later.  The next two on my list are Kerastase Bain Divalent (another expensive shampoo, so I have a few sample sachets to use) and I've bought a bottle of De Lorenzo Control Shampoo.  

Since my last update, I've tried quite a few shampoos for oily hair, ranging from affordable supermarket brands to expensive salon brands and this is what I've discovered:   

- Organic Care Natural Balance ($5.99 for 400ml): It claims to be for all hair types but didn't do anything for my oily hair. 

- Herbal Essences Drama Clean ($6.99 for 300ml):  a clarifying shampoo that stripped my hair and just aggravated the oiliness.  Not a solution for oily hair! 

- Head & Shoulders Citrus for Men ($9.00 for 350ml): I thought I'd try a men's shampoo, as I was battling to find shampoo for greasy hair but this left my hair looking greasy a few hours after washing it.  Probably because it's a 2-in-1. 

- Garnier Fructis for oily roots and dry ends ($5.09 for 250ml):  I don't have dry ends, I'm just oily all over and this, too, was a fail. It worked fine for the first few washes and then just made me look greasy after 12 hours or so.  

- VO5 Give Me Volume ($5.00 for 400ml):  I have fine, straight, oily hair and this gave me no volume whatsoever.  It did leave my hair feeling nice and clean for a few hours though. 

- The Body Shop Rainforest Balance shampoo ($24.75 for 250ml):  this one is specifically for oily hair and is SLS free, so it doesn't lather very much. It didn't leave my hair looking or feeling particularly clean and its a bit of a stretch to wash my hair every second night. By the second morning, my hair's already looking greasy and I have to use a dry shampoo.  Not worth the cost! 

- Angel en Provence Verbena Shampoo for oily hair ($39.50 for 400ml):  I got a few sachets of this from my local Shampoo 'n Things and I'm extremely glad that I hadn't paid for a full sized bottle. It lathers well and leaves hair feeling really soft as the shampoo is enriched with natural oils but my ends looked oily and stringy once my hair had dried. Definitely not the look I was going for!   

- De Lorenzo Control Shampoo for fine, limp, oily and coloured hair ($29.90 for 275ml): It lathers up nicely and leaves my hair feeling and looking clean, without being squeaky and stripped. It is quite pricey but is gentle, can be used daily and is sitting near the top of my 'best oily hair shampoo list'. 

- Pantene Classic Clean ($7.00 for 350ml):  I got tired of trying expensive shampoos and went back to store bought.  I haven't used Pantene for years and spotted the words "for fine hair prone to oiliness and greasiness", which is exactly what I have!  This shampoo cleans just as well (if not better) than the expensive De Lorenzo shampoo and is five times cheaper per ml.  It looks like I'll be sticking the Pantene in the future. 

So, to sum up my 3 year search for a good shampoo for oily hair, in order from best to worst: 

Pantene Classic Clean
De Lorenzo Control Shampoo
The Body Shop Rainforest Balance 
Garnier Fructis for Oily Roots and Dry Ends
Kerastase Bain Divalent
VO5 Give Me Volume
Angel en Provence Verbena 
Herbal Essences Drama Clean
Organic Care Natural Balance
Head & Shoulders Citrus for Men

Hey Silvene have you tried apple cider vinegar? I keep a spray bottle (cheap spray bottle from The Warehouse) of vinegar in the shower and every time I wash my hair I spray my scalp and rub it around with my hands. It 's amazing and good for all hair types. Good for removing and preventing dandruff and leaves hair shiney. If you use a mild shampooo then follow with cider vinegar you'll be surprised at the result. You can spray cider vinegar all over yourself actually and I dab some on with a cotton ball after cleansing my face now too (for my face I have it mixed 50/50 with water though). It's anti bacterial and perfect for almost everything. Be careful not to get it in your eyes, because that is highly unpleasant.And while I'm on the subject, you can treat/prevent toe nail fungus by rubbing it over your toe nails after showering every day.Every shower should have a spray bottle of it, and if you recall, Nat gave the tip of having it mixed with some dishwash for spraying aorund the shower once you've finished, but it is also ok as a cleaner by itself.
 

i use white vinegar for cleaning and the apple cider one to treat my throat after nearly ended up needing vocal chord intervention lat year; never thought of it on hair or face. It's quite a strong scent - does it wash out without leaving a smell Maree, or does the conditioner nullify it?

Yep, suprisingly it doesn't leave any smell in your hair. How did you use it for your throat? gargle? I'd be keen to try it for my sore throats...

I lace my water bottle with it. Shot of pineapple juice first thing then ACV water all day, vocaloid pastilles after talking and Manuka Honey if it's still a bit sore. Voice still has dodgy moments but it doesn't hurt 99% of the time now so that's a win.

Interesting re the smell!

I love apple cider vinegar. I have 2 tablespoons a day and also use it on my hair and it is great on your face also. I use Braggs brand.

Thanks for the tip, Maree.  I have a bottle of ACV in the cupboard and an empty spray bottle. Do you rinse the ACV out after rubbing it into your scalp or just leave it in? 

   Was going to recommend Ethique St. Clements. I used to use Organic Care but then I gave Ethique a shot and never looked back. I find the bars last for ages and interestingly when I use their hair care bars I actually find I can extend the time in between washes. I can get 3 to 4 days in between washes whereas with other shampoos after two days my scalp was greasy while my ends were dry. I highly recommend trying the St. Clements and Wonderbar. Another bonus is that the bars last for ages so I find I actually only need to buy shampoo a few times a year and the conditioner bars last even longer.

  I have tried ACV rinses. Makes hair shiny and gets out all the suds really well. 

I need to clean my shower Maree. Been using Mr Muscle. Im going to buy some vinegar. Sounds like a great tip.

Thanks for the tip Trudi - I'll try it!

You can leave it in or wash it out Silvene. I sometimes soak my hair with it then rinse it out, then just wash my scalp and not rinse. It's great either way.

It's good for cleaning Macs :)

man I was just thinking about this today as my daughters hair is so dry at the ends and greasy at the scalp- still haven't found anything that works but will definitely be getting a spray bottle of vinegar for the shower and maybe try Pantene classic too! I do have a small vinegar spray bottle but it's used for the kids when they come home from
school stinking of BO- I make them spray it like deodorant before they have a shower and it seems to keep the pong away. Works sprayed on their school tops too before washing to get rid of the smell. 

If you're near a LUSH store you can go in and ask for samples of their shampoo before you buy - I'm not sure which are best for oily hair but they usually know what they're talking about so it wouldn't hurt to go in. And I mean, who would pass up a chance to go to LUSH ?! :-P 

Silvene that's a good array of brands thanks for the heads up. I have found that the brand schwarzcorff (butchered the spelling) has worked well for me during this summer. I have oily scalp. I repurchased the same brand but from the colour range I think it's newly released as I haven't seen it before. I was about to write my review on this brand that came in the summer bbe.

Oh Apple cider vinegar it's in a league of it's own one of those all rounder products. It's great externally as much as it is internally for us. It has great health benefits.I knew about the hair thing admittedly I still haven't tried it. A lady came to talk about FLY LADY( Fibally loving yourself) at a mops coffee group I was in a few years ago she did reiterate the benefits of vinegar in perticular apple cider & white.

I was going to suggest apple vinegar but you ladies have pipped me to the post, not to worry, for my contribution via google http://products.pharmacydirect.co.nz/medical/Shampoo-For-Oily-Hair from very expensive to realistic prices. Have fun.

I also used apple vinegar and it helped me. But I want to share my experience with flaxseed oil. I had a problem of greasy hair and I was suggested to try this oil. The result was great! I mixed 1tbsp of flaxseed oil with a few drops of essential oil (grapefruit or eucalytpus), applied to my scalp and left for 20 minutes. I found this recipe on https://therighthairstyles.com/flaxseed-oil/ and I was surprised that flexseed oil is good both for greasy and dry hair. I hope it will help!
 

I use apple cider for so many things but hadn't thought to use in shower or on my scalp -I will definately be looking to try this. Thank you.