The humid weather in Singapore is definitely a nemesis for those who suffer from an oily scalp. No matter how much you wash and shampoo your hair, it seems that the grease just doesn’t go away. It makes your hair look limp and gross by mid-day, and you wish you could remove the oil like how you blot away sebum from your skin.
How do you know if you have oily scalp?
Oily scalp occurs when your scalp over-produce oils (also known as sebum) naturally. This condition leaves your hair looking greasy, limp, and lifeless. You may also notice flaky dandruff on your hair, and know that you can’t get away with skipping shampoo days without walking out of your house with shiny (not in a good way!) hair.
What causes all these greases on your hair?
Genetics, hormonal imbalances (think your monthlies!), humidity (no thanks to our Singapore’s heat), diet are usually the prime suspects for excess sebum on your scalp. Sebaceous glands in your scalp cause excess sebum to build up on your hair and scalp. All that grease clogging up your hair roots would cause hair loss and dandruff, and would also make your hair look shapeless.
16 shampoos for oily scalp from cheapest to most expensive (per 100ml):
We found 16 shampoos to help you deal with all those grease and oil. We did the math and ranked them from cheapest to most expensive based on how much you’ll be paying per 100ml.
1. Pantene Anti Dandruff Shampoo, SGD1.33 per 100ml
Yes, even the peskiest of dandruff can be eliminated with the Pantene’s Anti Dandruff Shampoo, which gently cleanses oily hair without overly drying the scalp. It leaves hair healthy and shiny, and is enhanced with zinc prithione to help prevent reoccurrence of dandruff.
DV Recommends:Usually, anti dandruff shampoos can be rather drying, but this works and doesn’t dry out your scalp. I’ve used it and find it moisturising, with dandruff considerably reduced after a week or two of usage. This is probably the most affordable and value for money shampoo you can get!
Price: SGD9.95 for 750ml atRedmart. You can also find it at Watsons, Guardian, major supermarkets, and beauty drugstores.
2. Essential Deep Cleansing Care, SGD1.62 per 100ml.
Essential’s Deep Cleansing Care’s shampoo line is highly scented, which makes this the perfect shampoo to get rid of the bad smell on the hair from excess sebum and sweat. If you love fragrant shampoos, you have to try this line and indulge in its lingering scent.
DV Recommends: I’ve tried it on my combination hair – oily scalp and dry ends – and noticed hair became less sticky and oily after one wash, and makes hair softer, bouncier, and more manageable.
Price: SGD12..20 for 750ml from Honestbee, Shopee, and in most Watsons and Guardian outlets.
3. TRESemmé Deep Cleansing Shampoo, SGD1.83 per 100ml.
For a thorough cleansing, this Deep Cleansing Shampoo from Tresemme does a fine job. It is able to remove the grease from your scalp, and at the same time cleanses residues from hairstyling products such as hair sprays and cream completely.
DV Recommends:I have used this product and find that it does a great job removing grease from my hair. Take note that there has been feedback from other users who felt the shampoo was too chemically strong and drying on their scalp. But for me, I am still a big fan of this shampoo, and use it when I desperately need to cleanse my hair grease. But I’ll recommend using it once a week to give your scalp a thorough cleanse, instead of using it as your everyday shampoo.
Price: SGD15 for 828ml. You can find this at major drugstores and supermarkets.
4. Asience Nature Smooth Shampoo, SGD3.10 per 100ml.
Source: gwenyummy.com
Do you have combination hair types – in other words, oily hair scalp but dry hair tips? It can be rather frustrating when you want a good cleansing shampoo to rid the grime on your scalp while hoping that the shampoo would not further dry out your hair ends.
Meet Asience Nature Smooth Shampoo. It contains argan oil, camellia oil rose essence, pomegranate extract, lemongrass essence, and white pearl essence. Best of all, it suits people who suffer from the combination of oily scalp and tangled dry ends! You’ll love how well this shampoo removes grease while keeping your hair moisturised.
Price: SGD14.90 for 480ml, from major drugstores and supermarkets.
5. Moist Diane Extra Fresh Shampoo, SGD3.38 for 100ml
The new shampoo formula by Japanese brand Moist Diane is designed to combat oily scalp with dry ends, a surprisingly common problem amongst Singaporean women.
You may find this scenario familiar: you perspire when you’re outdoors, and as you step back to your air-conditioned office, your scalp becomes overly dry, and begins to secrete sebum to compensate for the dryness. No thanks to the mixture of sebum and sweat, your scalp can feel oilier.
Moist Diane Extra Fresh Shampoo contains the active ingredients salicylic acid and o-Cymen-5-ol, which treats itchiness and dandruff, while also preventing scalp irritation with its scientifically proven anti-bacterial properties. It also contains 48 specially curated herbs that work together for an overall antibacterial and healing effect.
The formula has gone through a clinical test on 49 female subjects in Thailand, which shares a similar climate as ours, and 95.9% affirmed that they felt a lasting effect of freshness on their scalp even after 48 hours.
DV Recommends: One of our writers, Mandy, has tried the product, and loves how it keeps her hair looking bouncy after wash while leaving a clean and cool sensation on the scalp. The pleasant scent is also a huge bonus to the overall experience.
Moist Diane Extra Fresh Shampoo retails for SGD 16.90 at Watsons stores, BHG departmental stores, Tokyu Hands, and Meidi-Ya supermarkets. The range includes the Shampoo, the Treatment, and the Scalp Essence.
6. Hask Charcoal With Citrus Oil Purifying Shampoo, SGD4.70 per 100ml.
Hask’s shampoo promises zero build-ups and that it will not leave any residue on your mane. The Hask Charcoal With Citrus Oil Purifying Shampoo is infused with charcoal, which is known for its purifying properties. It is also formulated with vitamin C-rich lemon and grapefruit oil to invigorate and clarify your hair. The shampoo squeezes out into a bubble of dark charcoal colour with a whisk of acidic lemon scent – the best perk-me-up you can get after a long day at work.
Price: SGD16.90 for 355ml on Redmart or in Guardian outlets.
7. The Body Shop Ginger Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, SGD6.40 per 100ml
Ginger and shampoo may sound like a weird combination, but you’d be surprised by the number of people who swear by this product. This is definitely one of the best shampoos for oily scalp that people always bring up.
Fun fact: Did you know ginger is an effective remedy to treat dandruff? Now that you know about ginger’s amazing properties, using ginger on our tresses won’t seem so strange after all.
The Body Shop’s Ginger Anti-Dandruff Shampoo works great on oily scalp that is irritated. Infusing ginger and community trade honey from Ethiopia, this shampoo helps clear and prevent the appearance of dandruff. It also removes dirt and traces of oil, while retaining your hair’s volume and bounciness.
Price: SGD16 for 250ml at any The Body Shop outlets and Lazada.
8. Innisfree Green Tea Mint Fresh Scalp Shampoo, SGD6.67 per 100ml.
Credit: Hark, The Silence!
This shampoo line is much-talked-about in the AsianBeauty Reddit thread. It contains mint, which is known for its astringent, to help control excess oil while purifying scalp and hair. Formulated with two Jeju Island sourced mint extracts – peppermint and spearmint – as well as green tea, the all-natural product leaves a cool minty sensation after each wash.
Price: SGD20 for 300ml, available onAlthea and at Innisfree stores.
9. Percy & Reed Splendidly Silky Moisturising Shampoo, SGD12.80 per 100ml
This shampoo is very popular among beauty junkies, and it’s not just for its lovely fragrance. With its unique formula of blueberry extract sweet almond milk and vitamin B5, Percy & Reed’s Splendidly Silky Percy & Reed shampoo moisturises and strengthens each strand of hair without making your hair even oilier.
Price: SGD32 for 250ml, available on Sephora.
10. Follizin Balancing Cleanser, SGD14 per 100ml
Follizin’s Balancing Cleanser balances sebum levels in the scalp without stripping hair of its essential moisture. It is rather pricey but for organic shampoo lovers, this is a heaven-send. The cleanser is gentle and suitable for most hair types and is free from harmful chemicals, such as sodium laureth sulphate (SLES), sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) and parabens. The shampoo is also able to maintain the moisture balance of your scalp, which prevents excess oil production to make up for the lack of moisture.
Price: SGD42 for 300ml. Check out where to find the product on the Follizin website.
11. Sachajuan Scalp Shampoo, SGD15.20 per 100ml
If you have oily hair and a sensitive scalp, this shampoo from Sachuajuan will be the answer to your prayers. Formulated with natural extracts to calm and moisturise the scalp, all it takes is just one wash for your hair to look and feel much fresher than before.
Many satisfied users have shared that this helps to clear up flakes and stop your scalp from itching while giving you bouncier hair – we’re sold!
Price: SGD38 for 250ml, available on Sephora.
12. Kiehl’s Tea Tree Oil Shampoo, $16.40 per 100ml
This is a holy grail shampoo for those who have tried it, and while it’s slightly pricey, fans say that it’s worth every cent. We already know tea tree oil is great for oil control, and this shampoo contains other herbal-based ingredients, including cinchona, ivy, lavender, and yarrow, to invigorate the scalp. It soothes, moisturises and nurtures your hair to help bring your tresses to its fullest grease-free potential. One of the best shampoos for oily scalps? You bet!
Price: SGD41 for 250ml or SGD60 for 500ml. You can find it at Kiehl’s Singapore stores.
13. Aesop Calming Shampoo, SGD18.50 per 100ml
If you worry that a shampoo formulated for oily scalps will strip both oil and moisture from your scalp, this popular shampoo from Aesop will put your worries to rest.
This shampoo has been formulated to meet the needs of those with troublesome scalps, allowing for effective cleansing without the inclusion of ingredients that traditionally cause irritation. You will find that your scalp feels calm and refreshed, and hair completely cleansed.
This shampoo has been formulated to meet the needs of those with troublesome scalps, allowing for effective cleansing without the inclusion of ingredients that traditionally cause irritation. The scalp will be calmed and refreshed,and hair will be completely cleansed.
This shampoo has been formulated to meet the needs of those with troublesome scalps, allowing for effective cleansing without the inclusion of ingredients that traditionally cause irritation. The scalp will be calmed and refreshed,and hair will be completely cleansed.
Price: SGD37 for 200ml or SGD67 for 500ml, from all Aesop stores and Lookfantastic.
14. Lush I Love Juicy Shampoo, SGD22 per 100ml.
Credit: Poppy Alla Normal
Lush’s I Love Juicy Shampoo is chock full of fruit juices like pineapple, mango, and kiwi – reminding you of a tropical beach vacation. The fresh fruit juices used are slightly acidic, making it great at getting rid of impurities and dead skin cells at the surface of your scalp. It is also infused with sea salt and seaweed extract to leave your hair soft and shiny.
Tip: Shake your shampoo before use. The extracts and residue from fresh fruits sink to the bottom of the bottle. A good shake will bring all that goodness up.
Price: SGD22 for 100g, at anyLush Singapore’s Outlets.
15. Daeng Gi Meo Ri Anti Dandruff Shampoo, SGD22.35 per 100ml.
Daeng Gi Meo Ri is a brand of shampoo originating from Korea, and contains Ginseng and Siberian chrysanthemum to keep scalp troubles at bay. Formulated for deep cleansing, this is recommended for thicker and coarser hair. After several washes, you’ll find that your hair feels lighter and healthier. No wonder this is considered one of the best shampoos for oily scalps in the market.
Price: SGD29.05 for 130ml, from Lazada Singapore.
16. PHS Hairscience ADV Purify Shampoo, SGD24 per 100ml
PHS Hairscience is a homegrown brand that offers products backed by science, and the ADV Purify Shampoo is one of its most popular offerings – it was even awarded the winner of the Anti-Dandruff category in Daily Vanity Beauty Awards 2018!
Some of the reasons why you’ll love this award-winning product include the fact that it not only removes dandruff flakes and excess sebum but also relieves and prevents inflammation so that you feel clean and fresh after every wash.
Price: SGD48 for 200ml from Zalora and PHS Hairscience Website.
