DAMAGE CONTROL

In the age of blow-dry bars and extreme dye jobs it’s not a question of if your hair is damaged but of how bad the situation really is. Shinier, healthier-looking hair is just 11 tricks away. By Elizabeth Siegel.

Shinier, healthier-looking hair is 11 tricks away.

RULE 1

GET IT WET LESS OFTEN

Water makes hair swell from the inside, which forces the cuticle up. “When that happens over and over again, you get frizz and breakage,” says cosmetic chemist Randy Schueller. “Don’t wash your hair more than you have to. Whenever you can skip a day, that’s great.” Instead, embrace a dry shampoo that’s a hard-core oil and odour absorber. Toni & Guy Cleanse Dry Shampoo removes grease and sweat from your hair rather than just coating it with powder.

RULE 2

STOCK YOUR SHOWER

On those days when you do wash your hair, add a pre-shampoo to your routine. It works like a sealant, “smoothing the hair’s cuticle before it gets wet so there’s less damage”, says cosmetic chemist Ni’Kita Wilson, who recommends this for all hair types except fine.

It also protects against friction from massaging shampoo into your hair. “When your hair rubs together, the edges fray,” she explains. We like 3More Inches Pre Wash Treatment.

RULE 3 GET SMARTER ABOUT YOUR SHAMPOO

Don’t worry about sulphates or no sulphates. “We tested sulphates against other cleansers and didn’t see any difference in terms of damage or fading colour,” says Schueller.

“All shampoos have detergents that strip oil and colour from hair.” And don’t even think of touching a clarifying formula, since they’re meant to strip your hair of anything and everything. What you want is a shampoo that says “damage repairing” on the label and has proteins to strengthen hair (we like L’Oréal Elvive Total Repair 5 Restoring Shampoo) or a cleansing conditioner, which has the lowest concentration of detergents.

A word of warning to fans of hair spray, silicone serum or mousse: you’ll need to alternate a cleansing conditioner with regular shampoo. “Cleansing conditioners can’t remove all that product residue that makes hair less flexible and leads to breakage,” says Wilson.

RULE 4 CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK ABOUT CONDITIONER

We all know they smooth frizz and make your hair softer and shinier. But if you own a blow-dryer or straightener, you should also know that conditioners are critical for heat protection. “It’s just as important as heat-protectant spray, if not more, because conditioner is better at coating the hair,” says Wilson.

Skim labels for ingredients that won’t rinse off – words with “methicone” or “polyquaternium” in them – or try Dove Daily Moisture Shampoo. Leave it on for at least five minutes, and then rinse with cool water. “This allows for more residual conditioner to be left on the hair,” she says

RULE 5

ADD LAYERS

Since heat is the worst thing for your hair, double down with a heat-protectant spray. But recognise that if it’s going to work, you’ve got to apply it the legit hairstylist way: grab small sections of damp hair and mist each one up and down the length (two or three spritzes per section). When you’re finished, comb your hair to distribute the formula – heat protectants are pretty useless if they’re not applied all over, says Wilson, and getting there takes only a few seconds.

Look for one that protects hair up to 230 degrees Celsius (it’ll say so on the label), like Moroccanoil Heat Styling Protection, or ghd Heat Protect Spray for second-day hair.

RULE 6

MOVE THINGS ALONG

Anything that speeds up a blow-dry is good – less heat means less damage. Blot (don’t rub) your hair with a towel, then do the same with paper towels. You’ll be

shocked at how much more water comes out of your hair and how it cuts in half the time it takes to complete the blow-dry, says hairstylist Adir Abergel. KMS Free Shape Quick Blow Dry contains ingredients that wick water away from hair and protect against heat.

RULE 7

SAVE YOUR OLD SHIRTS

We kid you not: your cotton T-shirt is gentler on your hair than a towel for drying. It’s why top hairstylists, including Mark Townsend, keep them on hand. “They don’t rough up the cuticle as much, so you don’t have to work as hard to smooth the hair and make it look healthy,” he says.

RULE 8

COOL YOUR HEAD

If your hair feels hot after you blow-dry or flatiron it, that means it’s still frying. “If you remove a steak from the grill, it still continues to cook, and it’s the same thing with heat retention from a blow-dryer, straightener or curling iron,” says Wilson. Hit the cold-shot button on your dryer.

RULE 9

GET CREATIVE

If you air-dry your hair overnight, you can minimise damage and free up time for snoozing, coffee, whatever in the morning. One trick that works for all hair types: sleep with damp hair in two loose braids. “It smooths frizz, loosens curls, and gives straight hair beachy waves,” says hairstylist Mara Roszak.

RULE 10

TREAT YOURSELF

Weekly scalp treatments make a bigger difference in the long run than you’d think. “Keeping the hair follicles clean prevents the blockage and inflammation that leads to thinning hair later in life,” says dermatologist Neil Sadick.

Try Sachajuan Scalp Treatment with salicylic acid, which is better at cleaning the hair follicle than the cleansers in shampoo. If you’re pressed for time, “dandruff shampoos are great for cleaning the scalp, even if you don’t have dandruff,” says Sadick, who recommends Head & Shoulders Dry Scalp Shampoo.

RULE 11

BOOST THE SHINE FACTOR

Dry oils, which contain the lightest silicones and oils, create the most believable shine.

“They smooth the hair’s cuticle, which is the hallmark of healthy hair,” says Wilson. We like Serge Normant Meta Sheer Dry Oil Finishing Spray.