If you have oily hair, you may believe that the cure is to wash it more frequently. However, over-washing your hair ins’t always the answer.

But what if you could teach your hair to be less oily? According to rumors, oil training your hair may be just what you need—but does it really work? Find out everything there is to know about this hair care theory, as well as our top solutions for dealing with oily hair, in the sections below.

What Exactly Is Oil Conditioning?

Oil training, as the name implies, is the process of teaching your hair—specifically, your scalp—to generate less oil.

Oil training, also known as grease training, entails delaying the time between washes. The reasoning goes that if you don’t strip your hair of its natural oils on a daily basis, your sebaceous glands won’t feel compelled to overproduce oil to make up for the loss.

Is Hair Oil Training Effective?

While there are clearly those who believe in the benefits of oil training, including hairstylists, we regret to inform you that oil training is a hoax. Hormones control your sebaceous glands and their oil production, according to the Cleveland Clinic, and how often you wash your hair has no effect on oil production.

How To Deal With Oily Hair

It doesn’t mean all hope is lost just because oil training hair doesn’t work. There are alternative options for dealing with oily hair. Including some or all of these five suggestions in your hair care routine could be the answer to your greasy strands.

1. Shampoo as often as you require

If you notice yourself getting quite oily, according to the Cleveland Clinic, you should wash more regularly rather than less frequently. Despite what you may have heard, you may find that you need to wash your hair on a regular basis. Consider this: your scalp is skin, and you wouldn’t want the oil to accumulate on your face, would you? So, even if your hair is greasy, you’ll need to remove that buildup. While it’s true that you shouldn’t wash your hair too often, once a day is usually plenty for individuals with oily strands.

2. Make Use Of The Correct Shampoo And Conditioner

When it comes to cleaning your hair, it’s important to choose products designed for oily hair. Try the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Clay Shampoo and Conditioner, which are developed for greasy roots and dry ends and will leave your hair looking clean and fresh.

3. Scrub Your Scalp

Aside from shampoo and conditioner, a scalp scrub, such as L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Scalp Care + Detox Scrub, should be included in your hair care routine. The apricot seed-based scrub gently eliminates impurities, flakes, and buildup from dirt and excess oils that can weigh hair down, promoting a healthy-looking scalp. For a scalp refresh, use it once a week or as needed.

4. Make Dry Shampoo a Part of Your Haircare Routine

In between shampoos, your strands may want a renewal. Simply spritz a little dry shampoo wherever needed to absorb excess oil and give your hair a clean, fresh look that will tide you over until your next appointment.

5. Limit the use of styling products.

When your hair doesn’t seem quite right, it’s easy to believe that styling products are the answer. When the issue is greasy hair, however, piling on the products will just weigh down your strands and exacerbate the greasy appearance. When you do use styling products, limit yourself to one or two and apply them sparingly. It’s also a good idea to concentrate on your ends rather than your roots when using products.