The Best Hairstyles For Hiding Greasy Hair

Updated on 4/10/2024 at 4:45 PM

In a perfect world, you would wake up every morning with freshly blown-out, perfectly styled hair, but unfortunately, that's not most people's reality. And on days in between washes, it can be easy for your hair to look a little flat and greasy. When that happens, though, look at it as an opportunity — after all, it's no secret that a little grease can actually help maintain certain hairstyles. From trendy baby braids to a slicked-back bun, there are a variety of hairstyles for greasy hair that you can try.

Skipping a hair wash day (or two) has become the new norm for many — especially if you have a quality dry shampoo on hand to extend the look and feel of your hair. So, rather than looking at a little grease as a dilemma, we'd like to encourage you to use it as an excuse to get creative. To help you get an Instagram-worthy look, we spoke with professional hairstylists to get their insight on the best hairstyles for dirty hair. They shared their tips, tricks, and looks to ensure you have a good hair day, no matter what.

Greasy Hairstyle Tips

One of the most important things to remember when trying to disguise your greasy hair, according to celebrity hairstylist George Kyraikos, is to avoid having your hair completely down.

"Your roots will look flat and the ends won't so you will really see the contrast," Kyraikos tells PS. This is where dry shampoo can lend a helping hand. "If your hair is too greasy, spraying some dry shampoo on your roots and flipping your hair upside down and shaking it out will give your hair a refresh at least for the day."

But before you go coating your entire head in the product, Mariah Molina, editorial hairstylist at DopDop Salon in Soho, warns there is a right and a wrong way to apply it. "Spray at an arm's distance on the roots of the crown and sides of your head," she says. "If you spray too close [to your roots] it can develop a white film like baby powder."

And when a spritz of dry shampoo isn't enough to hide your oily hair, Kyraikos and Molina have some hairstyles for greasy hair that work like a charm. From half-up, half-down styles to slicked-back updos, keep reading to find a list of expert-approved options that you can proudly debut on your next dirty hair day. Trust us, you won't have any need for a baseball cap or hair scarf with these — they're that good.

Baby Braids

The perk of having greasy hair is it will braids even as small as these maintain a tight look, providing you an easy, quick, and stylish '90s look. Typically, it's the front of our hair that get the most notice when our hair is greasy, but this style for dirty hair hides that.

Slicked-Back '90s Bun

Hailey Bieber proves that a slicked-back top knot will hold nicely, and is the perfect hairstyle for greasy hair, especially with day-two or -three hair. Stay true to the decade by not fully tucking your hair in, allowing the ends to be spiky.

"Wet" Hairstyles

Try disguising your oily strands on short to medium-length hair using the "wet" hair trend. Just grab some gel and run it through your ends for a slick look — one of our favorite hairstyles for greasy hair.

Elevated Bun

If you're wondering what to do with greasy hair, why not think about revamping your bun? Simply dress it up with side bangs and some curled face-framing pieces. If you need to, you can wash just your front bangs and blow dry them, which will give your entire style new life.

Modern Messy Bun

Molina loves a simple yet secure messy bun hairstyle for greasy hair. It can be achieved by looping two half ponytails together and securing them with bobby pins. She also recommends spraying each bun with dry shampoo and letting any loose hairs fall.

Smooth Ponytail

Go the classic route and create a pulled-back, sleek ponytail. The natural oil and grease in your hair means you won't have to use as much hair gel, which makes it one of our favorite hairstyles for dirty hair. You can even add a few curls to the ends to give your hair more volume.

Bubble Ponytail

If you want to step your ponytail game up a notch and hide your greasy hair at the same time, why not try a bubble ponytail? We've got to admit, it is more fun than the traditional style, only requires a few extra hair bands, and is a great style for greasy hair.

Cornrows

Cornrows are a great protective hairstyle that can help you extend the time between wash days.

Colorful Clips

Still stumped when it comes to finding a hairstyle for greasy hair? Even something as simple as dressing up your style with a few hair accessories can help hide greasy roots. Just layer clips around your roots to add personality to any basic style.

Hairstyles For Greasy Hair: Slicked-Back Braided Ponytail

Another timeless hairstyle to add to your arsenal is the braided ponytail. It's a great hairstyle for dirty hair because you should only need a small amount of styling product, like gel or hairspray, to smooth down flyaways.

Braided Crown

If you need an elevated hairstyle for greasy hair, perhaps for a wedding or birthday party, a braided crown is just the thing. It will get all of your dirty hair up and away from your face, but the entire look will be elevated and put together.

Half-Up, Half-Down

A half-up, half-down look is one of our favorite hairstyles for greasy hair because it easily disguises oily hair with the right product. Plus, if just your front pieces are dirty, it's a great way to still look pulled together since half of your hair is down.

Curly Ponytail

If slicked-back buns aren't your thing but you're still searching for a good style for greasy hair, why not how off the volume of your curls with a ponytail? This hairstyle is quick and easy to achieve if you're in a hurry.

Braided Pigtails

Braided pigtails are not only playful but can provide a clean look when smoothed down. For some added personality, incorporate clips into the look.

Messy Claw Clip Ponytail

Claw clips are one of the most versatile hair accessories to have in your collection and make for an easy hairstyle for greasy hair days.

Twisted Bun With Clips

Try creating a timeless bun on your greasy hair with clips instead of your standard hair band or bobby pins.

Space Buns

Elevated space buns are the perfect hairstyle for a greasy hair day. The look is chic and playful. See more space bun hairstyles for greasy hair here.

— Additional reporting by Renee Rodriguez

Rylee Johnston is a New York City-based freelance writer who covers everything from beauty, fashion, and celebrity trends to home, pets, and more. With a degree in journalism and over three years of industry experience, she enjoys interviewing experts and testing out products to make the best recommendations for readers.

Renee Rodriguez is a staff writer and social producer for POPSUGAR. She writes across all verticals, but her main areas of expertise focus on fashion and beauty content with an emphasis on reviews and editor experiments. She also produces social content for POPSUGAR's TikTok and Instagram accounts.