6 Ways To Good Hair Days

I’ve changed my attitude to shampoo lately and, as with my approach to skincare, am now much more prescriptive according to what my hair actually needs. For me, I need something to restore what endless styling, brushing and colouring takes out and something that will boost my hair’s fundamental health – oh, and something that also adds volume and shine (so not much then).

I am currently infatuated with Sisley’s Hair Rituel Nourishing Shampoo, which reads more like one of the brand’s luxury skincare formulations. It’s packed with a combination of vitamins, minerals and proteins chosen to reenergise the scalp and revitalise hair from the follicle. For adding volume, I’m happy to report that Sam McKnight’s Cool Girl Volume Cleanse is every bit as good as the original Cool Girl Texture Mist. As well as nailing the hair health part of the brief, it delivers volume too, thanks to a dual-action volumising and thickening active which works instantly to give noticeable oomph. Special mention should also go to the Cool Girl Volume Nourish, a conditioner that manages to soften and condition intensely without dampening down any of that glorious volume.

Overnight treatments are usually confined to my skin, but since the launch of L’Oréal Paris’s Elvive Hydra Overnight Cream, my hair is getting its own after-hours attention. I’ve been left very impressed by this leave-in treatment. It’s enriched with hyaluronic acid, an active that holds 1,000 times its weight in water to infuse hair with serious hydration and softness. Although the application takes a little getting used to – you work a small amount through mid-lengths and ends, leave on overnight and style as usual without rinsing next morning – the results are so good. My hair is cashmere soft after every use, taking on that cool, piece-y kind of definition I usually only get after a professional blow dry. Top tip: pop one of Slip’s silk pillowcases on when the treatment is working its magic. Not only will it help all that softness and hydration stay locked in, it’ll also prevent stickiness on your pillow.

Hair oils have long been a passion of mine (as previous columns will attest) and while I do have favourites, I am always happy to welcome a newcomer into my personal hair oil hall of fame. The latest spot has been nabbed by the Ultimate Oil Edition 29 by Ches Editions, a 100% natural oil blend that uses only naturally derived extracts and no synthetics or silicones. This particular oil is geared towards deep nourishment and hydration, so it contains a high percentage of camelia and rosemary oils, the former containing a host of fatty acids to strengthen and deeply condition. Talking of fatty acids, I’m convinced that the new supplements I have added to my skincare regime are making a difference to my hair as well. The Skin Omegas+ by Advanced Nutrition Programme are meant to help reduce water loss from the skin, improve hydration and increase luminosity, but I swear that my hair’s newfound springiness and mirror-shine is no happy accident.

Treatments that use bonding technology to repair damage in your hair are par the course now, and thankfully so, as it means we can all benefit from the clever tech. My latest find is Glaze’s GlaziPlex Super Bond Repair Treatment, which I like because it covers all bases including damage caused by chemical, colour, heat and styling treatments (my hair in a nutshell) and works in only four minutes. The formula features a host of actives like citric and lactic acids, amino acids and a ceramide complex, all of which help impart maximum benefit with minimum effort.

Although brushing invigorates the scalp and helps keep hair healthy, it’s all too easy to brush badly. Tugging too hard on vulnerable strands, brushing when wet and weak, and causing excess irritation to your scalp are just some of the traumas your hair goes through every time you brush. With that in mind, I’ve just started using a new tool from the brains at Manta, whose ultra-gentle, flexible brush was first designed to be gentle on hair that had undergone chemotherapy. The latest incarnation is the Manta Pulse, a vibrating version of their classic brush that sends a gentle pulsation though each bristle to improve oxygen and blood flow to your head without irritation. With two settings – one for tension relief and one for a more stimulating circulation boost – the brush also exfoliates to promote a healthier scalp and uphold the brand’s minimum breakage promise. 

It’s usually my husband who steals my beauty products, but lately I have found myself, ahem, borrowing his Current Body Skin LED Hair Growth Device, a very sci-fi looking piece of kit that harnesses the power of LED to encourage hair growth. Although hair loss isn’t an issue for me as it is him, I am always up for strengthening the strands I do have, so I’m considering this a preventive approach. LED is known to stimulate scalp circulation and deliver oxygen-rich blood and nutrients to the follicles to thicken and fortify hair. The device is on the pricy side, yes, but given it’s clinically proven to give up to 126% more growth than topical, laser and supplement treatments alone – and that it can be shared happily between loved ones – I’d say the cost per use works out well.