My hair was so damaged from years of bleach – I found an amazing shampoo that left it thicker & stronger in a few washes
HAIR can look dry and damaged easily, so it’s no wonder beauty fans are scrambling to get their hands on this shampoo and conditioner combo.
The best part is the products won’t break the bank, so you can treat yourself and your locks without feeling guilty about it.
Mielle Rosemary Mint Strengthening Shampoo is available from Boots for just £10.99, but you can also pick it up from other retailers including Superdrug and Amazon.
In fact, shoppers love it so much it’s got an average rating of 4.7 stars and 1,436 rave reviews online.
Suitable for all hair types, shampoo “was developed to gently cleanse your hair while providing key nutrients,” according to the product description on Boots.com.
It continues: “With hair strengthening biotin and certified organic ingredients such as coconut and babassu seed oil, you can bring weak or brittle hair back from the brink.
“Not only does this strengthening shampoo feels and smells great, but it also provides intense moisture for all hair types along with unrivaled slip.
“A little goes a long way with this hair strengthening shampoo, which works great in concert with our Rosemary Mint Strengthening Hair Masque!”
One happy shoppers left a gleaming review, she wrote: “What can I say, I have my hair dyed on a regular time interval and of course because I dye it blonde it gets damaged over time.
“This product alongside the moisture conditioner are magical!
“My hair is thicker, not frizzy and completely refreshed.”
And she’s not the only one who can’t get over the results, another wrote: “Excellent smell and lather. Makes my hair so strong & soft. I noticed a difference after the first use.
“Not like any other brand i have tried. Will be trying all the Mielle products!!!”
“Obsessed with this shampoo, especailly used with the conditioner too.
“My hair is smooth and shiny but not greasy looking,” another reviewed.
How to care for damaged hair
Hair pro Chris Wenzel often shares his best tried and tested tricks on social media (@blowoutprofessor) and his recent advice is perfect if you’ve got heat damage, split ends or just need to inject a bit more life into your locks.
Avoid daily touchups
It might be tempting to quickly restyle your hair every day, but this is one of the biggest mistakes you can make.
He said: “Damage adds up really really quickly when you do that.”
Your hair needs a break between using heat on it, so straightening it one day then touching it up the next will cause loads of problems including dry and brittle hair, split ends and frizz.
“Even if you just do the front section or that little thing that looks weird, it’s going to cause damage,” explained.
Instead, Chris advises waiting wait three days before using any heat tools on your hair, and when you do use heat always use a protectant spray or cream.
Avoid naked hair
A lot of people think leaving their hair completely alone is the best way to keep it healthy, but that’s not necessarily true.
The hair expert said: “Naked hair is when you get out of the shower and you don’t put any products into your hair.
“Your hair is like a baby, it can’t take care of itself, you have to take care of it.”
Some hair is naturally more dry so will need added moisture, and that comes in the form of hair products. Consider adding conditioner to your hair every wash.
Don’t air dry then style
When you air dry your hair it will want to stay in the same position and shape, so if you try it style it afterwards it’s going to take a lot more work, and that means a lot more heat damage.
Chris said: “Even if you do win the fight and get it to be super straight it’s not going to be that way for very long because it’s always going to be fighting to go back to the air dried shape that it was before.”
If you do want sleek locks, you should blow dry your hair flat and then smooth it out with a straightener.
It might seem like using a hot hairdryer and then straighteners will cause more damage, but it will be less heat overall, and you style will last longer, so you can avoid touch-ups.
The 4 stages of the hair growth cycle
Hair experts at Philip Kingsley shared the four stages of the hair growtn cycle are: Anagen, Catagen, Telogen and Exogen
Anagen Phase: Also known as the ‘Growth Phase’ or ‘Active Phase’, is when the cells in the root of your hair are most rapidly dividing so more new hair is formed.
During the Anagen Phase, hair grows around half an inch a month [about six inches a year], and faster in the summer than in winter.
This phase of the hair growth cycle lasts an average of three to five years.
Catagen Phase: Following the Anagen Phase, your hair cycle enters a short transitional phase known as the Catagen Phase, which signals the end of active hair growth and cuts individual hairs off from the blood supply and from the cells that produce new hair.
Approximately three percent of all hairs are in this stage at any time and it lasts for around 10 days.
Telogen Phase: The third stage of your natural hair growth cycle is the Telogen Phase, a resting period when strands remain in their follicles but are not actively growing.
An estimate of 10-15 percent of your hairs are in the Telogen Phase at any given moment.
The Telogen Phase lasts around three months or 100 days.
Exogen Phase: The final stage of the Hair Growth Cycle, when individual hair strands are released from their follicles and fall out.
Now the whole process begins again.