With the new year often comes resolutions focused on all things health and wellbeing – but are you including looking after your hair on that list?
From specialist supplements and targeted products, to the shampoos and tools you need to keep an eye out for – we’ve tried some of the best in the business so you don’t have to.
Here are our top picks…
SHAMPOOS AND CONDITIONERS
Starting strong with the basics – because, hey, we all need a decent shampoo and conditioner, right? – we put a few top names to the test.
Coming in as one of our top recommendations, the Scandinavian Biolabs Bio Pilixin set is specifically designed to promote hair growth.
Coming with an activation serum to be used daily, the products promise to reduce hair thinning and support the growth of new hairs.
Testing this out, I was initially drawn to this as it has the smell and consistency of a salon product – AKA: trustworthy.
And it didn’t disappoint, as after a few weeks of consistent use, I found my hair appeared noticeably thicker directly after use.
Going back to last year, I also tested the Odylique Reviving Rosemary Shampoo after hearing about all things rosemary oil on TikTok.
While marketed as a gentle product, I found this shampoo gave a really thorough clean, and was again pleasantly fragranced.
I imagine consistent usage for several months would yield more noticeable results in terms of growth, but it being a 100% natural product with clean ingredients was enough of a selling factor for me to put it on my ‘to buy again’ list.
A budget-friendly option for anyone not keen to splurge is the HASK Biotin Boost range – while I didn’t notice any long-term effects, the shampoo had immediate thickening results and is worth it for a cheap and cheerful addition to your regime.
Finally, testing a more unique product, I tried out Hairstory New Wash, marketed as for a ‘post-shampoo era’.
Instead of the usual lathering gel, this came as a cream that is meant to cleanse, wash, condition and detangle – a one-stop-shop for haircare.
I struggled to get past its consistency, with the product not lathering like a traditional shampoo – something I personally look for in hair products – but I think this would work particularly well for those with curly hair.
It’s entirely unlike anything else I have ever tried, and gave a surprisingly good, nourishing clean.
MASKS, SCRUBS AND TOOLS
Trying to wade through a sea of haircare products and tools is something of a matrix, so I narrowed it down to three main categories: a set of products to target scalp health, a nourishing mask to work on my ends, and a tool that could help my poor hair from getting too heat-damaged from my straighteners.
Kicking things off with another top contender – and perhaps my one ‘must buy’ recommendation of the series – the Osmo Scalp Therapy set.
The trio of products includes a purifying scalp scrub with sea salt, a detangling gel, and a replenishing mask with prickly pear oil.
If you buy just one product from this feature, let it be the scalp scrub. Yes, the bittiness is a little annoying if you’re a bather like me, but it’s worth it for what will likely be the deepest clean your scalp has ever seen. Highly recommend.
The accompanying mask is good too, but for something a little more heavy-duty (particularly if you have bleached/damaged hair), the Grow Gorgeous intense hair mask was the best one tested.
As for after the wash routine? I’ve been desperate to veer away from hair straighteners because of the damage, but still wanting to achieve a sleeker look.
The Lily England hair straightening brush offers a nice compromise – it’s less damaging as it distributes heat more evenly across the hair, and covers larger sections at a time than traditional straighteners.
While the brush isn’t as effective as the usual flat iron, it smoothed out my frizziest hairs and is worth a try for the sake of healthier locks.
SUPPLEMENTS
For anyone remotely interested in haircare (or personal health in general!), finding out the best vitamins to take can be a minefield, with hordes of information out there – some of it conflicting.
Instead of necking dozens of individual supplements a day, I personally prefer to take one created specifically with my needs in mind.
There are several on the market with great reviews, and even better ingredients, acting as a one-stop-shop for promoting thicker, healthier hair, and hair growth.
Favourites include the fabÜ skin-hair-nails glow supplements, which have reishi mushroom, amino acids, vitamins and zinc tailored for collagen formation.
This was perfect to cover skin and nail health, as well as hair, and after taking these for more than one month, I notice small but positive results working in conjunction with the other products tested.
To focus specifically on your locks, my top pick would be WelleCo Hair Elixir Capsules – premium, costing £42 for a one month supply, but a classic case of ‘you get what you pay for’.
I didn’t notice new hair growth, per se, but after a month of consistent use my hair felt strengthened in a way I hadn’t noticed with previous products.
