Charlie’s Angel actress Jaclyn Smith recently attended a red-carpet event with a glossy mane of extremely youthful-looking hair. How does she do it – she’s 68?
Putting aside the fact that Jaclyn does have her own hair guru – what can you do to get great looking glossy hair? At Elixir we went on the trail of the lastest products that you can use easily and reasonably cheaply at home to get younger hair. And we discovered that even the most expensive lotions and potions are a waste of time if you have the wrong sort of water.
Why the wrong water can wreak havoc with your hair
You may have noticed that when you get a shampoo and blow dry at the hairdressers your hair is always shinier than when you do it yourself at home. This because they use special filters that remove harsh mineral deposits like limescale. These minerals can build up on the hair over time leaving it lacklustre and dry. And particular parts of the UK with ‘hard water’ such as London are worse than others. We’ve all experienced boilers, taps and washing machines that grind to a half after getting clogged up with the stuff, just think what it’s doing to your hair!
Aside from using filtered water what can you do? There are some new and innovative products availble – one is AreaH20 which comes as a shampoo and conditioner. This hair care range works with your water to remove the metal ions that react with shampoo to form mineral deposits. Regular use gives cleaner hair with more energy and vitality, leaving it easier and softer to manage.
And its not only hard water that can take away the shine. While hard water hair is likely to leave hair rough and difficult to untangle, at the other exterme soft water can make it lank and lifeless. In the latter case its caused by too much sodium which makes the soap in shampoo difficult to wash off.
The first time you use one of these products you may think that your hair feels worse, warns the manufacturer. But that is because the product is hard at work releasing all the chemicals. So it may take a few shampoos to get rid of years of clogging minerals.
The Area H20 Hard range comes in 2 different shampoos and one conditioner – all costing £9.95 each for 250ml:
- Hard, Medium or Soft Water Shampoo for Fine Hair
- Hard, Medium or Soft Water Shampoo for Coloured Hair
- Hard, Medium or Soft Water Conditioner
Buy at Debenhams or online at www.lookfantastic.com or http://areah20.co.uk
Shampoos and conditioners
A really good shampoo doesn’t have to cost the earth to do a great job. For example, the Herbal Aloe range, from nutrition company Herbalife has a range of haircare products perfect for hair in need of a little TLC.
The collection is infused with essences of honeydew, lemon blossom, white lillies, calming musk and extracts of chamomile, olive oil and African she butter – all aimed at hydrating hair. There are also no harmful parabens and sulphates.These products are very gentle and will soften and strengthen your hair.
Herbal Aloe Strengthening Shampoo (£9.22, 220ml) has been found to reduce hair breakage by 90% after just one use in a independent clinical study. It contains wheat protein to protect, repair and strengthen. It can also be used daily.
Herbal Aloe Strengthening Conditioner (£9.22, 220ml) again has nourishing wheat proteins and is very lightweight so it restores hair suppleness without dragging it down.
For stockist information please call 0845 056 0606 and further information on Herbalife products http://products.herbalife.co.uk/
Hollywood Hair in a Box – get celebrity shine for less than £10
Shine On Original is a protein rich, conditioning hair glaze that gives hair lustrous shine without the need for cuticle coating serums, sprays or colour change. Once only available at exclusive salons – you can buy this product at Boots. There are three products in the box – a pre-cleanse that gets rid of residue from shampoos and conditioners; and a developer and collagen cream that you mix together and leave for 20 minutes.
This treatment lasts for weeks (24 washes) and can be used on natural, colour treated and grey hair (you are advised to do a patch test before) and if you don’t believe it watch the video above.
Give grey and white a shine
White Hot Hair is a website that specialises in products for the problems that ageing hair presents. Its star product is a multi-purpose conditioning oil, Lifeshine, that nourishes and gives gloss to white and grey hair.
It contains extracts from the African Baobab tree. Apply a few drops in your hands and smooth onto damp or dry hair as a treatment, before blow-drying or for a smooth, high-gloss finish.
Buy online at White Hot Hair – it costs £14 for 50ml
Elixir has tested all the products mentioned above and we rate them as not only excellent at doing the job but also great value-for-money!