How to Grease Hair

Co-authored by Amber Crain

Last Updated: September 16, 2021 References Tested

Hair grease is a much-debated topic in the natural hair community. For some people, it works wonders for sealing in moisture and keeping hair soft, but for others, it weighs hair down and causes breakage and clogged pores. If you want to try adding hair grease to your haircare regimen, always apply it after your usual moisturizer. You’ll also need to be vigilant with your shampoo routine to prevent grease buildup, and never apply grease to your scalp!

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Applying Hair Grease

1
Shampoo and condition your hair as you normally would. Grease can weigh hair down and cause buildup on your scalp, so make sure you start with a clean slate. Go through your usual hair washing routine before applying hair grease.^{[1]
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- Make sure you rinse your hair thoroughly to remove any residue.
2
Use an old t-shirt or microfiber towel to soak up excess moisture. After washing your hair, squeeze it gently with an old t-shirt or a microfiber towel to remove the excess moisture. Avoid being rough with your hair as you squeeze it, since this can cause tangles and frizz.^{[2]
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- Try to avoid terry cloth towels, since they can cause hair damage and breakage.
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3
Let your hair air-dry until it’s slightly damp. Grease goes on best when your hair is still damp, so let your hair air-dry most of the way first. Grease also helps to lock in the moisture of your damp locks.^{[3]
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- If you're in a hurry, you can partially blow-dry your hair rather than air-drying it.
4
Apply a leave-in conditioner or cream moisturizer all over your hair. Contrary to popular belief, grease by itself doesn’t moisturize your hair. Instead, it acts as a sealant to keep moisture locked in. Apply a leave-in conditioner or your favorite moisturizing product to your hair as you normally would after washing it.^{[4]
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- Make sure you’re using a water-based moisturizer for best results.
5
Separate your hair into small sections. The size of the sections is up to you, but usually 1 in (2.5 cm) sections will work just fine. You can pin your hair up and let down the small sections one at a time, or you can just separate the sections with your fingers as you go along.
6
Scoop up a very small amount of grease up with your fingers. Grease is very concentrated and heavy. A little goes a long way and it’s very easy to over-apply it! Start with just a tiny dab and work your way up to using more if you need it.^{[5]
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- Use an especially light touch if you have fine hair. Grease can weigh fine hair down and cause breakage.
- You can buy hair grease at beauty supply stores. Most big-box and grocery stores also carry hair grease.
7
Spread a light layer of grease over each section. Smooth the grease onto your hair by pinching the hair in your fingers then gliding your fingers down the lengths to the ends. Do not get grease on your scalp, though! You only want to grease the hair itself, so start near the roots, but not at the roots themselves.^{[6]
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- Applying grease to the scalp may result in heavy buildup and heavy, lifeless locks.
- Work systematically from one side of your head to the other so that you get even coverage.
8
Follow up with your usual styling product and procedure. One of the biggest benefits of hair grease is that it allows you to create a great style that’s still touchably soft. Once you’ve applied your styling product, let your hair finish air-drying or blow dry it, then style it as you normally would.^{[7]
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- The barrier of grease prevents your hair gel or styling product from getting hard and crunchy on your hair.
9
Remove the grease by using a clarifying shampoo. Grease is notoriously tough to strip from the hair, but clarifying shampoos will do the trick. Simply massage a dime-sized amount of clarifying shampoo into your hair lengths and work your way up to the scalp.^{[8]
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- After a good scrubbing, rinse the shampoo away as you normally would and follow up with a moisturizing conditioner.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Managing Greased Hair

1
Shampoo your hair at least once per week to prevent buildup. One of the downsides to grease is that it builds up easily and tends to attract dirt to your hair. Eventually, this leads to clogged pores, hair damage, scalp irritation, and other issues.^{[9]
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- If you work out frequently, you’ll need to wash your hair more often. How often you wash really just depends on how much you sweat during workouts.
2
Use a clarifying shampoo to get your hair completely clean. You’ll need to use a strong shampoo to efficiently remove grease from your hair. Co-washing alone will not remove it! Choose a clarifying shampoo or a shampoo formulated with sulfates to get your hair squeaky clean.^{[10]
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- Typically, shampoos made with sulfates aren't recommended because they can be harsh, but if you're using hair grease, you need the extra cleaning power.
3
Never apply hair grease to your scalp. It’s definitely a myth that you should grease your scalp. Doing so can irritate your skin, block your pores, create buildup, and possibly even prevent hair growth and cause breakage. Apply grease carefully and only to the lengths of your hair, not the roots.^{[11]
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4
Stop using grease if you notice hair breakage. Grease isn’t an ideal product for everyone’s hair. It may work great for some people, and for others it may cause nothing but problems. If you notice that you’re freshly moisturized hair is breaking, it may be due to the heaviness of the grease.^{[12]
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- This is especially true if you have very fine hair.
5
Stop using hair grease if you aren't getting the results you want. Everyone's hair is different, and hair grease doesn't work for everyone. Some people just hate the smell and texture of grease, and that’s fine, too! If grease makes your hair look and feel good, use it! If it doesn’t, try other hair products to achieve the results you want.^{[13]
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Community Q&A

Question

What if my hair is short and very dry?

Community Answer

Use gel or oil to slick it back. I've found that aloe vera is very healthy and good for your hair, and also works to grease it back.
Question

How do you remove hair grease?

Community Answer

You could wash your hair with normal shampoo, or try dry shampoo if you don't have time to wash your hair.
Question

Can I use grease that isn't hair grease?

Community Answer

Using grease on your hair and scalp that's not designed to be used that way can be harmful to both your hair and skin, so I would suggest playing it safe and sticking to products that are designed to be used as hair grease.

Warnings

Do not rush through this process. If you do your hair could end up breaking off or have split ends or be severely damaged.

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