Time to skinify your hair

The skinification of hair is well and truly upon us. No, that’s not a typo. So what is it? Simply put, it’s the use of well-known skincare ingredients in haircare – a massively growing trend answering the consumer call for more effective and targeted products harnessing the power of the latest tech to improve your individual hair concerns.

It means elevating your haircare routine from simply throwing some shampoo and conditioner on it and hoping for the best, to thinking about what it really needs to look its best – be it nourishment, repair or anything else.

Finally, it’s about looking to products normally found on the skincare aisles – serums, oils, masks etc – and using them in the same way for your hair.

So where should you begin? Here I break down some of the top ingredients to hit the shelves, and what they do for our hair.

SKIN-TO-HAIR INGREDIENTS

Hyaluronic acid Naturally occurring in the human body, hyaluronic acid is super hydrating, helping hair to hold on to moisture to keep dryness and frizz at bay.

Try: Kiko Milano Haircare by Rossano Ferretti Nourish & Protect Shampoo, £19.99, & Conditioner, £20.99 (kikocosmetics. com) is a luxurious duo which effectively cleanses and deeply hydrates using a hyaluronic acid complex.

Glycerin Especially good for taming and adding shine, manageability and hydration to curls, glycerin is a conditioning ingredient.

Try: Function of Beauty Wavy Hair Leave-In Treatment, £14 (Boots) has been designed with waves in mind, containing babassu oil and glycerin to nourish and polish.

Glycolic acid

A gentle exfoliant, glycolic acid removes excess oil and product build-up from the hair and scalp, leaving strands shinier, bouncier and stronger.

Try: L’Oreal Paris Elvive Glycolic Gloss 5 Minute Lamination Treatment, £15.99 (lookfantastic. com) is a rinse-off formula to restore lustre to dull hair, which contains a high concentration of glycolic acid.

Ceramides As reparative as they are in skincare, ceramides are great for damaged hair in need of some TLC as they reinforce the hair cuticle to protect against moisture loss and dehydration. Try: John

Frieda Frizz

Ease Miraculous Recovery Repairing Shampoo & Conditioner, both £6.99 (Superdrug) contains ceramides to nourish, smooth and restore frizzy, damaged hair.

Antioxidants Antioxidants form a two-prong protective approach in haircare, firstly shielding strands from damage from the sun and other environmental aggressors, while also boosting blood circulation to the scalp and thus defending against hair thinning.

Try: Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Rich

Rice Shampoo Concentrate, £36 (cultbeauty.co.uk) combines protective rice protein complex with strengthening ceramides and antioxidant algae extract, which acts as a shield against the elements.

Squalane Nourishing squalane boosts elasticity and flexibility of each hair shaft from within, leading

to a smoother appearance and softer feel. It also works wonders on the scalp, calming any irritation and adding more moisture to the proceedings.

Try: Wella Ultimate Repair Mask, £24 (Amazon) contains a concoction of squalane, AHA and omega-9 to rebuild broken bonds, hydrate and protect hair from further damage.

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