Disney's Rapunzel
Am I fair to say that our hair status dictates our early morning mood? Dull hair can bring on a dreary day and while we can all give our mane a big brush and an upside-down shake, it is sometimes hard to accept that our hair is not as it was in our youth.
Along with colour and volume, stress levels rocket when we notice any sign of thinning, and so, on behalf of all ladies who are shedding, I took it upon myself to find out why these hair follicles are failing and what we can do with our mops on a bad hair day.
Firstly addressing any lack of moisture, as this will cause hair to frizz and droop, I picked out Klorane’s Quinine and Vitamin B shampoo (£6 for 200ml) and conditioning balm (£6.50 for 150ml). Derived from the Cinchona tree in South America, this range contains a powerful, active ingredient called quinine which stimulates blood circulation while also strengthening the hair. In addition to this range, there was one other shampoo which impressed me; the Energising Range, focused on fragile hair and scaly scalps, offer a shampoo (£14.35 for 250ml) which claims to increase microcirculation. I loved the tingling feeling and did notice a big hair affect after my drying my locks.
Always happy to pop a pill, I turned down the supplement route for inspiration. Imedeen, a developer of natural-based, scientifically proven beauty supplements since 1991, has recently launched their Hair & Nail capsules ( £22.95 for 2 months supply). On top of this, I could see no reason not to give Herb UK’s hair supplement (£12.99) a go seeing as it is full of Vitamin B, a big culprit in the deficiency department when it comes to disappointing hair.
Hair Loss Saviours
Desperately seeking a real hair expert, I set off for Phillip Kingsleys’ Trichological Clinic in Mayfair. It was only when I was sitting down with Glenn Lyons, their incredibly knowledgeable clinical director, that the penny began to drop. At least 30 per cent of women in the UK are suffering from male pattern balding. In response to this, Glenn and his team have found a solution which prevents more hair loss and can, in some cases, stimulate hair growth. I discovered that while stress and hormones certainly play a part in some hair loss cases, the overwhelming cause is the genetic sensitivity to the male hormones such as testosterone on the hair follicle.
The Phillip Kingsley solution to the issue is an anti-androgen blocking agent, in the form of drops, which is applied topically to scalp where appropriate. Aside from the ‘wonder drops’ (£47 for 100ml) Glenn offers his despairing clients, he really understands the fragility of both the hair follicle and the emotional state of his clients. With tissues at the ready, he advises and prescribes until he finds the right remedy for each of his clients.
As a final point, not to be glossed over, if the argan or morocan hair oil trend has not reached a town near you, take note. The mind-blowingly luxurious Rodin by Recine (£50 for 30mls) – or a run-of-the mill argan oil from a local health food shop – is a great way to tame, shine and condition your hair once styled and ready to go. Oh and the delicious smell will lift your mood too.
