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7 quick-fix tricks to hide oily hair

Need to fix your limp strands in a hurry? Here are the quick fixes that will have you out the door in a flash.

Whether you've woken up late or you're trying to prolong your new hair colour, sometimes washing your hair just isn't an option. Greasy, limp roots aren't a great look. There are plenty of ways to disguise and fix dirty hair. And not just with dry shampoo.

Scroll through to read our tips and tricks to fixing oily hair. Don't worry, we won't tell you to braid it. Ain't nobody got time for that.

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1. Use dry shampoo

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. To distribute the product, massage the dry shampoo on your scalp like you would if washing your hair for real. 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. Then, spray away if you need more. Brush out the dry shampoo if you have straight hair or gently massage until the white powdery-ness disappears if you have curly hair.

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2. 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, though. Try not to use too much if you have dark hair.

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3. 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 it in softly. This will add grip, hold and texture to your roots and hide the oiliness.

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4. Oil blotting sheets to the rescue

They work for your face so why wouldn't they work on your hair? Take some blotting paper and pat it along your part or anywhere your hair roots 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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5. 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 stylish as well.

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6. 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, mattifying powder, texturising powder or anything that adds grip and hold. Add the product to the places where your roots are exposed then ruffle your hair up and add more product as needed.

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7. Consider using toner, hand sanitiser and other astringent products

Products with astringent properties such as 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.

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Preventing oily hair

Can't seem to keep your strands clean for longer than a day or 2? Here are a few things you can do to extend your wash cycle and stop your hair from getting dirty.

1. Don't blow-dry

Blow-drying your hair or adding heat in any way can make your hair get real oily, real fast. If you want to keep your hair looking fresher for longer, reduce the heat of your dryer or let your hair mostly air-dry and finish it off briefly with the hair dryer.

2. Rinse with cold water

Cold water closes up your pores and slows the production of sweat, sebum and oils in your skin. After washing your hair, give your mane a good rinse with cold water to make sure that your scalp won't be sweating into your freshly washed hair.

3. Don't touch your hair

Just like all the other parts of your body, the skin on your hands has a lot of natural oils. By running your hands through your hair every 5 minutes, you're adding a lot of unnecessary oil to your strands.

4. Wash less often

Some people will tell you this works while some will tell you it doesn't. Personally, I am a believer because it has worked for me. I used to wash my hair every second day (sometimes every day) because by day 2 it would look like a shiny, greasy mess. For me, this wasn't sustainable. I like long hair and washing that often dries it out and creates split ends. I started gradually adding more time to my wash cycle and now I only wash my hair once a week.

It was hard at the beginning because I hated the look of my greasy hair, but after a couple of months, it did stop getting so oily. Now my hair looks perfectly bouncy and cleans up until around day 5 or 6. Occasionally, I might need a spray of dry shampoo to get to day 7, but not often.


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Mia Steiber was the shopping editor for Finder. She previously worked for publications such as Bauer Media, The Daily Telegraph, POPSUGAR Australia, Gizmodo and Lifehacker. She has a journalism degree from the University of Technology Sydney, a travel writing certification from the ACIJ and and a total obsession with skincare and Australian fashion labels. See full bio

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