We all like the idea of looking like a greaser, right up until you get to experience the gross texture and smell of oily hair. Luckily, the best men’s shampoo for oily hair can give you your soft, luscious locks back (without the grease).
Table of Contents
Jack Black True Volume Shampoo (Our Top Pick)
Jack Black true volume shampoo works miracles for guys with thin greasy hair. The basil strips irritating oils and bacteria from your scalp, while the white lupine adds proteins to your follicles that help strengthen and protect your hair.
That’s why so many men attest to the fact that Jack Black helps them with their hair loss. It doesn’t help you grow more hair, but it does protect the hair you have and add volume, making your hair look thicker and healthier.
Better yet, even though they’re a luxury brand, Jack Black puts their shampoo in a massive bottle, so it’s long-lasting and worth the investment.
Pros:
• Large, long-lasting bottle.
• Basil does a great job of cleansing hair, gets rid of grease.
• White lupine adds volume to hair, making it look thicker.
Cons:
• A small portion of users report hair loss. Rare, but beware.
American Crew Daily Shampoo
American Crew formed in 1994 with the goal to help men look great too. They’re an early luxury brand, trusted by hair stylists and everyday shampoo-users alike.
Though their daily shampoo has mint and citrus, it’s not a stand-out smell. What really shines is how thoroughly it cleans oil from your scalp, leaving it fresh and soft. It contains mostly natural ingredients, with a few sulfates, to help dissolve grease.
Lots of men are really disappointed by the lack of a strong scent, but it’s a tradeoff that you’ll have to consider. I recommend American Crew for just how effective it is. You can always throw on a cologne afterwards.
They also make a great dandruff shampoo, if you’re suffering from oiliness and flakes.
Pros:
• Highly effective scalp cleaner.
• Old brand with lots of experience in the luxury product industry.
• Improves hair texture, making it softer and glossier.
Cons:
• Scent is nonexistent. Though, some men think it smells bad.
Dr. Squatch Shampoo
Imagine you get lost in the woods, and bigfoot comes to help you find shelter. You travel back to his den, and he’s mass producing…shampoo? Dr. Squatch shampoo is about as unique and unexpected as learning that bigfoot is at the top of a beauty product pyramid scheme.
It has a gel-like texture, and it doesn’t lather or bubble as you’re rubbing it into your hair. It leaves behind a light residue that helps your hair look thicker and feel healthier. It’s truly all-natural, so it’s significantly better for your hair than most shampoos, but it doesn’t look or feel like shampoo at all.
If you want to fully appreciate and enjoy Dr. Squatch, you’re going to have to forget everything you’ve learned about shampoo in the past.
Pros:
• Helps hair look thicker and healthier.
• Cypress scent is fresh and breezy, but also unique. Might take some time to get used to.
• Tackles both oily hair and dandruff.
Cons:
• Texture and scent is a lot to handle for guys who have been using “normal” shampoos for their whole lives.
Billy Jealousy Shampoo
Sometimes greasy hair is more than just annoying. It becomes irritating, and clothes your pores, giving you scalp acne or a raging case of folliculitis. Billy Jealousy makes shampoo for the guy who needs more than just oil reduction. It soothes itchiness and reduces scalp inflammation.
Their monsoon mist shampoo really does smell and feel like monsoon mist. It has that crisp tea tree scent, and it’ll make your scalp tingle pleasantly. Billy Jealousy really embodies the luxury shampoo promise – you’ll feel good while you’re using it.
Pros:
• Has that tea tree scent and tingle.
• Great for oily and irritated scalp. Fights acne and folliculitis.
• Luxurious texture. Great lather.
Cons:
• Bottle is small and seems to go by fast.
Brickell Men’s Shampoo
Brickell Men’s is a fix-it-all brand. Oiliness? We’ll dry that off for you. Irritation? This will soothe your scalp. Need to work around dreadlocks? No problem.
It’s unbelievable how versatile their products are. But I’d say the real appeal is how manly their shampoo smells, and how clean and sharp you’ll feel after using it. Lots of guys get hooked on the subtle minty scent that helps your scalp feel fresh all day long.
I find it especially fun to see how well the shampoo lathers. Brickell Men’s gives their shampoo a thin texture, so it’s almost a shock to see how sudsy such a watery shampoo can get once you start scrubbing it in.
Pros:
• Amazing scent. A big winner among men everywhere.
• Surprisingly soft and bubbly lather.
• Hard on grease, gentle on sensitive skin and scalp.
Cons:
• It’s a jack-of-all-trades shampoo. Fixes a lot of scalp problems, but rarely a top pick for any specific scalp problem.
What Causes Oily Hair On Men?
Your body naturally secretes oils to prevent your skin (and scalp) from drying out.
The problem with your natural oil is that it can clog your pores, cause irritation, and trap bad smells. So you don’t necessarily want it to stay on your skin for too long. That’s where soap and shampoo step in. They dissolve those oils to keep you smelling good and looking clean.
Guys who tend to dry out easily sometimes have worse problems with oily skin and hair. When your skin gets dry, it freaks out and produces more oil to keep you hydrated. That’s why it’s possible to feel dry, flaky, and oily simultaneously.
It’s such a common problem that there are over 12 million searches for “best men’s shampoo for oily hair”.
How Do You Treat Oily Hair For Men?
Use shampoo and conditioner regularly to prevent oily hair.
Shampoo dissolves the oil in your hair and replaces it with nicer smelling, softer strands. Conditioner steps in and moisturizes your hair, adding back a few oils, to keep your scalp from going into overdrive and producing more oil.
You don’t even necessarily need to choose a special for-oily-hair shampoo from this list of best men’s shampoo for oily hair. Any will do. (I really like these luxury shampoos for men, but some guys prefer the best smelling shampoos for men.)
One life hack you can use: if you see Amazon reviews complaining along the lines of, “this shampoo strips your hair,” that usually means it’s a good bet for guys with extra oily hair. Unlike men with dry hair, you do want your shampoo to leave you feeling oil-free.
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.
