If you have thin and oily hair, you have probably tried everything to keep the oil production under control. However, you may be complicating it. Although it makes sense to wash your hair vigorously to remove excess oil, there are a few common misconceptions surrounding how to shampoo it correctly. 

With the help of a few tips, you can start the path toward nourishing and strengthening your thin hair while maintaining a healthy balance in its oil production.

Table of Contents:

• Do I Have Oily Thin Hair?
• How Do You Shampoo Oily Thin Hair Properly?
• Avoid Harsh Chemicals
• Wash Less Frequently
• Follow Up with the Right Conditioner
• Target the Scalp
• Choose The Right Shampoo

Do I Have Oily Thin Hair?

Everyone’s scalp produces sebum, natural oil that helps to lubricate the hair, strengthen it, and improve its flexibility. However, not everyone would consider themselves as having oily hair. Individuals who have oily hair can tell that they have a lot of it.

If you think your hair might be naturally oilier than others, you can usually confirm your suspicion by paying attention to a few tendencies. For example, if you find yourself needing to wash your hair just a day after washing it because of its greasy appearance, your hair is probably oilier than others. Although shampooing is part of many people’s daily routines, most people do not need to wash every day.

Those with oily hair likely also have thin hair. These two things are often correlated as the oil from your scalp often spreads more easily through thin hair; this is because there is less surface area for the oil to cover. As a result, your hair appears even oilier than it actually is. 

You can determine if you have thin hair with the help of just a piece of sewing thread. Take a strand of your hair out of your brush and compare it next to the thread. If your strand of hair is thinner in diameter than the thread, you have a naturally thinner hair type.

How Do You Shampoo Oily Thin Hair Properly?

How you shampoo your hair can actually have an important impact on the health and tendencies of your hair and can keep the oil under control. As you consider the best routine for shampooing oily and thin hair, you should keep a few important tips in mind.

• Avoid Harsh Chemicals

Although there is a wide range of reasons for oily hair, it is very often the result of dry, dehydrated hair. Oily hair can also very likely be the result of an irritated scalp. Either way, using shampoo with the wrong ingredients can make both factors worse.

A sensitive scalp is even more prone to irritation, and harmful additives will easily take advantage, causing your scalp to produce even more oil. When choosing a shampoo, always be sure to check the ingredients label. In order to best protect your hair, keep an eye out for the following ingredients:

• Parabens
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
• Sodium Laureth Sulfate
• Synthetic fragrances

These ingredients are well known for their drying and irritating effects, so stay away in order to protect your scalp from generating too much oil.

• Wash Less Frequently

Washing oily hair less than usual seems like the incorrect approach here. After all, if your hair is oily, wouldn’t you want to wash it more? Although that seems like the logical answer, washing your hair too frequently can actually make your oily hair even worse.

Your scalp produces oil in order to protect your hair against dehydration. Every time you wash your hair, you are removing this oil, and with the wrong ingredients, dehydrating your hair even further. As a result, your scalp overcompensates by producing even more sebum, creating an endless cycle of oily hair.

Therefore, you should aim to give your hair a chance to balance its oil by laying back on your washing. It is still important to maintain a proper washing routine, but try to limit it to just two to three times a week.

• Follow Up with the Right Conditioner

Conditioning seems like the right answer for every hair type, but thin and oily hair may be a little resistant to that idea. Oily hair is usually more than greasy and doesn’t need too much help to stay hydrated. However, conditioners can moisturize your hair and provide additional nutrients.

Thin hair typically does not respond well to heavy products, so keep that in mind before using a conditioner. Heavy products can leave your hair looking dull and lifeless, so try to choose a lightweight product that can moisturize without weighing down your hair strands. Try to avoid heavy oils like avocado oil or argan oil.

Some experts recommend only using conditioner near the ends of your hair if you are going to use it at all. Ultimately, you can use your judgment based on what works for your hair. If you do condition, limit it to once or twice per week instead of every time you wash your hair.

• Target the Scalp

When it comes to thin oily hair, your scalp has a vital role. Holding your thin hair strands in place while controlling oil production. Therefore, make sure to prioritize your scalp during this process. As you work the shampoo into your hair, make sure to massage the product into your scalp as well.

You should also be mindful of how the products you choose can influence the health of your scalp. Choosing soothing ingredients like aloe vera and tea tree oil can help refresh the scalp and reinforce hair follicles.

• Choose The Right Shampoo

In order to shampoo thin and oily hair properly, the most important step has the right product to cleanse, hydrate, and nourish your hair all at the same time. Fortunately, you have several great options. WOW’s Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo is a powerful clarifying shampoo that works to cleanse deep into your hair and scalp while providing a plethora of antioxidants and vitamins, with nutrient-rich apple cider vinegar at the foundation.

Another great option is WOW’s Activated Charcoal & Keratin Shampoo. This formula cleanses deep into the scalp to remove dirt and oil build-up, helping to reduce the chances of irritation. With the addition of ingredients like jojoba oil, keratin, and aloe vera, this shampoo does it all — capable of soothing your scalp and strengthening the proteins in your hair strands.

Although some hair is naturally oilier than others, you do not have to just give in to overly oily hair. A proper shampoo routine and strategy can go a long way toward managing a healthy balance of sebum as well as strengthening your thin strands.

For help finding the right shampoo to top it off, browse our selection of powerful, hydrating shampoos at WOW Skin Science. We pride ourselves on our 100% plant-based formulas and their ability to provide vital nutrients to your hair and scalp. Try our products for yourself and see the impact they can have. From our all natural sulfate, silicone and paraben-free hair care collection we recommend Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo and Red Onion Black Seed Oil Shampoo. And if you would like to learn more about apple cider vinegar's benefits or onion oil's benefits check out our ultimate guide on how to use them on your hair.