8 quick-fix tricks to hide oily hair

Use dry shampoo

From clothing stains to removing static, is there any problem that dry shampoo can’t solve?

If your strands are looking a little limp, spray some dry shampoo along your part. Then, lift strategic sections of hair and give the roots a little spray. Massage the dry shampoo on your scalp (like you would if washing your hair for real) to distribute the product. The effect may not be immediate so don’t be tempted to add more straight away. Give it about 10 minutes to soak up the oils; after that time, if you need more spray away. Brush the dry shampoo out if you have straight hair, or gently massage until the white powdery-ness disappears if you have curly hair.

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Try baby powder

If you’re out of dry shampoo, baby powder is an excellent alternative. Sprinkle a little in strategic sections of your hair, then follow on as you would with dry shampoo. Baby powder is a little harder to brush or massage out, so if you have dark hair, try not to use too much.

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Grab some texturising powder

No dry shampoo? No baby powder? In that case raid your boyfriend’s/brother’s/friend’s bathroom for texturising powder. Sprinkle a very small amount along your part and rub in softly. This will add grip, hold and texture to your roots and hide the oiliness.

Oil blotting sheets to the rescue

They work for your face so why wouldn’t they work for your hair? Take some blotting paper and pat it along your part or anywhere that the roots of your hair are exposed. It might take a few sheets to get a good result. Then, ruffle your hair up a bit so it doesn’t look as limp.

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Wear a hair accessory

If you’re out of hair-fixing products, try adding a hair accessory to hide your hair. A thick headband, a scarf or a hat can completely disguise greasy roots and make you look totally stylish.

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Try a slick style

Since your hair is already a little slick, why not try one of those super sleek ponytail styles often seen on Kim Kardashian? You can’t really pull these off with freshly washed hair because of the flyaway factor. But when your hair is a little bit dirty, it sticks together more effectively and makes neat and sleek styles easier to achieve.

Brush your hair into a sleek and tight ponytail. Add a generous amount of hairspray over the top to keep it all in place and to make the sleekness and shine look deliberate.

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Add texture

Oily strands are often limp and lack texture, so adding a bit of texture back in can hide dirty hair. Try using a texture spray, sea-salt spray, hairspray, mattefying powder, texturising powder… anything that adds grip and hold will work. Add the product to the places where your roots are exposed, like you part. Then ruffle your hair up and add more product as needed.

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Consider astringent products like toner and hand sanitiser

Products with astringent properties like face toner can dissolve and cleanse out oil. If you’re really desperate add a little toner (or hand sanitiser) to a cotton pad and swipe it across your greasy roots. The alcohol content should dissolve most of the sebum and oil.

Image source: Instagram user clinique_oz