Why Does My Hair Get Greasy Overnight? (And How to Stop It)

A complete guide to managing oily hair while you snooze

Co-authored by April Ferri and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: September 5, 2024 References

You go to bed with hair looking like you just starred in a shampoo commercial. But when you wake up, your locks are greasy and limp. It’s frustrating when your hair gets oily overnight—washing your hair a second time probably isn’t how you want to spend your morning. While the amount of oil you produce is impacted by your genetics, you can use the right products and techniques to cut down on grease in no time (even if your scalp is a little oilier than some people’s). To wake up with amazing looking hair every morning, read on!

Things You Should Know

Choose a shampoo that’s specifically formulated for your hair type. If you use a lot of hair products, use a clarifying shampoo once a week.
Apply dry shampoo on your roots before bedtime, and wash your pillowcases weekly to get rid of oil and grease.
Use oil-free hair products to avoid weighing your hair down, and brush your hair once a day to move oil from your scalp down to your ends.

1

Use dry shampoo before bed.

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Dry shampoo soaks up grease and oil overnight. If you’re heading to bed and you notice that your roots are looking a little oily, grab a can of dry shampoo and use dry shampoo on your roots. Instead of massaging the product into your hair like you normally would, just head to bed so the dry shampoo will soak up oil overnight.^{[1]
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- Don’t have dry shampoo? Try baby powder instead.
- This is a great option if you have darker hair, because the dry shampoo will absorb oil overnight without leaving a powdery residue on your hair.^{[2]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  April Ferri
  Professional Hair Stylist
  
  Expert Interview. 8 December 2020.}

2

Sleep with your hair in a bun.

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Sleeping with your hair up prevents grease from getting onto your ends. Looking for an overnight hairstyle to prevent greasy hair? A high bun (also called a pineapple) is a great choice. Flip your head over and pull your hair to the front of your scalp. Then, wrap a scrunchie around your hair one time, twist it over itself, and pull your hair through the scrunchie again, but only halfway. This will create a messy bun on top of your head to keep your locks contained while you sleep.^{[3]
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- Use a scrunchie, not a hair tie, to pineapple your hair. Scrunchies are delicate, and they won’t cause friction or breakage.
- If you have curly hair, cover your hair in a silk scarf or bonnet to make your curls last until the next morning.

3

Wash your pillowcase weekly.

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A dirty pillowcase might add oil to your hair overnight. Try to remember when the last time you washed your pillowcase was. If you’re having trouble, your hair might be getting greasy because of your pillowcase. Make it a habit to throw your pillowcase into the wash at least once a week.^{[4]
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- If you have curly or wavy hair, consider switching over to a silk pillowcase. These pillowcases create less frizz overnight, because the material won’t catch on your hair and pull it while you sleep.

4

Apply fewer hair products.

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Product buildup could be making your hair greasy. If you have oily or fine hair, adding too many products (like gel, hairspray, texture spray, and more) might be adding extra grease to your scalp. Try to cut down on the products in your routine as much as you can.^{[5]
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- For instance, if you use a gel and a curl cream, see how your hair does with just a gel.
- If you use hairspray and a texturizing spray, try to pick one instead of using both.

5

Use oil-free hair products.

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Apply non-greasy products to your hair to avoid weighing it down. If you use any kind of styling products, look for ones that say “greaseless” or “oil-free” on the packaging. That way, you’ll avoid adding more oil to your hair, which will keep your hair looking clean for much longer.^{[6]
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- If you use hair oils, stick to using them on the mid-lengths and ends of your hair. That way, they won’t make your roots greasier.

6

Wash your hair daily.

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People with oily hair may need to wash more often. While you may have heard that washing less will decrease oil production, that’s actually not true—you can’t really “train” your scalp to produce less oil. Instead, experts recommend washing every other day or every day to remove grease and oil from your hair.^{[7]
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American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists

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- Everyone’s body is different: some people need to wash as little as once a week, while other people have to wash every day. Do what’s best for your hair and your routine.

7

Use shampoo for oily hair.

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Shampoo for oily hair cleanses your scalp to get rid of grease. Some shampoos are hydrating and moisturizing, which is great for dry hair, but not so good for oily hair. Pick out a shampoo that’s formulated for your hair type for best results.^{[8]
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American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists

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- If you tend to use a lot of hair products, try using a clarifying shampoo as often as once a week. This will help remove buildup from your hair so it doesn’t look weighed down or greasy.

8

Condition your mid-lengths and ends, not your scalp.

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Using conditioner on your roots makes your hair greasy. Conditioner is great for hydrating your hair and tamping down frizz. After you wash your hair, apply conditioner to just the mid-lengths and ends of your hair. Then, rinse it out completely to avoid weighing down your locks.^{[9]
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- A great trick for applying conditioner is to grab your hair like you’re putting it in a ponytail. Any hair that would be in the ponytail gets conditioned, and any hair that’s not in the ponytail does not.
- If your hair is naturally oily, try using a detangling spray out of the shower instead of conditioner in the shower.

9

Brush your hair once a day.

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Brushing your hair moves oil from your scalp down to your ends. While brushing your hair won’t necessarily make your scalp produce more oil, it can affect how oily your hair looks.^{[10]
X
Research source} Try to only brush your hair once a day so the natural oils stay at your roots instead of weighing down the rest of your hair.
- Don’t forget to clean your hair brush often! If your hair brush is full of old hair and grease, it could be making your hair look oily.
- Try to limit how often you touch your hair, too. Our fingers deposit oil and grime, which can contribute to the greasy, weighed-down look.

Expert Q&A

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How do you keep your hair from getting greasy when you're sleeping?

April Ferri
Professional Hair Stylist
April Ferri is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Co-Owner of Widows Peak Salon, a hair salon based in Los Angeles, California. With over ten years of experience, April specializes in hair coloring and enhancing and transforming natural tones into vibrant shades for beautiful and low maintenance hair. Her work has been featured in Voyage LA Magazine, and she has worked as a stylist for LA Fashion Week.

April Ferri

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

Apply dry shampoo at night and brush it through. It will absorb the oil as you're sleeping, so when you wake up in the morning your hair won't be greasy, but you also avoid that chalky, powdery look.

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Can you sleep with a pony tail?

Gabi

Community Answer

A high ponytail is not suggested as it can harm your hair growth but in a low ponytail or bun is perfectly fine!

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While you may have heard that washing less prevents oily hair, that’s actually not the case—how often you wash your hair does not affect how oily it is.^{[11]
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