# Shampoo for oily, thick hair? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 22, 2011, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shampoo-for-oily-thick-hair/575644 "2011-03-22T20:14:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shampoo-for-oily-thick-hair/575644/21 "2011-03-23T18:58:24Z")
Prell and [Neutrogena Anti-Residue](http://www.buy.com/prod/neutrogena-shampoo-anti-residue-formula-6-oz/q/sellerid/30485430/loc/67984/215953954.html). That’ll get your scalp nice 'n dry. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shampoo-for-oily-thick-hair/575644/22 "2011-03-23T19:04:36Z")
> [@Lightlystarched](#): > > Have him stop using shampoo with sulfates in it. They strip the hair so much, that the scalp pours our oil to compensate. I used to “have” to shampoo daily, and now with the right shampoo I can go 5-6 days before I need to shampoo again. > > The Burt’s Bees stuff is nice. This can’t be stressed enough. I’m cringing at some of the answers here! Your scalp (and rest of your skin) will over-produce oil when they get dried out. And your scalp will get dried out if you wash too often or with too harsh a shampoo (if your shampoo has [sodium lauryl sulfate](http://www.cosmeticscop.com/cosmetic-ingredient-dictionary/definition/1396/sodium-lauryl-sulfate.aspx) in it, it is too harsh – you do not need dish detergent on your hair; your hair is not a pan in which you’ve cooked bacon). You get locked into a vicious cycle – your hair is oily, you use harsh detergents to cut the oil, your hair gets oilier. Do the opposite. Switch to a gentler shampoo (Burt’s Bees is indeed good) and wash less (yes, less! not more!) often – every other day if you currently do it every day, or every two days, etc. Your hair will go through an adjustment period of increased oiliness for a while (could be a few weeks) before settling down the oil production, but it will settle down. And Prell is terrible for your hair! See [Shampoo ingredients to avoid](http://www.savvyskin.com/shampoo-ingredients-to-avoid) > [@](#): > > Is there ever a time when it’s good to use “bad” shampoos? > Several years ago, I dyed my hair with a semi-permanent color, and for some reason my hair turned black, and it was all goopy and sticky, even after washing it 3 times! I was desperate and bought the cheapest, crappiest sounding shampoo I could find, hoping that it would be super harsh. I believe I bought Prell. Well, let me tell you, that Prell got all the goop out of my hair and it worked wonders to strip all the nastiness right out of there! Pro-tip: if a shampoo is able to strip the dyed color from your hair, it’s too harsh for daily use. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shampoo-for-oily-thick-hair/575644/23 "2011-03-23T19:29:02Z")
Well, I’ll tell my SO. Remember, I don’t need to worry about a thing - I use Pantene Pro-V. I have thin curly hair, which dries out and frizzes if i don’t use the right shampoo + the right hair gel. So I have the opposite problem. Isn’t it great being a couple? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shampoo-for-oily-thick-hair/575644/24 "2011-03-23T20:25:19Z")
Oops, I meant “you” in a general sense, not _you_ you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jennmonkye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/278dde/32.png) [@Jennmonkye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennmonkye)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shampoo-for-oily-thick-hair/575644/25 "2011-03-23T23:44:45Z")
I agree with some of the folks above on the washing makes hair more oily. I have shoulder length, thick (used to be oily) hair. Got rid of shampoo about a year ago and haven’t looked back. I wash about two to three times per week with a mixture of baking soda and almost hot water, then use conditioner and/or detangler…only apply the mixture to the scalp (as it rinses down, it will clean the ends of the hair). I was just at the salon the other day and my hairdresser (for eight years now) still cannot believe I haven’t used shampoo for a year. She says my hair is incredibly healthy. And it is NEVER oily any more. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shampoo-for-oily-thick-hair/575644/26 "2011-03-24T00:56:07Z")
20something male here with oily hair. After reading a bunch of threads on here, I decided to go with conditioner only. It works great but takes 3 squirts to completely cover my hair. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shampoo-for-oily-thick-hair/575644/27 "2011-03-24T01:34:30Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Well, I’ll tell my SO. Remember, I don’t need to worry about a thing - I use Pantene Pro-V. I have thin curly hair, which dries out and frizzes if i don’t use the right shampoo + the right hair gel. So I have the opposite problem. > > Isn’t it great being a couple? 😃 I have thick hair and use Pantene as well. I think Pantene’s just all around an awesome 'poo. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shampoo-for-oily-thick-hair/575644/28 "2011-03-24T14:41:22Z")
As an addendum, I just picked up a boar-hair brush and it’s really good at redistributing the oils from your scalp to the rest of your hair. If you have perpetually oily roots and dry ends (like I do, it happens to a lot of people with longer hair) try picking up one of those. I am trying to get my hair used to being washed every other day, and the brush really helps my hair not look greazy on day 2. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shampoo-for-oily-thick-hair/575644.md?page=1)