How to get your hair back to its best in midlife
Scalp care may not sound too sexy, but its results most definitely are
When I was in my 20s, I had the most luxuriant, Pre-Raphaelite hair. Sadly, it didn’t do me much good in the popularity stakes because long red hair wasn’t in vogue then (drat and double drat). I used to be able to sit on it too.
Now I’m 60, inevitably, my hair is thinner and I can’t sit on it any more (well, unless I collect what’s left in the brush and use it to stuff a cushion).
For quite a while now, I’ve got into the habit of shoving it up in the WFH up-do and rarely let it loose. This has caused a couple of problems. The first is that by pulling it tight at the temples, constant traction has weakened the hair in that area. Also, I shampoo and brush it less often, so my scalp receives less attention and massage action.
Regular hands-on care for your scalp is an important factor for fabulous hair, along with regular conditioning treatments. So I’m mending my ways and have found four follicle-loving strategies. Cue fanfare of trumpets for…
The pre-cleanse
Nope, I’d never heard of that as a step either. But Kérastase Chronologiste Pre-Cleanse Régénérant (£36.45, kerastase.co.uk) works to budge oily build-up and impurities from the roots for fresher, healthier-looking hair. You don’t have to use it every wash and it’s so rich you need very little for a big return.
I was surprised when I first squirted it from the tube as it’s inky black in colour (that would be the charcoal). It claims to remove up to 96 per cent more pollution particles than a regular shampoo, with hyaluronic acid added to hydrate. Instantly, my hair had more bounce at root level. Who’d have thought?
The scalp shampoo
Top London hairdresser Paul Windle cares so much about the products he uses, he set up his own lab in the Lake District to develop targeted formulas, which include rich-tea blends brewed on site. Their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties help improve scalp health, which in turn supports hair growth. Makes sense – you wouldn’t expect beautiful flowers to bloom from poor soil.
His Windle Lab Healthy Head Shampoo (£25.25, windle-london.com) is a great example. Yerba mate tea and green coffee have been included for their antioxidant and micro-circulation-boosting properties, balanced with eucalyptus, tea tree and sage oils to reduce flakes and soothe.
The massage
Seems it might not be a myth that a scalp massage can invigorate your hair. Research is positive, if somewhat limited,
and the thinking is that regular massaging achieves two things. Firstly, it can stretch the cells of the hair follicles, which leads to thicker hair. And secondly, by dilating blood vessels beneath the skin, it boosts circulation, nourishing and supporting growth.
You don’t always have to use an oil, which requires a clean-up op – simply use fingertips to apply light to medium pressure and work in small circles all over your head for five minutes, a couple of times a day.
The mask
Treating the scalp can be rather like an extension of skincare – and one brand that embraces that philosophy is Monpure. Its Nourish and Stimulate Scalp Mask (£53, monpure.com) contains vitamin-rich camellia tea oil for a hit of nourishment, and silk peptides that promote lush lengths.
The budget option that packs a pampering punch is Pantene’s Grow Strong & Long Keratin Hair Mask (£4.99, boots.com), infused with bamboo and biotin, which have a strengthening effect, preventing hair breakage and delivering a satiny finish.
This week I am mostly...
- Plugging in a therapy light. Dark days give me the January blues and the Beurer TL 50 SAD Therapy Light, (£79.99, johnlewis.com) is coming to the rescue. Although I would love to conduct a scientific trial and compare it to, say, a month in the Caribbean, just to check which option works best.
- Pampering myself with Neal’s Yard Soothing Bath Oil (£18, nealsyardremedies.com). With lavender, geranium, bergamot and cypress, it adds a dash of cheeriness to an evening soak.
- Perfuming cupboards with True Grace’s Cabinet of Curiosities Scented Leaves (five for £16.50, truegrace.co.uk). A mix of woods and spices, there’s something so uplifting about opening a wardrobe to a whoosh of this lovely fragrance.
Read more: Five tricks for a flawless complexion