Believe it or not, before lockdown I never washed my own hair. And no, I do not think I’m some sort of celebrity. I just enjoyed going to the salon every week to prevent damaged hair, for a blow dry as my hair has always been the bane of my life.
Thick, curly and needing a good 4-hour window to wash, dry and style my own hair it just wasn’t something I was interested in doing. And then lockdown hit, and I started rooting around the cupboards for some shampoo and conditioner.
Now if I tell you that 100 days later, I’m not even thinking about the salon, would you believe me? But really, I don’t think I will ever go back to my weekly blow dry’s and the reason being I have found products that actually work for my hair and make what used to be such an effort an actual breeze.
Here are just a few of my Hair care heroes that have helped restore and prevent damaged hair through lockdown. Some products have been kindly gifted, but all thoughts are my own.
Centred Unwind Detangling Hair Primer | £18
I have never in my life used the word primer when I have been talking about hair care.
But this detangling spray is dreamy! Not only does this spray protect your hair against heat damage caused from styling it is designed to soften and moisturize hair without leaving it feeling sticky, greasy or weighted down.
It’s also cruelty free and part of their Vegan haircare range.
Spritz this detangler onto damp hair and comb right through to the ends and you will notice a huge difference in how easy your hair is to blow dry.
Loreal Paris Serie Expert Absolute Repair Shampoo | £11.35
Like I have said, I have never truly invested in haircare and have never been one for buying or trying out different types of shampoo, but after doing a little research into a shampoo that would be good for my coloured yet curly hair, this one came out on top.
Has it lived up to the hype? Absolutely. Infused with gold quinoa extract and wheat protein this shampoo not only deep cleans my hair but leaves it feeling soft, manageable, and glossy. At £11 a bottle it isn’t a cheap shampoo, but considering I bought a bottle back in March that I am still using in July it sure does go a long way.
The Loreal Professional range offer a wide range of different shampoo and conditioners for all types of hair, so whether your hair is coloured, thick, thin, damaged or anything in between they will have a regime to suit your hair needs.
FFOR Super Shine Gloss Mist | £19
FFOR are a professional premium haircare brand with a range of high performing products for all hair types.
What makes them unique is that they are made in the UK and completely vegan, cruelty free. Last year FFOR won 3 awards, including Marie Claire 2022 Hair Awards, and The Global Green Beauty Awards. One of their most popular, universal products is the Shine Spray, which retails at £19 for 100ml.
Leaf + Seed Root Therapy Treatment mask | £29
Leaf + Seed’s Root Therapy Treatment mask cocoons the scalp and hair in a fortifying complex of organic Hemp Seed Oil, Avocado Oil, organic Shea Butter, antioxidant Green Tea and a tonic of essential oils. Working to strengthen the hair, massage into damp clean hair then leave on for 10-15 before rinsing, twice a week leading up to your holiday.
Book a hair appointment, a trim before going away on holiday is advisable. If you colour your hair, consider going one shade darker through the summer months as this will help compensate for your hair lightening up in the sun. Retaining as much pigmentation in the hair will limit the appearance of dry and brittle hair as well.
Odylique Lavender Conditioner & Detangler | £12.50
This all natural hair conditioner is moisturising and repairing for dry, damaged or coloured hair, or dry scalps. It strengthens and smooths, giving a soft, luxurious lightweight feel. Our uniquely ‘clean’ formulation is certified organic, all-natural, silicone free and also quat-free.
It smooths, repairs and detangles with essential amino acids and a prebiotic chicory extract that contributes toward a healthy-looking scalp by balancing the skin microbiota.Aloe vera juice, avocado, sea buckthorn, shea and virgin coconut offer essential nutrients and moisture, while pure organic lavender provides a lovely head-clearing scent.
The Hair Elixir | £40
The latest innovation from WelleCo, ingestible beauty and wellness brand founded by Elle Macpherson. The Hair Elixir is a unique, vegan formula that thickens, strengthens and nourishes hair right down to the follicle to minimise hair loss and reduce breakage, while encouraging the formation of keratin and boosting your body with powerful minerals and an adaptogen to fast-track growth.
Designed to maintain healthy hair, The Hair Elixir contains a powerful blend of proven ingredients including biotin, amino acids, zinc, omega complex and iodine from organic seaweed. It also contains the adaptogen Rhodiola to help the body adapt to stress – a common root cause of adult hair loss.
amika Hair Blow Dryer Brush | £90
This lightweight brush can smooth unwanted frizz (the tourmaline coated barrel and infrared heat smooth and add shine to strands), add volume at the root, or create big, bouncy blow dries that will have friends asking for the name of your hairdresser. Long bristles detangle and smooth locks, while shorter bristles leave your style looking extra glossy, and the brush’s customisable range of heat and speed settings mean that it works a treat on every hair type
Boasting products, tools + treatments that yield top notch results, amika is the stylist-slash-saviour of your hair dreams, while being Leaping Bunny and vegan certified too.
What’s more? If you have that extra bit of pamper time, treat yourself to amika’s flash instant shine mask (£20 at loveamika.co.uk), that’ll take your hair from dull to dazzling in just sixty seconds!
Ideal for all hair types, use on damp hair as a conditioning or post-conditioning treatment. flash is rich in amino acids that help to seal the cuticle and boost elasticity + blended with flaxseed which adds moisture to help soften the strands for a smoother, shinier look.
Beauty Editor at The Daily Struggle. Beauty and makeup loving Liverpool girl with a tendency to over share and over spend. Dawn writes everything from skincare reviews to the latest makeup looks.
