Everything You Need to Know About Oil Training Your Scalp

When it comes to hair care, we all wish we could wake up with that “just stepped out of the salon” look everyday. Unfortunately for most of us, a day or two later our hair begins to feel oily and we’re forced to wash it. While there are obviously benefits to washing your hair, washing too often can cause scalp dryness and more breakage since hair is most fragile when it’s wet, as well as an increased production of natural oils called sebum from the scalp.

To combat the overproduction of sebum, we recommend oil training your scalp by slowly decreasing the frequency of hair washes.

Things to consider:

The level of sebum produced by the scalp differs per person based on factors like hormones, hair type, environment, diet, and more. When done correctly, oil training your scalp can have many benefits like less time spent washing, less heat damage, less oil production and less breakage. However, if the scalp is not cleansed often enough, it can cause bacteria growth and hair loss due to clogged follicles. Oil training your scalp is definitely a fine balance and should be done slowly over time!

Add an extra day every month or two

Training your scalp to produce less oil takes time and dedication to do correctly. Stylists recommend that when you’re starting out, try to add an extra day in between washes. So, if you wash your hair daily, start off by switching to every other day. You’ll notice over time that your hair gets less and less oily during this time frame. Depending on your level of sebum production, add an additional day between washes every month to two months.

The end goal for how long you should go between washes differs per person, and we recommend consulting your stylist for a personalized recommendation. To help you get started on oil training your scalp, we’ve compiled a list of products, services and haircare tactics to help you increase days between washes while keeping hair looking fresh, clean, and healthy.

Shampoo twice when washing

If you’re stretching the amount of time between washes and using more products to keep your hair looking fresh, chances are you’re going to have increased buildup on your roots and scalp. When it does come time to wash your hair, we recommend shampooing your hair twice to ensure all build up is removed. It may also be helpful to include a clarifying shampoo into the mix, using it weekly to help remove build up.

Use quality dry shampoo

Say hello to your new best friend - dry shampoo. This wonder product can help make oily hair look voluminous and fresh between washes, but be weary; there is such a thing as “too much of a good thing.” First, make sure to use quality dry shampoo on your scalp. Always shake before use, then hold the bottle roughly six inches from your hair, spraying at the root and working into your roots with your fingers.

While dry shampoo is a great way to extend your look and time between washes, it is not a quick fix to oil train your hair. Oil training will take time, and while dry shampoo can provide cleaner looking hair between washes, too much dry shampoo can cause buildup and blockage at the roots.

Bottom Line

Washing your hair less may seem like a strange concept, however when done correctly there are many benefits to going longer between washes. As you oil training your scalp, keep in mind that this will take time, dedication, and an understanding of your specific hair needs.

The end goal for how long you should go in between washes really depends on your hair type. Finer, thinner hair for instance may require washing every 2-3 days to remove grease and product build up, whereas thicker types of hair can be oil trained to be washed every 6-8 days. It really depends on a variety of factors including your environment, diet, type of hair and more; for best results we recommend asking your stylist what is right for you!