The best conditioner for oily hair is designed to tackle your greasiness at the root of the problem: unhappy scalp. If you’ve been skipping out on conditioner because you feel like it makes your oily hair worse, then it’s time to switch products, not give up on conditioner entirely.
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Sukin Oil Balancing Conditioner (Our Top Pick)
Sukin is awesome for guys with oily roots and frizzy ends, and it works especially well if you have slightly longer hair. The jojoba oil, citruses, vitamin E, and aloe vera repair damaged hair, giving you that glossy finish.
But not only is Sukin “balancing” the oils on your scalp – the company is carbon neutral in every aspect of production, and they use all-natural ingredients. Founded in Australia, they’ve been on the market since 2007, and they include transparency links on their website so that consumers can see how the products are made, and what Sukin does to offset their emissions.
It’s gentle, great for oily hair, and ethical.
Pros:
• Repairs hair damage using all-natural ingredients.
• Best men’s conditioner for oily roots and frizzy ends.
• Carbon neutral company.
Cons:
• Not the best pick for thin oily hair.
Rocky Mountain Conditioner
Rocky Mountain Barber Company makes men’s products that truly feel manly. Their conditioner is “forest mint” scented, and it lives up to those vibes. The peppermint, tea tree, and eucalyptus oil create a sharp blend of cool, planty ingredients that will pair perfectly with a minty cologne.
Even more impressive, Rocky Mountain only uses fresh ingredients, and they work in small batches so that they can stay true to their all-natural and high-quality promises. The downside there is that the bottle is small, but it’s a worthy trade off – you’ll agree with me when you uncap the bottle and get a whiff of the freshest shampoo ingredients available to men.
Now, their conditioner isn’t made specially for oily hair, but it does hit all the ingredients that you should be looking for to treat oily scalp. Tea tree oil is the greatest at cleansing and hydrating your hair to fend off greasiness.
Pros:
• Nice blend of minty scents.
• Freshest ingredients you can find in a shampoo.
• Tea tree oil will cleanse your scalp and fight grease.
• Rocky Mountain also makes one of the best antibacterial shampoos for men. Good for all scalp conditions.
Cons:
• Bottle size is small. Use it sparingly to make it last.
Puracy Natural Shampoo & Conditioner
Guys with thin, fine hair get the worst of grease. You don’t have thick enough locks to hide it, and you can feel it taking over your roots. Luckily, Puracy Natural’s shampoo and conditioner set is perfect for fine hair. It’s a volumizing product, so not only will it wash away oil, but it will make your hair look thicker and bouncier.
If you thought it couldn’t get better than that, Puracy has even been praised by The New York Times, NBC, and The Bump for their environmentally friendly and child-safe products. They’re known for handling sensitive skin like pros, so if your scalp needs a gentle hand, Puracy will lather in nicely.
Pros:
• Great shampoo and conditioner set for guys with thin, greasy hair.
• Adds volume to hair.
• Gentle and all-natural with a subtle citrus and mint scent.
• It’s even a biodegradable shampoo!
Cons:
• Company makes all sorts of household products. Not a specialist in hair care.
Tea Tree Special Conditioner
Tea tree oil is a godsend for scalp conditions. It fixes everything from bone dry acne to slick, greasy roots. And there’s no brand more celebrated than Paul Mitchell’s Tea Tree Special when it comes to getting an effective tea tree oil shampoo.
The most notable feature is the tingle you’ll feel against your scalp while you’re using it. That means it’s working! You can buy the shampoo and conditioner together, or just opt for the conditioner – both have that great tea tree sensation and minty scent. Some guys even swear that it prevents hair loss, but I’d say it just helps with hair volume.
The bottle may look smaller than average, but a small dab of product goes a long way, so it should last longer than your usual shampoo and conditioner.
Pros:
• Tea tree oil tingles against your scalp. You’ll feel it dissolving oil.
• Awesome minty scent.
• Long-lasting bottle if you use it correctly.
• Good for a long list of scalp conditions.
Cons:
• Not good for volume or hair loss. Best for thicker hair.
• Flimsy pump on the bottle.
Blackwood Conditioner For Men
Blackwood uses not-so-conventional ingredients to make an awesome conditioner for oily scalp. The licorice, citric acid, jasmine, and musk nourish your hair without the traditional greasy feeling of your average conditioner. It’s my top recommendation for guys who have stopped using conditioner because they feel like it makes their hair greasier.
The downfall is the scent and product over-promising. The licorice is…unconventional at best, and chemically at worst. And though the bottle promises to help with hair growth, I’d say it’s better at adding some volume and improving your hair texture. Blackwood has some great damage-repairing ingredients here.
Pros:
• Unconventional ingredients make it a great conditioner for oily scalp.
• Nourishes hair and repairs damage.
• Great for guys who are thinking about growing their hair out.
• Improves hair texture.
Cons:
• Bottle is over-promising. Won’t make your hair grow faster.
• Scent is questionable.
Is Hair Conditioner Good For Oily Hair?
Hair conditioner is great for oily hair – in fact, it’s meant to help with greasiness.
Greasy buildup on your scalp is a sign that your sebaceous glands are producing too much oil. That can be caused by improper hair care, dietary changes, medications, dehydrated scalp, stress, hormone changes, and a slew of other issues.
Using a good shampoo and conditioner cleans and hydrates your scalp. Think of it as similar to a skincare routine – if you’re trying to get rid of acne, you probably use a face wash, a cream/serum/treatment of some sort, and a lotion. Great shampoos and conditioner mirror that process, but for your scalp and hair.
And even if you’re not sold on conditioner being a necessary step in hair care, it’s great for guys who suffer from coarse or tangly hair (as lots of guys with oily hair do). It undoes the knots and softens the texture of your hair (especially if you use it with one of the best detangling shampoos).
All men, including guys with oily hair, stand to benefit from using a great conditioner. And you’ll be a step ahead of the game if you pick up one of the best shampoos for oily hair.
Frank Edwards
Frank Edwards is a men's grooming & style expert who is "internet famous" for being able to simplify complicated grooming routines into easy, yet effective rituals any man can do. As a professional analyst, he has spent years researching the biggest brands, products, experts, best practices, and breaking news in the space. He takes this analysis, tests it out on himself, and then documents everything in his writing. As a result, his experience-based articles are considered by some to be the gold standard in men's grooming and men's style.
