Monday, January 19, 2009

owner of an oily scalp

I'm nearly out of shampoo, so the last few times I've been on shopping expeditions, I've been keeping an eye out for what's available and what it costs.

But what I've discovered is this: you can't find shampoo for "oily" hair any more.

Used to be that nearly every shampoo bottle in the universe said clearly and in big letters on the front of the bottle that it was for either "normal," "oily," or "dry" hair. And there's still plenty of stuff on the shelves for "normal" and "dry," as well as "damaged," "color-treated," and a half-dozen other classifications.

But between two Targets and two Krogers, I didn't see a single shampoo that said on the front of the bottle that it was for "oily" hair. There's one variety of Head & Shoulders (I think "Citrus Breeze") that says on the hidden-away blurb on the back of the bottle that it "removes oil." That's all I've found.

Has "oily" been named something else? Has it been removed from hair-typeitude like Pluto was de-planetized recently? Is it looked at as insulting or demeaning to be said to have "oily" hair? Seriously, I feel like I've missed a major development in the shampoo industry. I guess I should resubscribe to their trade periodicals.

By the way, I'm open to believing that maybe I've misdiagnosed my hair type. What happens with my hair is that if I go 30 hours without shampooing, it definitely gets oily, and after about 48 hours, it feels oppressively oily to me. Also, when I've been forced to used "normal to dry" shampoo that puts moisturizers in my hair, my hair feels icky and slick within minutes of getting out of the shower. So that's why I think I have oily hair. Could be wrong, but all that says "oily" to me.

3 comments:

2fs said...

I haven't noticed that, although my own hair (or scalp) is dryer than it was when I was younger. It probably is one of those annoying marketing things...someone decided no one wants to be seen buying a product that identifies them as having "oily" hair, so they renamed it something else...I dunno, "rich hair"? It's like trying to buy a boring, humble object (a card table, was my example): no one sells it because everyone wants to be upscale and fashionable, and such a dull, utilitarian object would sully the ambiance, it seems... (Probably Wal-Mart sells it - but I refuse to shop there. I found one at K-Mart - waited in the single checkout line open for fifteen minutes, found there was no UPC on it, waited some more while another worker ambled slowly as possible for the pricecheck...remembered why I don't like K-Mart either.)

Anonymous said...

I, too, am an OoaOS. It has always been thus. Even though I keep my hair very short these days, I can't go much more than 24 hours without a thorough wash. My scalp greases up, it itches badly, and my girlfriend won't come near me. I can never go on a trip that doesn't involve a shower every day. I wouldn't last two days on Survivor or Amazing Race.

Anyway, you're right - it's difficult to find purely "oily hair" products these days. I use Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo for Normal to Oily Hair, which my local Safeway stocks. I think they used to have it for just "oily hair", but now they have to add in that "normal to" to make it look like you're potentially not a major greaseball.

Janet ID said...

Jeff: I had agonizingly oily hair and skin as a teen (are there not enough woes during the teen years?). Both my hair and skin have gone dry with advancing age. I was intrigued that this happened to you too, but on a moment's reflection, perhaps it happens to most folks. Miles: as it hasn't happened to you, you might try a lemon juice rinse. Also choose a clear rather than opaque shampoo.