Beauty: 5 hair hacks to banish bad hair days
Find your simple styling solution
Let’s face it, we want our hair to look good, but most of us don’t have the time – or money! – to live at the hairdressers. Luckily, there are products that take moments to grab, and will transform your locks from drab to fab, whatever your hair type.
1 CURB CURL CHAOS
Gorgeous as they are, curls can be tricky to manage. They result from gaps and holes in the cuticles that leave your hair prone to frizzing or tangling in humid weather. Like with skin, dry hair benefits from oil to give it back its moisture. Bumble
And Bumble Bb Curl Anti-Humidity Gel-Oil, £24, is nourishing but won’t weigh curls down. Similarly, the company’s Luminous Oil Spray, £28, is a great finishing product when you’re in a hurry.
2 BIG HAIR IN A BOTTLE
It’s easy to get volume immediately after blowdrying, but what about in the middle of the day? If your hair has a tendency to go flat, arm yourself with Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Body Builder, £10
(98ml). It has two settings; M for ‘ more body’ and L for ‘ less body’, depending on how much oomph you want to give your locks. Turn the nozzle towards the setting of your choice and aim it at your roots for instant lift, or spray around your layers to create more definition.
3 STYLING ‘SECOND DAY’ HAIR
Nearly half of us* wash our hair every day, but such frequent washing can leave your scalp overworked, but with dry ends. To deal with this ‘ combination’ hair without making your roots greasy, try Charles Worthington Healthy Balance One Day Longer Dry Shampoo, £5.99. Its rose clay formula helps absorb excess oil – similar to a clay-based face mask – while controlling odour, too. Spray on and massage in well, like a normal shampoo.
4 SHINE ON
It’s the ultimate sign of healthy hair, but getting that elusive shine begins with getting your mane in good condition. Each strand has an outer layer called the cuticle, made of overlapping cells, and the smoother they lie, the more likely it is your hair will look glossy. For those in a hurry, Soap & Glory Fresh Hair Supply Shine Mist, £7.50, is odour neutralising and infused with argan oil to create a mirror-like effect. Concentrate on mid-lengths and ends to avoid overloading roots.
5 FRIZZ FIGHTER
Every hair type is affected by frizz at some point, more so when the weather is so changeable in spring. Leo Bancroft Anti-Frizz Humidity Shield, £3, can protect against temperatures of up to 220˚C, but it’s lightweight enough to use as a mid-afternoon touch up if your hair becomes fluffy during the day. The moringa oil formula leaves locks feeling soft.