Struggling with damaged hair? You're not alone. In fact, my hair and I have been on quite a journey over the last year, but it's safe to say that we are in a much better place now. Let me give you a little backstory. I have always been blessed with thick, healthy hair, and when I was younger, it seemed that no matter what I did, the condition of my hair didn't change. From bleaching my dark brunette locks bright blonde when I was 16, to using very hot straighteners every single day before school, you'd expect my ends to be absolutely fried, but somehow they made it through looking pretty good (if I do say so myself).
Because of this, I had a false sense of security when it came to my hair, and I assumed that I could still do whatever I wanted to it. However, at the age of 25, I decided to go somewhat blonde again, so I headed straight to the hairdressers for a full head of highlights. Not only that, but I was suddenly obsessed with having straight hair again (my hair is naturally quite wavy) so I started using my straighteners everyday. To my shock and horror, when summer hit, I noticed that the ends of my hair were completely breaking off, especially around my face. I quickly realised that my hair had finally had enough.
Junior beauty editor Grace Lindsay's hair had become very dry and damaged after bleaching.
Not only were my ends breaking, but the condition of my hair dramatically changed—it felt really dry and became a lot harder to style. It never seemed to grow, and despite getting my ends trimmed, I honestly felt like it stayed the same length for months, which was really frustrating.
Grace's hair had also started to get a lot thinner at the roots, as you can see in this picture.
I knew it was time to take better care of my hair, but I had absolutely no idea where to start. I don't know about you, but I found the amount of information online about repairing damaged hair quite overwhelming, not to mention the amount of products on the market. How was anyone supposed to know what to buy? But after a year of testing what felt like every damaged-hair product under the sun, I feel like I've finally nailed down the perfect routine.
A year later, and Grace's hair is so much thicker at the roots, whilst the ends are less dry and damaged.
Not only does my hair feel so much better, but I've noticed it growing a lot more in the last few months, and even my hairdresser recently commented on how healthy and long it looks. My broken ends are no longer as noticeable because of this, and I feel so much more confident within myself. Although saying goodbye to bleach and getting regular trims have contributed to this, the products listed below have become my holy grails, so I thought it was only right that I shared them with you.
Grace's hair has grown a lot over the last few months thanks to her new routine.
It goes without saying that everyone's hair is different, and if you're struggling with a specific concern then it's definitely best to speak to a specialist. However, if like me you're simply looking to take better care of your hair, then keep on scrolling for the best products for damaged hair on the market, as tried by yours truly.
1. JVN Complete Pre-Wash Scalp Oil
When I started my healthy-hair journey, I mainly focused on nourishing the ends of my hair, however I quickly realised how important it is to keep your scalp healthy too. This Pre-Wash Scalp Oil by JVN is designed to be applied to the scalp 10 to 15 minutes before washing your hair, and contains rosemary and turmeric extracts, neem seed oil and JVN's patented sugarcane-derived hemi-squalane to improve hair health, calm the scalp and promote growth. I always notice a huge different in how my hair looks and feels when I use this, and I won't be removing it from my routine anytime soon.
2. K18 Peptide Prep Detox Shampoo
Another thing that has helped to keep my scalp healthy and remove any build-up from my hair is a detox shampoo. I try to only wash my hair once or twice a week, and this shampoo from K18 removes all build-up, keeping my roots silky soft until my next wash thanks to the formula's salicylic acid and activated charcoal. Plus, it contains the brand's patented K18Peptide to reduce protein loss.
3. Virtue Restorative Treatment Mask
Previously, I would go in with conditioner after shampooing my hair, but now I always use a hair mask instead. My personal favourite is this one from Virtue, which has really helped to improve the overall condition of my hair. It contains the brand's exclusive complex, Alpha Keratin 60ku, which works to hydrate dry ends, whilst baobab seed oil moisturises and leaves you with a salon-worthy shine.
4. Augustinus Bader The Hair Oil
I know I've already talked about a pre-wash scalp oil, but I also like to apply a nourishing oil onto the ends of my hair between wash days to stop it from getting dry. Although this Augustinus Bader one is a bit more of an investment, I love it as it helps to minimise the appearance of breakage.
5. Gisou Honey Infused Leave-In Conditioner
On hair-wash days, I always apply a leave-in conditioner to my ends before drying and styling. This Gisou one is infused with honey to help strengthen, repair damage and add shine. As someone with thick hair, it's hard to find a leave-in conditioner that actually works, but this one really delivers. That being said, if you have fine hair, I would recommend only applying a little bit, as it might weigh your hair down.
6. L'Oréal Professionnel Steampod 3
In an ideal world, I wouldn't use any heat on my hair whatsoever, but as someone who likes to straighten and curl her hair, I knew that this would never be a realistic goal. Therefore, instead of completely cutting out heat, I've learnt to embrace my natural texture a lot more, and on days I do want to style my hair, I use the L'Oréal Professionnel Steampod 3. What I love about this tool is that it uses patented steam technology alongside heated plates to style your hair more gently, reducing damage whilst creating whatever look you desire.
7. GHD Bodyguard Heat Protect Spray
Before styling my hair, I always make sure to apply a heat protectant, and I've been loving this one by GHD. Simply apply two to three pumps and brush through the hair before using your chosen tool.
8. Kitsch Satin Heatless Curling Set
Lately, I've been giving this heatless curling set a go to try to minimise damage even more, and so far I'm impressed. I definitely need a bit more practise, and I recommend watching some tutorials online before trying them yourself, but they aren't as hard as I thought. All you do is wrap the hair around the tool at night, and once you take it out in the morning, you're left with bouncy-looking curls that anyone would think you'd spent hours doing.
9. Slip Pure Silk Skinny Scrunchies
I only use silk scrunchies to tie up my hair, as the soft material is much gentler and helps to prevent breakage. I love these skinny ones from Slip, and have got all my friends and family hooked on them too.
10. Noughty Little Saviour Microfibre Hair Towel
My final recommendation—and one of my ultimate favourites—is this microfibre hair towel. I had no idea that normal towels could cause breakage, but after finding that out, I made sure to switch all my hair towels to microfibre ones to reduce friction.
Next Up: 19 Cheap Shampoos That Are Just as Good as Expensive Ones
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