I Tried the TikTok Micellar Water Hack to Refresh My Oily Hair—Here’s How It Went (With Photos)

Right now, the humidity and heat in NYC is making me mad. I’m already cursed with naturally oily hair, so a few hours outside in the summer heat is all it takes to undo my freshly washed roots and leave them greasy and gross.

I know dry shampoo is supposed to be a lifesaver for those moments when you need—but can’t squeeze in—a full shower. But I’ve also learned that these oil-sopping sprays and powders can be disappointing: They usually leave a noticeably white residue on my pitch-black hair, and even the products designed to blend into darker strands tend to create a rough, stiff texture that I hate.

So when I saw tons of people on TikTok raving about how micellar water—a facial cleansing staple that I already have on hand—can also soak up oil on your scalp without the dreaded firmness or chalky hue, I had to know more. Here’s how the so-called genius solution allegedly works: First, you apply an (oil-free) micellar water (either with a cotton pad or by using a spray bottle) directly onto your roots. After applying the micellar water, blow-drying it quickly will give you instant results.

In theory, this trick makes sense, Azadeh Shirazi, MD, a San Diego–based dermatologist at La Jolla Dermatology, tells SELF. Micellar water is made of molecules that “have a hydrophilic (water-attracting) head and hydrophobic (oil-loving) tail,” Dr. Shirazi explains. “And the hydrophobic side will bind to and grab onto oil, dirt, and other buildup”—which is why micellar water is so great at removing sunscreen and makeup from your face. The idea is that the convenient skin care product should also work to clean hair.

This sounds promising but, again, it’s just a theory: There isn’t any research to back up micellar water as a legit solution for oily scalps, in particular. Due to the lack of scientific evidence, I decided to test this product myself to determine if it lives up to its hype.

So did TikTok’s micellar water hack make my hair less oily?

Dr. Shirazi says that the best way for you to try this out is to use a cotton pad with micellar water, rather than using the spray bottle. She says that this will stop you from over-saturating your hair and using too much product.

So, that’s exactly what I did with my Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water on day-three hair (after a sweaty boxing class): I dabbed the liquid all over my roots, finger-combed them to ensure the micellar water was evenly distributed, then waited a few minutes (to let it do its oil-grabbing thing). Then, I used my Dyson to blast hot air onto my scalp for 30 seconds.

My first reaction was disappointment. My hair did grow. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions. It’s smoother and cleaner. That said, it was still kind of…sticky. (Dry shampoos may not be my favorite, but the ones I’ve tried definitely did a better job at removing buildup). What about another issue? I still have my hair Look at the pictures below shiny (or as my partner kindly put it, “a little greasy”), defeating the purpose of tricking people into thinking I recently showered. My roots also appeared flat, lacking the oomph that I had hoped for. I was disappointed because I had been promised that TikTok would produce voluminous results with a perked-up look.