A Hairstylist’s Trick To Train Your Hair To Be Less Greasy

In a solo experiment, Pitocco discovered that if she wet her hair between washes (without any product whatsoever), she was able to effectively lift debris from her scalp without stripping it of moisture. “I would still get it wet, but instead of washing it, I would rub really well at my scalp,” she says. “That would still break up all the dirt, grime, grease, and everything.” 

Since those with oily scalps don’t typically fare too well with co-washing (it’s best for drier hair types that need extra moisture), this technique follows the same beat without adding more slip to the strands. You could even throw in a proper co-wash once a week for a hit of moisture, then use just water for your other rinse days. 

“That’s how to train your scalp to produce less oil when you want to wash your hair less frequently,” Pitocco adds, especially in the humid summer months when the thought of skipping a wash sounds, uh, grimy. You’re still able to scrub off all the sweat and buildup with your fingertips, but you’re not using any actual surfactants to cleanse. 

Overtime, Pitocco adds, you can extend the time between those water rinses as you train your scalp. “I don’t even have to wet my scalp and scrub at it the way I used to,” she notes. “I’m getting my hair wet less, and my scalp isn’t getting as greasy as it used to.” At this point, you’ll know that you and your scalp are on the same page.

Of course, you’ll still want to fold in a shampoo every so often to really give your scalp a good cleanse. The timing differs depending on your hair type, environment, and lifestyle, but know that the rinse trick is not meant to last forever (and in terms of product, Pitocco is partial to Hairstory’s New Wash, as it’s detergent-free).