In general, I am quite satisfied with my hair. My long dark brown straight hair is also generally very beautiful and I am secretly a bit proud of it!
However, sometimes there is something that bothers me and that is the problem that my hair sometimes feels waxy. I didn’t know why this was the case and not exactly what I should have done about it. I could wash it as often as I wanted, yet my hair kept feeling waxy.
So I went out to investigate and asked my local hairdresser “why does my hair feel waxy? Luckily she could help me and tell me more! As I’m certainly not the only one with this problem, below I’ll show you how to get rid of it too!
So, why does my hair feel waxy?
This can have different causes, but in fact, it very often has to do with the fact that there is too much oil in your hair. This can be because your scalp produces more oil, but it can also have something to do with a natural shampoo that is filled with so much oil that it can all leave residue in your hair.
Apart from shampoo, there are of course more ways in which your hair becomes waxy and greasy, so below you’ll find the possible causes and also what you can do about it!
Apple Cider Vinegar can be your friend
This is strange, I know, but it still works. Some people call it “the miracle cure in a bottle”. This is what you should do:
Buy a bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar and massage your whole hair with it (while your hair is dry!) Once you have done this, leave it in your hair for 10 minutes before washing your hair again. When the substance has been in your hair for 10 minutes, grab a shampoo of your choice (preferably a mild shampoo as you’ll read below) and wash the Apple Cider Vinegar out of your hair again. This may just be the solution for you.
This way you will never have to deal with greasy and waxy hair again! Below are 6 more tips that can help you prevent waxy hair. Read on that you too can get rid of your waxy hair!
The oils in your shampoo
If you’ve just switched to a natural shampoo because you’ve become more aware of the ingredients in hair products, you’ll find that natural shampoos are often full of natural oils that can leave residue (such as coconut oil-based shampoo). Fortunately, you don’t have to go back to your old shampoo right now, but there is something you can do.
What can you do about it?
Actually, it is quite simple. You need a deep cleansing shampoo with clean ingredients that also clean your hair very well. Don’t go for a shampoo that uses hard sulfates that strip the hair or coconut oil that gets stuck in your hair. For example, you can use a Cleanse Gentle Shampoo This kind of shampoo makes your hair clean and happy! Has a blend of fruit extracts and mild sulfates. It also does not strip your hair from natural oils or dry it out. Ideal!
Your scalp produces too much oil
This relates to the previous point. Hard sulfates are something you should try to avoid because it can just contribute to your greasy and waxy hair. As discussed above, these surfactants are often found in shampoo (think of sodium, lauryl sulfate, and hard sulfates). Many of the shampoos we use daily make use of these hard chemicals that strip your hair from its natural oils. This happens so aggressively that your scalp starts producing excessive oil and this takes care of your greasy hair.
What can you do about it?
As described above, you can go for a shampoo that uses mild ingredients. You can choose to go to “The Playa Every Day Shampoo“. It uses a coconut-based cleanser to detoxify and also uses aloe vera to moisturize your hair.
Another good tip is to double-dose on shampoo. By this, I mean that you can wash your hair twice. If after the first wash your hair still feels waxy and greasy, you can try washing your hair again.
Sometimes the first wash will wash away all the dirt and buildup and you will have to use shampoo the second time to clean your scalp as well. Of course, not every shampoo works the same way, so you will have to find out for yourself if this is something that works for you!
Moisturize your hair with a mask
You’ll no doubt know that moisturizing your hair is important for hair health, among other things (that’s why aloe vera is so popular). But you’ve probably now realized that moisturizing hair can also help to keep oil in the hair. That’s exactly what a hair mask was invented for. If you use this in combination with a light shampoo, you can let your hair shine again without being afraid of too much oil in your hair. The Verb Hydrating Mask, for example, is great for this. This hair mask is also sulfate-free. How great is that!
Clarifying shampoo is your friend
For many of us, she has a lot to do daily. From hair sprays to serums and all kinds of other styling agents we put into our hair. No wonder your hair feels waxy and greasy. It causes a lot of buildup in the hair (this can also happen with dry shampoo). To get all this buildup and grease out of your hair, a clarifying shampoo might be the solution for you. There are many different types. I advise you to get advice from a local beauty shop. They can tell you exactly which one you would need.
The combination of shampoo and conditioner
Not all shampoos and conditioners work well together in combination. There is not always the right chance to treat your hair in such a way that you have the perfect of both and therefore no waxy or greasy feeling is left from using both products. A wrong balance can also cause you to suffer from the buildup in your hair. This can cause your hair to feel waxy.
What can you do about it?
As I said, you can look for the best balance. But there is a secret that might help you…
– Stop buying matching shampoo and conditioner. Often these have the same effects so they don’t reinforce each other. Hydrating shampoos, for example, are of course fantastic, but sometimes you need a lighter conditioner to unbalance it. So look for a product that strengthens your shampoo (or conditioner) instead of doing exactly the same for your hair.
Your scalp also needs affection
It may sound strange, but it really is. We often spend so much time on our hair that we can forget our scalp. As you’ve read before, your scalp may produce too many oils because it gets irritated by one or more products.
Your pores on your skin and your scalp itself can affect your hair, that’s obvious. To condition your scalp, it is best to avoid products containing silicone.
Go for a product that has the intention to improve the balance of your scalp and also cleans the buildup of your scalp.
What is best for this?
What I can recommend is the use of a mud mask that you can do once every quarter. This will keep your scalp clean, healthy, and free of anything that could result in too much oil on your scalp. However, this is difficult for many people to do and therefore the use of a hair mask is also useful!
You can do this yourself at home and the Christophe Robin Cleansing Volumizing Paste is fantastic for this. This hair mask is between a hair mask and a shampoo. This hair mask starts as a paste and forms into foam while cleaning the scalp!
Other best products for waxy hair: Besides the above recommendations, I want to highlight the shampoo and conditioner below. Matrix Biolage Normal Clean Reset Shampoo This shampoo can help you get your hair to look clean and not feel waxy anymore. Besides that it also doesn't weigh your hair down and gives you your non-waxy-greasy-but-naturally looking hair back. TIGI Bed Head Re-Energize Shampoo and Conditioner Duo You can use this conditioner in combination with the shampoo described above to give your hair the finishing touch!
Final thoughts
So, at least now you don’t have to ask yourself why your hair feels so waxy. There are, as you have read, many possibilities why this happens, but it all comes down to a healthy balance of your hair. Achieving this balance is a different process for everyone and that is why it is good to know what you need to stop your hair from feeling waxy.
Try to find out for yourself which of the above tips you don’t need because it is already right for you. Experiment with the remaining tips to see which one works best for you.
Healthy hair that doesn’t feel waxy is achievable for everyone. Good luck, and I would love to hear from you if you have managed to get rid of your waxy hair!
