A great hair day is the best day for a girl to enjoy all the activities, and even if you stay at home, you still feel attractive. However, have you ever asked yourself, “Why Does My Hair Feel Waxy?”
Having waxy hair is the worst feeling, and there is no doubt about it. Such hair doesn’t just make you look unattractive, but it’s also hard to hide it. If you have greasy hair, you can relate to it.
There can be many reasons that cause oily hair, and before we get to the solutions, you must know the exact reason causing this issue. You don’t need to worry anymore about your hair’s waxy feeling because we are here to discuss the causes and solutions to this problem.
There is an endless list of reasons for the question of why your hair feels waxy.
Let’s dig out some of these reasons:
1. Hair Product Build-up
Using different hair products for styling daily can lead to waxy hair. Hair product ingredients like oils, polymers, and silicones are water-resistant and stick around to each strand of your hair.
This scalp buildup can be one of the reasons that your hair feels waxy. It can come from different products, such as hair sprays, heat protectants, and serums.
Shampoos and conditioners with low-quality ingredients can also leave some irritating waxy residue that causes this waxy buildup on hair.
In natural shampoos, various oils are blended that leave behind residues, leading to this problem. Likewise, shampoos with harsh chemicals take natural scalp oils from your hair, due to which your scalp starts producing excessive oil and makes your hair feel waxy.
2. Seborrhea
The sebaceous glands produce naturally occurring waxy oil that keeps our hair moisturized. This waxy oil is known as sebum which even fights against any infection on the scalp. If your body overproduces sebum, it causes an oily and waxy scalp.
Additionally, if your scalp feels red and itchy, then there is a chance that you are suffering from seborrhea.
Seborrhea is a common form of eczema in which sebaceous glands produce extra oil on your scalp, resulting in oily scalp and greasy hair. The yeast that comes to feast on your scalp causes irritation and redness.
3. Seborrheic Dermatitis
Seborrheic Dermatitis is another skin condition that affects the scalp by causing scaly patches, oily scalps, itching, stubborn dandruff, and many more.
Oily scalp areas cause your hair to be waxy. It is essential to consult your doctor for this skin condition, as using the wrong shampoos and conditioners can make it worse.
4. Hair Type
The type and texture of your hair contribute to waxy hair. The sebum in straight hair covers your whole scalp more quickly than in curly hair. If you have curly or thick hair, you are in luck. But if you have straight hair, it’s likely to be waxy.
It would be best to pick those shampoos and conditioners that suit your hair texture and thickness. Otherwise, they’ll leave product buildup even after washing, causing your hair to look waxy.
5. Improper Washing
Overusing hair products and not washing and properly rinsing causes your hair to feel waxy. The products you use must match your hair texture and type; otherwise, they can leave behind waxy buildup.
Overuse of hair care products leaves heavy residue. The hair conditioners have silicones that need to be appropriately rinsed; otherwise, it affects the pH of your hair, causing waxy and greasy hair.
In some cases, you can get rid of your oily hair by simply using the right hair care products and washing your hair correctly.
6. Water Quality
Water quality also contributes to your hair feeling waxy. Hot water may sound like cleaning your hair better, but it can lead to extreme scalp dehydration. The scalp then tries to hydrate itself by producing sebum, leading to excessive oil production.
Hot water contains high quantities of dissolved minerals like magnesium and calcium. If you shower under hot water constantly, these minerals can accumulate on your hair, causing them to be waxy.
7. Environmental Pollution
In cities, high levels of air pollution affect our lives. When your scalp comes in contact with this pollution, it starts producing more oil to protect itself. The air pollution that binds with your hair makes them look greasy. It also causes dermatitis.
8. Heat Styling
We know that styling your hair with hot tools has become necessary, but they can harm your hair more than you think. If you use hot tools for styling without heat protectants, you expose your hair to severe damage.
Using hot tools on damp hair increases the risk of split ends and breakage. Using a blow dryer before using hot tools on your wet hair is preferable. The improper use of heat styling can lead to lifeless, stiff, greasy, and waxy hair.
9. Hair Tools
Your hair accessories include a hairbrush, towels, scarves, hats, etc. If you do not wash your hair accessories regularly, it can lead to greasy hair even after washing.
Your hairbrush must be appropriately cleaned and should not have any oil residue. Choose smooth fabrics for hair ties. Your towels must be washed and dried regularly, or they can make your hair look waxy.
10. Washing Hair Too Often
Most people believe that if their hair feels waxy, then washing them more often will solve the problem, but it enhances even more oil in your scalp.
The scalp is designed to take care of itself by producing natural oils and minerals vital to itself. If you use too many shampoos and conditioners more often, it dehydrates the scalp.
Your scalp produces more sebum that makes your hair feel waxy. And the annoying cycle of washing hair to avoid oily hair goes on.
If your hair feels waxy after a shower, don’t wash your hair immediately; instead, try a dry shampoo or different products next time.
11. Frequent Use of Hair Color
Frequent hair dyeing procedures and bleaching damages your hair and causes waxy buildup.
Moreover, coloring your hair without using moisturizing products can lead to split ends, brittle hair textures, and breakage. The moisturizing products cover the strands, avoiding the wax buildup on your hair.
12. Over Conditioning
Only the ends of our hair require conditioner. The closer you use the conditioner to the scalp, the chances of hydrating ingredients staying on the scalp and causing your hair to feel waxy.
Try to use conditioner farther away from your scalp to avoid your hair being waxy.
If you are using conditioner correctly (away from your scalp) but still your hair feels waxy, you need to consider the type of your conditioner. Thin and fine hair has more chances of being waxy.
So, if your hair is thin, don’t go for conditioners intended for thick hair.
13. Unhealthy Diet
Whatever we eat mirrors our body; our diet also affects our hair and can play a part in waxy hair. Dairy, a high glycemic diet, and unhealthy food affect the androgen hormones, which trigger sebum production.
An unhealthy diet can lead to excessive waxy buildup on the hair, causing it to feel waxy.
14. Use of Wrong Hair Products
The use of the wrong products can cause waxy hair. Switching to the right products can quickly solve your problem and won’t take much time.
Before choosing your hair product, look at the ingredients and see if it’s intended to be used for your hair type; otherwise, it can result in your hair with a waxy or greasy texture.
15. Hormonal Imbalance
Sometimes hair routine has nothing to do with your waxy hair, and it’s the hormonal imbalance causing this issue. It is hard to detect hormonal imbalance. Diet, vitamin deficiencies, stress, and other factors cause health issues resulting in your hair feeling waxy.
How to Get Rid of Waxy Hair?
Waxy hair doesn’t just ruin your look and is unpleasant, but it also prevents water from reaching your hair. Due to this, your hair doesn’t get the proper nourishment, resulting in drier, stiff, and vulnerable to breakage.
Countless reasons cause your hair to feel waxy, and now you must be wondering about its treatment.
Luckily, the problem of oily hair is preventable and treatable. Here we will discuss a few different effective ways to solve this problem.
1. Use a Clarifying Shampoo
Introducing a clarifying shampoo into your hair wash routine can result in wonders. It is also known as deep cleansing and purifying shampoo and has a unique formula to treat your waxy hair.
It acts like a magnet for dirt and residue. Its exclusive formula allows it to cut through the waxy buildup leaving behind the soft and clean hair.
Clarifying shampoos can also deal with the scalp disorders like Seborrheic Dermatitis and results in clear and wax-free hair.
It is essential to remember that these shampoos are much stronger than natural shampoo and conditioner. So, they should limit their usage to once or twice a month. Otherwise, it will dry out your hair.
People with straight and thin hair can use clarifying shampoos more often than wavy or curly hair.
With clarifying shampoo, you can rid your hair and scalp of product and waxy buildup due to hot hair styling or environmental pollution. It doesn’t just fight with the product buildup but also reduces waxy strands and helps get rid of dandruff and itchy skin.
2. Change Your Diet
You can promote healthy hair by just adjusting your diet. If you eat healthily, you’ll look healthy, and so will your hair. It is the simplest and most beneficial way to get rid of waxy hair. Try to include more foods rich in antioxidants and vitamins and avoid oily and greasy foods.
Vegetables, berries, chia seeds, nuts, and fatty fish work best for wax-free hair. You can also eat foods rich in Vitamin B6 and B12 since they control sebum production.
3. Choose the Right Hair Products
Hair products are the ones we apply directly to our hair, and thus these directly affect our hair and scalp. Use the products that are intended for your hair texture and type.
Avoid sensitizing components that can cause waxy buildup. If your hair feels waxy after the wash, use fewer products or switch your products entirely.
Keep in mind that less is enough for the number of hair products. Never use too much product, or it will cause unnecessary product buildup.
If clarifying shampoo is harsh on your skin, look for some gentle shampoos formulated with capryl glucoside. Capryl glucoside is a chemical that does not take necessary natural oils and cleans your hair.
4. Wash and Rinse Your Hair Well
Always rinse your hair thoroughly no matter what; otherwise, the ingredients of your hair product will get stuck in your hair, causing the secretion of additional oils.
Gently massage your scalp with your finger while applying any hair product, and rinse it thoroughly for at least one to two minutes with lukewarm water. Lukewarm water works best as it cleans your hair by opening the pores and cuticles.
5. Avoid Daily Hair Washing
Avoid washing your hair daily as it leads to dry hair and takes out the natural oils from the scalp. Due to dryness, the sebaceous glands produce more oil causing greasy hair and wax buildup.
6. Seek Medical Advice
If your hair routine has no impact on your waxy hair, maybe it’s time for you to see a professional. A medical professional can advise you about an effective way to follow. In hormonal imbalance, your doctor can track your needs and reestablish your body health.
Bottomline
We know that waxy hair is not what you want. Thankfully it can be prevented by your little effort and care. Start the treatment step by step, and through the process of elimination, you can figure out the cause of your hair feeling waxy.
We hope this article has answered your question, “Why Does My Hair Feel Waxy?” and found our tips on how you can get rid of it helpful.
If you liked this article, you could check out your other hair-related concerns at HairsAffairs.com.