The 12 Best Shampoos for Oily Hair, Vetted by Stylists

"I recommend clarifying shampoos to almost all of my clients with oily hair," says Fitzgerald. "I don't recommend using them all of the time but it's good to swap in every third wash or so to remove buildup from other styling products and daily dust that's sticking to your strands and weighing them down. One of my favorites that immediately comes to mind is Redken's cleansing cream shampoo. Not only does it clear up any product buildup from your hair, but it also removes copper, iron and hard water minerals, which can be dulling. Plus, it has fruit acids in the formula to add shine and refresh your scalp."

Fast Facts

• Scent: Crisp, citrusy
• Size: 8.5 oz

"It's a common misconception that people with oilier hair should use stronger, more astringent shampoos to make their hair feel clean, but that can actually strip the hair of natural oils and nutrients and leave ends feeling very dry. Instead look for gentle cleansers that remove oil from your scalp without disrupting its natural balance. I love this formula because it gets rid of grease and residue without using any harsh cleansers. It just leaves your hair feeling light and clean and it smells amazing," says Streicher.

Fast Facts

• Scent: Citrus
• Size: 12.5 oz

Another go-to for Fitzgerald? Shu Uemura’s cleansing oil shampoo (which is also one of our longtime favorites). Like its name implies, the formula acts similarly to a cleansing oil you’d use for your face in that it has a nice slip to it and is gentle on your skin. "I love this shampoo because it quickly lathers up into a rich foam, which effectively draws out any impurities or buildup from the scalp without stripping it dry," says Fitzgerald. "In fact, it has hydrating ingredients like plant and fruit oils that leave your hair softer after use." (Ed note: Though it’s certainly pricier than most shampoos, the 13.4 oz bottle lasts a long time.)

Fast Facts

• Scent: Cedar and musk with top notes of citrus and yuzu
• Size: 13.4 oz

"Virtue’s purifying shampoo is unlike any other," says Fitzgerald. It's a clarifying formula that’s infused with proteins and keratin that actually fills in damaged or weakened areas of hair, while clearing away any oils or impurities that are sitting on your scalp and strands. "I tell my clients to use this once a week and follow up with your favorite conditioner."

Fast Facts

• Scent: citrus fragrance with hints of flowers, tea, sweet orange and lemon essential oils
• Size: 4 oz

This is a great shampoo for anyone who processes their hair regularly (i.e., if you keep up with highlights, keratin treatments, or any other chemical services at a salon). It uses buckwheat extract and amino acids to remove any residue from your hair and it feels downright invigorating when you massage it into your scalp. "It's also a great cleanser for swimmers because it pulls the chlorine from your hair," says Fitzgerald.

Fast Facts

• Scent: Mild
• Size: 8.45 oz

The formula includes vegetable-derived micro-exfoliators to physically remove dead skin cells and product buildup from the scalp. It not only sounds cool, it feels cool, too, thanks to the soothing tea tree oil, which pulls double duty to eliminate flakes. It also features binchotan charcoal to really clear away any lingering grease from your roots, while coconut oil and panthenol ensures the rest of your hair doesn't get overly stripped.

"This is hands down one of my favorite shampoos. It exfoliates your scalp, which is very helpful if you suffer from a dry/itchy/flaky scalp, and [it’s] great for providing moisture. I also love the scent. They say the scent is coconut, however, with charcoal, mint, and coconut oil as ingredients, to me it smells like mint chocolate chip,” adds one Amazon fan. 

Fast Facts:

• Scent: minty coconut
• Size: 8 oz

Using a blend of jujube bark and cherry-flower extracts that cut down on grease, thereby boosting volume at the roots, this French shampoo works particularly well on reviving limp hair. Oh, and it's free from sodium laureth sulfate, parabens and silicones.

"What surprised me the most after the first wash, was that I didn't need to wash my hair as often, as the roots remained clean for at least a day longer. I went from washing my hair every other day, to washing it 2-3 times a week! I've been using this shampoo for over a year now and refuse to use any others, so grateful that I've found it," shares one reviewer.

Fast Facts:

• Scent: fresh, herbal
• Size: 8.33 oz

If you’re looking for a bit of tingle in your shampoo, you’ll appreciate this potent tea tree oil-based formula that's won countless awards throughout the years and has over 2,500 5-star reviews on Ulta alone. With a dash of peppermint oil (for that aforementioned zing) and lavender oil to help soothe any inflammation on your scalp, the shampoo whisks away excess buildup from your strands, while filling your shower with a nose-clearing crisp scent.

"This shampoo has a deep-cleansing formula that leaves your scalp feeling squeaky clean," writes one reviewer on Ulta. "I have naturally oily hair, so finding a shampoo that can actually remove all the excess oil is a struggle. But Tea Tree Special Shampoo manages to do it without leaving my hair feeling stripped or dry. It's like a miracle in a bottle."

Fast Facts:

• Scent: tea tree
• Size: 10.14 oz

This luxe shampoo works for all hair types and textures, but is especially helpful with oily scalps. Formulated with volcanic ash to gently exfoliate the scalp and clear away buildup, it also has green tea extract to strengthen your hair and protect it against damage.

Here's what one Sephora reviewer has to say about it: "I have a lot of hair but it is fine hair and gets greasy quickly. This shampoo gives me body and keeps it clean for days. It also does not diminish my color. I hope they don't discontinue this shampoo. It is the bomb! I am obsessed with it."

Fast Facts:

• Scent: Oribe’s signature scent, Côte d’Azur, features notes of Calabrian bergamot, white butterfly jasmine and sandalwood
• Size: 7.1 oz

Sometimes, less is more. If you're looking for a shampoo with fewer chemicals in it, this one uses a simple blend of biotin and panthenol (which comes from vitamin B5) and salicylic acid to clear up greasy residue, while plumping up lank strands.

"I have very thin fine hair. If I went one day without washing my hair, it would be noticeably greasy. This shampoo has allowed my hair to find its equilibrium and I can go two full days without my hair looking oily. Letting it air dry, my hair is noticeably fuller and has more body," shares one reviewer on Amazon.

Fast Facts:

• Scent: citrus
• Size: 8 oz

Dr. Marisa Garshick, who is a board-certified dermatologist in New York introduced us to this natural shampoo. According to Garshick, the sulfate-free wash helps “to deeply cleanse the scalp without leaving it dry.” This can likely be attributed to the argan oil, aloe vera and grape stem cells in the formula. What it's notably formulated without: parabens, phthalates, sulfates SLS & SLES, petrochemicals, GMOs, synthetic colors and dyes and artificial fragrances

Fast Facts:

• Scent: fruity
• Size: 11.5 oz

We'd be remiss not to include a dry shampoo in the mix (a godsend for any oily-haired gal on the go). Streicher swears by this pick because it’s "super lightweight and doesn’t feel gritty on your hair." She recommends using it between shampoos to absorb any excess oils, while still delivering a soft movement to your strands rather than weighing them down like some formulas can.

Fast Facts

• Scent: Citrus
• Size: 3.95 oz