Eight tips to hydrate parched hair

Eight tips to hydrate parched hair

A number of factors contribute to parched hair. A change in weather conditions often causes problems, especially in autumn and winter which feature colder temperatures, harsh winds and excessive rain – all of which leave your locks dehydrated and brittle. Combine this with party season, which sees us blow drying, straightening and curling our tresses more than we usually might, and you’ve got yourself a head of unhappy hair. But it’s not all doom and gloom. We’ve called on some of the UK’s top haircare experts to make parched hair a thing of the past.

Richard Ward, celebrity, royal and award-winning hairdresser

‘When hair is in a fragile wet condition, its tensile strength (the ability for it to stretch) is enhanced and therefore it is more delicate. Pulling and tugging it in this state only encourages breakage, and this is where proper detangling comes in as a must-do process to create lustre and shine. Detangling brushes generally work on the concept that the bristles are at different lengths so the longer ones are working on and combing out different areas of the hair to the shorter ones. Where Tangle Angel is different is that not only do its bristles work in new patented blade technology that divides hair strands and part knots, but the Multi-flex bristles move in opposing directions, loosening tangles as you brush.’

Recommended product: Tangle Angel Pro, £19.50, tangleangel.com

Lee Stafford, award-winning hairdresser

‘The first thing you need to do is invest in an intensive hydrating treatment to put the moisture back into your hair. My Sea Salt Mud Mask contains actual mud from the dead sea as well as nutritious algae which is highly concentrated with vitamins and minerals to hydrate, strengthen and repair hair. I always recommend using hair treatments in between shampooing and conditioning. The reason for this is because shampoo initially roughs up the cuticles of the hair which releases the dirt from the hair shaft. This naturally leaves the hair shaft open, becoming the perfect absorbing environment for your mask, allowing the nourishing ingredients to penetrate deeper into the hair. You would then use conditioner to slick the cuticles of your hair back down.’

Recommended product: Lee Stafford Sea Salt Mud Mask, £10.99, boots.com

Kevin Hughes, Moroccanoil artistic director

‘Our number one tip is to take care of your hair every day using Moroccanoil Treatment. This amazing product is the perfect foundation for all hair care and styling, especially in the cold winter months as it features a blend of powerful ingredients including antioxidant-rich argan oil and linseed seed extract that absorb quickly to improve hair’s elasticity, manageability and shine.’

Recommended product: Moroccanoil Treatment, £32.85, lookfantastic.com

Lisa de-la Plain, professional beauty therapist and co-founder of the online beauty site Beauty Flash

‘Avoid brushing your hair when it’s wet, styling it with your fingers instead, and don’t towel dry hair too vigorously, dabbing and squeezing it instead. Don’t shampoo every day and use an exfoliating treatment on your scalp if you have scalp problems. A weekly hair mask can make a real difference to stressed hair and using the right brush, to protect your hair and scalp, is a must.’

Recommended product: Alterna Caviar Anti Aging Moisture Milk, £31.50, beautyflash.co.uk

Tabitha James Kraan, organic hairdresser

‘For dry brittle hair we need to put back the protective seal onto the hair shaft with a natural oil treatment. Give your hair a good brush first and then use a pre-wash treatment. The Organic Scented Hair Oil from Tabitha James Kraan is 100 per cent natural and delivers a fine layer of oil that doesn’t feel greasy, but creates a harmonious equilibrium keeping the hair underneath it happy and healthy. It smells amazing, and helps to rebalance the scalp to slow down the over-production of sebum that keeps making your roots look greasy.’

Recommended product: Tabitha James KraanOrganic Scented Hair Oil, £38, tabithajameskraan.com

Limoz Logli, international celebrity hair stylist and founder of his eponymous salon in Chelsea

‘My top tip to hydrate parched hair is moisture, moisture, moisture! Use deep nourishing treatments to restore, condition and fortify the hair’s cuticles and fibres. And remember – when applying a hydrating mask, always towel dry your hair prior to application to get the maximum conditioning benefits.’

Recommended product: ORIBE Gold Lust Transformative Masque, £57, spacenk.com

Paul Lautner, senior stylist at The Chapel

‘I would recommend a three part product range. What I mean by this is investing in a shampoo for dry hair, a conditioner for dry hair and a treatment which you apply once a week and leave on for a minimum of 20 minutes. The reason for this is because it will really help your hair stay soft and conditioned. It will also improve the manageability of the hair by keeping it shiny and holding its shape. Redken have a range called All Soft. This is a specific range for dry and brittle hair and sets out to restore hair back to its natural state. It helps make hair more manageable and gives a shine from the word go.’ 

Recommended product: Redken All Soft range, from £14.50, redken.co.uk

Elle Bondoc, senior stylist at Neville Hair & Beauty

‘At this time of year, it is very common to suffer with dehydrated hair. After months of prolonged sun and salt water exposure hair is left in need of some TLC. I would recommend the mystifying treatment as the use of steam deeply hydrates the hair. The Mist-Ifying Treatment seals in the hair’s moisture by creating a mist which is streamed over the hair, penetrating deep into the follicles.’

Recommended product: The Mist-Ifying Treatment, from £90, nevillehairandbeauty.net

You might also like our winter hair saviours or these 5 pollution-fighting beauty buys.