Oily scalp and dry hair? Yep. It’s one of those contradictory things that occurs nonetheless. It’s frustrating, hard to manage, and confusing. You might be wondering what hair products should you be using? Shampoos and conditioners designed for dry hair, or shampoos and conditioners to treat oily hair? Fortunately, there are ways to deal with oily scalp and dry hair…

Shampoo Less Frequently

Man washing his hair.

If you’ve got oily scalp and roots, you probably feel the need to shampoo your hair daily. Bad idea. Shampoo dries out your scalp and hair. Shampooing too often could cause your scalp to produce excess oils to combat the dryness, and your already dry ends can become even dryer or damaged.

Shampooing your hair infrequently is a better idea. Washing your hair every other day or twice a week is a good place to start. (One hairdresser actually told me that I should only be washing my hair once a week! – I can’t seem to leave my hair for an entire week, but I imagine two to three times a week is good enough.) Try using dry shampoo or baby powder between washes to combat oily roots. Massage baby powder well through your scalp to avoid white patches.

Wash The Scalp Area Only

This might be a little tricky, but if it works for you, then great! Start by tying your hair into a low loose bun. Bend over a sink and wash your roots with shampoo, massaging the shampoo through the top part of your hair before rinsing it off. This washes the oily part of your hair while leaving your dry ends untouched.

Hair Mask

Woman applying a hair mask.

Apply a hair mask once or twice a week to the ends of your hair. If you don’t already have a hair mask you swear by, consider trying Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask, SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque, Verb Hydrating Mask, or any other hair mask that is infused with essential oils.

Essential Oils And Hair Serums

Hair serums and essential oils such as Coconut Oil, Argan Oil, Olive Oil, or Tea Tree Oil are excellent at combating frizzy ends daily. Simply apply one or two drops of your chosen oil to the ends of your hair and let your hair suck up the moisture. Essential oils are lighter than hair masks, making them great for everyday use.

Aloe Vera

The aloe vera plant.

Rub aloe vera all over your scalp. To use fresh aloe vera, remove the thorny part, open it and rub the gel part of the leaf through your roots. Leave it in for twenty minutes before rinsing. Meanwhile, you can apply a deep conditioning hair mask to the frizzy ends of your hair.

Keratin Smoothing

If all else fails, consider trying a keratin smoothing treatment. They’re a little pricey, but they will solve your dry hair problem for the next three to six months. I did this a little more than a year ago. I had developed oily scalp and dry hair from a combination of heat styling and bleaching my hair.

At first, I tried to combat this by constantly straightening my hair to smooth the frizz, but it just got worse and worse. My roots were oily, and my ends were dry no matter what I tried. Argan Oil helped somewhat, but not enough. Eventually, I decided to get a keratin smoothing treatment which is a long-lasting intense conditioning treatment. Keratin smoothing repairs locks, removes frizz, and flattens hair.

I stopped heat styling my hair after getting the keratin smoothing. Finally, my hair began to recover from the heat damage. Now the keratin has washed out but I’ve stopped straightening my hair and I no longer need to. It is still naturally dryer than many hair types because it’s wavy, but it’s not oily and dry. The only catch with keratin smoothing is the price. $200 to $500 for a hair solution is costly. Fortunately, it lasts for long enough to justify the price.

Conclusion

Having experienced oily scalp and frizzy ends, I know that it is frustrating to deal with. You might not see an improvement when you first try these tips, but don’t get discouraged; oily scalp and dry ends can be improved and treated with time. We hope these tips were helpful!