It doesn’t matter if you have straight, wavy, curly or coiled locks, we all have the same goal when it comes to our strands – optimising our hair health. The answer? Hair treatments. Restoring depleted strands to their former glory, they treat your tresses to the TLC they deserve and are an essential step in all hair care routines.
With that in mind, we’ve put together the ultimate hair treatment guide to ensure that your mane lives its best life. Read on to turn every day into a great hair day…
WHAT ARE HAIR TREATMENTS
Hair treatments generally refer to products that manage common concerns – we’re talking everything from controlling frizz and dandruff to hair thinning and split ends. Each treatment varies, depending on the problem you are trying to tackle and the ingredients or elements you need to bring your strands back to life.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT HAIR TREATMENT TYPES
Hair Masks: Designed to nourish and hydrate your locks, hair masks boost the condition and overall health of your mane. Also referred to as deep conditioning treatments, these formulas are powered by highly concentrated ingredients that can be left to absorb into your strands anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours. Just like most treatments, finding the right mask comes down to discovering your hair needs. For example, if you have coloured hair, your locks crave hydration and therefore need nourishing ingredients such as coconut water. Whereas, if you’re looking to reive damaged tresses, honey-infused products are the way to go.
Hair Oils: Hair oils are extracted from a variety of plants, herbs and fruits. They are highly concentrated in natural nutrients and have been used for centuries to promote healthy and happy hair. Not only do they protect your tresses from daily wear and tear (scrunchies, we’re looking at you), but they also shield your strands from drying out. How? By cleverly protecting your follicles from surfactants by filling in the gaps between your cuticle cells. Impressive, we know.
Leave-In Treatments: To put it simply, leave-in conditioners are the equivalent of your face or body moisturisers. Sustaining your locks’ moisture long after you’ve washed them, they are lightweight formulas that help hydrate, smooth, detangle and protect. TLC in a bottle, all hair types, colours and textures can benefit from these hair care heroes.
Scalp Scrubs and Treatments: It’s true, healthy hair starts with the scalp. Giving your scalp the love it deserves, scalp scrubs are designed to detox the root, removing product build up, dead skin cells and excess oil. Formulated to provide the optimal environment for your strands, these treatments prevent common concerns including dryness, itchiness, flakes, and the dreaded dandruff. But, if that isn’t enough, they also promote hair growth by lowering the enzymes that contribute to your natural shed rate. Who said one treatment couldn’t do it all?
Curl Creams: Aptly named, curl creams help define your natural curls, giving them definition while providing them with the moisture they need to smooth, soothe and add some shine to your strands. What’s more, supercharged by several conditioning properties, they enhance and encourage your natural curl pattern. Acting as a fuss-free styling saviour, these hardworking creams keep your locks thriving while replenishing moisture.
Hair Growth Supplements: While hair vitamins contain nutrients that enhance your mane’s overall health, hair growth supplements focus on lengthening, thickening and preventing the shredding of your strands. But what vitamins should you be taking to boost this? We’re glad you asked… vitamin B, vitamin D, vitamin E, zinc, biotin and iron are just a handful of essential ingredients that will help easily and effectively encourage growth.
BEST HAIR TREATMENTS RIGHT NOW…
Quenching thirsty tresses, Amika’s Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Mask detangles locks and prevents moisture loss while restoring suppleness. Delivering an intense dose of hydration, this silicone-free formula is perfect for curly and coiled hair as it fuses squalene and hyaluronic acid with bio-fermented coconut water. Clinically tested to last up to five days, it’s a treatment all hair types should be drinking up. We’ll cheers to that!
How to use: After shampooing, squeeze excess water out of hair and apply the mask to mid to end lengths. Comb through to disperse evenly, then let the formula sit for 5-10 minutes. Rinse thoroughly and repeat weekly.
SHOP ALL AMIKA >>>Restoring, replenishing and reviving damaged strands back to health, RANAVAT's Mighty Majesty Fortifying Hair Serum manages breakage, nourishes your scalp and protects against heat damage. Charged by a hydrating blend of amla extract, jasmine oil and sunflower oil, the multi-tasking formula is created with the brand’s signature cold-pressed extraction method to ensure all ingredients are optimised to their highest potency. Need we say any more?
How to use: Apply 2-3 drops into the palms and smooth onto wet or dry locks from mid-length to ends to target frizz and flyaways. This serum also functions as an overnight deep conditioning mask. Just massage into the scalp, leave on overnight and rinse with your favourite shampoo the next morning.
SHOP ALL RANAVAT >>>A Cult Conscious choice both your mane and Mother Nature will thank you for, Philip Kingsley’s Elasticizer Deep Conditioning Treatment adds elasticity, manageability, bounce and shine. Originally created for Audrey Hepburn, the iconic Elasticizer formula treats all textured tresses by deeply hydrating your hair and locking in essential moisture. What’s more, the product is housed in recyclable packaging, meaning it limits the levels of landfill waste, while reducing nasty CO2 emissions from entering our environment.
How to use: Dampen hair with water and apply Elasticizer in sections to mid-lengths and ends, ensuring maximum coverage. Then cover hair with a shower cap or towel. The heat created helps the nutrients to be fully absorbed. Leave for a minimum of 10-20 minutes, or as long as you wish, before rinsing thoroughly. After this, shampoo and condition as normal.
SHOP ALL PHILIP KINGSLEY >>>Designed to be part of all hair texture’s weekly ritual, Fable & Mane’s HoliRoots Pre-Wash Strengthening Treatment Hair Oil acts as both a pre-wash and scalp treatment. Packed with India’s not-so-secret hair growth secrets, it’s brimming with nourishment. Fusing castor oil with dashmool and ashwagandha, it strengthens your strands while encouraging lengthy locks. Oh, and did we mention it’s scented with the fresh notes of jasmine sambac, patchouli and cedarwood too – reviving your senses and your scalp.
How to use: Apply desired amount of oil to dry, parted hair and massage into roots. Leave for at least five minutes or overnight for best results. Rinse well before cleansing.
SHOP ALL FABLE & MANE >>>Bringing salon results home, K18’s Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask repairs even the most damaged of manes. Powered by a patented peptide – that works on a molecular level – it creates a unique sequence of amino acids that travel through struggling and split strands, allowing them to reconnect. The results? Bouncier hair that’s been brought back to life. Don’t worry, you can thank us later…
How to use: Shampoo and rinse. Then towel dry your hair thoroughly and apply the Leave-In Molecular Repair Mask. After four minutes, apply styling products if desired and dry/style as usual.
SHOP ALL K18 >>>Keeping your locks looking lustrous between cuts, Ceremonia’s Mascarilla de Babassu Hair Mask is renowned for repairing split ends and boosting shine. Infused with babassu oil, aloe vera and murumuru butter, the farm-to-lab formula hydrates, conditions and strengthens from the root. Plus, this treatment not only looks out for your hair but the environment (and all its inhabitants) too. How? Well, it’s completely vegan, cruelty free and housed in recyclable packaging.
How to use: After shampooing, massage the mask into hair, focusing from midway to ends. Leave on for 5-10 minutes, then rinse. For alternative use, apply Mascarilla de Babassu on dry hair pre-shower. For best results, use weekly.
SHOP ALL CEREMONIA >>>A smoothie that seeps into your scalp, The Nue Co.’s Supa_Thick Hair Treatment acts as the ideal remedy for thinning tresses. Bursting with lock-loving ingredients, the lightweight formula combines peppermint and rosemary oil to promote a bouncier and thicker finish. Resurrecting from the root, the shed-no-more solution will not only reinstate optimum hair health but confidence too.
How to use: Divide your hair into six sections and apply to scalp, gently massage to stimulate circulation. Leave for 20 minutes, then wash hair as usual. Use 2-3 times per week.
SHOP ALL THE NUE CO. >>>Now you have everything you need to know about the different hair treatment types, it’s time to give your tresses the TLC they deserve and bring your hair back to life! Oh, and if you're looking for more ways to look after your mane, why not read our Ultimate Hair Care Guide?
SHOP ALL HAIR TREATMENTS >>>
