By Olivia Hill (ArtSci ‘ 13)
Contributing Writer

You’ve hit the snooze button one too many times, it’s 8:20 and you’ve got a class all the way over at Chernoff. With no time to shower, you throw your hair into a ponytail in an effort to disguise your greasy roots. Sound familiar?
Student life can be hectic around midterms, and hair care tends to be put on the back burner of priorities. But taking a break from the shampoo bottle isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Daily shampooing take time and energy and strips your hair of its natural shine, especially if you have colour-treated hair. Save time and keep your hair healthy with these grease-busting solutions.

Dry Shampoo: Dry shampoo works wonders on greasy hair, especially bangs. The powder consistency acts as an oil absorber and freshens hair with a clean scent, leaving hair with a just-washed silkiness. In my experience, it’s best to stay away from dry shampoo sprays; the aerosol in the cans tends to make hair stiff, and sometimes greasy. I would recommend a powder with a fresh scent, such as TRESemme, Klorane, Baptiste or Cake dry shampoo. Sprinkle a little in your hands, rub them together, and shake evenly through your hair, concentrating on the roots (I find flipping my head upside down helps). Dry shampoo is a great product for adding texture and volume too.

On a budget? Try using baby powder (for blondes), or apply a bronzer to your roots if you’ve got darker hair. Both powders will help absorb excess oil.

Headbands: We’re not talking about Lululemon sweatbands. There are lots of cute headband styles that will hide greasy hair and enhance any outfit. Try a headband adorned with feathers, or a large silk printed scarf folded into a headband. When cold weather strikes, a wool headband looks great and protects your ears from the cold.

Front Braid: This is a great solution to greasy bangs. It also keeps hair off of your face, which will help prevent hair from getting greasy in the first place. There are two types of front braids: inverted (which lie flat against your head) and outverted (which are slightly raised). To make an inverted braid, start a French braid at your part and place the pieces of hair on top of one another. For an outverted braid, place the pieces under one another so that the braid is more prominent.

You don’t need to resort to messy buns and ponytails if you’re sacrificing shampooing for studying. Try out one of our greasy hair solutions and fake a great hair day.