You should feel revitalized after taking a shower, and your hair should be silky and glossy. Nevertheless, this isn’t always the case.
So, why does my hair feel waxy after washing? There are numerous typical causes for why this could occur, but there are also straightforward fixes for this annoyance.
Table of Contents
Why Does My Hair Feel Waxy After Washing?
Product Buildup
On your hair, styling products may build up and leave a waxy residue. Silicones, polymers, and oils are examples of product ingredients that are water-resistant and adhere firmly to each hair strand. Even after washing, this buildup can make your hair feel waxy, brittle, or greasy.
Health Issues
The waxy buildup on your hair could be caused by an underlying medical condition. Common causes include:
- Hormonal imbalances
- Skin conditions
- Fungal or bacterial infections
Certain medications.
Your hair may become more waxy as a result of some medications. Your body may produce too much oil if you take medications like birth control, blood thinners, and steroids. Your hair becomes stiff or waxy due to the extra oil that coats it.
Wash Your Hair Too Often
Most of you have probably done this in the past—wash your hair more frequently even though you just washed it—because it keeps becoming waxy. Well, this may be one of the many factors contributing to the waxy feeling in your hair.
This is because when you wash your hair, the shampoo strips away your hair’s natural oils, causing your hair to become dry and dull. Your hair dries out as a result.
Dry hair will result from washing your hair more frequently. The scalp tends to produce more sebum when your hair is dry in order to replace the naturally lost hair oils. The hair has a waxy feel as a result of this.
Hair Accessories Aren’t Kept Clean
We use a variety of hair accessories, such as headbands, combs, brushes, head scarves, scrunchies, and bandanas., that are constantly on our hair.
Therefore, the oil from the hair sticks to these hair accessories, and over time, when we reuse them, they again rub off on the hair, making it look greasy.
Straight Hair
It is possible that those with straight hair types 1A, 1B, or 1C, who frequently complain that their hair feels waxy, have this hair type.
The natural oils from their scalp easily travel down the length of each hair strand because of their straight hair. The hair feels waxy as a result.
Scalp Conditions Like Eczema Or Dermatitis
Waxy hair may be a symptom of scalp conditions like eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, or dandruff and flaking.
This is due to the possibility of excessive sebum production as a result of scalp issues. Additionally, the sebum will mix with product residue, dead skin cells, and dandruff flakes on the scalp, causing a buildup that will make the hair feel waxy once more.
Use The Wrong Type Of Water
When it comes to water, there are two potential problems: the water’s temperature and the kind of water you use to wash your hair.
Your hair will become completely dry if you wash it with water that is too hot because all the moisture will have been removed. The scalp produces excessive amounts of sebum when the hair is dry.
If the type of water you use is hard water, then your hair may feel waxy because the minerals in hard water don’t allow the hair to absorb sufficient nutrients while making the hair feel dry.
Read about: Should You Wash Your Hair Before Bleaching It? What To Do? – Make Up Is My Art
Certain Environmental Conditions
Waxy hair is a common issue if you reside in a crowded, polluted city. This occurs as a result of environmental dirt and debris getting trapped on the scalp, mixing with sebum and product buildup to give the hair a waxy feel.
Hair Damage
Your hair cuticles may become dull or waxy due to damage from chemical processing and heat. If you have previously relaxed, bleached, used heat tools, or colored your hair and you notice a waxy film, it might mean that your hair is damaged.
Pollution Of The Environment
Your scalp may begin secreting more oil as a form of defense when it is exposed to high levels of pollution. Even your hair can become attached to some types of air pollution, resulting in the formation of a waxy film.
Stressful
Both inside and outside of your body, stress has an impact on almost every system. Your body makes more of the stress hormone cortisol when you are under a lot of stress. Additionally, too much cortisol can increase sebum (scalp oil) production, which can result in a waxy coating on the hair.
Improper Washing
Waxy buildup can result from using the incorrect cleaning products, using hot water when washing your hair, or not rinsing out conditioner or shampoo completely. This could cause products and oils to be left behind or trigger your scalp to produce more oils.
How To Get Rid Of Waxy Buildup From Hair?
Clarifying Shampoo
The first thing you should do if your hair has a waxy buildup is purchase a clarifying shampoo. By removing any buildup or residue, this will assist in rinsing the hair of its waxy feel.
It will also strip it of its natural oils, so you should use a good silicone-free conditioner afterward to prevent your hair from feeling dry and making it difficult to comb through.
Fewer Products That Contain Silicone
Silicones are most likely to blame if the problem is product build-up. Look for any words that end in “-cone” as you go through all of your hair care products. Though they can be found in anything, conditioners and styling aids designed to smooth the hair frequently contain silicone.
Silicones may be beneficial if used sparingly. They aid in taming frizz and give hair the silky texture we all love. Its advantages can also be disadvantages. The film it applies to the strand gives it slip, but over time, it builds up to give the impression of being waxy.
Water is repelled by silicones because they are hydrophobic. By keeping moisture out, that prevents frizz. Due to the water-repelling effect of silicone products, they will accumulate with daily use and prevent your hair from receiving the moisture it needs.
Use caution when using silicone-containing products on your hair and consider using a clarifying shampoo once a week to help prevent build-up.
DIY Remedies
How to get rid of waxy hair may be solved by using a variety of kitchenware items.
As an illustration, applying apple cider vinegar to the scalp and leaving it on for about fifteen minutes may help lessen the waxy feeling of your hair. You could also try applying a 20-minute hair mask made of freshly squeezed lemon juice and water to your hair.
Rinsing hair with green or black tea after a shower may also help to get rid of waxy buildup.
Conditioner Change
The scalp and the areas nearby should be avoided when applying conditioner. This product is only meant to be used on the ends of the hair and will have more negative effects on the scalp than positive ones.
Start by massaging the conditioner into the hair near your ears and work your way down to the ends. When you next go to buy more conditioner, read the labels and look for one that is lightweight. These formulations are made so that any residue will wash out rather than clog pores.
Protein Treatment
Going to the salon for a protein treatment and a trim will restore the strength to over-processed hair. It will help you get back to having healthy hair, even though it will require more than one trim and you might have to temporarily switch to a keratin-building shampoo and conditioner.
It is important to remember that using a special shampoo or conditioner to add protein to your hair should be temporary. Although there must be a balance between water and protein in the hair, it will aid in strengthening the hair.
You should stop using it once your hair has gained the necessary protein and has become healthier. If not, your hair will begin to lose moisture as it begins to hold on to more protein and less water.
They are only for protein-deficient hair because there is a sweet spot for the ideal ratio of water and protein. You shouldn’t use them if that’s not a problem for you.
Don’t Wash Your Hair Daily / Use Harsh Shampoo
If using a harsh shampoo or over-washing your hair is the cause of your oily hair, your hair and scalp are too dry. Your body sends a signal to the scalp to begin producing sebum in order to make up for the moisture loss in order to keep everything in balance.
Reduce your washing frequency and use shampoos with mild cleaning agents. It can take a while for your hair to get the message that it doesn’t need to pump out a ton of oil anymore, so you may have to wear it up or use a little dry shampoo to keep it looking fresh while it finds the right balance.
Rinse Well
Before shampooing, thoroughly wet the hair, then gently scrub the scalp with the pads of your fingers. This may be difficult for those with very thick hair.
If you feel like you have a hard time cleaning the scalp, you can buy a silicone scalp massager. Although it is used to promote hair growth, it also works well for shampooing because it gently but thoroughly cleans the scalp.
Always make sure to thoroughly rinse out conditioner. To make sure you don’t have any conditioner left after it feels like it’s all gone, rinse a little bit longer.
Additionally, confirm that the conditioner you use has the proper formula for your hair type. Because it won’t be able to absorb all of the conditioning ingredients if they are too heavy for your hair type, it will appear and feel greasy and as though it wasn’t thoroughly rinsed out.
Check House For Hard Water
Examine your faucet to see if there is hard water in your house. Hard water can be identified by mineral buildup around the faucet. Another indication are glasses that have stains on them from the dishwasher.
You may have hard water if you use all the recommended products, don’t wash your hair too frequently, but your hair still has a waxy film on it. A water softener can be installed in your garage, basement, or another location where the water supply for your house enters to solve this problem.
If you’re on a budget, a shower head filter is a good option. Your hair will feel cleaner after it filters out some of the minerals that are accumulating there.
Why Do My Hair Become Gummy?
Your hair may become sticky or gummy as a result of excessive chemical processing and damage.
Why, Even After Washing It, Does My Hair Still Feel Sticky?
Your hair could feel sticky even after you’ve washed it for a number of reasons, such as product build-up residue, dandruff, using dry shampoo, using the wrong conditioner, etc.
What Is The Accumulation On My Scalp?
The buildup of excess sebum, sweat, dirt, dead skin cells, and chemical hair products on your scalp is known as scalp buildup.
Why Does My Shampoo Leave A Slick Film Behind?
The synthetic silicones present in the shampoo’s formulation are most likely the cause of any residue that it leaves behind.
These are incorporated into shampoo to coat your hair and give the appearance that it is “smoother.””If there is a lot of residue on your scalp, it’s time to switch shampoos and look for one with better ingredients.
How Can I Tell If I’ve Over-moisturized My Hair?
A moderate amount of moisture is great for hair. Over-moisturizing manifests as hair that feels too soft to the point where it looks dull.
There might be more split ends than usual, too. You should stop using shampoo and conditioner that contain a lot of moisturizing ingredients if this is the case.
Why Does Drying Out My Hair Make It Feel Waxy?
After drying, your hair may feel waxy for a number of reasons, including the quality of the water you used, the shampoo and conditioner you used, and the cleanliness of your hair accessories.
Conclusion
Don’t panic if you’ve observed that your hair feels waxy or sticky; it happens to the best of us.
We can promise silky, smooth hair in no time if you take good care of your hair tools, switch up your shampoo and conditioner, and adhere to the rest of our advice.
Please share any effective home cures for waxy hair with us in the comments section.
