With so much focus on anti-aging tips for our skin, I thought it was time to show our hair a bit of love. This extension of our skin is a great indicator of age and health, and with some TLC, you can turn back time and promote a happy, healthy shine. Whether you’re going grey gracefully – and I’m in awe of women who embrace silvery shades – or, like me, endure endless hours in the hairdresser’s chair, there’s tips and tricks to improve the condition of your locks.
It was a bit of a shock, the day I noticed the pigment in some (OK, quite a lot) of my hair had upped and gone for good. And it wasn’t just the shade of my hair that had changed – it’s consistency was wiry and coarse. I took to the greys with some tweezers, and while the myth of six in its place proved not to be true, it didn’t get rid of them either so my advice don’t do it!! But fear not. I’ve compiled my hair SOS tips to suit every shade.
If you’ve decided to disguise your greys, then make sure you seek advice from an experienced colourist. When I first began dying my hair, I used to work lighter shades through from roots to end, which is a good tip if you’re after a slightly more low-maintainance colour, as the lighter tones do disguise the grey! I for now however, prefer to be dark and find on average, that this needs redoing about every three weeks. Luckily I love my colourist Seniz, who works at top speed and is brilliant at covering my grey and giving me glossy locks. You can find her at Nevillehairandbeauty.net/ Seniz also by the way does a gorgeous sexy ombre balayage and is dying to take me back to more blonde hues… Mmmmmmm….. Still not sure….
I’m also a huge fan of Colour Wow’s Root Cover Up (£28.50 for 2.1g, available at colourwowhair.com). It’s a handbag essential that subtly hides greys between salon visits. Available in eight different shades, I gently dust this in on any greys and it really does the job. And when it comes to keeping my locks looking healthy, I never underestimate the power of a good chop! My best girlie Zoe Irwin who also happens to be a hair genius has cut my hair for over 10 years and I trust her implicitly find her here @zoeirwinhair !!
Scalp care is also essential. I like to pamper mine with Phillip Kingsley’s Scalp Toner (£19.50 for 250ml, available at philipkingsley.com) which energizes and stimulates blood supply. It’s also great for absorbing excess oil. In the evening, at home, I also like to treat myself to a scalp massage while I lounge in front of the telly! I find it zaps any tension and keeps my hair looking healthy.
Vitamins and nutrition are also important when it comes to age-proofing our hair. A varied diet packed full of protein, zinc, omega-3, and D and B vitamins helps to activate growth. The results are stronger, thicker and heathier strands. And when it comes to thinning hair, I use Kerastase Volumifique Bain Shampoo (£13 for 250ml) and Conditioner (£15.30 for 200ml, both available at lookfantastic.com). These never fail to give my locks a much-needed volume boost.
If you are after a sulphate free shampoo which does incidence keep the colour for longer, then I adore Living Proof as a brand.
And who knows – with scientists having pinpointed the gene that turns us grey, we may even find a way to eliminate this sign of aging! For now though, I hope these hair SOS tips are helpful – share any of your own in the comments box below.
LSx