Here are five new brands and innovations that can help to give your hair a refresh for the new year …
1 THE NEW SHAMPOO
A good shampoo and conditioner should protect your hair between appointments. (In our case that can be a very long time, so it could be worth the investment.) The K18 leave-in molecular repair mask is one of the few hair products I rate, and use regularly. K18’s new Damage Shield protective shampoo and conditioner are expensive at €45 each, but I have high hopes for this protective daily care line. The trick is to keep using the excellent leave-in molecular repair hair mask once a week, to repair damage. www.k18hair.ie
2 THE HAIR MASK
New Irish-founded brand Sea+Solu has a range of products made in the UK. The hero is the Moisture Melt Hair Mask (€33.95) that can be pimped up with a booster – choose from four, from anti-frizz to strength boosting (€20.95 each). I find the scent quite strong, but the formulas are silicone-free, and the wide-toothed comb has a handy handle so you can hang it in the shower. The brand’s silk scrunchies are €17.95 for three, which is better value than designer iterations. Solu is the name of Davines’ bestselling sea salt scrub cleanser, a great scalp detoxifier (from €11.50; www.hairbrush.ie). Sea+Solu is available from January 17, at www.seaplussolu.com.
3 THE ALL-IRISH HAIR RANGE
The Remi scalp and hair range is made in Ireland, and proudly bears the Guaranteed Irish logo – this is a big attraction. The hair range features oil-serums for morning and for evening, plus scalp-centred treatments. Prices start from €22 for the scalp-detoxing shampoo, going up to €52 for serums. Founder Claire Fullam struggled with alopecia and so she knows firsthand how hair loss can affect people – Remi is about care and repair. www.remi.ie.
4 THE ADVICE
If you’re having hair problems, whether with hair loss or dullness, it’s hard to know where to get help and advice, beyond your own hairdresser (who’s often bound by the product range they stock). Claire Fullam (of Remi, above) also runs Trua, a “trichology lead online clinic”, to support those struggling with hair loss and scalp issues; you can book online consultations. The online store stocks tried and trusted brands such as Nioxin – which many salons stock, and rate highly for helping with hair loss – plus Annutri and fabulous Italian sustainable hair line Davines. www.trua.ie.
5 THE SUPPLEMENT
Hush & Hush, from the people behind Image skincare, is one of the first to come up with a Collagen+ supplement that’s suitable for vegetarians, too. Packed with amino acids, the supplements are designed for hair, nails and skin, it’s said to reduce hair breakage as well as improving hair growth. At clinics nationwide and www.hushandhush.ie.
