Long shiny hair is one of the most popular hair styles going around at the moment (thanks in large part to those Victoria’s Secret Angels and their glossy bouncy locks). But how do you look after your hair as you try to grow it out and wait a few extra weeks between cuts?
I’ve had friends try to convince me to smooth extra virgin olive oil on to my hair before bed (errr no thanks) and have tried a lot of post-wash moisturisation products but there is one hair product sector that never fails to let me down.
My hair secret? A good hair mask or deep conditioning treatment at every wash (I wash my hair about 2 – 3 times a week). It’s that simple. I am usually terrible with booking haircuts so I can go from 12 to 15 weeks between cuts, so my shower caddy is never without an amazing deep conditioner and hair mask.
But don’t take our word for it! We asked our hairdresser, Barney Martin, to give us some hair maintenance tips. Here’s what he recommends:
- Now that the weather has turned cold we are all cranking up our heaters which will dry out your hair. In winter you really need to increase your application of treatments from once to twice a week.
- If your hair is coloured, chemically treated or you heat style your hair you will have lost its natural protective layer. So before your styling your hair with heat or not, make sure you apply a leave in conditioning treatment to the ends to help prevent split ends.
- If you find you get greasy roots within a day of washing it, invest in a dry shampoo so you can get an extra day out of your blowdry – if you have fine hair it will also give you a bit of texture and lift from the roots.
- I recommend my clients have at least one heat free day a week to give their hair a break
Hair masks and deep conditioners we love
(Clockwise from top left)
Keratinology by Sunsilk Sun Kissed Colour Therapy Glossy Mask
RRP: AU$13.99 (200ml)
We were introduced to the Keratinology by Sunsilk range last year and this is one of our favourite products from the range. I find most coloured hair treatments offer you great moisturisation as it’s made to penetrate deeper into the hair fibre to smooth and nourish hair. There’s something about the science behind Keratin Micro Technology™ that works. This is our second tub!
KMS California MOISTREPAIR Therapy Treatment
RRP: AU$31.95 (125ml)
This blue tube packs quite a punch, and as you can see from the slightly used look of the tube, it’s a favourite. A deep treatment, it contains aloe and vanilla to really pack an extra punch in the replenishing, rebalancing and repairing your hair. I’m actually a little sad that this tube is on its last legs as it’s definitely a favourite (so much so I won’t share it with my flatmates).
Pantene Nature Fusion Rinse-Off Treatment
RRP: $4.99 (150ml)
We have to admit that we were happily surprise at how amazing the Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion Rinse-Off Treatment is. It’s like a green tub of hair magic. Staying true to its name, it contains a multitude of naturally moisturising properties like avocado oil, grapeseed extract and bamboo to create this rich formulation that works a treat. Light on your hair, it doesn’t weigh you down but packs a lot of moisture into a tub.
L’Oreal Elvive Total Repair 5 Deep Repair Treatment Tube
RRP: $7.95 (200mL)
When we spotted this product in our goody bag during L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival it instantly went on my need-to-try shelf in the bathroom. Why? Because the L’Oreal Elvive range has been a favourite for a more than a few years, though it had been a while since we last used the range. The Total Repair 5 Deep Repair treatment is made to help repair five hair problems – damage, thinning, split-ends, brittleness and dullness. Through reconstructing pro-keratin and ceramide, it strengthens your hair so it’s ready to shine another day.
Our favourite?
Don’t make us pick just one. I have these 4 on heavy rotation right now and I’m dreading the day when they’re empty.
How do you use a hair mask / deep conditioning treatment?
- Wash your hair like normal
- Put a little of your normal conditioner on the top half of your hair
- Smooth the bottom half of your hair with a hair mask / deep conditioning treatment
- Leave on for a few minutes and wash off as normal
Of course if you can keep the heat styling to a minimum, it will help immensely. There’s nothing like a hair dryer that cuts down on the drying time while leaving your hair smooth – check out our review of the ghd Air hair dryer. It’s sitting in our bathroom right now.
Disclaimer: All the products except for the L’Oreal Elvive was given to us for editorial consideration.
