FOR DAMAGED HAIR HAVE SHOT UP,
SALES OF BONDING TREATMENTS DISCOVERS KATIE WRIGHT
LOOKING back at sales stats from 2020, one brand really stands out in the beauty department. Olaplex was the bestselling hair line at Space NK in 2020, with its No.3 Hair Perfector the third highest selling product on the site overall. It was also the number one most searched in the beauty category through Clearpay.
Why the surge? Because more and more consumers are discovering the power of bond building treatments to help transform hair from dry and damaged to strong and shiny.
Considered more potent than traditional hair masks, these two-step treatments claim to help repair locks from the inside out, and there’s now a whole host of options on the market.
Kim Kardashian West is said to be a fan, but are they worth the hype? Here, experts explain what you need to know about rebonding treatments, and how to tell if your hair could benefit... trichologist Hannah Gaboardi, adding that “overlapping colour or using bleach too often” can also make hair feel “rough to dry, or more frizzy than normal”.
How can you tell if your hair is damaged?
“Take an inch wide section of your hair between two fingers and run your fingers down the hair shaft right to the ends to feel your hair quality,” says Hannah, as well as looking for visible signs of wear and tear.
Lee says: “Hair that appears dull, feels rough to the touch or feels overly dry is almost certainly suffering. Healthy hair should have good elasticity - if hair is snapping and breaking when brushed or pulled, it needs some help.”
Lee Bannister
What are the main causes of damage to hair?
“Causes of damage are many and varied,” says Knight & Wilson co-founder Lee Bannister. “Heat damage is often more prevalent than people realise – daily blowdrying, straightening and curling can easily take their toll.”
During winter, he says, “cold weather and central heating can also contribute to drying hair out, while in the summer, sun and chlorine can do the same”.
Dyeing your hair, whether at home or in the salon, is another common cause. “Washing your hair too often can leave no room for your hair to gather its natural oils,” says celebrity colourist and
How do bonding treatments work?
Olaplex products feature a new molecule “that works inside the hair, repairing the structure that has been compromised. It can make your hair seem a lot thicker and fuller if used regularly,” says Hannah. The first step with treatments like this is usually a thin liquid applied to 4. 5.
damp hair for about 10 minutes. With some treatments you rinse it out, but with others you leave it on your hair then apply step two, which feels more like a conditioner, and leave that in for at least 10 minutes before rinsing.
Lee explains that Knight & Wilson’s Pureplex treatment uses bond reconstructing technology: “This works by penetrating deep into the cortex of the hair replacing lost amino acids in the exact sequence found in hair naturally,” – unlike traditional conditioning masks which only seal the cuticle and give the appearance of smoother and softer hair.
“This is effectively [helping to] rebuild the hair’s natural keratin structure, restoring strength, elasticity and volume, plus it [helps] protect against future damage and breakage.”
Can they be used on any hair type?
“Yes, they work on all hair types, especially over-processed hair,” says Hannah.
Lee says: “We’ve had particularly good feedback from customers with afro hair, which can often suffer from dryness at the ends,” but whatever the cause of damage, rebonding technology does have the potential to help.
“Whether it’s weakened or damaged from heat, bleaching or through menopause and medication, it can be an immediate health boost for hair,” he adds.
How often should you use a bonding treatment?
“It very much depends on the level of damage,” says Lee. “Many customers like to use it as a monthly treatment to keep hair in the best condition.
“Those with severe damage may find a course of treatments every one or two weeks for a month or two will really help to transform the condition of their hair and help prevent future breakage.” 23
THIS week, we continue with our new year, new garden approach – getting to know your plot, trying out something new, or replanting. We’ve looked at soil type and aspect. Now we are on to the goodies – plants!
The first series of plants we are looking at are probably the planet’s most important – trees. They enhance our lives and our ecosystem’s existence in vital ways. I’ve divided them into a series of sections.
Any garden, no matter the size or shape, can host a tree. As it is the largest specimen you will buy, plant or look after, it’s worth considering what role the tree will fulfil and researching all the possible options available.
TREES FOR PRIVACY
URBAN life means living in close proximity to other properties, making privacy in the garden a priority for many.
We want to look out from our windows onto a leafy scene and relax in relative seclusion. And trees are a great way to screen off unwanted views.
Pleached trees are trained to grow like hedges in the sky so a row of these will do an excellent job.
Evergreens such as holly, Magnolia grandiflora and Quercus ilex form thick barriers all year round.
For a lighter screen, try some silver birch. Pyrus ‘Chanticleer’ is a favourite of landscapers for screening purposes – slender and conical, it has white flowers in spring and holds on to its autumnal colours late in the year.
FAST-GROWERS
OFTEN we want instant solutions and look for fast-growing trees, but it’s critical to know how large these trees will grow as mistakes can be costly.
Leylandii has an extraordinary ability to grow at the rate of two to three feet a year. Keep it tightly clipped and you will have a perfect green screen but let it go out of control and it becomes a runaway monster. So it’s only suitable if you have the space and the ability to maintain regularly – not one for suburbia.
Hazel trees are fast growing and great value to wildlife. I’ve also used Acacia dealbata as a quick fix to block an eyesore and I love the yellow pompom flowers that will soon be out.
FOR A SMALL PLOT
A small garden may be able to accommodate a tall, slim tree or a low-spreading variety but often you will just want a compact enough specimen.
Malus ‘Rudolph’ is a small crab apple tree with a stunning display of deep cerise pink flowers. Its foliage emerges a bronze-red before turning green and the flowers turn to orange red fruit that persist on the tree until winter.
Other such as Amelanchier, which provide interest for two or three seasons, are good choices and I’d always recommend Acer griseum – a beautiful maple with ruffled cinnamon bark that’s a picture in winter.
POTS OR CONTAINERS
IN some situations, such as balconies or small paved courtyards, you are confined to growing in containers so choice is important. Best candidates include Japanese maples. There is a wonderful variety in terms of leaf size and colour but also observe its silhouette – in winter this can be sculptural and beautiful.
Small ornamental cherries, dwarf apples and the starry magnolia are suitable options as well. Grow in as large a pot as possible and under plant with spring bulbs to make miniature gardens.
CELEBRATE A LIFE OR OCCASION
PLANTING a tree can be a meaningful way to celebrate a life – to welcome a new arrival or in remembrance of those departed. A tree such as Liriodendron or magnolia that is in blossom on the anniversary or special day is very uplifting. Equally, a weeping willow or statuesque silver birch can commemorate someone in a deeply symbolic manner.
Whatever its function or appearance, planting a tree will contribute to our planet’s wellbeing.
Through the wonder that is photosynthesis, it will absorb carbon dioxide from the environment, trap it as carbon and as a happy by-product release oxygen back into the atmosphere.
So let this be the year we all plant a tree.