12 Best Shampoos for Oily Hair 2025, According to Dermatologists

As someone with super-greasy hair—as in within a day—I realized I needed to deep-dive into researching the best shampoos for oily hair before I spent my life savings on dry shampoo. If this situation sounds all too familiar to you, I’m here to help you find the best formulas for your specific hair type that’ll keep grease and flakes at bay.

To begin my grease-free hair journey, I polled dermatologists for recommendations and tips on what to look for when shopping for oily-hair-approved shampoos, then worked with Glamour testers to try them over a span of three to seven washes. After trying more than a dozen, the Raw Sugar Scalp Restore was my top pick because it lathered well and left my strands soft and nongreasy for longer than any of the other options on this list. It also has a blend of jojoba oil, aloe, and niacinamide to help keep hair feeling and looking strong and nonstripped.

Are you looking for something at the drugstore, or maybe you deal with flakes? We also found options for a variety of budgets and hair concerns, such as shampoos for dandruff and scalp health.

The best shampoos for oily hair, at a glance

Featured in this article

Best for Deep Cleaning

Dae Desert Detox Clarifying Shampoo

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Best for Dry Ends

Kerastase Bain Divalent Balancing Shampoo for Oily Hair

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Best for Curly Hair

Cécred Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub

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Best Overall: Raw Sugar Scalp Restore

• Pros: Smells great; leaves hair feeling very clean
• Cons: Nozzle easily spills over, making it easy to use too much product

Out of all the shampoos we tested, this sweet-smelling pick found itself on the top of our list because of its efficacy and affordability. And we’re not the only ones enamored by the formula. Miguel Luis, a hairstylist at the Rita Hazan Salon, is a huge fan of this affordable shampoo for oily hair. “This shampoo is great at cleansing the scalp and works to remove sebum and oil without drying out the ends and hair shaft,” he says.

“My scalp and roots get extremely greasy (even after one day of not washing), so I need a shampoo that’s really clarifying to help suck up all that residue,” says Glamour commerce writer Alanna Martine Kilkeary. “This formula has a really nice gel consistency, which was the first thing I noticed. It is not overly heavy, has a gentle lather, and washes out easily, without any residue or stickiness left behind. It left my usually oily scalp feeling fresh and detoxed from product buildup, and I immediately noticed a difference in the greasiness of my hair the day after my wash—it was still as soft and fresh as it felt the day before and didn’t look slick. I also liked that my scalp felt nonirritated and looked flake-free and cleaned. This one can certainly rival other, pricier options on this list.”

Best for Deep Cleaning: Dae Desert Detox Clarifying Shampoo

• Pros: Helps minimize oil on scalp
• Cons: May dry out hair a bit

A deep-cleaning shampoo is imperative to help rid hair of product buildup, and this one will do the job without stripping your scalp or making it feel dry or sensitive. It has a botanical blend that helps hydrate hair, keeps flyaways at bay, and strengthens. It also helps clarify excess oil and sebum buildup, and smells heavenly.

“I’m already a huge fan of the Dae Dry Shampoo, so I couldn’t wait to put their new detox clarifying shampoo to the test,” says Glamour’s Kilkeary. “This one is a dream to apply—it lathers beautifully and gives you a ton of suds. My hair and scalp felt very clean after using this one, and I also noticed a difference in the volume and feel of my hair after I dried it. My hair was not flat or extra shiny like usual; instead it was quite bouncy and thick. I’d definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for an affordable deep-cleansing shampoo to combat oiliness that feels just, incredibly luxe.”

Best Drugstore: Garnier Pure Clean Shampoo

• Pros: Smells amazing; feels fresh and extremely clean
• Cons: Can leave a residue if you use too much

This clarifying shampoo comes highly recommended by Hadley King, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in NYC. She loves that it removes residue and gently exfoliates with the help of salicylic acid, which is oil-soluble and can penetrate into pores ​to gently exfoliate and remove excess sebum. “It’s a nice choice for oily hair because it removes 100% of residue and is very lightweight, so it won’t weigh down strands,” says Dr. King. “And although there’s no residue, it won’t cause a dry scalp or strip the hair of moisture because it contains glycerin, aloe vera, and vitamins B₃ and B₆—these ingredients help to support scalp health.”

Glamour’s Kilkeary is a massive fan because of its fresh scent and how well it lathers. “It smells super fresh and sweet, and makes me look forward to washing my hair. And if you’re someone who doesn’t feel like they’re getting a deep clean unless they see a lot of bubbles, this shampoo lathers so well,” she says. Kilkeary has naturally oily hair that gets pretty greasy even after a day, but incorporating this into her hair care routine for a week really changed the game. “I didn’t feel that I had to wash my hair every day like usual. Instead, I was able to go two whole days without feeling like a total greaseball. My hair was soft and shiny, and my scalp felt fresh.”

Expert tip: If you’re prone to acne on the scalp and/or body areas adjacent to the scalp, King recommends trying a shampoo with salicylic acid, like this one.

Best for Curly Hair: Cécred Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub

• Pros: Gently exfoliates; doesn’t strip hair
• Cons: Smell is acquired

If you have curly hair and are looking for a deep clean, we love this shampoo and scrub combo that gently exfoliates with willow bark and tea tree oil. It also has niacinamide to help soften your hair, works to promote hair growth, and has a refreshing lemon and peppermint scent that perks you up every time you use it.

“The Cécred Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub is one of my favorite products to use on my hair. The first time I used it, my hair instantly felt clean after the first wash. The combination of exfoliants with the calming nature of tea tree oil are a game changer in removing weeklong buildup from my curls. Sometimes when I use products, it feels like my hair is being stripped of my natural oils. But the Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub clarifies my hair without overstripping, and it looks and feels soft post-wash. Plus, the nozzle applicator makes it so easy to apply the product. Every shampoo product needs it,” says Glamour editorial assistant Monique Wilson.

Best for Hard Water: Act+Acre Clarifying Hard Water Shampoo

• Pros: Makes hair feel soft and fresh; really helps with hard water buildup
• Cons: Doesn’t create a lot of lather

This shampoo made our list because it strikes the fine balance of leaving your hair looking shiny without making it look greasy or weighed down. It gives hair a deep clean, which is especially useful if you deal with hard water buildup. It has a combination of coconut and fulvic acid to deeply hydrate and remove residue from minerals and hair products for healthier-looking hair.