These 8 Shampoos for Oily Hair Target Oil and Grease for a Non-Drying Deep Cleanse

Best Overall

Nécessaire Shampoo

$28 at Amazon $28 at Sephora $28 at Nordstrom

Our Ratings

• Feel
  5/5
• Performance
  5/5
• Oil Absorption
  5/5

Known for chic branding and elevated formulas, Nécessaire has nailed it yet again with this shampoo. Though a fragrance-free shampoo might sound boring to some people, it’s a dream for those who are headache-prone, suffer from allergies, or prefer their perfumes to be the star of the show. The texture of the formula is rich and gel-like, and we were incredibly impressed by how well it lathers. Just mild scalp massaging will produce a creamy bunch of bubbles, making for a sensorial experience as you cleanse your hair and scalp.

The list of things we love about this shampoo is long, but at the top is just how well it cleanses excess oil and product buildup from both the scalp and the lengths of the hair. It works to break down grease, sweat, dry shampoo, and even hair oil and leave-in products applied to the strands. Though many shampoos that provide such a deep cleanse feel incredibly dry to the skin and often suck the life (and moisture) out of the hair, this one doesn’t. Perhaps that’s because it’s formulated with nourishing ingredients—like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. 

It effectively gets the job done while maintaining a comfortable and balanced feel on the scalp—it even leaves the hair feeling light, fluffy, and incredibly soft. We could sing the praises of this formula even more, but let’s leave it at this: it’s extremely effective, fragrance-free, color and keratin-safe, and, compared to other similar options, fairly priced.

Hair Type: All | Size: 250 mL | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Budget

Kristin Ess Clarifying Shampoo

$12 at Amazon $12 at Ulta $12 at Target

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly shampoo that will give your oily hair a good cleanse, we recommend this one. It contains a proprietary strengthening complex that helps to smooth the appearance of damaged strands, and we love that it works to cut grease and grime without overdrying the hair. Though it’s suitable for all hair types, the texture is lightweight, making it particularly easy to massage through fine hair. This is a formula that you’ll probably want to shampoo twice with because it doesn’t lather all that well on the first shampoo—but once it gets through the initial layer of grime, it lathers beautifully, typically during the second shampoo.

We love that it manages to deeply clean the scalp and hair without over-stripping, and it leaves the hair soft, clean, and shiny. And if you prefer shampoos that aren’t overly fragranced, you’ll also appreciate that this one has just a light floral scent.

Hair Type: All | Size: 296 mL | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Clarifying

Bumble and bumble Sunday Shampoo

$34 at Sephora $34 at Ulta $34 at Target

Our Ratings

• Feel
  4/5
• Performance
  5/5
• Oil Absorption
  5/5

There are regular showers, and then there are those showers where you do it all—we’re talking shaving, deep cleansing, a hair mask, etc. This perfectly named shampoo is ideal for when you need a complete reset for your hair—something you might try to achieve as part of your do-it-all routine if you have some extra time on Sundays. It’s a clarifying formula that works to completely rid your hair of grease, product buildup, and pollution that could be coming from your water or environment. While it might be a bit too harsh for everyday use, it’s fantastic to achieve a super deep clean.

The formula contains ginseng root and sage leaf extract to cleanse, as well as rosemary extract to stimulate the scalp. It creates a nice lather with minimal effort required, and it does what it claims to do. 

During testing, we found that we could put off washing our hair by two days after using this product—quite an amazing feat. The caveat to this is that it can be drying on the strands, so we recommend applying a nourishing hair mask to the lengths of your hair after shampooing. Considering how effective it is, how easy it is to lather and rinse out of the hair, and that it comes in multiple sizes, we highly recommend this shampoo from Bumble and Bumble.

Hair Type: All | Size: 60, 236, 1000 mL | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Purifying

Ouai Detox Shampoo

$14 at Sephora $32 at Ulta $14 at Target

If you use dry shampoo consistently, it’s important to ensure that your hair-washing routine is effectively getting rid of the remnants every once in a while. Why? Because buildup can contribute to a greasy scalp. This clarifying formula works to detoxify the scalp by washing away buildup and grease, as well as removing free radicals, pollution, and more. We love that it contains apple cider vinegar to aid its purifying capabilities, although some people find its scent pretty unpleasant. If the scent doesn’t bother you, we think you’ll love this formula.

The texture of this pick is rich and creates a smooth lather, and it’s meant to be left on in the shower for a few minutes to fully work its magic. Once you rinse it out, you can expect your hair to feel squeaky clean. Admittedly, it is a bit drying, so this is another shampoo that we recommend following up with a deep conditioner. An added plus: This shampoo comes in fully recyclable packaging, as well as a range of sizes (including a large refill size). So, if you’re trying to adopt a more sustainable hair care routine, this shampoo will get bonus points in your book.

Hair Type: All | Size: 89, 300, 474, 946 mL | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Balancing

Shaz & Kiks Clay Hair Cleanser

View on Shazandkiks.com View on Thirteenlune.com $42 at freepeople.com

Our Ratings

• Feel
  5/5
• Performance
  5/5
• Oil Absorption
  5/5

If you have curly hair or you just prefer a shampoo that’s a bit more gentle than other clarifying options, we think this is a great choice for you. It has a unique formula and texture—it comes in a tub and feels almost like a clay mask—but it lathers well and works to efficiently cleanse the hair and scalp. It’s formulated with an Indian clay that absorbs excess oils, hibiscus flower to help reduce hair shedding, and bits of Indian blackberry to provide subtle exfoliation. It strikes the perfect balance between being so gentle that it doesn’t effectively remove oil and buildup and so harsh that it strips the scalp and dries out the strands. 

After washing with this formula, our hair felt clean and soft, and our curls looked extra bouncy. It’s worth noting that we found the blackberry bits easy to wash away, but some online reviewers struggled to fully remove all of them. Between how satisfying the texture is to apply, how effectively it cleanses, how beautifully it enhances the shape of curls, and how delicious it smells, recommending this product is a no-brainer.

Hair Type: Wavy, curly | Size: 90, 230 mL | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Hard Water

Redken Hair Cleansing Cream Clarifying Shampoo

$25 at Amazon $26 at Ulta View on Redken.com

Our Ratings

• Feel
  4.7/5
• Performance
  4/5
• Oil Absorption
  4/5

Hard water is full of minerals, and over time, they can create buildup in the hair that can result in greasiness and dull-looking strands. If you’re showering in hard water consistently, it’s a good idea to use a shampoo (like this one) that works to neutralize mineral buildup. With just one shampoo, this formula cleanses the scalp of excess oil and removes copper, iron, magnesium, and calcium, which are often found in hard water. It creates a fine lather that’s easy to massage around the head, and we love that you don’t need to shampoo and rinse twice with it—it’s super clarifying the first time around.

Though it claims to be safe on color-treated hair (and we personally didn’t see any issues with it fading color), beware that some online reviewers say this formula did alter their color. However, if you don’t dye your hair and you want a product that will reduce oiliness and neutralize mineral buildup, this is a solid choice.

Hair Type: All | Size: 250, 1000 mL | Cruelty-Free: No

Best for Color-Treated Hair

Living Proof PHD Triple Detox Shampoo

$34 at Amazon $34 at Sephora $34 at Ulta

Our Ratings

• Feel
  4.6/5
• Performance
  5/5
• Oil Absorption
  4.7/5

Frequent shampooing can shorten the life of your color and keratin treatment, so if you have these treatments plus oily hair, you might find yourself between a rock and a hard place. The solution: A really good cleansing shampoo that’s safe on keratin and color. We love this one because it doesn’t disturb color or treatments, but it works to completely cut through excess oil to reveal squeaky clean, soft, and shiny hair. It’s formulated with activated charcoal to absorb oil, as well as an anionic polymer to remove buildup and pollution.

Just a quarter-size amount of the formula creates tons of bubbles and an intense lather that’s satisfying to massage across the scalp, leaving it feeling fresh and rejuvenated. Lastly, we love that it features a spa-like earthy scent that’s not overpowering.

Hair Type: All | Size: 160 mL | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Sulfate-Free

AG Care Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo

$34 at Amazon $34 at Ulta View on Ag.care

Our Ratings

• Feel
  5/5
• Performance
  4.5/5
• Oil Absorption
  5/5

Sulfates—which act like detergents in shampoo formulas—are not inherently bad. They often get a bad rap because they can be a bit harsh and stripping for those who have dry or damaged hair, but these ingredients can be super effective at removing excess grease from oily hair. However, if you prefer to stick to sulfate-free formulas but still need something to effectively cleanse oily hair, this shampoo is for you.

The lightweight texture is a bit watery, which takes some getting used to, but it does lather despite this, and you don’t need to use a lot of product to get the job done. It’s formulated with ​​apple cider vinegar to help break down oil, as well as argan oil to enhance shine. It gives the hair a deep cleanse without drying out the scalp or strands, and we adore the soft, super-shiny results it creates.

Hair Type: All | Size: 355, 1000 mL | Cruelty-Free: Yes