Clever hair buys

Skincare-inspired products that’ll transform your tresses in an instant!

While we’re not suggesting you swap your conditioner for a facial serum, the same products and ingredients that work wonders on your skin can really benefit your hair, too. Taking inspiration from some of the hardest-working skincare, we’ve got everything you need to give your hair a lift…

BEST FOR REPAIR

Designed to repair over-processed hair damaged by bleach or heat styling, Nexxus Emergencée Leave In Crème, £19.99, brings dehydrated locks back from the brink. Best used on damp hair, marine collagen plumps and smooths each strand while elastin protein helps hair bounce back from future damage.

BEST FOR REGULAR HAIR WASHERS

Great for anyone who wants to wash their hair every day without damaging it, Herbal Essences Bio: Renew Micellar Water & Blue Ginger Shampoo, £5.99, Superdrug, delivers a really gentle cleanse. Just like a micellar water for your skin, this works like a magnet to lift dirt and oil out of the hair for soft, weightless tresses.

BEST FOR GROWTH

The average person sheds around 100 hairs a day, but this number can quickly rise due to age or stress. Using nutrient-rich peasprout extract as its main ingredient, as well as amino acid arginine (a powerful antioxidant), Charles Worthington Grow Strong Scalp Tonic, £7.99, stimulates the hair follicles to kick-start new hair growth.

BEST FOR TAMING FRIZZ

Inspired by Korean beauty trends, sheet masks are doused in serum to perk up your skin in record time. Bringing the same innovation to your hair, Redken All Soft Mega Recovery Tissue Mask Cap, £7.50, feelunique.com, traps warm air and moisture inside to help the hydrating ingredients work harder – making puffy, fluffy hair instantly more manageable.

BEST FOR FINE HAIR

A game-changer for limp locks, Fudge Xpander Gelée Shampoo, £11.95, beautybay.com, uses expander technology to leave fine hair full and bouncy from the first wash. Infused with caffeine, it increases blood flow to your scalp – waking up your hair follicles for naturally thicker tresses over time.

BEST FOR SPLIT ENDS

As well as working wonders on your skin, Dr Organic Shea Butter Wonder Oil, £11.99, Holland & Barrett, can be used on your hair and nails too. Smooth it on to frazzled ends and flyaways to gloss over damaged areas – a little goes a long way so use this sparingly, especially if you have fine hair.

BEST FOR ANTI-AGEING

A molecule of hyaluronic acid can hold up to 1000 times its own weight in water, so it’s brilliant for keeping your skin plump. By flooding your hair and scalp with the same amount of hydration you’d find in a moisturiser, Grow Gorgeous Intense Thickening Hair And Scalp Mask, £25, growgorgeous.co.uk, rewinds the clock for shinier, healthier looking locks.

BEST FOR UNRULY HAIR

When activated by heat, IGK Good Behavior Spirulina Protein Smoothing Spray, £27, Space NK, mimics the results of an in-salon keratin treatment, leaving hair with a glaze-like protective coating that lasts until your next wash. Packed full of proteins to restore and repair, it’s the perfect defence against humidity and frizz.

BEST FOR SENSITIVE SCALPS

Not just for battling blemishes, salicylic acid can be used to exfoliate your scalp, rinsing away dead skin cells to create a better environment for healthy hair to grow. L’Oréal Botanicals Lavender Soothing Therapy Shampoo, £7.99, is designed to do just that, using natural ingredients to soothe sore scalps and repair fragile tresses.

BEST FOR COLOURED HAIR

We know it’s important to use SPF on our skin all year round, but our hair needs protecting from the sun’s rays, too. Applied to damp or dry locks, Nanogen Root Boost Hair Thickening Spray with Sun Damage Protection, £12.95, adds bounce while preventing colour change and fade – whether it’s natural or from a bottle.